Industrial flocker. How to open a flock service and make money on it. So, in order to open a business, you will need

Suppose a person has never flocked, but immediately wants to buy a flocking machine. I warn you right away, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT A HAND FLOCKER IS AND HAVE NEVER WORKED WITH IT, DO NOT PUT INTO INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT. Nothing good will come of a person who suddenly bought a Formula 1 car, but has never driven a car. In the first turn he will be fucking killed. Nothing worthwhile will also come from a person who has never flocked or seen this process. He simply will not understand what industrial equipment is for and how it works with flock; and not because he is stupid, but because THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS. Without knowing the nuances of the work, he will damage the equipment or, worse, get injured.

No matter what questions a person asks, it’s all in vain. And therefore, further narration is only for people with experience in flocking. For the rest, buy hand-held flockers, read previous articles, learn, then welcome back.

A special request to industrialists who have any equipment for printing, silk-screen printing, any conveyors, production lines, mass production etc., follow the same path as others, without being embarrassed by anything, and without imagining that having experience or money will save you in this situation. YOU WILL NOT GET ANYTHING AWAY. Experience is of course important, but experience must be in flocking, and now everyone has a lot of money, they don’t know what to do with it. (That 1-room apartment costs as much as a 200 square meter house in Germany, 40 km from Berlin.)

A BRIEF EXCURSION INTO HISTORY.

In 1978 Maag (Germany) and Aigle (Italy) were at the peak of competition in Europe for the assembly of flocking equipment. It is this year that Maag makes its knight's move with the introduction of its hand-held flocker ERO-FLOCK 70kV. Initially, the manual flocker was not intended directly for manual flocking in the modern sense, but was an auxiliary device for industrial flockers. In exactly the same way, for example, a 60*40 cm rotary thermopress is now included with a two-meter calender heat press for conducting experiments with various kinds of materials. And, for example, when purchasing a mill, it is recommended to purchase a mini-laboratory mill for experiments with grain crops of different classes and varieties.

Initially, a manual flocker was manufactured to carry out work in order to optimize the work with industrial flockers. But later it turned out that there was also a demand for manual flockers. This didn't deter Maag at all; they simply added two additional hoppers to their flocker and began selling it as a separate unit. It was very expensive, although when purchasing an ERO-FLOCK automatic flocking line it was sometimes given as a gift. The bunkers were made so well that almost all serious manufacturers of flockers either bought bunkers from Maag or made their own very similar to the original. I’ll tell you what happened next some other time. For now, just remember that a hand-held flocker is essential for getting acquainted with industrial flocking and becoming familiar with the processes and nuances of the work. Even in 1978 this was understood.

I am very glad that I came to Italy being familiar with the equipment, unlike my visits to Polish and Hungarian small businesses. Of all the equipment that I saw, there was only one thing in common that immediately caught my eye - the German Electrostat from Maag. It was he who stood everywhere (in Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, of course in Germany. But in Italy he stood under the Aigle brand). I’ll immediately answer the question that just begs to be asked: Which equipment is better - Maag or Aigle? Good question, dear readers. But the answer will be simple. Everything related to pneumatics is better from the Italians. Everything related to mechanics is more thoughtful and of better quality from the Germans. And they produce different machines according to their functions. More on functions later.

The Italians had everything in sight, they are not shy about anyone, they show everyone the equipment - they just don’t turn it on. They were included only in Poland and Germany; and then in Poland we simply fell under the order. But in Germany we didn’t understand each other, since I don’t know German, and they decided to launch a carousel of multi-color flocking, probably so that I would understand something in German.

And yet, I was able to examine everything and even photograph the nodes I needed only in Italy. A person who is going to produce equipment himself naturally really wants to take advantage of other people’s developments. We still bought Electrostat in Germany. And I honestly said that I want to disassemble it and assemble the same one. But they didn't understand because I said it in English. I really didn’t want to invent a control panel myself, and the last thing I wanted was to experiment with pneumatics, since they require very precise dimensions, and the dimensions depend on many parameters, which in turn depend on the product. The Italians are very friendly with pneumatics, everything was done so competently that there is nothing to improve or comment on. Thank them very much for the warm welcome.

Industrial equipment for flocking is elementary. I say with all responsibility that I can personally assemble any robot that will take a part, flock it, dry it, clean it and package it (you can even make one that will spit on the packaging and wipe it with your elbow to make it shine). Robots in general (in finished form) are sold so much that they are a dime a dozen. Call FESTO in Moscow, come there or visit the website. They have hundreds of ready-made robots for various types activities are sold that have already been tested, programmed and configured. All that remains is to insert the flocator (large or small, brush or pneumatic). There is nothing complicated, they work like a clock. And when you explain all this to a person on the street, he doesn’t believe it. But this is so, I subscribe to every word. There are already millions of these robots in all enterprises, there are plenty of them, you just need to find a use for them. In Europe, they have long understood that it is not profitable to pay a worker; it is profitable to install a robot. They have been installed for several decades, they do everything, they are reliable, they are THOUGHT OUT. It's just a matter of price. Are you, dear Russian industrialist, ready to pay for this robot?

