WO2004038081A1

WO2004038081A1 - Low-density nonwoven fabric and production method and installation therefor and uses

Info

Publication number: WO2004038081A1
Application number: PCT/FR2003/002941
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frédéric NOELLE; Cédric LAURENT
Original assignee: Rieter Perfojet
Priority date: 2002-10-18
Filing date: 2003-10-07
Publication date: 2004-05-06
Also published as: FR2846013B1; US20070173163A1; AU2003286219A1; US20060014464A1; CN1705783A; FR2846013A1; EP1556535A1; CN101343817A

Abstract

The invention concerns an installation for nonwoven production, characterized in that it comprises a spunbonded web plant (1) whereof the die (3) is inclined at an angle of 10 to 60° and preferably of 20 to 50° relative to the displacement direction of a conveyor (5) and preferably two spunbonded web plants whereof the dies have opposite inclinations, said conveyor whereon filaments are deposited from the die(s) in the form of a web, a station for compressing the thus formed web into a web compressed perpendicular to its plane, optionally a station (10) for calendering the compressed web, followed by a station (12) to (14) for consolidating by pressurized water jet spray the compressed and optionally calendered web with a jet spraying machine comprising a metal fabric whereof the wires have a diameter between 0.10 and 0.35 mm and which has more than 40 wires per cm and preferably 10 to 30 wires per cm both in warp direction and in weft direction or with a water jet spraying machine including a sleeve with perforations of 50 to 600 microns and having 20 to 200 perforations per cm2.

Description

Low density nonwoven fabric and its production process and installation and applications

The present invention relates to nonwoven fabrics and their production processes and installations and their applications. To manufacture hygiene products such as baby diapers, adult incontinence diapers, feminine periodical protections, it is desirable to manufacture them from a material having a density as small as possible and a tensile strength as isotropic as The invention provides for this by a process for the production of a nonwoven, in which filaments from a spun-bond tower are deposited in a sheet having a longitudinal direction on a conveyor, the sheet is compressed. in a compressed tablecloth perpendicular to the plane of the tablecloth, then the compressed tablecloth is subjected to a consolidation by spraying there with water jets with a diameter of 50 to 250 microns under a pressure of 50 to 500 bar. According to the invention, the web is deposited on the conveyor using at least one spun-bond tower whose die is inclined at an angle of from 10 to 60 ° and preferably from 20 to 50 ° relative to in the longitudinal direction and preferably using at least two spun bond turns, the dies of which are inclined in opposite directions and the water jets are projected, with the interposition of the sheet, either on a metallic fabric, the wires have a diameter of between 0.10 mm and 0.35 mm and which have at most 40 wires per centimeter in the warp direction and 40 wires per centimeter in the weft direction, that is to say on a microperforated sleeve whose dimensions of the perforations are between 50 and 600 microns and preferably between 150 and 500 microns and which has a number of perforations per cm2 between 50 and 200.

Preferably, the threads have a diameter of between 0.18 and 0.30 mm and the fabric has a number of threads per centimeter both in the warp direction and in the weft direction from 15 to 30. Under these conditions, we obtain by the process according to the invention a nonwoven fabric of filaments having a density less than 0.10 g / cm ³ and in particular between 0.09 g / cm ³ and 0.03 g / cm ³ and better still between 0.07 and 0.03 g / cm3 and a ratio of the maximum tensile strength in the machine direction to the maximum resistance to transverse traction less than 1.5 and even less than 1, 3, or even less than 1, 1. A nonwoven fabric according to the invention thus combines the isotropy of the properties with a very low density which makes this nonwoven fabric incomparable for the manufacture of baby diapers, either as a covering veil in contact with the baby's skin, either as an exterior textile trim to give a textile appearance. The nonwovens according to the invention can also be used as a covering veil for feminine hygiene products, as a culture covering veil for agriculture, as a filtering medium for air or gas or liquid filtration. , in coating supports and in wiping products. The nonwoven fabric according to the invention has a better acquisition speed and a greater distribution speed which makes it particularly useful for baby diapers. In addition, the halo for diffusing the liquid onto the nonwoven fabric according to the invention is substantially circular, which further increases the useful surface area for acquiring and absorbing the liquid. In filtration, a greater instantaneous retention capacity has been found to the point that a single layer of the nonwoven fabric on the invention is equivalent to filter media consisting of 4 layers according to the prior art. In addition, the life of the filter is extended. For the covering veil of a baby diaper it is preferred that the titer be between 1 and 3 dtex and the grammage between 12 and 20 g / m2. For the distribution layer of a baby diaper or feminine hygiene it is preferred that the titer be between 3 and 8 dtex and in particular between 3 and 7 the grammage between 30 and 50 g / m2 and 7 dtex, the distribution layer also playing the role of an acquisition layer. For the layers ensuring the sealing on the edges, along the thighs (leg cuff), a title of between 1 and 3 dtex and a grammage of 15 to 30 g / m2 is preferred. In use in agriculture as a crop cover veil, a title of between 2 and 6 dtex and in particular between 3 and 4 dtex and a basis weight of 15 to 30 g / m2 is preferred. The same goes for forcing sails in agriculture. In filtration, we can have very different dtex titles ranging from 1 to 8 dtex in particular, with a preference for titles between 4 and 6 dtex and a grammage between 30 g / m2 to 150 g / m2. For impregnation and coating supports such as those used for example in building and civil engineering, in the manufacture of artificial and synthetic leather, titles of between 1 and 8 dtex are found, with a preference for securities between 2 and 6 dtex. The invention accommodates non-crimped filaments, which considerably simplifies the production process. But, possibly the filaments can also be crimped, although this is not preferred because it complicates the manufacture.

