SIZING

Presented by
Engr. Md. Faisal Mahmud
Lecturer
Department of Textile Engineering
Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST)
Size:
A gelatinous film forming substance in solution or
dispersion, applied normally to warp but sometimes
to weft, generally before weaving is called size.
Sizing:
A method of applying a gelatinous film forming
substance on warp is sizing. This is the most
important operation to attain maximum weaving
efficiency especially for blended & filament yarns. It
is called the heart of weaving.
Dressing:
The process of jute yarn sizing is called dressing.
• Dressing:
• Beaming process is follows after spool winding. In
beaming operation yarn from spool is wounded over a
beam of proper width and correct number of end to
weave jute cloth.
• To increase the quality of woven cloth and weaving
efficiency, the warp yarns are coated with starch paste.
Adequate moisture is essential in this process.
• Quality characteristic of a beam is width of
beam-number of ends and weight of stand and there is
a continuous passage of yarn through starch solution
from spools to the beam.
• Starch solution in water contains tamerine kernel
powder (TKP), antiseptic-sodium silica fluoride and its
concentration varies with the quality of yarn.
 Object of sizing
1. To improve the weave ability of warp yarn by
making it more resistant in action of weaving.
2. To maintain good fabric quality by reducing
hairiness, weakness & by increasing smoothness,
absorbency of yarn.
3. To improve the tensile or breaking strength of
cellulosic yarns.
4. To increase the stiffness.
5. To increase the weight of yarn.
 Requirements of sizing
In order to ensure good technological properties of sized warps,
the following requirements should be met in size:
1. Sized warp must be sufficiently strong, smooth & elastic.
2. The sizing process must ensure the application of the required
amount of size on the yarn or the required size regain.
3. The tension of the warp yarns at sizing must be regular &
constant during all the time of warp unwinding from the warping
beams.
4. Yarn stretch & loss in elongation should be within admitted
limits.
5. The package, i.e the weavers beam produced must have a
cylindrical shape, the necessary winding density & the yarn length.
6. The sizing process must be efficient, economical & must ensure
the production of high quality sized warp.
 Technological change due to Sizing:
• Breaking strength-increase
• Abrasion resistance- improve
• Stiffness-increase
• Elongation-decrease
• Elasticity-increase
• Electrostatic property-decrease
• Hairiness-decrease
• Yarn diameter-increase
• Absorbency-decrease
• Flexibility-decrease
 Choice of Size ingredient
1.It should give least amount of exfoliation.
2. It should permits easy desizing when required.
3. It should give good fabric characteristics.
4. The recipe should be compatible with the
machinery.
5. The recipe should not cause any health hazard.
6. The recipe should not cause any degradation of
textile material.
7. It should be cheap.
8. PH should be lies between 7-7.4(neutral
condition) .
9. It should give fewest end breakage in weaving.
 Properties of a Good Sizing Material
• Environmentally safe. • Reasonable extensibility.
• Good film former. • Recoverable and reusable
• Reasonable use economics. • Low static propensity.
• Easily removed.
• Penetration of yarn bundle.
• Easily prepared.
• Elasticity.
• Lack of odor.
• Good film flexibility. • No beam blocking.
• Good specific adhesion. • Compatible with other ingredients.
• Good frictional properties. • Good abrasion resistance.
• Transparency. • Neutral pH.
• Bacterial resistance. • Insensitive to high heat.
• Reasonable strength. • Low BOD (Biological oxygen demand).
• Rapid drying.
• Controllable viscosity.
• No re-deposition of size
• Water soluble or water dispersible.
• No effect on drying.
• Good hygroscopic characteristics.
• Uniformity.
• Clean split at bust rods.
• Improves weaving efficiencies.
Size ingredients & their function
1. Adhesive: Generally starch of maize, corn, rice, potato &
CMC, PVA, PVC are used as adhesive.
Function:
a) To improve strength.
b) To improve abrasion resistance.
c) To increase extensibility.