Let's do everything in order. Industrial floccators (their high-voltage part) are a special thing that requires the client’s concentration and requires trained personnel. If, for example, with a manual flocker you can put some untrained person and tell him what should be flocked, in what quantity and how much he will receive for it, then with industrial equipment such a number will not work. It will take some time to train the employee.

With manual flockers, the issue of personnel has never, in my memory, ever arisen. A person came from the street, they showed him what needed to be done, demonstrated the process, and he completed the task. Several of our clients in Moscow work in this simple way. I don't know how things are in the regions, but the growth of the flocking firms we are familiar with is to increase the number of manual flockers and the number of workers. The most illustrative example in this case will be the example of the work of the deaf society in Moscow, which has 20-25 flockers in production and produces bottles for shampoos, gels or some other liquid products. Actually, this approach is competent. The largest manufacturer of plaster figurines from Nizhny Novgorod has about 50 flockers in its production and is not at all worried about purchasing any industrial line. Although, in my opinion, 50 flockers in production is already too much. With such extensive growth, it makes more sense to switch to flocking equipment that can be operated by 2-3 people.

The high-voltage part is the topic of a separate article. I would like to note that we initially studied this node with special care. There were huge experiments that not every company can afford. The analysis process involved a huge number of people, and a huge amount of money and time was spent. You will soon learn about the results for free on this website.

To clarify the further narrative, I will write briefly what the flocking line consists of. So:

Gluing application.(Not just “gluing”, but GLUING APPLICATION OF SPECIAL GLUE FOR FLOCKING). Accordingly, it may not work with other adhesives. But there are more than a dozen adhesives for flocking. Therefore, the gluing machine is selected for the product that needs to be flocked. Do you understand? Things are getting more complicated. Gluing machines are not cheap; your transition from one type of product to another may not cost you very much. In order to clearly decide, you need to work with some kind of glue, you need to try out different products that in the future you will have to cover with flock, and compare the results. WITHOUT A MANUAL FLOCKER NOTHING WILL WORK.
Flocking. Flocking can be: manual, pneumatic, brush, in a chamber, bottom up, top down, etc. Do not forget about the coordination of the actions of the gluing machine with the actions of the flocking machine. When changing equipment of one action, the equipment of the second action will be upgraded, or both will be replaced. If anyone is already feeling sad, please switch from this article to more optimistic ones. In general, a person who is far from flocking does not need to read further - this person should first read the early articles about flocking on this site. In a year or two you can come back and read this text again.
However, there is comforting news: if there is no automatic gluing machine, then there is only one drawback - the speed of work drops to the manual version. Thus, two or three people with manual flockers will easily have time to cover the product with flock while the glue is being applied. Your competitor, who has several cheap workers, will easily overtake you and surpass you in quality with manual flockers. Scary? This is just the beginning.
Drying and cleaning. Moreover, drying and cleaning a flocked product are interconnected. Either it is drying, then cleaning, or vice versa: cleaning, and then drying. It all depends on the task facing the client. Also, drying and cleaning depend on the product and are collected under the product. Drying and cleaning must be linked to the gluing and flocking equipment. Replacing the first two will lead to the replacement or modernization of subsequent circuits in the line.
Supply and removal of the product. This is already overkill. It, of course, eliminates labor, but it is not cheap. But it is the simplest to implement, since there are already so many ready-made robots that you can assemble an “iron man” in your garage, all that remains is to come up with a thermonuclear reactor and the Terminator is ready. One component to consider here is operating costs. It’s not enough to buy a robot; you need to install it, connect it and, sometimes, repair it. If you do not have a specialist on staff, then you should carefully calculate everything.
Packing and unpacking of the product, transporting it along the line, collecting fallen flock and automatically feeding flock into the bunker are additional options, useful, but not cheap. In order not to be distracted from the main thing, we will ignore these options for now.

It is necessary to distinguish between flocking methods in industrial equipment.

Simply necessary when choosing industrial equipment imagine how the flocking process will take place. A lot depends on your choice: productivity, payback, cleanliness of the premises, costs of personnel training, costs of equipment maintenance and repairs, and much more. The person who begins to evaluate the entire process more thoroughly will win over another who bought the first sample he came across without delving into the production process. Accordingly, the first one will be more competitive.