The invention is particularly preferred for nonwovens weighing between 12 and 50 g / m2.

These remarkable properties can be explained by the fact that, by the inclination of the spun bond tower, a sheet is obtained whose filaments are better intertwined and which is thus better able to withstand without being pierced by the pressure of the jets. water and whose filaments get better entangled by the hydraulic bonding.

Preferably, the metallic fabric is steel or bronze and has a thickness of between 0.40 and 0.75 mm. It is particularly preferred that the metallic fabric has a canvas weave, a twill weave or a satin weave.

The first stage of the process according to the invention consists in depositing filaments in a sheet on a conveyor. The filaments can in particular be made of polyolefin, polyester, polyamide, metallocene polyvinyl alcohol, polylactic acid or other suitable plastics. The filaments preferably have a titer between

0.9 to 10 dtex.

They come from a die at the top of the spun-bond tower and then descend vertically to the conveyor through a device which cools them and stretches or attenuates them in the conventional way except, according to the invention, preferably, two spun-bond towers are used, the dies of which are inclined, preferably in an opposite manner, at an angle of 10 to 60 ° and preferably of 20 to 50 ° relative to the direction longitudinal of the web which is the direction in which the conveyor moves and which is also called the machine direction. The angles of inclination of the two dies can be different, one of them can also be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sheet.

The second stage of the process consists in compressing the sheet into a compressed sheet while it is on the conveyor. This compression is carried out by usual mechanical means, in particular by passing the ply through the nip between two cylinders or by compressing it between the conveyor and a cylinder.

The third stage of the process according to the invention consists in consolidating the compressed sheet by projecting water jets with a diameter of 50 to 250 microns under a pressure of 50 to 500 bar. It is a binding of the sheet by hydraulic entanglement which is conventional, except that care is taken to project the water jets through a metallic fabric whose wires have a prescribed diameter and whose number of wires per centimeter is prescribed in the warp direction and in the weft direction or through a microperforated sleeve as described above. The diameter of the jets is preferably between 80 microns and 200 microns. The jets are generally arranged in a row or in several rows, the arrangement in a row being preferred. The distance between two jets in the same row is generally between 0.3 mm and 1.4 mm and preferably between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm. The consolidation treatment can also be carried out on several successive drums each equipped with one or more hydraulic injectors, in particular when the production speed is very high, for example being 800 m per minute. At these speeds, the use of gutters for recovering the rebounds from the water jets fixed on the injectors is particularly useful. In general, the speeds are between 20 m / min. and 1000 m / min. one can in particular combine a fabric drum and a drum cylinder with microperforated sleeve.

