Mechanical Stress
The compressive loads applied to a fabric as it is fed into a stenter at a speed higher than the machine exit speed govern the relaxation of the yarn. Controlling overfeed forces allows the textile mill to compress the fabric loops before heat setting. This process determines the residual shrinkage of the finished goods.
It manages the mechanical transition from a stretched state to a relaxed geometry, preventing the distorted fabric from curling during the cutting stage in garment factories.
Feeding Mechanism
Feed rollers push the fabric onto pins or clips with a predefined surplus. The overfeed forces compress the knit or woven structure longitudinally, forcing the yarn loops closer together. This compression offsets the tension experienced by the fabric during earlier wet processing steps.
Shrinkage Control
Fabrics that are dried under tension shrink significantly when washed by the consumer. By adjusting the overfeed forces, the mill can pre-shrink the fabric inside the stenter chamber. The resulting fabric is dimensionally stable and meets standard performance requirements.
Defect Prevention
Excessive feed forces can cause the fabric to sag and touch the machine nozzles, causing oil stains or burns. Insufficient feed forces lead to narrow fabric width and high residual shrinkage. Balanced adjustments are necessary for quality finishing.