Here short example our communication with the client. A very typical case. A person is interested in flocking a car panel. He wants an automatic machine that would do everything itself. Do you understand? He wants to press a button, and the machine should lock everything. He has never flocked, but already wants to buy a machine gun. The first question I ask such a client is how will the glue be applied? You need to understand that flocking is gluing, and then flocking. Then you have to explain to the person that the application of glue can be different. Different automatic gluing machines cost differently and are used differently. Gluing machines are not our specialty. Our specialty is flocking. We can give recommendations, recommend companies, even buy for a client the machine you need for gluing. But we do not plan to produce automatic glue application machines in the near future. There are very expensive American nozzle devices, there are Chinese ones, and there are good Italian and German machines. It all depends on financial situation the client and his quality requests. An automatic machine for applying glue to a car panel is an almost automatic painting station. You can imagine how much it will cost. Therefore, it will no longer be possible for a simple car tuning salon to flock car panels as standard – there won’t be enough money. You can flock bottles or flower pots. There is no need for high-quality glue, and you can apply the glue simply - just dip it in a bucket of glue and that’s it. The car panel is a different matter. This requires quality. Here is an example of different tasks. Such communication with clients happens very often, it was simply necessary to write this paragraph in order to direct the thoughts of the future flocker in a productive direction.

Often the client will suggest lowering the applicator and going straight to flocking. But an automatic flocking machine will be ahead of applying glue manually. Do you understand? Why then do you need an automatic flocking machine if the speed of work will still be slowed down by gluing? With a manual flocker you can then flock quite successfully. If you are not satisfied with the speed, take two flockers and apply the flock with both hands. I did this, there is nothing unusual about it.

What happens in the hopper of an industrial flocker?

There are simply cameras that do not have an electronic component, and they serve as nothing more than a flock loss limiter. There are chambers that are used to charge flock, and the product does not fit into such chambers. On the contrary, the product remains outside such a hopper (chamber), and the flock, by restricting it, often by a mesh or window, falls in the required quantity onto the adhesive layer. There are also chambers that have an electronic component, and the product is flocked inside such a chamber. There are nozzles in which the flock is rubbed through a mesh; Some baits flock from bottom to top. There are various chambers with pneumatic and vibration movement of the flock, as well as combined chambers with combined methods of moving the flock in the desired direction. There are so-called “pure flocking” plants, in which flocking speed is sacrificed for quality and purity. Each of these methods has its own purpose and application. In each specific case, you should choose the most suitable option, consistent with your capabilities and needs.

Flocking is the process of turning any surface into a velvety and pleasant to the touch. This niche is free to start your own promising project, since popularity is just emerging. This type of business requires a minimum of investment, both material and mental. To do this, there is no need to complete courses or receive higher education, but all expenses will be recouped in the shortest possible time.

Car interior flocking is the process of applying small fibers of cotton, wool or velvet using an electrostatic field. This procedure is carried out using a special device - a flocker. This is a generator that generates low voltage and supplies it to the electrode.

Ultimately, the flock for the flocker flies out with the required force and is evenly distributed over the working surface. For high-quality fastening to the material, the surface is covered with high-quality glue.

Our business assessment:

Starting investment - 50,000 rubles.

Market saturation is low.

The difficulty of starting a business is 1/10.

What is needed to start your own business?

Before you start work, you should study, select and buy equipment for flocking: flocker, flocking glue
and material. If you live in big city, then there will be no problems with this issue. Otherwise, you will have to purchase materials online in large cities, since many in small villages do not know about such a project.

Choosing a place to work is no less important. Working at home is highly not recommended, as the glue has an unpleasant specific odor and takes a long time to dry. It is important that the chosen room is warm and dry. Otherwise, you will be able to work during the winter. When designing a room, it is necessary to install a work table with grounding, as well as normal ventilation. Quality lighting is important. All this will require minimum costs, which will pay off in the shortest possible time. How much does it cost to open this business? Investments here are minimal and limited to the need to purchase materials for work.

To work quickly and fruitfully, practice is needed. It is with it that experience and skill will come to you. This way you can spend a minimum amount of time on preparatory work. If you are a creative person, you can be very creative in coming up with ideas for work and offering unique projects to clients. Otherwise, the Internet will help you, where there are plenty interesting ideas and suggestions. So, how to do flocking yourself?

Flocking technology is simple, but practice is required to ensure that the products are flawless. Different materials have their own fiber length, density and application fit. To do the job efficiently and quickly will take some time and experience will come.

What can you offer clients?

flocking walls;
car flocking;
flocking photo frames;
flocking bottles and paintings.

What do you need to know about the flocking process?

Flocking originated in China, where the entire process was carried out manually. Today, work is carried out using a flocator, which gives the fibers a negative charge and sprays them over the surface, securing the result with strong glue. You can buy a flocator at specialized stores or online.

