QUALITY OF YARN CONTROL

Introduction: Yarn consists of several strands of material twisted together. Each strand is, in turn, made of fibers, all shorter than the piece of yarn that they form. These short fibers are spun into longer filaments to make the yarn. Long continuous strands may only require additional twisting to make them into yarns. Sometimes they are put through an additional process called textu The characteristics of spun yarn depend, in part, on the amount of twist given to the fibers during spinning. A fairly high degree of twist produces strong yarn; a low twist produces softer, more lustrous yarn; and a very tight twist produces crepe yarn. Yarns are also classified by their number of parts. A single yarn is made from a group of filament or staple fibers twisted together. Ply yarns are made by twisting two or more single yarns. Cord yarns are made by twisting together two or more ply yarns. Almost eight billion pounds (3.6 billion kg) of spun yarn was produced in the United States during 1995, with 40% being produced in North Carolina alone. Over 50% of spun yarn is made from cotton. Textured, crimped, or bulked yarn comprised one half of the total spun. Textured yarn has higher volume due to physical, chemical, or heat treatments. Crimped yarn is made of thermoplastic fibers of deformed shape. Bulked yarn is formed from fibers that are inherently bulky and cannot be closely packed. Yarn is used to make textiles using a variety of processes, including weaving, knitting, and felting. Nearly four billion pounds (1.8 billion kg) of weaving yarn, three billion pounds (1.4 kg) of machine knitting yarn, and one billion pounds (450 million kg) of carpet and rug yarn was produced in the United States during in 1995. The U.S. textile industry employs over 600,000 workers and consumes around 16 billion pounds (7

billion kg) of mill fibre per year, with industry profits estimated at $2.1 billion in 1996. Exports represent more than 11% of industry sales, approaching $7 billion. The apparel industry employs another one million worker.

History of yarn processing:

Natural fiberscotton, flax, silk, and woolrepresent the major fibers available to ancient civilizations. The earliest known samples of yarn and fabric of any kind were found near Robenhausen, Switzerland, where bundles of flax fibers and yarns and fragments of plain-weave linen fabric, were estimated to be about 7,000 years old. Cotton has also been cultivated and used to make fabrics for at least 7,000 years. It may have existed in Egypt as early as 12,000 B.C. Fragments of cotton fabrics have been found by archeologists in Mexico (from 3500 B.C. )., in India (3000 B.C. ), in Peru (2500 B.C. ), and in the south-western United States (500 B.C. ). Cotton did not achieve commercial importance in Europe until after the colonization of the New World. Silk culture remained a specialty of the Chinese from its beginnings (2600 B.C. ) until the sixth century, when silkworms were first raised in the Byzantine Empire. Synthetic fibers did not appear until much later. The first synthetic, rayon, made from cotton or wood fibers, was developed in 1891, but not commercially produced until 1911. Almost a half a century later, nylon was invented, followed by the various forms of polyester. Synthetic fibers reduced the world demand for natural fibers and expanded applications. Until about 1300, yarn was spun on the spindle and whorl. A spindle is a rounded stick with tapered ends to which the fibers are attached and twisted; a whorl is a weight attached to the spindle that acts as a flywheel to keep the spindle rotating. The fibers were pulled by hand from a bundle of carded fibers tied to

a stick called a distaff. In hand carding, fibers are placed between two boards covered with leather, through which protrude fine wire hooks that catch the fibers as one board is pulled gently across the other. The spindle, which hangs from the fibers, twists the fibers as it rotates downward, and spins a length of yarn as it pulls away from the fiber bundle. When the spindle reaches the floor, the spinner winds the yarn around the spindle to secure it and then starts the process again. This is continued until all of the fiber is spun or until the spindle is full. A major improvement was the spinning wheel, invented in India between 500 and 1000 A.D. And first used in Europe during the middle Ages. A horizontally mounted spindle is connected to a large, hand-driven wheel by a circular band. The distaff is mounted at one end of the spinning wheel and the fiber is fed by hand to the spindle, which turns as the wheel turns. A component called the flyer twists the thread just before it is wound on a bobbin. The spindle and bobbin are attached to the wheel by separate parts, so that the bobbin turns more slowly than does the spindle. Thus, thread can be twisted and wound at the same time. About 150 years later, the Saxon wheel was introduced. Operated by a foot pedal, the Saxon wheel allowed both hands the freedom to work the fibers. A number of developments during the eighteenth century further mechanized the spinning process. In 1733, the flying shuttle was invented by John Kay, followed by Hargreaves' spinning jenny in 1766. The jenny featured a series of spindles set in a row, enabling one operator to produce large quantities of yarn. Several years later Richard Arkwright patented the spinning frame, a machine that used a series of rotating rollers to draw out the fibers. A decade later Samule Crampons' mule machine was invented, which could spin any type of yarn in one continuous operation.

