A series of bale pluckers – their number corresponds to the number of components to be blended – that are also equipped with weighing devices work parallel with one another, unloading the required proportion of each of the various types of fibre on to a transverse vertical apron (Figure 1).

Fig. 1 Bale pluckers working parallel with one another

The fibres are collected, through a contemporaneous stratification process, which guarantees the production of blends that immediately present the composition required of the end product.
In the subsequent stages, the material is opened, oiled and, if requested, stored.
Clearly, a process of this kind, simple and inexpensive, is preferable for the production of lots that do not vary much, given that there is a limit to the number of components that can be handled by the system, which is not required to perform thorough blending. Instant preparation is often preferred by producers of nonwovens, precisely because it is best suited to materials that are relatively standardised, as regards both colour and composition.