The work includes the following actions:

choice of coating surface;
drawing;
applying glue;
flocking;
drying process of the product.

It is important to do all actions as carefully and accurately as possible. Only in this case the end result will look perfect and have no flaws. Practice will help you with this and over time your work will be flawless the first time. Know that the price of a flocator depends on the power and manufacturer.

Nuances of choosing equipment

We recommend a manual flocker Russian production. It is easy to use, has an optimal cost and meets all the necessary parameters of quality and reliability. You must select a product based on its power. The device must be able to adjust it. In this case, you will be able to work with both small and large surfaces, which will expand the scope of your work.

Glue is an integral part of the work. His choice should be taken seriously. It should be selected based on the surface on which the work is planned: glass, ceramics, metal, plastic or furniture.

And the most important element is the flock itself. You can buy flock for flocking on the Internet. It can be of several types:

multi-colored;
with elements that glow under ultraviolet light;
for use in nail design;
furniture;
water repellent.

Flock must be good quality and it is advisable to give preference to foreign manufacturers. As practice shows, they are more reliable, and the material will be durable and of high quality.

What are the advantages of surfaces treated with flock?

Excellent surface appearance long term operation. Flocking can turn an old thing into an original thing with an attractive appearance. You can also change the color scheme of your favorite item and give it a new look;
Flock does not spoil due to temperature fluctuations and looks great even in the heat or cold. Protective functions allow it to be used under any conditions.

Today flocking is gaining popularity and demand in the market. You are the one who can organize profitable business With minimal investment, which will bring you an adequate level of income. When choosing materials for flocking, pay attention to reviews.

Where is flocking used?

The application is quite wide and it is difficult to even cover all areas where this direction relevant and in demand. Let's look at the main options:

Business prospects and its features

The flocking business is an activity where there are simply no restrictions. If you learn how to create simple coatings, then the only question will be the perfection of your skill. You can move on to more complex design projects that have higher cost and value.

Today, flock wall decoration is becoming fashionable, where you can show your imagination and design flair. Using finishing made from this material, you can hide surface defects. It is very pleasant to the touch and looks original. If you can create 3D pictures with it, then success is guaranteed. Love your job and put your soul into it. It is important to choose a quality flocking machine.

Advertising company and search for potential clients

First of all, you can offer your services to various stores and shopping centers where the maximum number of people pass. It is also quite logical to create advertising pages in in social networks and at local venues. After the start practical work with high-quality execution, advertising will go in the form of “word of mouth”, where customers will tell their friends and acquaintances about your activities. It would be superfluous to distribute advertising leaflets to attract your first clients.

Flocking as a business can be quite promising. This topic is interesting, not very common, but arousing interest among consumers. It’s rare that anyone, when faced with a coating that is unusual in texture, soft, pleasant to the touch, does not touch it with his hand and wonder - how was it made? Upon closer acquaintance, it turns out that production is not so complicated, equipment for flocking is relatively inexpensive, and given the low cost of materials, taking into account its unusual nature, the result can be sold with a good profit. And if it’s profitable, you can start!

But before you bet on flocking, you need to understand all the intricacies of this matter. Without going deeply into technology, we will try to find out what is needed for a business to be successful.

The first thing you need to think about is how we will position our service - as creative, design, or as artisan, akin to finishing works. The final cost depends on this finished products for the consumer, the requirements for its quality, and the planned amount of work per day.

The fact is that if you flock, for example, items of clothing, designer shoes, souvenirs, apply fleecy designs to leather goods, bottles for cosmetics, paintings, decorate bottles, Christmas tree decorations or flower pots, for this, first of all you need artist. Technological process Any diligent and attentive person can master it, but to make a drawing beautiful and harmoniously combined with the product on which it is applied requires artistic taste and the ability to draw. It is ideal, of course, if the creator himself brings his ideas to life, but more often it happens that it is simply not economically feasible to use a high-class designer for drawing work.

If you prioritize covering large surfaces with flock (wallpaper, internal surfaces drawers in furniture, billiard tables and table tennis, cladding car or yacht interiors, floors and walls in recording studios that require increased sound insulation) - here other specialists are needed, accuracy and responsibility are more important here than artistic skills.

It’s not worth making a workshop out of your own apartment (even if you decide that there will be no hired employees, and the business owner will carry out the entire process from finding customers to producing finished coatings himself). The fact is that it uses glue and specially treated viscose, polyamide, acrylic, polyester and other fibers that are suitable for electroflocking. Therefore, the room must be well ventilated, and you need to work in special protective clothing. In addition, the air in the room should not be too dry, otherwise the pile dries out and does not lie correctly. In principle, a garage or warehouse may be suitable.