The metallic fabric which is called exterior can be mounted directly on a rotary support drum, but it can also be mounted on a coarse metallic fabric called interior fabric made up of threads of diameter at least equal to 0.5 mm and which serves as drainage fabric. The inner metallic fabric is thus interposed between the rotary drum and the outer metallic fabric, preferably being in contact with the latter. The drum consists of a fixed hollow cylinder at the periphery of which are provided slots facing the injectors, slots which are intended for the evacuation of water. The fixed drum has at its periphery a rotary drum consisting of a rigid and permeable support. The drum has a diameter between 300 mm and 1000 mm and preferably between 500 mm and 900 mm. The water extraction slots facing the injectors preferably have a width of between 5 and 50 mm and preferably between 15 and 40 mm. The nonwoven fabric of filaments obtained by the process according to the invention has a great softness. But if we accept to give up this softness, the two other desired properties can be further improved, namely the small density and the ratio of the resistance in the machine direction to the resistance in the cross direction close to the unit by choosing as a drum a metal sleeve perforated with holes diameter between 50 and 600 microns and preferably between 150 and 500 microns and comprising from 20 to 200 holes per cm ² and preferably from 70 to

150 holes / cm ² .

If it is also desired to increase the resistance of the nonwoven fabric obtained, it is necessary to subject the compressed sheet to a calendering before consolidating it. This calendering is carried out in a usual calender at a temperature of 100 to 250 ° C. and preferably from 130 to 170 ° C. depending on the nature of the polymer constituting the filaments (for example for polypropylene sheets, it is preferably carried out between 130 and 180 ^e C). with a surface of the web which is melted from 5 to 40% and preferably from 10 to 30% of the total surface, the melting points possibly being circular, oval, rectangular, diamond-shaped or the like.

Calendering may consist of passing the web of thermoplastic filaments between heated rollers. For carrying out the invention, provision is preferably made for a calender consisting of a smooth roller and an engraved roller. The pressure and the temperature applied by the calender causes a spot fusion of the web of continuous filaments.

The engraving can consist of points of circular, oval, square, rectangular or even diamond shape. The melting points on the surface of the sheet represent from 2 to 40% of the surface and preferably from 10 to 30%.

It is also possible to use two engraved rollers of the male female type which have a synchronized rotation and are nested one in the other. It is also possible to use two smooth rollers. Calendering is carried out at pressures between 50

N / mm and 150 N / mm.

Calendering speeds can reach several hundred meters per minute and in particular from 100 to 800 m / min.

The resistance index expressed in newtons per 50 mm per gram of nonwoven per m ² is particularly good in the case where the calendering operation is incorporated into the process according to the invention. he can reach 2.8, namely 1.5 in the running direction and 1, 3 in the transverse direction while the grammage of the nonwoven fabric is between 12 and 150 g / m ^a , preferably 12 to 100 g / m2 and better from 12 to 40 g / m2. It is preferably possible to reach a resistance index of at least 3.5 and better still of at least 4.5, or even at least 5.5.

By way of comparison, a conventional nonwoven of 20 g / m ² composed of 100% polypropylene 1.7 dtex which has been carded and calendered is marketed with a thickness of 0.16 mm, a tensile strength in the machine direction. of 40 N / 50 mm, a transverse tensile strength of 9 N / 50 mm, ie a resistance ratio running direction on transverse direction of 4.44. Due to their poor mechanical properties, it is not possible to reduce the mass per square meter of these carded and then calendered nonwovens. With nonwovens made up of continuous filaments and in accordance with the invention, it is possible to obtain thicker, more resistant, more isotropic and lesser mass per square meter.

After the consolidation device by entanglement by means of pressurized water jets, the residual water present in the nonwoven is extracted by suction devices connected to vacuum generators, then the nonwoven is dried, for example in a through air oven or with infrared panels or with microwaves. The final nonwoven obtained has a water content of less than 5% by weight.

After or before drying, a surfactant can be applied to the nonwoven.

The invention also relates to a nonwoven production installation comprising at least one spun-bond lathe whose die is inclined at an angle of 10 to 60 ^e and, preferably, from 20 to 50 ° relative to the direction longitudinal and preferably at least two spun-bond towers whose dies are inclined in an opposite manner, depositing filaments in a sheet on a conveyor, a device for compressing the sheet so as to obtain a compressed sheet perpendicular to the plane of the sheet possibly a calender calandering the compressed sheet, then a device for consolidating by water jet the compressed sheet possibly calendered, by spraying water jets with a diameter of 50 to 250 microns and under a pressure of 50 to 500 bar , the installation comprising a machine for spraying a water jet with a metallic fabric or with a perforated sleeve as indicated above. Laboratory tests to measure thickness, density, resistance in the long direction and in the cross direction, are conducted according to ERT standards of EDANA (European Disposables And Nonwovens Association), namely a) faalMflur

