Patent ID: 8440123

Claim:
A short fiber airlaid process technique for producing a unitized short fiber airlaid composite material with at least one abrasive surface; depositing an assembly having at least one outer layer containing a first multicomponent synthetic fiber and at least one inner layer containing a second multicomponent synthetic fiber, wherein each of the components of the first multicomponent synthetic fiber have a melting temperature less than the melting temperature of at least one of the components of the second multicomponent synthetic fiber; heating the assembly to a temperature at which at least one component of the second multicomponent synthetic fiber melts and at least one component of the second multicomponent synthetic fiber does not melt to effect bonding of fibers at points of contact between fibers, and at which all components of the first multicomponent synthetic fiber flow, contract or at least partially melt to form melted irregular droplets or semi-melted fibers; and cooling the assembly and solidifying the melted irregular droplets or semi-melted fibers, thereby imparting an abrasive quality to an outer surface.