List of equipment to be purchased, is determined depending on whether

direction that was initially chosen. However, as a rule, it includes the electroflocker itself (cost about $400), an air compressor ($200 - $500), an infor-red dryer ($200 - $1500), a chamber for 3D flocking ($250), a silk-screen machine ($200 - $500), as well as spray guns and sets of painting tools and squeegees. This equipment can be used both in a small workshop and on a large scale. large production. Don’t be afraid that as your business develops you will have to regularly purchase new technical devices; they last a very long time and quickly pay for themselves.

But you will have to buy consumables regularly. First of all, this is the flock itself and the glue that serves as the basis for its application. The approximate price of glue is $20 per kilogram, and the price of flock is from $35 for the same quantity. You need to have an assortment of pile colors - at least 7 - 10 names, and if the line of business is decorative design, then more. In general, you need to spend about $300 on materials to get started. Some part will have to be spent on trial work until the master acquires stable skills in working with equipment and grasps all the subtleties of the technology. Then purchases are made depending on the volume of planned work.

The material consumption per 1 m2 is approximately 180 g of flock and 180-200 g of glue, that is, the cost of materials per processed square meter will be about $10. To this amount you need to add the costs of paying the designer and craftsman, renting premises, depreciation of equipment and costs of marketing and advertising. But on an industrial scale, these costs will seem insignificant, and when producing designer items, the cost of the work is estimated to be several times higher than the cost.

The fact is that the price for the buyer is calculated not per square meter, but per square centimeter, and its cost, depending on the region, season, artistic value, originality and demand, can be up to $0.5 per cm2 (and per square meter 10000 sq. cm!). But even without taking into account the work of the designer, for example, the cost of flocking one car interior is on average about $500 (a little more or less depending on the model).

Therefore, we can say with confidence that this type of business, while it is not yet very widespread and in demand, can become very profitable with the right approach. Especially on the eve of the New Year, when the demand for souvenirs, toys, and cute unusual trinkets increases, it is quite possible to get into the flow and start your own new business!

Flocking. Purchasing a flocking device (flocker)

The action of the flocator is to impart an electrical charge to the floc particles and release them to the surface. This happens thanks to the high-voltage emitter built into the device. Units for creating flock surfaces can be industrial or manual. For small business Manual flockers are more often used. They are suitable for working with any surface and are much cheaper than industrial ones. The ideal characteristics of a manual flocker are: maximum voltage 70 kV, current 20-25 microamps.

Some manufacturers increase these indicators, while emphasizing that their models increased productivity. Indeed, the speed of particle emission in this case increases, but they do not have time to receive a charge, because of this they fly out chaotically and settle on the surface without really settling. Consequently, the packing density suffers, the coating turns out to be uneven - either with bald spots or with lumps. In addition, in this case, material consumption increases significantly.

A good flocker doesn't need to be shaken for it to work.. On the contrary, the movements when working with it should be smooth, then the flock will lie evenly, creating a velvety surface. The exception is those cases when the work has to be carried out while holding the flocking device “upside down”, when the flock does not fall on the emitter. In such cases, the flocker really needs to be shaken occasionally. It is also worth paying attention to the size of the bunker. If you have to apply coating to hard-to-reach places, for example, inside a safe, it will be more convenient to work with a small hopper. When processing large areas, a large hopper is useful. The density of the packing also depends on the material from which the emitter is made. It is best if it is made of aluminum.

An additional advantage of the flocking device is the ability to operate on batteries; it is much more convenient to work with such a flocking device than models powered by the mains. Also, given that the device is still manual, it is worth paying attention to its weight. Also, additional, but not mandatory, characteristics include the presence of power control. To do right choice, you need, based on your budget, to study the characteristics of the presented models and reviews of flockers who have dealt with them.

Flocking. Preparation of the workplace

The room in which the flocker will work must be spacious enough. Due to the toxicity of the materials used in the work process, it is advisable to create forced ventilation.

The quality of flocking depends on the air humidity indoors; humidity of 50-60% is considered ideal. It will also be a plus if the room maintains a constant temperature of about 20-25? C. For safety reasons, there must be a dry powder fire extinguisher in the room.

The main workplace for flocking is the table, so it must be equipped first. For ease of work, the height of the table should be about 1 m.

Its surface area is determined by the nature of the products being manufactured. If these are figurines, flower pots or other small objects, then the size of the tabletop can be approximately 1 m in length and 0.6 m in width. If you plan to decorate, for example, a car interior with flock, then the dimensions should be at least 1.6 m in length and 1 m in width. This table will fit any part of the car, including the ceiling. To reduce the loss of flock, which scatters during work, you can make sides on the table.