The sample is conditioned for 24 hours and the test is carried out at 23 ^β C and a relative humidity of 50%. The thickness of the nonwoven is measured by measuring the distance between a reference plate on which the nonwoven rests and a parallel pressure plate which applies precise pressure to the surface under test. The device consists of two horizontal circular plates fixed to a frame. The top plate moves vertically. It has an area of approximately 2500 mm2. The reference plate has a flat surface with a diameter at least 50 mm larger than that of the upper plate. The test piece has dimensions from 180 x 80 mm to more or less 5 mm for the width and the length. A device is provided for measuring the distance between the plates when the latter are close enough to apply a pressure of 0.02 kpa. b) Strength and elongation in the long direction and in the cross direction:

A sample is conditioned for 24 hours and the test is carried out at 23 ° C and a relative humidity of 50%. A dynamometer is used for the test, comprising a set of fixed jaws and a set of movable jaws moving at a constant speed. The jaws of the dynamometer have a useful width of 50 mm. The dynamometer is equipped with a recorder which makes it possible to trace the curve of the tensile force as a function of the elongation. 5 samples are cut of 50 mm more or less 0.5 mm in width and 250 mm in length, this in the long direction and in the cross direction of the nonwoven. The samples are tested one by one, at a constant tensile speed of 100 mm per minute and with an initial distance between jaws of 200 mm. The dynamometer records the curve of the tensile force in Newtons as a function of elongation, the maximum of which is determined. c) mass per square meter: A sample is processed for 24 hours and the test was carried out at 23 ^e C and a relative humidity of 50%.

At least 3 samples are cut with an area of at least 50,000 mm2 with a cutting device called a cutter. Each sample is weighed on a laboratory balance with an accuracy of 0.1% of the mass of the weighed samples. d) density: The density is calculated from the measured thickness and the mass per square meter. mv = g / (e.1000) mv = density in grams per cubic centimeter g = mass per square meter of the nonwoven e = thickness of the nonwoven tested expressed in mm

In the accompanying drawing given solely by way of example: FIG. 1 is a partial schematic plan view of an installation according to the invention and FIG. 2 is a complete plan view of it.

The installation shown in Figure 1 comprises two towers 1, 2, spun-bound respectively having a die 3, 4 which deposit on the upper strand 5 of a belt 5 without end of a conveyor 6 passing on rollers 7 of return, tensioner and guide, a sheet of continuous filaments which then pass from the left to the right in FIG. 1 on compacting rollers 8 and 9 before going to a calender 10 made up of two rollers then, by the through a conveyor 11, on a machine for spraying water jets. The machine comprises a fixed internal drum 12 on which is threaded either a hollow cylinder 13 made of metallic fabric whose wires have a diameter of 0.25 mm and which has 22 wires / cm in warp direction and 22 wires / cm in weft direction, microperforated sleeve whose perforation dimensions are 200 microns and which has a number of perforations per cm ² of 100. The metallic fabric has a thickness of 0.50 mm and a satin weave. The sheet passes over the metallic fabric 13 and receives water jets with a diameter of 100 microns under a pressure of 300 bar by injectors 14.

It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the longitudinal axis Y, Y 'of the die 3 and the longitudinal axis Z, Z' of the die 4 are inclined at an angle a and b respectively with respect to the axis X, X 'which corresponds to the direction of the walk, but reverse. Following the jet projection machine, there is provided, in Figure 2, a dehumidification conveyor 15, a drying oven 16 and a winding device 17.

Examples

All of the examples 1 to 10 are produced with a spunbond nonwoven of 20 g / m ² produced on a PERFOBOND installation marketed by the company Rieter Perfojet composed of polypropylene filaments of 1.7 dtex. This nonwoven has the distinction of having a resistance ratio running direction on transverse direction of less than 1.5, which is particularly advantageous in many applications. The nonwoven has a thickness of 0.15 mm, a direction resistance of 39.8 N / 50 mm and a cross resistance of 32.1 N / 50 mm. It has a density of 0.133 g / cm ³ .

After hot calendering, the nonwoven is treated with water jets on a JET LACE machine sold by the company Rieter Perfojet, which is composed of a hollow cylindrical drum at the periphery of which rotate various liners or cylinders. It is on the surface of these rotating cylinders that the filaments are treated with water jets. A hydraulic injector is installed at the periphery of the drum and the jets it delivers are directed towards the cylinder.

