A wool milling machine mills fabric circulating in rope form under moisture, heat and mechanical pressure, so the face becomes thicker, denser and develops a nap. QL's Wool Milling Machine (WPF-1S) brings airflow into the milling cycle ahead of the rollers: a continuous air stream blows the fabric rope open and spreads it out, so its folds keep shifting and milling creases are fewer. It is used for rope milling (fulling) of woollen, semi-worsted and knitted fabrics.
Where this machine sits in the line, and what comes before and after
WPF-1S provides controlled felting for qualities that require milling. Woollen woven fabric is seamed tubular beforehand to control edge folding; knitted fabric retains its tubular form. The piece is joined end to end and circulates as a rope. WPF-XN then washes out milling liquor; milled worsteds and woollen woven fabric can alternatively be opened and washed on WPF-JXPX.
Separate milling and scouring, or combined treatment on WPF-4XS, are different configurations at the same decision point. Most clean-face worsteds bypass milling. The knit route does not adopt the woven open-width washing branch.
What it changes in the fabric, top or yarn: handle, thickness, dimensions
Wool milling shrinks the fabric in both length and width, so the face becomes thicker, denser and develops a nap, and the handle becomes fuller. The shrinkage comes from controlled felting of the wool fibres and cannot be reversed; milling establishes the required felted structure, while subsequent pre-shrinking and decatizing address residual shrinkage and final setting. The WPF-1S adjusts the two directions separately: the pneumatically loaded milling plate adjusts shrinkage in length, and the motor-driven jaws adjust shrinkage in width. The enclosed, heat-retaining body gives higher milling efficiency and a better nap and handle after milling.
Why this machine is necessary: what happens without it, or with another method
Under-milled fabric leaves the face under-covered, the weave showing and the handle thin; over-milling cannot be undone, so the stopping point must be judged precisely. On the WPF-1S, the loop length is read at the machine: mark the piece, run one circuit and the loop length shows on the touchscreen; the machine stops when the milling time is up.
The other difficulty in rope milling is creasing: fabric that passes the rollers again and again in the same folded state has the same fold pressed in each time, until it becomes a crease that will not come out. The QL Rope-Opening Airflow System on the WPF-1S blows air at the rising fabric rope ahead of the milling rollers, opening the rope on every circuit so its folds keep shifting, and milling creases are fewer. Slipping and knots can also damage fabric: the front guide roller detects slippage, the knot bar is adjustable in angle, and the release force of the rope separator frame is set to fabric weight.
Setting the parameters: speed, air volume, milling time
The WPF-1S runs at 0–200 m/min, with inverter-driven milling rollers and fan; main motor 11 kW, fan motor 3 kW, compressed air ≥ 4 bar. Speed, air volume, dosing quantity and milling time are all set at the touchscreen, with Chinese and English interfaces; the milling agent is added automatically to the set quantity.
Air volume has to suit the fabric: too little and the rope does not open, so creases form; too much and loose fibre is blown around inside the machine and can stain the fabric. Bath temperature, liquor ratio and squeeze frequency depend on wool content, fibre fineness, yarn twist and weave density — there is no general value; they are set by sample trial, with a process sheet available from QL on request. A shrinkage detection sensor is available as an option.
The questions customers ask most
- How do I control the shrinkage rate for heavy (strong) milling?
- How fast is a wool milling machine — will it slow down my production?
- How do I set parameters so milling degree is consistent and repeatable batch to batch?
- What are the three steps of the milling (fulling) process?
- How do I operate a wool milling machine correctly, and what should I watch for?
- Do smooth-face and pile-face fabrics need different treatment in the scouring-and-milling stage?
Which process routes it appears on
Read WPF-1S in the context of these routes: worsted top-dyed, worsted piece-dyed, woollen stock-dyed, woollen piece-dyed, wool-blend knitted fabric. Follow each branch to understand the equipment choice; a required process does not mean every quality uses the same model. Most clean-face worsteds bypass milling; milled worsteds, woollens and the pile-knit route select separate or combined equipment for the milling task.
Give QL the fabric or top sample, existing upstream and downstream stations, and target finish to review configuration and process connections together.