To do this, slats with a height of about 0.3 m are nailed onto the tabletop on 3 sides. This height is the most optimal; it will be enough to retain the bulk of the fabric particles and, at the same time, it will not interfere, even if you have to move around the table during work.

When working with a flocker, do not forget about safety, That's why the table must be grounded. To do this, it is covered with a galvanized sheet that corresponds to the size of the tabletop, and a copper or aluminum wire with a cross-section of about 0.5 cm is taken from it, connecting the second end to the ground loop (radiators and water pipes cannot be used for these purposes).

Then the entire table, including the sides, is covered with thick polyethylene. This is done for ease of work - the table will be easy to clean from glue, flock particles will not get stuck in the cracks.

The table should be placed so that it can be approached from all sides, in addition, it should be well lit. By nailing a shelf under the table, you can organize a place to store the flocator and other tools. In addition to the table, you will need a place for drying products. For these purposes, you can use racks or shelves. Their sizes depend on the volume of work and the size of the products. For larger production volumes or when working with some adhesives, forced drying may be necessary. Then it is necessary to equip a drying cabinet. To do this, assemble a cabinet frame with shelves, and place a heater inside. At this point, the organization of the workplace is completed, now you can start working.

Flocking. Preparing the flocked surface

Preparation of the part to be flocked primarily depends on the part itself, or more precisely on the material from which it is made.

Let's consider the options:

1. Wood and plaster surfaces. Such products should be primed, as they have many pores. You can not prime the product, but only if it does not exceed the size of 10X10 cm. Any primer can be used, but only so that later the glue is compatible with this primer.

It is best to prime surfaces with pentaphthalic enamels. Of the paints produced today, PF-226 brown-yellow paint is considered the best. In order to remove yellowness from this paint, black PF-115 is added to it in proportions with PF-226:PF-115 as 3:1. For uniform application, you should not use paint that has been stored for a long time, since the solvent evaporates and the paint itself becomes viscous, which significantly complicates the process. But if there is no other option, then such paint can be diluted with white spirit.

Paint that is too liquid is also not good - it is a bad base for flocking. Therefore, a lot of attention is paid to viscosity! It should be 40-50 according to the viscometer. This paint will be a good primer and, even if re-applied, will become a good adhesive for flock. But before applying a second time, you need to wait until the primer is completely dry. If you flock laminated surfaces, then such products do not require a primer.

2. Products made of plexiglass and plastic products . Such products must be thoroughly rubbed before applying glue. detergent composition from fatty contaminants migrating during storage of products to the surface of plastic components. Trisodium phosphate can be used as a degreaser. It should be dissolved in warm water in a ratio of 5:1 liter. The degreasing process itself can be done by dipping the product or using a rag. Before applying glue and flock, the surface must be completely dry.

3. Metal products. Such products must also be degreased with white alcohol or turpentine. It is recommended to prime large surfaces as in the case of plastic products.

4. Glass surfaces. These surfaces, like plastic ones, should be degreased with detergents.

Flocking. Application of flock

The flock coating is applied after preparation of the surface and the flock itself.

Paint or glue should be applied in an even layer to the surface of the product you have chosen, without smudges or sagging. You also need to decide in advance how to apply the flock.

So that it is not difficult for the flock to stick into the glue and so that a film of glue with altered surface tension does not form on the surface of the product itself, you need to start flocking no later than 3-4 minutes after applying the glue.

In the picture you can see two different results: flocking result within 3-4 minutes after applying the glue and result within 10 minutes.

The result shows that:
The lint firmly adhered to the film of the polymer binder after curing and, accordingly, penetrated deeply into the adhesive layer;
The lint is not securely attached, since it has penetrated only a small part of its surface, and most likely it will fall out during further use of the product.

The flocking process requires that after the first time, it is necessary to blow off any loose lint using a vacuum cleaner, and then repeat the procedure again, i.e. flocking the product, but only without applying glue. This process will allow new fibers to occupy free spaces in the adhesive layer. If the selected product has a complex configuration, the flocking procedure can be repeated again.

Depending on the glue drying mode that was chosen, it is necessary to dry the product itself. After completing the procedure, you need to wait until the product (glue) is completely dry and only then carry out quality control, cleaning and packaging.

Flocking. Drying parts

Drying of manufactured parts using the flocking method is determined depending on the choice of one of three types of production.

Let's consider each of them in order.

First - this is a small-scale production, this will include single products, for example, parts for finishing a car interior.
For this method production is characterized by the usual application of solvent-based adhesive using a brush or roller. It should be noted that the glue must dry very slowly. The flocking itself is done using a manual flocker.
Drying of these products is carried out in open space while maintaining room temperature throughout the day.

