Application of Iris Machine on Bias Ventilated Buffs Manufacturing
Technology for manufacturing bias airway buffing wheels has existed for more than half a century.
Over time structural variations of this buff have been developed; some methods more costly than others.
Regardless, material still represents a significant portion of this buff’s cost and functionality.
Depending on its dimensions and fabric, material can represent between 30 and 85% of an airway buff’s total cost.
To understand this more clearly, it is very important to be familiar with the manufacturing process.
Treated bias airway buffs A bias ventilated buff can be made from a number of fabrics.
The most common materials are Cotton, Muslin, Flanel and Domet Flannel .
The cotton muslin products listed above can be untreated and unbleached.
Domet Flannel is napped on both sides and is available bleached and unbleached.
A roll of fabric, whether treated or untreated, is bias cut into strips.
The ends of the strips are sewn together into a continuous roll.
The resulting roll is trimmed to the proper length and width for the next process.
The Iris is named for the motion of the blades.
This motion is similar to a camera shutter.
As the inside diameter or aperture of the blades decreases, the material around the drum is folded in half and evenly pushed into the center channel.
The teeth of the clinch ring are pressed into the fabric.
The resulting buff has a pleated or “puckered” face.
At the “Iris” machine, biased material is wrapped around a large round drum (also called a mandrel, hub or core).
The drum size depends upon the desired dimensions and amount of cloth in the buff.
Circularly converging steel blades force the fabric into a steel clinch ring in the drum’s center channel.
CRA-800 Iris Machine By using biased fabircs in this configuration, all thread ends are exposed to the buffing surface at a 45 degree angle forming a “V”.
Each thread runs from the periphery of the buff through the clinch ring and back out to the periphery on the other side.
This enhances the structural integrity of the wheel while also minimizing fraying and raveling.
The pleats allow airflow through the buff, which cools it and the part surface.