Guide Lines for Card machine setting part 1

4/18/2022

By Demesew Kukuba, 0911568433, demesew2014@gmail.com

Table of Contents
1. Basic settings:......................................................................................................................................2
1.1 Adjusting the lap weight /Batt weight at chute.................................................................................2
1.2 Licker in Zone.....................................................................................................................................3
1.2.1 Feeding Point..............................................................................................................................3
1.2.2 The convention feed roll / feed plate arrangement....................................................................3
1.2.3 The unidirectional feed arrangement.........................................................................................4
1.2.4 Unidirectional feed setting recommendations...........................................................................5
1.2.5 Lickerin Mote knifes and carding elements................................................................................6
1.2.6 Licker-in and cylinder speeds......................................................................................................8
1.2.7 Licker-in / cylinder ratio..............................................................................................................8
1.3 Pre Carding and Post Carding Elements.............................................................................................9
1.3.1 Benefits of Pre and Post carding segments.................................................................................9
1.3.2 Settings of Pre and Post carding segments.................................................................................9
1.4 Flats Zone settings.............................................................................................................................9
1.4.1 Flats setting for Cotton.............................................................................................................11
1.4.2 Flats setting for Man Made Fibres............................................................................................11
1.4.3 Flats setting for Blends..............................................................................................................12
1.5 Adjusting the cylinder to doffer setting...........................................................................................12
1.6 Cylinder under casings setting.........................................................................................................13
1.7 Settings at Delivery side...................................................................................................................15

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 1. Basic settings:

1.1 Adjusting the lap weight /Batt weight at chute

Bottom Feed Trunk

XX

Perforated Light
back cover barrier
(back wall) of
the feed trunk Moveable
Front cover

YY YYY = X+10

The Batt weight can be altered by moving the front cover of the chute trunk, so that the
depth of the chute can be varied. However the chute depth at bottom should be 10mm
higher than the top.

Ideal Batt weight at the feed table of For cotton 600 – 800 grams /
the card meter
For synthetic fibres 700 – 900 grams /
meter

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1.2 Licker in Zone

1.2.1 Feeding Point

The first tuft opening action takes place at the feeding point. The matt is firmly held
between the feed plate and the feed roll and the licker-in separates fibers and tufts from
the matt. The intensity of this action is dependent upon the speed of the licker-in and
the setting of the feed plate. If the feed plate is set too close there will be fiber damage.
As the fibers are fed, they are instantaneously accelerated to the surface speed of the
licker-in, which is in the region of 900 m/min. (licker-in circumference x rpm. i.e.
diameter – 250 mm x • x 1100 rpm = 864 m/min or 14.4 m/sec) If the matt feed rate
were 1.6 m/min, the draft at the feeding zone would be 540:1

1.2.2 The convention feed roll / feed plate arrangement.

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1.2.3 The unidirectional feed arrangement

The clearance between Lickerin

and Feed roller = 0.9 – 1.2 mm.

If set very close will cause fibre

damage. The optimum setting to
be arrived by checking the fibre
length reduction

In the conventional system the material is pushed forward, illogically, against the
direction of rotation of the licker-in. Hence the batt must undergo a sharp bend so that
the licker-in can sweep through it. This diversion certainly does not contribute to gentle
fibre treatment. In unidirectional feed the material to be fed in the direction of rotation of
the lickerin which helps lickerin to handle/comb the batt in a gentle way compared to the
conventional system. Owing to the rotation of the feed roller in the same direction as the
licker-in, the batt runs downward without diversion directly into the teeth of the licker-in.
In order to give perfect operating conditions in the conventional feed system, the
spacing between the feed plate and the licker-in must be adapted precisely to the
material. Where the direction of rotation of the feed roller and the drum is the same, the
distance from the clamping zone (the exit from the plate) to the feed roller/licker-in
clamping point (distance b/a) is adjustable. And it is well explained in the next heading.

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1.2.4 Unidirectional feed setting recommendations

Feed
roller
Lickerin

The Distance B is between the nipping point of batt and lickerin

The distance B for Long staple cotton like Pima and

22.0 – 26.0 mm
man-made fibre up to 60 mm

The distance B for medium staple cotton like Russian ,

20.0 – 22.0 mm
Brazil and man-made fibre up to 40 mm

The distance B for very short staple and noils , waste

18.0 - 20.0 mm
mixing

*Beware too close setting will improve the cleaning but will Rupture the Fibre

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1.2.5 Lickerin Mote knifes and carding elements

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For 100% cotton – Single Lickerin

0.2 -
0.25mm

For 100% cotton –Three Lickerin

0.2 -
0.25mm

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1.2.6 Licker-in and cylinder speeds

The following table shows the typical speed ranges for man-made fibers, cotton and
trashy cotton.