Second – This is the production of medium-sized products, for example, flock coating of bottles.
Here, production begins with the same method of applying glue, but it is also a good idea to perform dipping, which will allow you to use a special glue with a drying time of up to five minutes. Flocking is done both manually and in a volumetric flocking chamber.
Drying with this method is also possible open at room temperature or using a drying cabinet.

Third – this is a large-scale production; cases and special boxes for jewelry. The best method for applying water-dispersed adhesive is spraying. Flocking is carried out on a stationary flocking machine.
Drying of such parts should be carried out in a special continuous oven.

The most better conditions for carrying out flocking processes indoors are: a humidity level of 50-60 percent with a temperature of 25 degrees. To control and maintain such conditions, it is best to use special devices indoors.

The result of flocking.

Flocking technology is becoming more and more popular every day. After all, everything new is well forgotten old! Everything that catches your eye gets flocked; it all starts, of course, with home furnishings!

These wonderful bottles are no exception, which after flocking have become at least several times more expensive! And in real life, these items look even more attractive! And by the way, this work was carried out by our friend, who was just beginning to master flocking technology at that time! We wish him success in this business!

Device: Manual flocker RF-U03

Material: Flock Italy - 1 mm, Tubicol glue

Flocking. Necessary equipment to start a business

Flocking is a technology for creating various surfaces velvety shell. This business idea has not yet become widespread. But flocking phones, car panels, laptops and safes is in demand. It is fashionable, aesthetically pleasing and quite modern.

Using flocking, you can create exclusive bottles, souvenirs and other unusual items.

For organization production process You need to purchase a manual flocker and consumables - flock and glue. You also need to have production room with a work table and shelving, with grounding. The room temperature in the room should be constant with a humidity of no more than 75%.

Flocator.

For electrostatic flocking, you can use a manual flocker (for example, U02M). It is supplied with a high-voltage generator, mains adapter, flock hopper and hopper mesh. Personally, I have the RF-U03, I bought it for 11,000 Russian rubles - now it may have become more expensive.

Glue.

The first stage of work is applying an adhesive base to the product. For high quality flocking, glue from the German company SNT is used, which has high electrical conductivity. It is applied to the product with a brush (in some cases, complete immersion in glue is used). Flock is sprayed onto the adhesive layer using a flocker.

Flock.

For flocking products, polyamide flock 0.5-1 mm long is usually used. The color range desired by the customer can be achieved by mixing several colors. Their compatibility, proportions and the resulting shade are determined experimentally. Excess flock spilled on the work table can be reused by pouring it into the flock hopper.

Flock is stored in a dark room in a tightly closed container, since when it freezes, heats up and gets wet, it becomes unusable.
Average consumption flock is 150-200 gr. per 1 sq. m.
Finished goods must be dried within 24 hours, which will require special racks.

There aren't many people who have experienced flocking. This trend is now just gaining popularity, so opening a flock decorating business is a profitable business. To establish yourself as a good contractor who does quality work, you need to carefully study what it is, what flocking technology looks like, what consumables and equipment are needed.

What is flocking?

Sooner or later, any person may have an idea to add individuality to the interior of a car or the interior of a house, to update the decor, to add new colors to everyday life. It is not necessary to redo everything completely, just change the color or texture of some parts. In this case, many resort to flocking. This is the process of imparting a velvety texture to surfaces using a material called flock. Such elements add elegance, comfort and luxury to the environment, helping to create an unusual, charming design that is pleasant not only to look at, but also to the touch.

Flocking is used in many areas, for example, flock can be applied to clothes, furniture, bottles, walls, but most of all this trend has gained popularity in car decoration. The velvet surface on parts in the car interior looks luxurious and adds individuality. Many car enthusiasts prefer to flock the car interior also in cases where they need to hide imperfections or damage on surfaces.

This procedure, in principle, is feasible in a garage. Therefore, you can think about how to do flocking with your own hands or even open own business in this direction.

Starting a flocking business

This direction is not yet very widespread, little known in wide circles. Opening your own flocking business is promising: there is not much competition in the market yet, consumer demand is growing due to growing interest. Flocking businessmen have the opportunity to occupy an empty niche in their field. The technique of applying the material to the surface is simple; you need to purchase a flocking machine, additional equipment and consumables. Considering the narrow profile of the service and low prices for consumables, the business makes a good profit.

Where is flock used?

Before you start acting, you should think about which direction to develop. There are many options for using flock. Start with 2-3 areas, in the future there will be an opportunity and funds to purchase additional equipment in order to develop in all areas where flock is used.

