NONWOVEN WEB WITH LOW POISSON RATIO

There is disclosed a method for dimensionally stabilizing a nonwoven web of thermoplastic bicomponent fibers to a low Poisson ratio. The process includes laying a web of the fibers on a carrier, subjecting the web of fibers to a source of heat, consolidating the web to a predetermined thickness by drawing the web through a caliper roll with a predetermined fixed gap, and cooling the web to set the web at the predetermined thickness. There is also disclosed a machine for dimensionally stabilizing a nonwoven web of thermoplastic bicomponent fibers to a low Poisson ratio. The machine includes a fiber forming head which first deposits thermoplastic bicomponent fibers onto a moving carrier to form a nonwoven web. The carrier moves the web downstream to a through-air bonder in which the web is subjected to heated air of sufficient temperature to soften the outer surface of the fibers. A caliper roll is located at the exit of the through-air bonder. The caliper roll has a predetermined fixed gap through which the heated web passes. A cooling zone is located downstream of the caliper roll in which cooling zone the nonwoven web is then subjected to cooling air in order to set the web at a predetermined thickness. 19