Type of Material Lickerin speed Cylinder Speed Setting between

(rpm) (rpm) Lickerin and Cylinder
Synthetics and 900 -1300 300 -450 0.225 - 0.30 mm
blends
Cotton 1610 - 2160 450 – 600 0.2 – 0.25 mm

Trashy Cotton 1000 - 2000 400 -600 0.2 – 0.25 mm

1.2.7 Licker-in / cylinder ratio

The material on the licker-in is transferred to the cylinder. At the transfer zone the licker-
in wire is in the doffing position relative to the cylinder, which has a higher surface
speed. The cylinder is traveling in the same direction as the licker-in and therefore the
opening effect is small.
Generally, the ratio of licker-in surface speed to cylinder surface speed should be about
1:2. Changing the licker in speed to maximize trash removal alters this ratio. Care
should be taken to ensure that increasing the licker-in speed to remove more trash does
not compromise the overall carding performance.
The licker-in speed is linked to the cylinder speed but there are three ratio changes that
can be made and the recommendations are:

Man Made fibres and blends Cylinder/Lickerin ratio 2.05 (slow lickerin speed)

cotton Cylinder/Lickerin ratio 1.78 (medium lickerin speed)

Cotton with high trash Cylinder/Lickerin ratio 1.55 (high lickerin speed mostly
content all modern high production cards adopt )

1.3 Pre Carding and Post Carding Elements

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As carding production rates have progressively been increased, it has become
necessary to include additional stationary carding segments around the cylinder. They
are located between the licker-in and the flats and between the flats and the doffer. In
the first versions, the carding segments between the licker-in and the flats were used to
progressively open up the tufts carried by the cylinder wire before the fibers
encountered the flats. Additionally, carding segments between the flats and the doffer
were found to be beneficial in preparing the fibers for the doffing action.
1.3.1 Benefits of Pre and Post carding segments
 Intensive opening of fibre tufts before entering into the main carding zone.
 Knives & Suction assist in elimination of trash and dirt particles
 Reduces strain on Flat Tops and cylinder clothing
 Minimises the dust deposition in OE rotors ,and improves OE production
1.3.2 Settings of Pre and Post carding segments

Setting point Pre Carding Zone Post Carding Zone

Between Cylinder 0.65 mm at entry point 0.45 mm

and Carding Element 0.50 mm at exit before Flats
(to be set progressively)
Cylinder to Guide
Element 0.65 mm 0.45 mm
Cylinder to Knife 0.8 - 1.00 mm 0.8 - 1.00 mm

1.4 Flats Zone settings

Closer the setting between cylinder and flats, better the yarn quality. Neps are directly
affected by this setting. Of course, very close setting increase the flat waste. For
processing cotton the setting can be 0.25, 0.2, 0.2, 0.2, 0.2mm. For synthetic fibres it
can be 0.3, 0.25, 0.25, 0.25, 0.25mm

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Most of the cards are with 6 to 1 1 stationary flats at the licker-in side. With stationary
flats at Licker in side, cylinder to flats setting can start with 0.3 mm and end with
0.25mm.

Adjust the distance between the card flats and the cylinder according to the material
being processed and the production speed.

Setting to be checked and corrected at positions 49, 50 and 51 as shown in the below
figure (For Rieter C 70 card)

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 1.4.1 Flats setting for Cotton

Note: 1.The upper Line indicates the setting range – when the machine is cold
2. The lower Line indicates the setting range - when the machine is warmed up

1.4.2 Flats setting for Man Made Fibres

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1.4.3 Flats setting for Blends

1.5 Adjusting the cylinder to doffer setting

Cylinder to doffer is very crucial setting which determines the proper transfer of fibres
from cylinder to doffer. It is varied between 0.175 -0.225 mm according to production
rate. For higher production the setting should be on wider side .

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Setting between Cylinder and 1. Range of setting if the machine
Doffer as a function of production is warmed up
rate 2. Range of setting if the machine
is cold

1.6 Cylinder under casings setting

The under casing settings plays a very vital role in carding working performance.
Actually these under casing segments control the air currents around the main cylinder
and helps for better fibre transfer from cylinder to doffer. If the setting is incorrect, then it
may lead to web falling in transfer zone between the cylinder and doffer. This will
drastically affect card stoppage and the production efficiency. From the below picture, it
is clear the setting near doffer region (the entry point of air currents) is open and it gets
narrower when it approaches the lickerin. This guides the air currents to follow the
cylinder circumference without much disturbance. The setting near doffer requires little
change according to the material being processed.

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 0.175 -0.2
mm

Similarly the casing segments should be concave across the width of card, so that
the settings will be little open at the middle. This will ensure the air currents follow the
cylinder circumference and no escape / leakage at sideways. The below picture
narrates the setting between the cylinder and under covers across the card width.

The cylinder covers have been machined concave at the works. Thus, the
distance from the cylinder to the cover is greater in the middle of the machine.

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1.7 Settings at Delivery side

Setting between Doffer and Stripper roller = 0.150 – 0.175 mm

Setting between delivery roller (top & bottom) = 0.1 mm (normal cotton)
Setting between delivery roller (top & bottom) = 0.25 mm (honey dew cotton)

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