And so, where flocking is used:

Cars. Flock the panel, roof, doors. Particularly creative car enthusiasts cover some of the car’s exterior details. In this case, it can be combined with other auto tuning services.
Walls. Using flock, you can create incredibly beautiful 3D images on the walls. Wall flocking can be added as an additional service to the list of interior decoration or decoration.
Furniture. As a way to restore tarnished or worn surfaces. If a suitable resource is present, then there is a prospect for development in the direction of furniture manufacturing.
Nails. The velvety pattern on the nails attracts the fair half of humanity. Applying flock to nails is considered as additional service in a nail salon.
Souvenirs. Decoration of bottles, photo frames, boxes, notepads and more. Especially popular as wedding props. You can add souvenir shops to the list of services or holiday agencies.
Gadgets. A completely new direction - decorating tablets and smartphones using flock. Perfectly hides scuffs and adds individuality. In combination with other gadget decorating services, it will definitely be a success.

It is difficult to please everyone, but by choosing, for example, flocking cars and furniture, you can already attract a fairly large audience. To start working with flocking, you first need to understand how this procedure occurs.

Flock application technology

To learn how to apply flock, there is no need to take specialized courses. Flocking technology is not complicated, but requires special care. Application stages:

Prepare the selected surface.
Apply a design (in case of designer flocking).
Coat with glue.
Apply flock.
Dry.

The surface on which flock is going to be applied must be thoroughly cleaned and degreased. In order for the material to lie smoothly, the glue must be applied in an even layer. Since it has a transparent structure, it is easy to make a mistake with the amount applied to the prepared surface. Many flockers specially tint the glue before starting work to avoid unevenness.

Flock is applied using a special device - a flocker. It creates an electrostatic field, with the help of which the flock fibers are attracted to the glued surface. To consolidate the result, the product must be thoroughly dried. And so, having understood the flocking technology, you can judge what equipment you will need to open your own flocking business.

Necessary equipment and consumables

In order for the start of a business to be successful, it is better to purchase high-quality modern equipment. It will definitely pay for itself over time, but there will be no problems with customers dissatisfied with the quality. For flocking you will need:

compressor;
glue;
flock for flocker;
drying;
other consumables.

The flock itself can be different types. To begin with, you can buy a manual flocker, but in the future, as your business develops, it is better to buy a stationary device. The kit for any flock also includes a generator (to form an electrostatic field), an adapter, a compartment for flock - a hopper and a mesh. In addition to the standard set, you can purchase several more bins of different sizes. When working with a device such as a manual flocker, grounding is required, since you are working with open electricity.

The glue must be selected depending on the surface on which work will be performed more often. For example, if you need to decorate car interiors, you will often have to work with plastic and leather. The whole work as a whole depends on the quality of the glue, since everything is held on to it. Therefore, it is better not to skimp on glue.

An integral part of the process is consumables, so you definitely need to buy flock for flocking.

It can be different:

color;
with long or short pile;
with particles that glow in the dark;
impermeable to water;
special for furniture;
special for nails.

On initial stage It is worth purchasing several colors of universal flock. Over time, you can learn to work with piles of different lengths and textures.

For the convenience of applying glue and flock, you will also need other materials, such as paints, brushes, sandpaper, painting tools and squeegees, foam rubber, stencils. In the process of working for yourself, you may find that you still lack some additional tools, for whom it is easier to work with. In the future, you can purchase a stencil machine, a machine for applying 3D flock patterns, and other devices that expand business opportunities.

Before you buy equipment for flocking, you need to decide on the room where the application process itself will take place.

How to choose a room?

The process technology requires a separate room, since the glue has an unpleasant odor, and working with electricity requires grounding. You can choose your own garage for the premises, the main thing is that it is dry and warm enough. To work you need a lot of space, it is better to choose more spacious rooms, preferably with ventilation, otherwise it will have to be installed additionally.

The air humidity in the room should be at approximately the same level - 50 or 60%. This is necessary for better adhesion of the glue. The air temperature should also be at the same level - 20-25 degrees Celsius.

There should be no flammable items in the room. For safety, a fire extinguisher must be present. Now that the equipment and premises have been chosen, it’s worth thinking about how much it all costs, what costs you need to expect.

The cost of starting a business

At the initial stage, you will need the bare minimum of equipment and materials that you can imagine. Costs will be spent on purchasing equipment and Supplies, renting premises and hiring staff, since it is difficult to apply glue and hold the flocator alone. Another question is that the positions of designer, accountant and marketer can first be combined in one person.

So, in order to open a business, you will need:

This list of costs does not include premises rental, staff salaries and advertising costs, as it is minimal. The price of a flocator can be higher or lower, depending on its functionality and quality. To start your own business, the listed expense items will be enough. The cost of the service can be calculated taking into account what materials were used for flocking, in what quantities, how much labor and electricity was spent per square centimeter. On average, you can set the price at 30 rubles, but vary it depending on the complexity of the design and the surface of the product. Thanks to low competition and growing popularity, you can make very good money from such a business.

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