2. Lubricant or Softener: Mineral oil, linseed oil, coconut oil,

vegitable oil,tallow, japan wax,vegitable wax are used as a
lubricant.
Function:
a) To make the yarn soft & slippery.
b) To reduce stiffness.
3. Antiseptic or Anti mildew agent: Salicylic acid, Zinc
chloride, phenol carboxylic acid are used as antiseptic
agent.
Function:
a) It helps to store the yarn without damage.
b) Protect yarn from bacteria or fungus formation.
4. Deliquescent or Hygroscopic Agent: Glycerin, calcium
chloride, are used as deliquescent agent.
Function:
a) Prevent brittleness of size.
b) Helps to keep standard moisture regain.
5. Weighting agent: China clay, French chalk, sodium
phosphate are used as weighting agent.
Function:
a) Increase weight of yarn.
6. Wetting agent: Magnesium chloride, avirol,
sulphanol A are used as wetting agent.
Function:
a) Helps to wet yarn instantly.
7. Tinting agent: Blue, Ultra-marine blue is used
as tinting agent.
Function:
a)To increase lusture or brightness.

8. Antifoaming agent: Benzene, pyridine are

used as antifoaming agent.
Function:
a)To prevent foam formation.
 Types of sizing
1. Pure sizing: This types of sizing is done for unbleached
fabric. 3-10% size ingredients are used on the weight of
fabric.
2. Light sizing: This types of sizing is used for Dyeing &
Printing of woven fabric. 11-15% size ingredients are used
on the weight of fabric.
3. Medium sizing: This types of sizing is used for increase of
strength & weight of fabric. 16-40% size ingredients are
used on the weight of fabric.
4. Heavy sizing: This types of sizing is used for increase the
weight of low twisted yarn. Above 40% size ingredients are
used on the weight of fabric.
 Size take up percentage
The amount of size material added on the yarn
surface is called size take up .
Size take up percentage depends on
1. Higher twist: ↓
2. Finer count: ↓
3. Higher concentration:↑
4. Higher viscosity:
5. Lower flexibility: ↑
6. Higher immersion length: ↑
7. Higher squeeze roller pressure: ↓
8. Higher yarn speed: ↓
9. Higher staple length: ↓
10. Crystalline fibre: ↓
11. Amorphous fibre: ↑
 Disadvantages of Sizing
• Additional capital investment for the unit.
• Longer process.
• Extra cost of ingredients.
• Extra cost for utilities.
• Extra labour cost.
• Possibility of some sort of deterioration of yarn quality
arising from process handling
• Increase in diameter precludes the accumulation of
more ends/inch.
• Some rough yarn surface.
• Reduction in extension.
• Increase in stiffness.
• Generation of fluff
• More robust loom.
• More power required to run into steam.
• Problem of size removal.
• Risk of uneven shed.
• Extra cost for sizing.
• Additional information about ingredients
before desizing.
• Pollution of environment.
• Possibility of color fading of dyed warp.
• Possibility of chemical changes.
 Techniques of Sizing

