SIZING

Objectives of sizing process :

The objects of sizing are manifold and are as follows:
a) Add strength to the yarn so as to withstand the stresses and strains of the weaving
process.
b) Improve the abrasion resistance of the yarn
c) To make the yarn smoother
d) Add more weight
e) Cover the protruding fibers on the yarn surface
 Process control measures:
The process control measures in sizing fall under the following heads:
a) Routine studies
b) Special studies
c) Sized beam quality studies

Routine Studies
1. Frequency of lappers
This has to be done about ten times in a month.
Each study should cover a length of 2500meters.
The frequency of occurrence of lappers has to be observed at different
places of the machine, such as back beams, guide roller, immersion roller,
sizing ,roller and squeezing roller.
2. Size pick up variation
This is to be calculated from records for different sets, on a weekly basis.
It will enable to identify variations in size pick up and could possibly indicate
the contributing factors to the variation such as (i)concentration of size paste in
sow-box, (ii)size level in sow box, (iii)depth of immersion roller in the size,
(iv)temperature of size paste in sow-box, (v)speed, stretch, moisture content in
weaver's beams and actual vs recorded tare weights of sized beams.
3. Dead loss (%)
This is to be calculated from available records on a monthly basis.
 The factors seriously affecting the dead loss are wastage of size paste and
materials, weighing errors, low moisture in sized yarn, and high moisture
in grey yarn and size materials.

4. Frequency of migration
This is to be done once in a month for two sets of a count or 10,000
meters of warp for a count of yarn. It is to be expressed in terms of
migration per one million meters of yarn.

5. Sow box temperature

This has to be checked daily with a thermometer. The temperature has to
be cautiously checked at both the sides of the sow box in order to find if
there is any variation.
6. Viscosity of size paste
This is to be checked daily for different size mixes.
Viscometers can be used for the purpose.
It would, however, be preferable to use a viscosity cup made of brass with
a hole at bottom, ranging from 3-6 mm dia.
7. Beam tare weight
 A minimum of 50 sized beams selected randomly, will have to be
checked for tare weight.
 Beams that vary by 0.5 kgs or 1 % (whichever is less) should be marked.
8. Functioning of control instruments
The measuring devices on the sizing machines such as those for stretch,
moisture control, sow box temperature, cylinder temperature, beam
pressure, squeeze roller pressure, etc. should be checked every week. Any
malfunctioning of the devices mentioned should be duly reported.
9. Hard waste level
This should be calculated every month from the records.
10. Production and efficiency
These should also be calculated every month from the records.
11. Material analysis
Prior to accepting any consignment of size ingredients, it is recommended
to carry out analysis of these ingredients and take the decision accordingly.
All lots should be analyzed.
12. Maintenance
All machinery maintenance audit work should be planned as per the
preventive maintenance schedule.
13. Strength and elongation checking
All the counts of yarns that are sized should be checked for gain in strength
and loss in elongation, once in a month.
About 200 tests will have to be conducted for sized as well as unsized yarns.
Increase in strength of 10% for blend yarns and 25% for cotton yarns reflect on
good sizing.
It is important to note that very high strength coupled with low elasticity
and very low strength coupled with high elasticity are undesirable for weaving.
Hence the gain in strength has to be balanced by loss in elongation for good
weavability.
The loss in elongation of the warp in sizing should be maintained below
25% by controlling the stretch.
In order to assess the sizing performance, regular studies should be carried
out to investigate the loss in elongation and gain in strength of sized yarns.
 SPECIAL STUDIES
1. Tension measurement
The tension of the sized yarn has to be measured at the creel zone and head
stock of sizing machine, when necessary. This may be done with the help of a
tension meter.
2. Percentage of solids
This is to be checked only if necessary, as otherwise it would be sufficient to
check the viscosity of the size paste daily.
The percentage solids of the size paste can be found with the help of a
refractometer.
This gives an idea of the concentration of the solids in the size paste at the
time of size application.
3. Moisture content of sized yarn
On modern machines the moisture content of the sized yarn is measured by
electrically controlled moisture meters.
If necessary, lab tests of moisture content in sized yarn should be
conducted.
4. Hard waste studies
When the hard waste level deviates too much from the standards one
should conduct causewise hard waste studies to find out the causes of
excessive hard waste.
 Sized beam quality studies
1. Incidence of soft beams
Soft beams are those that have low size pick up and may result from
inadequate adhesive content of size mix,
variations in moisture content of size ingredients,
excessive amount of softener and deliquescent material in size mix,
prolonged boiling and agitation during storage,
too much condensation of steam in sow box,
use of wet warper’s beams at the creel
Soft beams pose problems in weaving by causing
ball/bead formation between healds and reed, and sometimes between healds
and lease rods,
entanglements of warp ends.
All these obstruct the shed formation on the l00m, resulting in more warp
breakages. It is therefore necessary to ensure that there is proper size pick up by
the warp.
2. Unifonl1ity of size pick up
A number of factors affect the pick up of size by the warp.
fibre and yarn characteristics,
characteristics of immersion bath such as concentration, viscosity, level and
temperature of size,
Other factor such as machine speed, depth of immersion roller, squeeze
roller hardness, squeezing pressure, density of ends etc.
Overall it can be said that a good sized beam should have uniform pick up of
size both along and across the warp sheet.

