In the busy dyehouse, there are many process parameters which need to be constantly monitored if costly problems are to be avoided.

The integrated dyeing technology of Thies has been developed drawing on many years of experience to provide operators with complete control at every stage, from start to finish.

There can, for example, be a number of reasons for dyeing problems with a batch being caused during the pre-treatment stages, as a result of unsatisfactory oil removal, pre-bleaching, scouring, washing, rinsing, neutralisation or pre-fixation.

Of equal importance, of course, is the accuracy of the recipe in respect of both dyestuffs and chemicals. Weighing errors, incorrect dosing or mismatched heating gradients can all cause their problems.

After-treatment too, can lead to poor colour fastness, shade differences or inadequate fixation. Another vital requirement is achieving batch-to-batch reproducibility in order to ensure uniform quality results and ultimately, customer satisfaction.

Any of these issues can lead to the need to recolour an entire batch. And, if the problem is severe enough, to have to strip out the colour completely and start again – more than doubling the cost to the mill.

Thies has also analysed the reasons for off-shade dyeing results, and found that in around 40% of cases, insufficient pre-treatment of the textile raw material is the cause. Poor or fluctuating dyehouse waste quality and unsuitable methods, recipes or product selections are responsible in many other cases.

In order to avoid such problems, a constant liquor ratio must be ensured, along with accurate weighing of dyes and chemicals, their correct dissolving and the monitoring of all auxiliary concentrations and activity.

At the heart of today’s Thies dyeing ranges are the company’s MPS – Multi Product Supply – systems. Working in conjunction with all dyeing machines, including the iMaster H20 piece dyeing unit and the soft-TRD SIII long kier systems, they allow total automation of the entire dyehouse in order to achieve full reproducibility and reliability, while leading to time savings, streamlining production and cutting costs.

For liquid and solid chemicals and dyestuffs too, MPS guarantees the highest accuracy as a result of automatic optimisation with repeatable and constant additions, the ability to fully control the integrated mixing and storage tanks, and the flexibility to accommodate machines of varying sizes.

Further benefits result from the Thies CCR technology which combines the cooling and rinsing of the treated fabrics in a single step. This results in both significant water savings and shorter process times.