ABOUT ARTIFICIAL TURF:

Artificial turf, or synthetic turf, which is substitutes of natural grass, is manufactured by synthetic materials .It is used for making world-class stadium surfaces for playing sports (especially hockey and soccer). Artificial turf IS also being used in indoors or outdoors for landscaping.  Turf has no straight unsafe effects to pets or kids. It is also seen from several studies that the artificial turfs have a higher injury rate than grassland on playgrounds. But the new built-up and installation procedures have resulted in lowering of injury rates than on natural grass. Price of artificial turf is varies from $3-$11.5/sq ft, depending upon the specification, quality, quantity.

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• The artificial turf structure consists of different layers –

1. The pile fibers
2. Backing cloth,
3. Shock absorbing layer and
4. The supporting base.

1. Pile Fiber - The grass like piles are not harsh and soft to feel. The artificial grass is prepared of either the polyamide nylon/nylon 6.6 or PP/PE, which is custom extruded into a monofilament ribbon shape. The pile fiber has to permit for even ball roll and bounce, it should support non-directional foot grip, allow for water permeability and should have the correct stability of strength, elasticity and stiffness to resist the wear and tear of normal usage.
2. Backing Fabric – It is the fabric to which surface fibers are attached to form the base of the artificial turf. It also gives the support to permit water to flow through the fabric readily.
3. Shock-Absorbing Foam –The purpose of foam is to provide cushioning to athletes during running or falling. The foam is prepared of a closed-cell polymer alloy like polyurethane, usually 1/2 inch in height and perforated for straight down drainage
4. Supporting Base -It supports the weight positioned on the whole structure, in general it is a 2-feet or 3-feet layer of asphalt or concrete.   

• Artificial turf’s performance depends on its installation and maintenance.
• A high-quality sub-base is very essential for ground installations.
• The life of turf is usually at least a decade and requires no cutting, watering or fertilization.  
• The pile fibers are knitted directly into the backing by Flat-bed Raschel knitting machines. This machine is between 4.5 m to 5 m broad.
• The stitching threads which are used for turf should have high-strength, weather resistant and pigmented to exactly match the color of the turf.

RAW MATERIALS:

The quality of the raw materials is essential for the performance of turf. Polyester tire cord is used for the backing of high quality artificial turf. Blades of "grass" are prepared of nylon or polypropylene. Nylon blades of grass can be formed in thin sheets that are cut into strips or extruded through molds to manufacture fibers with an oval or round cross-section. This extruded product results in blades that sense and act more like biological grass. The cushioning effects are given by incorporating rubber compounds or from polyester foam. Special care and knowledge must also be applied to the selection of the adhesives used to bond all the components together.

THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ARTIFICIAL TURF

ADVANTAGE:
The main advantages of artificial turf are that it doesn’t need water, fertilizer, or cutting. It has withstanding power to wear and tear far better than the natural grass. It’s secure for kids and pets. It’s easy to clean with a hose and doesn’t catch the attention of bugs and pests.

DISADVANTAGE:
On the other hand, artificial turf does have its disadvantages. It is likely to get hotter than the natural grass in the mid-day sun. The manufacturing and transportation of artificial turf discharges more green house gases than the maintenance of natural turf. It will need to get substitute and disposed of in a landfill since most types cannot be recycled.

TECHNOLOGY USED:

• Extruding
• Knitting
• Stitch bonding
• Coating
• Tufting