Yarn feed control system:

It is known to use control devices for knitting machines which, in order to control the length of yarn used by a knitting machine, each feeder receives yarn from a yarn feeding means which feeds yarn to it at a rate which is fixed at a value proportional to the knitting machine speed. Such yarn feeding devices commonly consist of a nip roller drive coupled to a driven part of the knitting machine and are suitable only when the required length of yarn to be knitted into each sequence of a small number of stitches is substantially constant. When a knitting machine is fitted with needle selecting means so that the length of yarn required to be knitted into each sequence of a small number of stitches is not substantially constant the known arrangements described above are not suitable as the individual feeding devices cannot readily provide the various lengths of yarn which are required to be fed into the knitting machine at different times during the knitting. The present invention is believed to represent a solution to this problem. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of feeding yarn to a knitting machine having a group of yarn feeders and also having needle selecting means so that the length of yarn required to be knitted into each sequence of a small number of stitches is not constant, each individual yarn being fed to the knitting machine at an adjustable tension by one of the yarn feeders, the method including the steps of: (1) Measuring the length of an individual yarn fed to the knitting machine during each sequence of a small number of stitches; (2) Comparing the measured length to a predetermined length value which is a function of a predetermined stitch length;

(3) Adjusting the tension in said individual yarn fed to the knitting machine in response to any deviation detected in comparison step (2) above; and (4) maintaining the adjusted tension while repeating steps (1) and (2) and then repeating step (3) in response to the deviation detected during the repetition of steps (1) and (2) so as to continuously adjust the tension of said yarn fed to the knitting machine so that the actual yarn consumption in the knitting of an article is substantially equal to the predetermined yarn consumption. Advantageously the function of said stitch length which is measured is the length of yarn being knitted. The length of yarn being knitted can be measured in a number of ways. For example, the yarn may pass around a rotatable member and be arranged to make non-slipping contact therewith so that the length of yarn being knitted can be measured from the speed of rotation of the member. If desired, the member can be one of a pair of nip rollers. In order to adjust the tension in the yarn fed to the knitting machine, a yarn-driven rotatable member may be employed, the tension being adjusted by controlling the resistance to rotation of the rotatable member. Again, if desired, the rotatable member may be one of a pair of nip rollers. The tension control may be affected using a feed mechanism for the yarn which is driven by means of a tape drive. Preferably, the error detected by the comparing means is used to set a tension value and the feed mechanism is arranged to introduce the set tension into the yarn. According to a further aspect of the present invention an apparatus for controlling the feeding of yarn to a knitting machine comprises means for measuring the stitch length of

yarn which has been knitted by said machine or a function of said stitch length, means for comparing said measured stitch length or function thereof with a predetermined stitch length or comparable function thereof and means for adjusting the tension in the yarn fed to the knitting machine in response to any error detected by the comparing means. For the purpose of carrying out the invention to control the length of yarn knitted by a knitting machine the means for determining the length of yarn LM1 being knitted by the machine may for example, be a rotating member with the circumferential surface of which the yarn makes non-slipping contact before it passes into the feeder of the knitting machine. The circumferential speed of the rotating member is thus equal to the speed of the yarn. It will be understood that the rotating member may for example conveniently be part of the adjusting means described above. The rotation of the member as the yarn passes over it may conveniently be sensed by displacement detecting means which produces an output signal which is a measure of the length of yarn passing into the knitting machine. The displacement detecting means may conveniently be photoelectric, magnetic capacitate or pneumatic and the output signal may conveniently be in digital or analogue form and may conveniently take the form of an electrical current or voltage suitable for transmission to another location. For the purpose of carrying out the invention to control the length of yarn being knitted by a knitting machine which has needle selecting means in operation controlled by a stored program computer, the means for producing a control signal to control the adjusting means, this control signal being related to the departure of the length of yarn knitted by the knitting machine from the required length, may be, for example, a transducer giving an output signal suitable for the control of the

adjusting means in response to an electrical input signal l produced by the computer. SETTINGS AND SPINDLE SPEEDS for Yarn Quality: The spindle speed variation in this study was between 13,500 to 19,500 rpm. Three different spindle speeds changed in each count. As regards yarn hairiness, the effects are significant, hairiness increasing with speeds. This, in turn, could be expected to help to go in for higher spindle speeds (in ring frame without increasing end breaks). Three different back-zone setting changed in each count. At increase spindle speeds, yarn quality attributes like strength, evenness and thick places do not get high affected. Thin places, strength C.V. % and hairiness show a tendency to increase with spindle speed. While increasing back-zone settings of the ring rame thin places fault get reduced.

Digital online quality control:

With the new Yarn Master Zenit generation Loupe succeeded in raising the reliable technology of optical yarn clearers to a new level. It is intended for customers with the highest demands on yarn clearing and yarn quality who want to be ensured of safety and reliability, even under the most problematic ambient conditions. The yarn fault is illuminated from all sides in the optical mirror field. Special precautions ensure reliable measuring results, irrespective of position and colour of the yarn fault, of the influence of stray light, ageing and dust.

