Based on roller surface material, rolling pressure, temperature, and various combinations of soft and hard rollers, as well as different cloth passing methods, different rolling finishes can be achieved. Equipment used for rolling can be categorized into conventional rolling machines, friction rolling machines, and laminated rolling machines.

(1) Standard Calender: The standard calender typically consists of three roller sets. The roller arrangement can be either "Soft-Hard-Soft" or "Hard-Soft-Hard." This equipment utilizes steam heating, with the temperature of the heating rollers ranging from 80 to 110 degrees Celsius.

(1) The ordinary calendering machine is suitable for general calendering finishing of fabrics, used for flat calendering of plain woven fabrics such as bleached, colored, and printed ones. Under conditions of increased pressure, it can also be used for heavy calendering finishing of thin fabrics with hard sizing. (2) The friction calendering machine consists of three rolls, generally arranged in a "hard-soft-hard" sequence. The lower roll is made of cast iron, the middle roll of paper pulp or cotton. The upper small roll, made of quenched iron, is also known as the friction roll. A small wax roll is positioned above and in front of the friction roll, which is adjustable and can either contact or detach from the friction roll. During operation, a carpet is wrapped around the wax roll and some grease is applied for lubrication of the friction roll and to remove fibers, dust, and starch residues adhering to the roll. The fiber roll and the friction roll form a frictional contact point, while the cast iron roll forms a hard contact point. During the calendering process, the fabric first passes through the hard contact point, then through the frictional contact point. The linear speed of the friction roll is greater than the speed of the fabric passing through the contact points, resulting in friction on the fabric surface for smoothing. Simultaneously, due to the pressure and friction, the yarns are flattened, the interlacing holes are not reduced, the fabric surface becomes smooth, and a strong luster is produced.

During processing, the friction rate (i.e., the ratio of linear velocities between the two roller cylinders) can be adjusted through the transmission device within a range of 30% to 300%. Specific levels include 30%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 150%, 200%, and 300%, with 50% to 75% being the most common. The friction roller temperature is between 100°C to 120°C, and the fabric moisture content is 10% to 15%.

The friction calender is suitable for finishing diagonal lining fabrics, medium-count plain fabrics, and drafting cloths. The treated fabric surface exhibits a strong iridescence, appearing very shiny, as if coated with wax.

(3) Universal Calender: Calenders with more than five rolls are referred to as universal calenders. Due to the different arrangements of the rolls, varying electrical applications, and distinct finishing effects, there are mainly the following types:

If the soft and hard roller cylinders are alternately arranged, they are used for single-sided calendering of fabrics.

If two center rollers are arranged adjacent to each other, they are used for double-sided calendering.

If only the following three roller stands are used, they can be utilized as a friction rolling glazing machine.

If equipped with a set of 6 to 10 guide roller guides, it is used for lamination calendering.

Layered Calendering involves passing layered fabric through a single calendering point, with up to 6 layers. The characteristic of layered calendering is that it utilizes the inter-fabric pressing action to create a wavy effect on the fabric surface. This not only imparts a soft luster to the fabric but also gives it a soft hand feel and a clear textured appearance, all naturally.

During the lamination and calendering process of fabrics, the roller of the calendering machine is first wrapped around once, followed by passing through the guide roller of the cloth frame, and then repeatedly wrapped around each calendering roller. This process is repeated 5 to 6 times; the more layers wrapped, the softer the texture of the fabric becomes. The method of fabric wrapping is illustrated in Figure 9-12. This technique is primarily used for the finishing of plain and colored fabrics.