The hydraulic injection delivers jets of 120 microns in diameter and the jets are spaced from each other by a center distance of 0.6 mm. A vacuum of -800 mbar is applied to the interior of the hollow cylindrical drum by a vacuum generator. All tests are carried out at a linear speed of

200 m / min. All the samples are pre-dried on a conveyor provided with suction slots and then dried in a through-air oven at a temperature of 100 ° C before being rolled up.

Example 1 (comparative):

The drum is equipped with a cylinder C1 consisting of a perforated sheet of stainless steel covered with a bronze fabric consisting of wires of 0.63 mm in diameter in the warp direction and of wires of 0.51 mm in the weft direction. It has 9.5 threads per cm in warp and 8.5 threads per cm in weft. The injector is supplied with a pressure of 100 bar. The nonwoven has a gain in thickness but its surface is perforated many holes from 0.4 to 0.5 mm ² in area. Its touch is softer than non-woven non-woven fabric, but the perforations make it unusable.

ξ * fifflPlfi.2: The drum is equipped with a cylinder C2 consisting of a perforated sheet of stainless steel covered with a metallic fabric of stainless steel consisting of wires 0.11 mm in diameter in the warp direction and wires of 0.14 mm in the weft direction. It has 39 threads per cm in warp and 36 threads per cm in weft, The resistance index I _ 39.8 +32.1 _ 3.35 while, without

20 treatment, it is 3.59.

The injector is supplied at a pressure of 170 bar. The nonwoven has a gain in thickness and its feel is softer than the initial nonwoven. It is free from defects and punctures.

I ^ffl 3.3 Example 3:

Example 2 is repeated with a pressure of 230 bar. The nonwoven has a gain in thickness and its feel is softer than the initial nonwoven (that is to say from Example 1) and than that of Example 2. It is free from defects and perforations.

1 = 3.16 Example 4:

Example 3 is repeated with a pressure of 300 bar. The nonwoven has a gain in thickness and its feel is softer than the initial nonwoven and that of Example 3. It is free from defects and perforations.

I ≈ 2.87 Example 5 (preferred):

The drum is equipped with a cylinder C3 made of a perforated sheet of stainless steel covered with a bronze fabric made up of wires of 0.22 mm in diameter in the warp direction and of wires of 0.23 mm in the weft direction. It has 25 threads per cm in warp and 20 threads per cm in weft. The injector is supplied at a pressure of 170 bar. The nonwoven has a gain in thickness and its feel is softer than the nonwoven of Example 1 and softer than the nonwoven of Examples 2, 3 and 4. It is free from defects and perforations .

I ^“ 3.42 Example 6: (preferred)

Example 5 is repeated with a pressure of 230 bar. The nonwoven has a gain in thickness and its feel is softer than the nonwoven of Example 1 and that of Example 5. It is free from defects and perforations.

I = 3.39 Example 7: (preferred) Example 6 is repeated with a pressure of 300 bar. The nonwoven has a gain in thickness and its feel is softer than the nonwoven of Example 1 and that of Example 6. It is free from defects and perforations.

l ≈ 3

EaampJai:

The drum is fitted with a cylinder C4 consisting of a rigid cylindrical perforated sheet covered with a 0.35 mm thick nickel sleeve perforated with holes from 250 to 350 microns in diameter and comprising 100 holes per cm ² , the holes being distributed randomly.

The injector is supplied at a pressure of 170 bar. The nonwoven has a thickness gain and its feel is softer than the nonwoven

initial. It is free from defects and punctures.

I a 3.55

Example 8 is repeated with a pressure of 230 bar. The nonwoven has a gain in thickness and its feel is softer than the nonwoven of Example 1 and that of Example 8. It is free from defects and of perforations.

I • 3.81 Example 10: Example 8 is repeated with a pressure of 300 bar. The nonwoven has a gain in thickness and its feel is softer than the initial nonwoven and that of Example 9. It is free from defects and perforations. It is nevertheless less soft than the nonwoven of Example 7.

I * 3.21

The results of Examples 1 to 10 are recorded in the following table:

We see in this table that we obtain thickness gains from almost 50% to more than 100% while having densities much lower than those of the nonwoven of Example 1 and for strength ratios in the direction to resistance in the cross direction substantially equivalent.