The decisive factors are: Measuring principle LOEPFEs yarn clearers always used Optical technology.

 Independent of the material Measuring results are not affected by ambient conditions Always constant conditions Flexibility The best yarn clearer for all applications! For all staple fiber yarns and materials A sensing head covering the following yarn count ranges: TK YM ZENIT Ne 2.4 320 TK YM ZENIT F(P) Ne 4.1 320 For all splicer types Maximum investment security High economic Channel Clearing: Opto-electronic precision Easy to operate Yarn clearing with clearer channels: Neps Short Long Thin Splice Yarn count Short count Cluster Channel Clearing Additional clearing curves ensure the reliable detection of: Periodic clusters Non periodic clusters Class Clearing In addition, 128 optionally selectable Classes are available. In combinationWith channel clearing, the desired quality is achieved with the highest possible machine usage. Even effects, for example defined flames, can be classifiedas non-disturbing (clearing window).

Classification of Yarn Faults All cleared and remaining yarn faults are classified according to internationally applicable standards. The reference lengths (for example per 100 000 m) can be freely selected. Classification is performed relative to groups and also to spindles. YARN TENSION IN THE PROCESS OF ROTOR SPINNING:

Yarn tension is a phenomenon inseparably connected with spinning, and is also of fundamental importance during rotor yarn formation. The problem of the occurrence of dynamic yarn tensions is of essential importance, as the possible decrease in yarn quality parameters, such as irregularity of linear density, elongation, tenacity, and the number of faults, may result. Consideration of real spinning conditions allows us to state that the temporal tension values are more important than the mean values [1]. Investigation into the dynamic forces which act on rotor-spun yarn carried out by Grosberg & Man sour [2] confirmed the occurrence of high-frequency (short-wave) yarn tension oscillations of significant amplitudes, which even exceed the mean value of about 30 %. Maximum yarn tensions directly influence the number of yarn breakages, which in turn decrease the spinning machines efficiency and raise yarn manufacturing costs [2]. The distinct influence of yarn tension is visible when analysing the stretching forces of yarn. An increase in yarn tension during spinning causes a decrease in the elongation of yarn over stretching to break. This influence is very substantial, although the yarn tension values constitute only 10% -20% of the yarns breaking force [3]. Tests carried out hitherto showed that spinning

tension is determined by the rotors rotational velocity and its diameter [1, 2, 3, 9, and 10]. Further experiments and considerations (conducted at the Department of Technology and Structure of Yarns) allowed us to draw the conclusion that the coefficient of variation of yarn Colourless or with Identical Colours:
Fine foreign matter is very difficult to see with the naked eye. However, with the LOEPFE P-sensor, it can be detected easily as proven already in various practical Applications.

Benefits to the User:

The industrially reliable clearing of synthetic foreign matter provides a decisive competitive advantage. Hooking during sectional and beam warping as well as yarn breaks in production are effectively reduced. This increases productivity and quality at the same time. Very expensive faults in the dyed and finished end product are reduced. The result: fewer complaints along with better margins

Online Evaluation of Quality Data:

In addition to diameter-related imperfections such as Neps + 200%, Thick + 50%, Thin 50% The surface indices specially developed by LOEPFE SFI SFI/D VCV is also monitored online 24 h/day.

Bobbin Detection:
Adapted to the situation in winding, it is possible to detect off-standard bobbins simply and reliably with only one setting with respect to the most important quality parameters 10 Hairiness 11 Neppiness 12 Irregularities CV Diameter variations VCV Variably adjustable observation length 13 Imperfections IPI and take them out of production.

Advanced Production Analysis, Programming and Control:

For an efficient centralized operation control of the individual feeders installed, these can be managed through a single SMART MATRIX FEEDER terminal, thus obtaining a complete system with awide range of functions facilitating the practical use of the installed feeders. By means of this on-board Terminal, the machine operator can immediately download and upload feeders identification data as well as programming yarn operating tensions and measure the amount of yarn fed on the individual positions. Moreover, through the Selflearning function, SMART MATRIX FEEDER Terminal brings the possibility to auto-learn and subsequently control the programmed yarn consumption during the production process of a sample article, all extremely useful functions for knitting machines. Opening and cleaning are performed step by step and are coordinated in such a way that coarser impurities are removed

before the next process stage, rather than being broken up. Finer trash particles are more difficult to remove and call for more intensive treatment. This is why gentle reclining is so important. Good opening as soon as the bale is broken, efficient precleaning and reproducible fine cleaning are the elements of the fibre-preserving concept which not only guarantees efficient cleaning, but at the same time keeps the increase in system leads step by step to a clean, low-nep supply of the nep count in check.