Systems and methods for automated manufacturing of flexible goods and related technologies are disclosed. A workpiece can be processed to temporarily change its physical properties for facilitating handling and assembly operations. The system can include one or more automated handling apparatuses for transporting workpieces between workstations. Each workstation can perform a different stage of the manufacturing process. After the goods have been manufactured, the goods can be processed such that is returns to its original physical properties.

A unit for thermosetting printed fabrics, comprising: a heated roller rotating about a rotation axis and having a cylindrical outer surface, at least one fabric guiding element having an inner wall facing the cylindrical outer surface of the heated roller and defining a gap with the cylindrical outer surface of the heated roller, for passing the fabric wherein said fabric guiding element is carried by an adjusting device rotatable about said rotation axis to adjust the angular position of said guiding element about said rotation axis.

A method and device for controlling the fixation of a treatment material being applied to a thread during a thread treatment process are disclosed. The method comprises performing a thread treatment process, forming part of the thread consuming process, by: i) applying a treatment material to the thread; and ii) applying an amount of energy to the thread to at least partly fix the applied treatment material to the thread; wherein the method further comprises controlling the amount of energy being applied to the thread as a response to a detected operational status of the in-line thread consuming process.

A fixation/transfer device for control of dye waste in a dye sublimation process. The device comprises a textile inlet, a textile outlet, a heat press or calender, an endless belt for driving the textile from the textile inlet to the textile outlet through the heat press, the heat press being held at a temperature sufficient to cause sublimation of the printing dye, and a cleaning station for cleaning the endless belt, the cleaning station being located downstream of the textile outlet and upstream of the textile outlet. The feed belt may be heated at the cleaning station so that sublimation may assist cleaning.

The invention discloses a waterless fiber dyeing machine suitable for mixed fluid medium, including a dyeing tank, a carbon dioxide pressurizing system and a polar medium pressurizing system, a fiber loading system, a circulating dyeing system, a carbon dioxide recycling system, a polar medium separating and recycling system and an automatic unloading system. Since there are pressurizing systems and separating and recycling systems for carbon dioxide medium and polar medium, dyeing with the mixed fluid medium is realized in the waterless dyeing tank and the circulating dyeing system thereof; the hydrophobic carbon dioxide fluid medium is effectively modified, so that the dyeing performance and effect of the dye molecules on the hydrophilic natural fiber are improved. The fiber loading system and the unloading system can significantly improve the fiber loading efficiency, the discharging efficiency of the products.

Processes and apparatus are disclosed which substantially eliminate the formation of oxidized indigo dye before and during dye application onto a natural fiber yarn or fabric while allowing the leuco-indigo dye molecule to diffuse fully into the natural fibers of the yarn where it can fix to the fibers prior to oxidation (i.e., exposure of the leuco-dyed yarns to oxygen). Indigo dyed textile products (e.g., dyed cotton yarns that may be twill woven to form a denim fabric) exhibit exceptionally high colorfastness as determined by the AATCC Crock Test.

A supercritical fluid dyeing and finishing system has a fabric warp beam dyeing kettle. A fabric warp beam dyeing and finishing unit is arranged in the fabric warp beam dyeing kettle. An external magnetic transmission device II is arranged outside the fabric warp beam dyeing kettle. The fabric warp beam dyeing and finishing unit includes a porous pipe I and a porous pipe II. The porous pipe I and the porous pipe II are connected with an inlet of the fabric warp beam dyeing and finishing unit through a bearing I and a bearing II. A fluid ejector is connected with the inlet of the fabric warp beam dyeing and finishing unit and disposed in the vicinity of the porous pipe I and the porous pipe II.

A supercritical fluid dyeing and finishing system has a fabric warp beam dyeing kettle. A fabric warp beam dyeing and finishing unit is arranged in the fabric warp beam dyeing kettle. An external magnetic transmission device II is arranged outside the fabric warp beam dyeing kettle. The fabric warp beam dyeing and finishing unit includes a porous pipe I and a porous pipe II. The porous pipe I and the porous pipe II are connected with an inlet of the fabric warp beam dyeing and finishing unit through a bearing I and a bearing II. A fluid ejector is connected with the inlet of the fabric warp beam dyeing and finishing unit and disposed in the vicinity of the porous pipe I and the porous pipe II.

Supercritical fluid (SCF) is used to scour a target material to leave scour elements, such as oligomers and oils from the target material. Carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) is introduced into a pressure vessel also containing the target material to be scoured. The CO.sub.2 is raised in temperature and pressure to a SCF state. The CO.sub.2 is recirculated within the pressure vessel to scour the target material. An exchange of the CO.sub.2 is occurs allowing for the scoured elements to be removed from the CO.sub.2 and therefore from within the pressure vessel. Operation variables such as temperature, pressure, time, internal flow rate, and CO.sub.2 exchange are adjusted to achieve a scouring of the target material.

Supercritical fluid (SCF) is used to scour a target material to leave scour elements, such as oligomers and oils from the target material. Carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) is introduced into a pressure vessel also containing the target material to be scoured. The CO.sub.2 is raised in temperature and pressure to a SCF state. The CO.sub.2 is recirculated within the pressure vessel to scour the target material. An exchange of the CO.sub.2 is occurs allowing for the scoured elements to be removed from the CO.sub.2 and therefore from within the pressure vessel. Operation variables such as temperature, pressure, time, internal flow rate, and CO.sub.2 exchange are adjusted to achieve a scouring of the target material.