Process for producing papermaker's and industrial fabrics

1. A method of treating a fiber/yarn or monofilament which is incorporated into paper machine, industrial or engineered fabrics comprising the steps:

(a) providing a material which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy along at least one localized length of a fiber/yarn or monofilament which is normally transparent to short wavelength infrared energy; and

(b) selective melting, fusing, or bonding the fiber/yarn or monofilament to itself or another fiber/yarn or monofilament by exposing the fiber/yarn or monofilament to short wavelength infrared energy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fabric is selected from the group consisting of forming, pressing, and drying fabrics, process belts, TAD fabrics, engineered fabrics, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying, tannery belts and corrugator belts.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the short wavelength infrared energy source has a wavelength of about 0.7 μm-5.0 μm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy is an additive, coating or dye.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the dye is selected from the group consisting of black ink, carbon black, conjugated cyclohexene/cyclopentene derivatives, a quinone diimmonium salt, a metalloporphyrin, a metalloazaporphyrine, a Fischer base dye and mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber/yarn or monofilament comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyaramid, polyesters, polyetherketones, polyetheretherketones, polyolefins, polypropylenes, polyurethanes and mixtures thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the selective melting, fusing, or bonding involves selective application of the material which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy onto the fiber/yarn or monofilament.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application of the material which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy is on a tail of the fiber/yarn or monofilament and forms a mushroom cap upon exposure to short wavelength infrared energy wherein the mushroom cap secures the tails in a seam area of the fabric.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of black ink, carbon black, conjugated cyclohexene/cyclopentene derivatives, a quinone diimmonium salt, a metalloporphyrin, a metalloazaporphyrine, a Fischer base dye and mixtures thereof.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fiber/yarn or monofilament comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyaramids, polyesters, polyetherketones, polyetheretherketones, polyolefins, polypropylenes, polyurethanes and mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the absorbing material is arranged to form a pattern on a layer of a fabric formed.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a pattern is created by printing a solid sheet of thermoplastic material with a desired pattern of short wavelength infrared energy absorbing pigment and incorporating the sheet on a layer of the fabric.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of black ink, carbon black, conjugated cyclohexene/cyclopentene derivatives, a quinone diimmonium salt, a metalloporphyrin, a metalloazaporphyrine, a Fischer base dye and mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selective melting, fusing or bonding of the fiber/yarn or monofilament to itself or another fiber/yarn or monofilaments occurs in a seam area of the fabric.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the tail of the MD fiber/yarn or monofilament is overlapped with another tail of another MD fiber/yarn or monofilament and in contact with each other and upon exposure to short wavelength infrared energy are welded together and/or to the CD yarns in the seam area of the fabric.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein a width of said seam area as measured in MD is a fraction of a width of a normal seam or a seam formed using conventional techniques of equal strength, said fraction being 0.7 or lower.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein a MD fiber/yarn crossing over with a CD fiber/yarn and in contact with each other, upon exposure to short wavelength infrared energy are welded together in the seam area of the fabric.

18. Paper machine clothing, corrugator belts, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying or tannery belt, industrial or engineered fabric produced by the method of claim 1 , wherein the clothing, belts or fabric include a structure having at least one of: a desired permeability, an enhanced seam strength, or an improved drainage.

19. Paper machine clothing, corrugator belts, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying or tannery belt, industrial or engineered fabric produced by the method of claim 8 .

20. Paper machine clothing, corrugator belts, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying or tannery belt, industrial or engineered fabric produced by the method of claim 11 , wherein the clothing, belts or fabric include a structure having at least one of: a desired permeability, an enhanced seam strength, or an improved drainage.

21. Paper machine clothing, corrugator belts, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying or tannery belt, industrial or engineered fabric produced by the method of claim 14 .

22. The method of claim 12 , wherein said layer is a surface layer of the fabric formed.

23. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fused/bonded seam area is stronger than a normal seam formed using conventional techniques of equal length in MD of the fabric.

24. The method of claim 16 , wherein said fraction is 0.5 or lower.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said fraction is 0.3 or lower.

