In garment manufacturing, fusing plays a quiet but critical role. It gives shape, strength, and stability to garments, especially in collars, cuffs, plackets, waistbands, and facings. Without proper fusing, even a well-stitched garment can lose its form after washing or wearing. Choosing the right types of fusing machine is important for achieving high-quality finishing and long-lasting products. In this article I will explain various types of fusing machine in the garment industry, their features and best uses.
Types of Fusing Machine in Garment Industry
A fusing machine is used to bond fusible interlining to fabric using heat, pressure, and time. In garment industry, generally fusing machine is used for fusing the fusible interlining. Fusing machines play a vital role in modern garment production. Fusing machines are mainly of four types:
- Hand iron
- Flat bed fusing press
- Continuous fusing press
- High frequency fusing
1) Hand iron:
The interlinings which are fused comparatively in low temperature and in low pressure, those are fused by hand iron. During fusing with hand iron, none of the three factors of temperature, pressure or fusing time can be controlled properly. As a result, the strength of the bond in this method is weak. For this reason, after sewing of the garment with fusing of hand iron, once more final fusing is done with the help of a fusing press, for getting a good result. If the final fusing is not done, during the use of the garment or during the washing of the garment, the bond between the garment and the interlining may be separated. Hand iron is generally used in small parts in doing primary fusing.
2) Flat bed fusing press:
In this type of fusing press, there are generally two beds – one is static bed and the other is moving bed. The static bed is called the Buck and the moving bed is called the Head. The top of the buck is covered by some soft bed, which are made of fabrics, blankets, or silicon rubbers. The surface of the both buck and head is covered by such fabric, where there is coating of PTFE. As a result, the melted resins, dusts, or spots can be easily cleaned. The head is heated with electricity or vapor. Sometimes there are arrangements of heat producing in bucks also.
First, the part of the garment which is required to fusing, is placed flatly then the resin surface of the interlining is placed properly on this. The head is brought down on the buck by switch and the required pressure is applied. Heat is transmitted from the head on the whole surface. After applying heat and pressure up to pre-settled time, the head separates from the buck. Then for cooling the fused parts, the leg controlled air sucking fan in the buck is made operative. For sucking the air within the buck, the fused parts are cooled very swiftly. The going up of the head and sucking of the air within the buck for specific time, these jobs are set in cyclic order in many machines. Temperature, the amount of pressure, and the time of fusing can be set again as per will.
The methods of coming down of the head on the buck may be of two types: Vertical action and Scissors action. In vertical action press, balanced pressure can be obtained. The pressure that is applied by head on the buck, is controlled mechanically, hydraulically, and manually. Generally, the size of the head and the buck is 1 meter × ½ meter. The shape of the head and the buck not only flat, they may be as per the shape of any specific parts of the garment. In modern flat bed fusing machine, two or three bucks may be there with a head. When fusing is running in one buck, then loading and unloading continues in the other two bucks. This means, the three bucks run in cyclic order by a head. As a result, much production is obtained by such a machine.
Except pile fabrics, interlining is joined by fusing with such type of machines in all sorts of fabrics. In order to get good quality fusing, it is to be examined regularly whether the temperature, pressure, and fusing time are correct and sometimes the covers of the heads and the bucks have to be cleaned or changed. The natural ironing of garments can also be done with this machine. A flat bed fusing press machine is shown in figure 1.
3. Continuous fusing press:
In this type of machine, placing the garments parts and the interlining one upon another properly on the endless or loop shaped feed sheet, and fed in flat condition. Feed sheet carry this part and the interlinings to the fusing chamber of the machine. Required heat and pressure are applied in the fusing chamber. In order to transmission of heat in the interlining, direct heating method or indirect heating method is applied. In figure 2, a continuous fusing machine is shown. Just after applying of heat, the required pressure is applied on the interlining with the help of a pair of rollers. The surface of the roller is generally covered by hard rubber. With the help of spring or pneumatic power, pressure is created in rollers and there is arrangement of increasing or decreasing the amount of heat as required. The pre-settled time of the fusing is determined through the controlling of speed of the endless feed sheet. Just after fusing, the fused parts are removed carefully from the delivery sheet and in flat condition, because, during removing of the fused part in heated condition, if any folds create there then that folds may be permanent. In some machines for double fusing, there are automatic feedback systems.
The production of continuous machine is high and the quality of the fusing is good too. For this reason, in most of the garments industry, the use of this type of fusing machines are seen available. This machine is best suited for fusing of piled fabrics, because, in this machine pressure is applied for very short time on the interlining and the fabric, and for that reason, there is less chance of being the piles damaged. For the same reason, this means pressure is applied for very short time, also there is no possibility of the shrinking of the fabric of the garment during the application of heat. There are chances of difference of the power of the bonding of the fused parts, if the pressure roller is slanted, or the surface of the roller is uneven for any reason, or if there is difference of pressure in the full diameter of the roller.
4. High frequency fusing machine:
This type of fusing machine is quite different from previously described fusing machines. Because, in this type of machine, heat is created as the same process of microwave cooker. Fabrics and interlinings are arranged in stacks and are placed in between two metal plates of the fusing machine. The upper plate exerts pressure on the piles of the fabrics and the interlining with the help of spring pressure. With the electrical connection the atoms within the materials between the plates moves at a very high speed, as a result due to high friction heat is generated within the materials. This heat is generated in well balance, equally, and at the same time on everywhere of the piles of the fabric and the interlining. This method of heat generation is called the di-electric heating. For generation of heat in fabrics and interlinings in this method, the presence of water vapor is a must. For the difference in the amount of water vapor, the difference of heat also may happen. Heat generation in resin is comparatively quicker than heat generation in the fabrics of garments and in the fabrics of interlinings. This type of difference of heat generation is observed between fabric made with natural fiber and fabric made with synthetic fiber. In this method, fusing can be done by applying comparatively small amount of heat on the fabric. Up to 7 cm of high lay of fabrics and interlinings can be fused in this method. The time requirement for fusing depends on the electrical power of the machine and the height of the lay of the fabric. But in this type of machine, it takes 1 to 3 minutes of time to fusing. In figure 3, a high frequency fusing machine is shown.
Before the fusing in this type of machines, the machine is to be set with special care and during the setting, the nature of the fiber in the fabric, the height of the lay of fabric, and the amount of water vapor in the fabrics, have to be considered. Proper setting of machine is the main problem of this type of machines. Because, due to the setting problem, there may happen problems of over fusing or of under fusing. If there is over fusing, the fabrics and the interlining of the lay join together and is converted to a hard block. And for under fusing, the power of the bond is inadequate. Though the rate of production in this type of machine is very high, for the complexity of the setting of the machine and for the bigger risk of defective productions, the use of this type of machine is very much limited.
Conclusion
Fusing machines are essential in modern garment manufacturing, ensuring garments maintain their shape and durability. From flatbed machines for small-scale work to continuous conveyor machines for mass production, each type serves a unique purpose. Selecting the right machine depends on production volume, fabric type, and garment design.