3.Moisture content of sized yarn

The factors that affect the moisture content of the sized yarn are
the type of yarn, level of size pick up, machine speed and efficiency of the
drying unit.
The amount of moisture to be controlled depends upon the type of yarn,
such as 7-8% for cotton yarns, and 3-4% for polyester blends.
Lower moisture content than necessary is due to over drying and higher
moisture content is due to under drying.
Both of these are to be avoided since over drying results in excessive dropping
of size and also reduces yarn elasticity. On the other hand under dried warps
being wet are prone to microbiological and mildew attack and also cause warp
stickiness.
4. Frequency of missing and crossed ends
Missing ends are caused by lappers, which may be influenced by yarn quality,
end breaks in warping, operator practices in warping, excessive stretch at sizing,
frequent interruptions of sizing machines, condition of various machine parts
like beam bearings, guide roller, immersion rollers, sizing and squeezing rollers,
drying cylinders, etc.
On the other hand crossed ends are caused by migration of neighboring ends.
Both of these can result in stoppages of loom and also cause cracks along warp
direction of fabric during- weaving.
Extra warp ends of about 0.15% of the total warp ends in beam are sufficient to
take care of the incidence of missing and crossed warp ends.

5. Incidence of lumps & streaks of size on warp sheet

Streak across the warp sheet may also be caused by change of a new blanket/
cover on the squeeze roller.
Improper agitation in the size box/ and in the storage vessel leads to the
formation of lumps which does not mix with the paste despite severe stirring.
The lumps formed cause trouble during the splitting of the warp sheet at the
leasing zone.
Proper agitation in the storage vessel, and periodic cleaning of the kettle and
sow box with steam are beneficial.
6. Build of weaver's beam
The build of a weaver's beam is determined by its compactness, uniformity of
its surface and of its selvedges.
The compactness of the beam should be such that it should enable easier
unwinding during weaving.
Uneven surface of beam results from uneven movement of a beam presser
roller and uneven spacing of the dents of the reed.
Beams with defective selvedges, such as, sunken and bulged selvedges result
from improper setting of the comb width with respect to that of the beam.

7. Fibre lay
The sizing helps to lay the protruding fibres on surface of yarn and thereby
minimize the yarn entanglements during weaving.
The fibre lay can be further improved by after waxing treatments, brushing etc.
 SIZING FAULTS

1. Broken, missing, crossed and sticky ends

The major sources of all these faults are breaks during sizing, accumulation of
layers of yarn on the warper's beams.
Missing ends, i.e., total number of ends in the back beams, some of the ends
which are missed in the warping itself.
Crossed ends are formed during sizing and therefore the warp ends are not
present in their proper place on the beam. Hence there is chance to knot the
missing end to the other end in the sized beam.
Sticky ends are formed due to the improper cooking of the size ingredients. The
stickiness has to be reduced after the drying process by using revolving lease
rods.

2.Defective selvedge
Sunken and bulged selvedges are defective selvedges of the sized beams.
Sunken selvedges can be controlled by correctly setting the expandable comb at
the head stock.
For the bulged beams the beam pressing roller is set in correct manner so that
it reaches to both flanges.
3.Ridges on the beam
Ridges on the beam are formed when the ends that are taken in one dent of the
comb do not spread out.
To minimize this defect, the dancing roller at the head stock should be adjusted
properly.

4.Size Patch on the size warp sheet

Patches are formed due to crack in squeeze roller.
To minimize this defect, the squeeze roller to check regularly.

Waste in Sizing

1. Sized Waste
Sow box to Headstock

2. Unsized Waste

Creel to Sow box

 Factors Affecting
Productivity in Sizing

1. Sizing Set Length

2. Warper’s Beam quality

3. Length of warp in weaver’s beam.

4. Type and count of yarn