Estabilização dimensional do tecido com elastano em processo de rama no beneficiamento têxtil: um estudo de caso em uma indústria têxtil

Abstract

The textile manufacturing process involves transforming raw materials into fabric, which may subsequently be used, in part, for garment production. In the case ofcotton, the production chain comprises the stages of spinning, weaving, and finishing. The properties of de raw material directly influence the final quality of de fabric. Therefore, it is essential to maintain optimal quality control conditions in each stage of the process. Elastane, for instance, exhibits distinct characteristics compared tocotton: it can stretch up to seven times its original length at room temperature and tends to shrink when exposed to high temperatures. During the textile finishing process, defective fabrics were identified with varying widths within the same batch, dimensional stabilization is performed in the stenter machine with heat and tension. In response to this issue, a team was mobilized to conduct a case study aiming tounderstand the defect and identify its root cause, using tools provided by Lean Manufacturing. Test were conducted and pointed to a mechanical defect in the stenter machine asthe likely cause of the width variation: the chains were misaligned. The dimensional stabilization process depends directly on the fabric’s dwell time in the machine andthe proper adjustment of chain tension. After standardizing the machine settings, the results indicated that the root cause hadbeen correctly identified, as fabrics processed under the same parameters no longer exhibited the defect. It was therefore concluded that the misalignment of the chains was the root cause ofthe issue. The finding highlighted the importance of standardization as part of preventive maintenance procedures. Moreover, it was demonstrated that in addition to temperature and speed, the tension applied to the fabric is also a crucial factor inachieving dimensional stabilization during the finishing process.