How does Louet’s drum carder function?

The carding action occurs when fiber is fed between two drums that rotate at different speeds, with the carding cloth moving in opposite directions.

The difference in drum diameter creates a difference in surface speed. This speed ratio produces the pulling action that opens, separates, and aligns the fibers.

As a result of this process, a small amount of fiber remains on the smaller drum (the licker-in), while the majority of the fiber accumulates on the large main drum.

Does the fiber on the small drum need to be removed?
No, this is generally not necessary. The fiber on the licker-in continues to participate in the carding process and will keep accumulating gradually.

It may be considered waste if you card different fiber types or colors consecutively, as the collected material can become undesirable due to blending. Under normal circumstances, however, the fiber on the licker-in is not waste.

Why is there no separate packing brush?
Simply put: there already is one — it’s the licker-in.

The Louët drum carder is designed so that the teeth on the main drum and the licker-in mesh together. One natural result of this design is that the main drum is continuously packed with fiber during operation.

Because of this built-in function, no additional packing brush attachment is necessary.