Artificial fibers are sometimes used to create a natural looking grass surface. This synthetic grass has most often been used in areas for sports that either traditionally played on grasses, or still currently do. Lately, however, these artificial surfaces have been used for residential homes and commercial landscapes as well.
On top of looking natural, the surfaces can withstand a lot of use, which is why it is used most in sports arenas. They also don't need any trimming maintenance or irrigation for it to stay healthy. Stadiums like to use this surface because they otherwise can't get sunlight to shine on the entire grounds. However, artificial grass does have downsides, as it has been manufactured. It does have a limited amount of shelf life, has been made with toxic chemicals and petroleum, leads to certain health and safety concerns, and requires some periodic cleaning.
The artificial grass is made of plastic granules mixed with coloring agents and UV stabilizer additives. All these ingredients are mixed together and heated, pressed, and pressured through an extruder head of some kind. The type of extruder head determines the specific shape of the product. This entire process creates the individual fibers, either fibrillated or monofilament, which would later be used to create the synthetic lawn.
When making fibrillated fibers, a thin layer of plastic is pushed through the extruder head, which is similar to what you see in a videotape. Then, notches are made in the plastic so that a honeycomb structure can be seen when the film is pulled apart. The plastic is spun around afterwards so it becomes into a round shape. These types of fibers are the more affordable option. However, it does take some time for it to start looking realistic as the notches wear and spread apart. Otherwise, the initial appearance is not natural at all.
Monofilament fibers are more similar to what you see with spaghetti, as they are pressed through extruder heads like ready-to-use fibers. Theses blades are combined into groups and coiled together into a bundle, each one representing a grass pile. This type of fiber is a lot more natural, flexible, soft, and wear resistant.
The ingredient mixture ultimately depends on the supplier and product version, and decides the quality of the resulting product. The individual fibers are then reinforced in to blades. Then, they are made to resist strong wear and temperatures between -50 and 50 Celsius. The finished fibers are wrapped around large bobbins, or spools, and sent to the surface manufacturers.
The spools are put on machines four meters wide, and pushed through backings with needles. This is called tufting, and is quite similar to a standard sewing machine. The fiber, fiber height, needle distance, etc. All determine how the resulting turf surface will look like and how it will be used.
A liquid mixture is added to the backing in order to fix the fibers in. It's then put into an oven so the mixture can harden. The result is a completely finalized artificial turf that can be installed or sent out for sale.
On top of looking natural, the surfaces can withstand a lot of use, which is why it is used most in sports arenas. They also don't need any trimming maintenance or irrigation for it to stay healthy. Stadiums like to use this surface because they otherwise can't get sunlight to shine on the entire grounds. However, artificial grass does have downsides, as it has been manufactured. It does have a limited amount of shelf life, has been made with toxic chemicals and petroleum, leads to certain health and safety concerns, and requires some periodic cleaning.
The artificial grass is made of plastic granules mixed with coloring agents and UV stabilizer additives. All these ingredients are mixed together and heated, pressed, and pressured through an extruder head of some kind. The type of extruder head determines the specific shape of the product. This entire process creates the individual fibers, either fibrillated or monofilament, which would later be used to create the synthetic lawn.
When making fibrillated fibers, a thin layer of plastic is pushed through the extruder head, which is similar to what you see in a videotape. Then, notches are made in the plastic so that a honeycomb structure can be seen when the film is pulled apart. The plastic is spun around afterwards so it becomes into a round shape. These types of fibers are the more affordable option. However, it does take some time for it to start looking realistic as the notches wear and spread apart. Otherwise, the initial appearance is not natural at all.
Monofilament fibers are more similar to what you see with spaghetti, as they are pressed through extruder heads like ready-to-use fibers. Theses blades are combined into groups and coiled together into a bundle, each one representing a grass pile. This type of fiber is a lot more natural, flexible, soft, and wear resistant.
The ingredient mixture ultimately depends on the supplier and product version, and decides the quality of the resulting product. The individual fibers are then reinforced in to blades. Then, they are made to resist strong wear and temperatures between -50 and 50 Celsius. The finished fibers are wrapped around large bobbins, or spools, and sent to the surface manufacturers.
The spools are put on machines four meters wide, and pushed through backings with needles. This is called tufting, and is quite similar to a standard sewing machine. The fiber, fiber height, needle distance, etc. All determine how the resulting turf surface will look like and how it will be used.
A liquid mixture is added to the backing in order to fix the fibers in. It's then put into an oven so the mixture can harden. The result is a completely finalized artificial turf that can be installed or sent out for sale.
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