Nets

Nets can be produced either via knitting step or, less frequently, by direct continuous extrusion. Knitted nets are produced by using various types of looms, fed with tapes and/or monofilaments. The right selection of tape and monofilament titre and tenacity, as well as color and additivation, is mandatory for developing the right net for the correct end use, such as an anti-hail net system, packaging, sun/wind/dust protection barrier, harvesting, scaffolding, etc.

The continuously extruded netting process is similar to that used for monofilament production, but instead of a die with fixed holes, there is a special die equipped with round coaxial counter-rotating mandrels that provides a continuously melted polymer netting. It is then  immediately quenched into cold water. Then, the obtained tubular net may remain un-stretched (resulting in a softer and/or more elastic net) or it can be heated in a hot water bath and stretched (providing a more rigid net). A typical end use for these types of nets is retail packaging for fruit and vegetables.