Air-laying

Dry filling n. The apphcation of finishing chemicals to dry fabric, usually by padding. Dry forming The production of fiber webs by methods that do not use water or other liquids, i.e., air-laying or carding. 

Air-laying is the most widely used process for producing single-layer high-bulk nonwovens. The basic principle of the process is illustrated in Figure 8.3. 

Resin is in contact with air. Lay-up normally cures at room temperature. Heat may accelerate cure. A smoother exposed side may be achieved by wiping on cellophane. 

Responsibility for CWS operational supply projects rested with Marriott. Since he had very little assistance and since, after the move to Alamo Force at Milne Bay, even his own section was divided, most of the supply policy load fell directly upon his own shoulders. But even this was not difficulty enough in the difficult Pacific area. He lacked the logistic information and means of transportation, and his ability to improvise locally was practically nil, since there was no available civilian source of transportation and no substitute line of communication to Allied forces such as many field chemical officers had. New Guinea had no motor roads, no industry, and only a little unskilled manpower. Air transportation carried very high priority and water transportation was at a premium. Until 15 November 1943, he could deal with the Chemical Officer, Advance Section, USASOS, at Port Moresby. From 15 November until 31 March 1944 he dealt with chemical officers of Advance Section at Lae and Intermediate Section at Port Moresby. But miles of water or air lay between the USASOS sections and his office in Alamo Force headquarters, which was at Milne Bay until October, at Goodenough Island until December, and near Finschhafen until May 1944. ... 

In the dry laid process, the conventional staple fibers are used, which are usually 12 to 200 mm or longer. The fibrous web is prepared using the classical textile carding machine or air laying machine to separate and orient... 

Four basic methods are used to form a web, and non-wovens are usually referred to by one of these methods dry-laid, spun-laid, wet-laid and other techniques. Carding, garnetting and air-laying are examples of the dry-laid processes. The dry-laid processes provide maximum product versatility, since most textile fibers and bonding systems can be utilized and conventional textile fiber processing equipment can be readily adapted with minimum additional investment. 

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