What Are The Different Types Of Dyeing Machines? – Our Ultimate Guide!

Dyeing machines are essential for colouring textiles like yarn and other materials, this is what makes them so attractive for craft projects, they are used industrially to colour materials of all sizes.

There are different types of dyeing machines which can take certain types of fabrics and certain sizes, the main four types are; fabric dyeing machines, fiber, lab and yarn.

In our informational guide below, we will take you through what dyeing machines are, different types of textile dye and the different types of textile dye machines.

What Are Dyeing Machines? 

Before we can get into learning about the different types of textile dyes and machines, let’s first explore what dyeing machines are.

Garment dyeing machines help with the process of dyeing by having baths where the chemical reaction inside takes place between the textiles and the dyes. There are different types of machines for different fabrics, some with a barrel mechanism and others that dye at high temperatures.

Different Types Of Textile Dyes

To learn about the different types of dyeing machines and how they dye textiles, let’s first start with the different types of dye which are often used during methods of dyeing.

• Azoic Dyes – These dyes are made from coupling compound and di-zzo compound which react to make a colour, they have a high water fastness and high coloring properties.
• Fiber Reactive Dyes – This dye is made from a molecular bond and is often used in cotton fabrics and wash-safe fabrics.
• Acid Dyes – Acid dyes are typically used for dyeing fabrics like wool and silk, two popular ones are lancet dyes and levelling acid dyes.
• All-Purpose Dyes – This is a mixture of direct dyes and acid dyes, this dyeing action is perfect for all fabrics and fiber dyeing.
• Direct Dyes – These are dyes for cellulose fibers like cotton fabric and are dull in colour and don’t wash out very fast. They are also less expensive than other dyes.
• Natural Dyes – Mordent dyes are used in these dye molecules and the dye is most environmentally friendly for fabric dyeing, they are sometimes considered to be lower quality. 
• Vat Dyes – This is a dye which is insoluble in water and needs a reducing agent to get absorbed into fabrics. VAT dyes are most high in colorfastness in a dyeing machine.
• Mordant Dyes – Mordant is put in this dye to increase the fastness of it, but you have to be careful with the dye liquor otherwise it can change the whole colour. It can be used to dye fabrics like polyester, silk and acrylic.
• Basic Dyes – These are cationic dyes and are perfect methods of dyeing involving fabrics like wool, nylon and silk. Acetic acid is often added to help colour stick.
• Sulfur Dyes – Sulfur dye is the cheapest kind of dye you can find, it has a great wash fastness and is super easy to apply on cotton fabrics too.

Types Of Dyeing Machines For Textiles 

For an automatic dyeing process, most big industrial factories use dyeing machines for the job, however, there are different types. 

Down below we’ve gone through the four main types of dyeing machines with their advantages and disadvantages.

Fabric Dyeing Machine

Jet Dye Machine

This machine dyes fabric in rope from where it is passed through a pressure nozzle that sprays dye liquor, you mainly see it used for dyeing materials like polyester. The advantages to this kind of machine are that it needs a low liquor ratio and can dye in high temperatures, drawbacks are the rope which can become tangled or the high maintenance cost.

Winch Dye Machine

The rope used to dye material in this machine is rotated by the winch, spinning the fabric around inside. This machine is used for all kinds of fabric and is easy to use with any fabric, drawbacks are that it can’t work in high temperatures and it needs more time for the dye liquor ratio which can be too high.

Beam Dyeing Machine 

Normally, fabric or yarn is spun on the beam of this package dyeing machine, the dye bath is then passed through at high pressure, you will mainly see this used on automotive fabrics. 

Production time for this yarn dyeing can be very long.

Padded Mangle Dyeing Machine 

Fabric is passed through dyeing cycle with liquor due to the rollers inside of the machine, this process is very fast and is mainly used on cellulose acetates fibres, this machine does need a lot of manpower however and a high liquor ratio is required.

Solvent Dyeing Machine 

For this garments dyeing machine, the fabric is loaded into the drum which helps to spread the solvent and dye liquor. The advantages to this type of dyeing machine are that it has low water usage, and it can be very expensive, however.

Lab Dyeing Machine

IR Beaker Dyeing Machine

Infrared radiation heats this type of dyeing machine, allowing fabric and yarn to both be dyed inside in a loose form, the machine is very easy to use and loading is thanks to the loose stock dyeing machine system. Drawbacks are the power consumption. 

Oscillating Lab Dyeing Machine

This is another loose stock dyeing machine for both fabric and yarn, allowing you to dye in a low liquor ratio, loss of heat can occur in this type of dyeing machine however making it not as cost-effective as others.

Jigger Dyeing Machine

Fabric is dyed in this machine via rope, rotation value can be used and it can dye in a low bath ratio, the machine cannot be used with high temperatures.

Fiber Dyeing Machine

Discontinuous Loose Dyeing Machine 

Dyed in an open system, big batches of fabrics can be done easily in this kind of machine to reduce dyeing cost, it does need supervision throughout the process.

Continuous Loose Dyeing Machine 

These are dyed in an enclosed chamber with the fibers staying stationary during the dyeing process, being used for both cotton and wool fibers, they can be dyed in both high pressure and temperature with no wastage of fibers. They are expensive to run, however.

Yarn Dyeing Machine

Package Dyeing Machine

This is wound on a bobbin and dyed in a cage with liquor, each kind of yarn can be dyed for this. Transportation is easy for this machine and it can be used to dye in a low liquor ratio, uneven dyeing can happen with this machine and fastness can be an issue too.

Warp Dyeing Machines

Yarns are made into a rope on these machines and are called a ball package, they are used for cotton fabric mostly, however uneven dyeing can occur and the loading time can be lengthy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dyeing Machines

Which type of dye machine is used for dyeing cotton fibers?

Typically fiber dying machines are used with reactive dyes to dye cotton fiber.

What dyeing temperature is used in machines?

This depends on the fiber being dyed, some molecules react better with heat as a factor in dyeing. Some dying machines do not work with high temperatures at all.

How do I dye yarn dyeing by hand? 

There are many different ways to dye yarn by hand depending on the type of yarn, this could be by submerging it in dye or a mason jar, for example, it depends on the evenness of dyeing that you want.

Does a dyeing cycle take a long time in a machine? 

Production time comes down to the dyeing machine, high temperatures are often faster at a job, you also need to factor in loading and unloading time.

Last Words

Overall, the main types of dyeing machines are yarn dyeing machines, fiber dyeing machines, fabric dyeing machines and lab dyeing machines. All these machines can be used to dye a variety of fabrics depending on the dye and the fastness of the dye solution.