A nonwoven conforming to the invention of 140 g / m2 consisting of polypropylene filaments of 1.5 dtex is subjected to a filtration test of sodium chloride particles with a diameter of 0.26 microns suspended in l 'air. The device is of the TSI CERTITEST 8130 type. The air flow rate through the sample is 103 l / min. We obtain an efficiency of 77% and a pressure drop of 420 10 ^"δ bar On the same device and under the same conditions we test a product usually used as a filtration medium of 170 g / m2 consisting of 4 layers of nonwoven, spun-bond, melt blown, polypropylene fiber and calendered polypropylene fiber. The efficiency is 74% and the pressure drop is 540 10 ^"5 bar. The nonwoven fabric according to the invention has better efficiency, less pressure drop, while having a lower surface mass. The nonwoven according to the invention which has been used has a resistance in the running direction of 330 N / 50 mm and a resistance in the transverse direction of 300N / 50 mm, ie a ratio between the two of 1.1. Its thickness is 1.9 mm and its density of 0.074 g / cm3,

s 4.5

Softness is tested by a panel. The best sweetness is rated +++++, the least good.

Claims

1. Nonwoven fabric of filaments having a ratio of resistance in the machine direction to resistance in the cross direction less than 1.5, preferably less than 1, 3 and better still less than 1, 1, characterized by a density less than 0.10 g / cm ³ and preferably between 0.09 and 0.03 g / cm ³ , and better still between 0.07 and 0.03 g / cm3.

2. Nonwoven fabric according to claim 1, the filaments of which have a titer between 0.9 and 10 dtex.

3. Nonwoven fabric according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a tensile strength index in the machine direction of at least 1.5 and in the cross direction of at least 1.3 newton per 50 mm per gram of nonwoven per m ² and it has a basis weight between 12 and 150 g / m ² and preferably between 12 and 50 g / m2 and better still between 12 and 30 g / m2.

4. Method for producing a nonwoven, in which filaments from a spun-bond spinning tower are deposited in a sheet having a longitudinal direction on a conveyor, the sheet is compressed into a compressed sheet perpendicular to the plane of the tablecloth, then the compressed tablecloth is subjected to a consolidation by spraying there with water jets with a diameter of 50 to 250 microns under a pressure of 50 to 500 bar, characterized in that

the tablecloth is deposited on the conveyor using at least one spun-bond tower, the die of which is Inclined relative to the longitudinal direction, and preferably of at least two spunbond towers, the two channels of which are inclined, preferably opposite, with respect to the longitudinal direction, by an angle of 10 to 60 °, and preferably, from 20 to 50 ^th , - ΘR projects the water jets, either with the interposition of the tablecloth, on a metallic fabric whose wires have a diameter between 0.10 mm and 0.35 mm and preferably between 0.18 mm and 0.30 mm , and which has at most 40 threads per cm and preferably 15 to 30 threads per cm in warp direction and at most 40 threads per cm and preferably 15 to 30 threads per cm in weft direction, that is, with interposition of the tablecloth, on a mlcroperforated sleeve whose perforation dimensions are between 50 and 600 microns and preferably between 150 and 500 microns and which has a number of perforations per cm ² between 50 and 200.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the metallic fabric has a thickness of between 0.40 and 0.75 mm.

β. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the metallic fabric has a plain, twill or satin weave.

7. Non-woven production installation, characterized in that it comprises a spun-bond tower (1), the die (3) of which is inclined at an angle of 10 to 60 ° and preferably 20 to 50 ° relative to the direction of movement of a conveyor (5) and, preferably, two spun-bond towers whose dies are inclined, preferably opposite, conveyor on which it (s) deposits (s) filaments in a sheet, a station for compressing the sheet thus formed into a compressed sheet perpendicular to its plane, optionally a station (10) for calendering the compressed sheet, then a station (12 to 14) for consolidation by spraying jets of water under pressure from the compressed and possibly calendered sheet using a water jet spraying machine comprising a metallic fabric whose wires have a diameter of between 0.10 mm and 0.35 mm and which has more than 40 threads per cm and preferably 15 to 30 threads per cm both in direction warp only in the weft direction or using a machine for spraying water jets with sleeves having perforations of 50 to 600 microns and having 20 to 200 perforations per cm ² ,

8. Filter, characterized in that it comprises a nonwoven according to any one of claims 1 to 3. I. Hygiene product, earactériaé ee it comprises a nonwoven according to any one of claims 1 to 3 with a basis weight between 1 and 50 g / cm ² .