26. A method of treating paper machine, industrial or engineered fabrics which comprises:

(a) providing a base structure comprising material which does not absorb short wavelength infrared energy; and

(b) selectively coating the provided base structure with a coating formulation which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy, with said coating being for purposes of controlling the porosity, and/or durability of the fabric; and

(c) exposing the coating and base structure to short wavelength infrared energy to produce a desired change in the porosity and/or durability of the base structure.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the fabric is selected from the group consisting of forming, pressing, and drying fabrics, process belts, TAD fabrics, engineered fabrics, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying, tannery belts and corrugator belts.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the coating formulation which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy contains a short wavelength energy absorbing additive or dye.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the dye is selected from the group consisting of black ink, carbon black, conjugated cyclohexene/cyclopentene derivatives, a quinone diimmonium salt, a metalloporphyrin, a metalloazaporphyrine, a Fischer base dye and mixtures thereof.

30. The method of claim 26 , wherein the fiber/yarn or monofilament comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyaramid, polyesters, polyetherketones, polyetheretherketones, polyolefins, polypropylenes, polyurethanes and mixtures thereof.

31. Paper machine clothing, corrugator belts, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying or tannery belt, industrial or engineered fabric produced by the method of claim 26 , wherein the clothing, belts or fabric include a structure having at least one of: a desired permeability, an enhanced seam strength, or an improved drainage.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein the short wavelength infrared energy source has a wavelength of about 0.7 μm-5.0 μm.

33. A method of treating a fiber/yarn or monofilament which is incorporated into paper machine, industrial or engineered fabrics comprising the steps:

(a) providing a material which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy to a fiber/yarn or monofilament which is normally transparent to short wavelength infrared energy; and

(b) selective melting, fusing, or bonding the fiber/yarn or monofilament to itself or another fiber/yarn or monofilament by exposing the fiber/yarn or monofilament to short wavelength infrared energy,

wherein the application of the material which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy is on a tail of the fiber/yarn or monofilament and forms a mushroom cap upon exposure to short wavelength infrared energy wherein the mushroom cap secures the tails in a seam area of the fabric.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the fabric is selected from the group consisting of forming, pressing, and drying fabrics, process belts, TAD fabrics, engineered fabrics, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying, tannery belts and corrugator belts.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the short wavelength infrared energy source has a wavelength of about 0.7 μm-5.0 μm.

36. The method of claim 33 , wherein the material which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy is an additive, coating or dye.

37. The method of claim 33 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of black ink, carbon black, conjugated cyclohexene/cyclopentene derivatives, a quinone diimmonium salt, a metalloporphyrin, a metalloazaporphyrine, a Fischer base dye and mixtures thereof.

38. The method of claim 33 , wherein the fiber/yarn or monofilament comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyaramids, polyesters, polyetherketones, polyetheretherketones, polyolefins, polypropylenes, polyurethanes and mixtures thereof.

39. Paper machine clothing, corrugator belts, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying or tannery belt, industrial or engineered fabric produced by the method of claim 33 .

40. A method of treating a fiber/yarn or monofilament which is incorporated into paper machine, industrial or engineered fabrics comprising the steps:

(a) providing a material which absorbs short wavelength infrared energy to a fiber/yarn or monofilament which is normally transparent to short wavelength infrared energy; and

(b) selective melting, fusing, or bonding the fiber/yarn or monofilament to itself or another fiber/yarn or monofilament by exposing the fiber/yarn or monofilament to short wavelength infrared energy,

wherein the absorbing material is arranged to form a pattern created by printing a solid sheet of thermoplastic material with a desired pattern of short wavelength infrared energy absorbing pigment and incorporating the sheet on a layer of the fabric.

41. The method of claim 40 , wherein said layer is a surface layer of the fabric formed.

42. The method of claim 40 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of black ink, carbon black, conjugated cyclohexene/cyclopentene derivatives, a quinone diimmonium salt, a metalloporphyrin, a metalloazaporphyrine, a Fischer base dye and mixtures thereof.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein the short wavelength infrared energy source has a wavelength of about 0.7 μm-5.0 μm.

44. The method of claim 40 , wherein the fiber/yarn or monofilament comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyaramids, polyesters, polyetherketones, polyetheretherketones, polyolefins, polypropylenes, polyurethanes and mixtures thereof.

45. Paper machine clothing, corrugator belts, fabrics used for textile finishing processes such as conveying or tannery belt, industrial or engineered fabric produced by the method of claim 40 , wherein the clothing, belts or fabric include a structure having at least one of: a desired permeability, an enhanced seam strength, or an improved drainage.