Technology
Millions of short cut fibres are charged in an electrical field and vertically shot into a carrier material (substrate) which has been previously coated with adhesive.
Flocking can be done not only on flat material such as textiles, paper, metal or foil, but also on three-dimensional objects of almost any kind of materials. The adhesive used is specially matched to the material to be flocked. As per the chosen fibre length (0.5 – 1.0 – 2.0mm or longer) and of the fibre thickness (0.9 – 1.7 – 3.3 – 6.6dtex or more) a different surface structure is being achieved. This may vary from velvety smooth to abrasively stiff. The flock fibre may be made of cotton, man-made fibres, polyamide, polyester or acrylic whereby polyamide (Nylon/Perlon) because of its positive characteristics is the most widely used substrate.
- Technology
- The drying process which follows the flocking fixes the flock fibre into the adhesive coat.
- In case the adhesive is only partially applied one talks about design flocking and with an entire application one talks about full surface application.
- Depending on each application process there might be the possibility of a finishing process, such as printing, air embossing, foil embossing, etc.