Production line and factory setup overview
A small/medium primary-processing line converting sorted greasy Afghan sheep wool into clean, opened and carded fibre or sliver through receiving, hand sorting and skirting, controlled opening and dust removal, staged warm scouring, rinsing, squeeze extraction, drying, blending and oiling where specified, fine opening, carding, sliver coiling or web collection, inspection and bale packing. The process removes dirt and wool grease but does not spin yarn.
Recommended lowest-entry line configuration Launch with one wool class and one buyer route. Screen a 100-250 kg per shift semi-continuous scour using two or three insulated wash/rinse vessels, squeeze press, low-temperature dryer, one fine opener and one card with sliver or web take-off. Include wool-recovery screens, grease traps and a sized effluent-treatment route; never discharge raw scour liquor.
Production process and implementation sequence
- Fleece receiving, weighing and lot coding
- Sorting, skirting and foreign-matter removal
- Controlled opening and dust extraction
- Warm scouring with measured detergent
- Counter-current rinsing and squeeze extraction
- Low-temperature drying and moisture conditioning
- Fine opening, blending and carding
- Sliver or web inspection, baling and storage
Products, capacity and market fit
- Afghan sheep wool gains value when sold clean, classed and uniformly prepared rather than as mixed greasy fleece.
- Scoured carded fibre supplies hand-spinning, carpet-yarn, felt and insulation producers.
- Starting with one colour and fineness class reduces contamination and blending disputes.
- Water, detergent and effluent control determine whether the unit is commercially and environmentally viable.
- Scoured carded wool - Buyer-defined breed or fineness class, colour, residual grease, vegetable matter, moisture and contamination - Carpet-yarn, felt, insulation and handcraft processors
- Carded wool sliver - Controlled linear density and evenness for the selected spinning route - Small wool-spinning and artisan-yarn units
Core production machinery and line specifications
| Machine / stage | Function / value | Production note |
|---|---|---|
| Sorting tables, floor scale and bale opener | Separates classes and opens fleece without mixing lots | Manual quality-led entry |
| Dust extractor and coarse opener | Removes loose soil and opens locks | Fire-safe fibre collection |
| Insulated scour and rinse vessels | Removes grease, sweat salts and dirt | Two or three controlled stages |
| Squeeze press and low-temperature dryer | Reduces water and dries without yellowing | Moisture-controlled discharge |
| Fine opener and blender | Separates and evens dried fibre | Gentle wool settings |
| Wool card with sliver or web take-off | Aligns and cleans fibre for sale or downstream use | One product route |
| Screens, grease trap and effluent treatment | Recovers fibre and treats high-COD scour liquor | Site-specific mandatory scope |
| Fibre laboratory and baler | Grades output and forms traceable bales | Moisture, yield and contamination tests |
Raw materials, utilities and factory requirements
- Sorted greasy Afghan sheep wool by source, colour and fineness
- Low-foam wool detergent and approved pH-control chemicals
- Clean process water and packaging bales, liners, straps and labels
- Card clothing, seals, filters and critical pump/dryer spares
- Reliable warm-water and low-pressure steam or hot-water source
- Three-phase electricity for opener, press, dryer, card and pumps
- Covered dirty-wool and clean-wool zones with physical separation
- Ventilation, dust collection, fire protection and worker washing facilities
- Screening, grease separation, biological/physicochemical effluent treatment and sludge route
Indicative low-entry investment and implementation plan
These planning ranges prioritize economical machinery, local labor and local civil works. Final pricing follows confirmed capacity, product specification, delivery terms and site conditions.
| Scope | Indicative range | Entry-plan note |
|---|---|---|
| Sorting, opening and dust-control equipment | US$10k-28k | Manual sorting with mechanical opening |
| Compact scour, rinse, squeeze and dryer | US$28k-85k | 100-250 kg per shift basis |
| Fine opener, card, laboratory and baler | US$18k-55k | One fibre product route |
| Water, effluent, freight and installation | US$15k-48k | Mandatory environmental scope |
| Indicative installed low-entry total | US$71k-216k | Building, wool stock and working capital excluded |
Detailed proposal and next step
The proposal contains the complete line flow, machinery scope, raw-material and utility requirements, implementation stages and indicative entry planning. Final configuration follows confirmed products, capacity, site and budget.