Flocking is a unique technology that allows you to create a semblance of a textile coating on various surfaces, different hardness and shape. It has many advantages: such a coating has no seams or joints; increases noise and thermal insulation; applied to various types of surfaces. Flocking can be either continuous or selective. It is possible to apply drawings and inscriptions on polygraphic and textile products.
Flocking is the application of flock fibers in an electrostatic field to a previously prepared
surface and creating an imitation of a textile coating on it. Flocking is a relatively new but very promising developing technology. Flocking is a technology for thousands of applications!
Flocking can be continuous and selective. Flock can cover any objects in shape, material, structure (flat and volumetric). With continuous flocking, the entire surface of the flocked object is completely covered with glue. In selective (or partial) flocking, only part (or parts) of the surface of the object is covered with glue using stencil methods
The main areas of flock application are decorative finishing and technological surface coating. The velvet obtained by flocking is smooth, beautiful and durable. Flock can be applied to any material of any hardness: plastic, metal, wood, glass, fabric, paper, and many others. A well-applied flock gives coatings, in addition to purely decorative properties, new functionality.
Thermal insulation
A two-millimeter flock can replace polystyrene 10 mm thick, therefore it is used where contact with a hot or very cold surface is possible (electric fireplaces, ski poles). The flock prevents the formation of condensation (flocking the tubes of the air conditioners).
Soundproofing
The average absorption of sound by a flocked surface is 13%, so flock is widely used in the decoration of professional recording studios, music rooms, rooms for home theaters, car interiors, and sound speakers.
Mechanical strength
Thanks to the use of high-quality adhesives and flock, surfaces treated with this material are highly resistant to various damages. The technology is used in the manufacture of floor coverings, guide profiles for car windows, shoe suede, all kinds of rugs in shops, car interiors, and at home.
Lightfastness
The flocked surface retains color stability for 6-7 years.
Fire safety
Flock is a highly flammable material, the ignition temperature of various types of flock is 400-550 degrees;
Weather resistant
Flock, which retains its properties well under the influence of various weather conditions, is used as a protective coating against the adhesion of shells for yacht bottoms; The flock prevents the formation of condensation (flocks the tubes of the air conditioners).
Wear resistance
Flock is used for underlays for carpets, for covering threshold rugs. The abrasion of the coating is negligible: after 10,000 friction cycles, it is only 23 mg (for felt, 732 mg). Chemical Resistance - The flocked surface is resistant to weak solvents and is dry cleanable.
Sealing function
Flock is widely used for making rubber, aluminum sealing profiles and for aligning tolerances.
Ease of care
It is washed and cleaned with ordinary detergents while maintaining the original properties, cleaning with weak solvents (white spirit, gasoline) is possible.
Flock protection
Many things require protection and careful handling (for example: the bottom of a ceramic ashtray on a lacquered table top). Flock can take care of this.
- flokator
- flock
- glue
Flocking equipment generates (generates) a high voltage negative electrostatic field required for flocking. Flockators are manual type EASY SET and stationary type FS MAX. There are also specific lines for applying flock on the ELEKTROSTAT ET 100 power unit, for example, for the manufacture of flocked wallpaper (you cannot make other products on them). The advantage of hand-held flockers is the almost unlimited ability to flock different types of surfaces from flat to 3D objects.
Flock is a fine pile that resembles dust. In Russia, the range of flocks is represented by the Swiss brand SwissFlock (polyamide and viscose in lengths of 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 1 mm and 2 mm). Polyamide is a synthetic that is most resistant to mechanical stress, with hairs that are always in the perpendicular direction from the surface. Viscose, on the other hand, is a more delicate material, less resistant to physical exertion.
Glue
The glue, or rather the polymer, for flocking is made in Russia. The AFA line is produced for various jobs: both on hard surfaces (plastic, wood, metal, glass, etc.), and for screen printing on soft surfaces (fabric, paper, etc.). Inside, the ruler is divided into subgroups. Application methods differ depending on the brand of glue: brush, roller, dipping, spraying, etc.