* Conventional Slasher sizing

* Hot melt sizing
* High pressure sizing
* Foam sizing
* Solvent sizing
* Electrostatic sizing
* Polymer emulsion sizing
* Combined sizing
 Comparative study of sizing
techniques
• Conventional slasher sizing
• Size cooking.
• Application of sizing solution.
• Drying.
• Separation.
• Winding on weaver’s beam.
 Hot melt sizing
• Molten 100% active size solution.
• Solid size in block form are pressed
on a heated grooved drum.
• Warp yarns passes through the
grooves in the cylinder and thus
encapsulated.
• No heating for solidification.
 High pressure sizing
• Highly concentrated size solution.
• High pressure between sizing &
squeezing rollers.
• Lower water evaporation.
• Saves energy.
• High production.
 Foam sizing
• Concentrated size liquors in foam state.
• Uniformly deposited on yarn.
• Light squeezing not to form liquid.
• Conventional drying.
• Pick up is lower.
• Lower amount of water is evaporated than
slasher sizing.
• Quick drying.
• High production.
 Solvent sizing
• Non –aqueous solvent for size
preparation.
• Passage like slasher sizing.
• Applied at room temperature.
• Dried in closed chamber.
• Solvents are collected for re-cycling.
• Lower processing cost.
 Electrostatic sizing
• Properly tensioned warp sheet is wetted out in a
0.5% salt solution.(positively charged)
• Squeezed for a controlled pick-up of 40%-50% by
weight.
• This positively charged moving warp is dressed by
negatively charged size particle from the opposite
direction in controlled way.
• This coated yarn passes through an infra-red
heater for polymer fusion.
• The moving warp then passes over a cooling roller
to the weaver’s beam.
 Polymer emulsion sizing
• Highly concentrated polymeric size.
• Squeezed at high pressure.
• Lower wet pick-up 30%-50% (OWG) compared to
95%-100% (OWG) for conventional.
• Saves energy.
• Higher production.
• Heating for drying. (Infra-red)
• OWG= On the Weight of Goods.
• Combined sizing
• Sizing with dyeing.
• Sizing with finishing.
 Slasher sizing process
• Slasher sizing:
The slasher sizing machine is consists of
the following seven units:
1. Back Beam Unit
2. Sizing Unit.
3. Drying Unit
4. Cooling Unit.
5. Dividing Unit
6. Measuring & Marking Unit.
7. Beaming Unit.
Cross Sectional View
• Back beam unit:
The unit contains frame which carries 8-20 beams
to get wound, which may be arranged in various
ways.
• Sizing unit:
This unit contains guide roller, tension roller, size
box, immersion roller, sizing roller, squeezing
roller. Size recipe is reserved in reserved box &
apply it on the yarn. Guide roller guides the yarn
& tension roller maintains the uniform tension on
yarn. The size box is used to apply the size liquor
to the yarn. The size liquor is kept in size box. The
warp sheet is guided through the solution by
means of immersion roller. The squeeze roller
removes excess size from the yarn.
• Drying unit: It contains of heated cylinder over
which warp sheet passes. There may be two or
multi cylinder. Heated cylinder dries the yarn.
• Cooling unit: This unit has cooling fan & guide
roller. Cooling fan supplies cool air to dried warp
sheet to cool it.
• Dividing unit: In order to prevent adhesion
between yarns, it is necessary to separate each
sized ends from the others. For this purpose lease
rod is used.
• Measuring & Marking device: In this unit the
length which is sized is measured by measuring
roller & marked at a given distance.
• Beaming unit: Finally sized warp is wound on a
weavers beam.
• Size cooking equipments:
1. Motor.
2. Agitator: Size ingredients are mixed with the
help of agitator in mixing tank.
3. Mixing tank: here size ingredients are
mixed.
4. Pump: After mixing, size mixer transfer to
the storage tank by pump.
5. Storage tank: Size mixer are store in storage
tank.
• Size Cooking:
1. Ordinary cooking.
2. Pressure cooking.
• Ordinary cooking: • Pressure Cooking:
a) Add required amount of
a) Add required amount of water.
water. b) Add required antiseptic
b) Add required antiseptic with stirring.
with stirring. c) Gradually add starch and
c) Gradually add starch stir for 30-45 min.
and stir for 30-45 min. d) Start steaming and raise
d) Continue steaming until temperature up to 130⁰C.
correct viscosity is e) Add softener.
obtained. f) Continue steaming until
e) Stop steaming. correct viscosity is obtain.
f) Adjust PH between 6-8 g) Stop steaming.
by adding acid or alkali. h) Adjust PH between 6-8
g) Transfer the size adding acid or alkali.
solution to the reserve i) Transfer the size solution
tank and maintain to the reserve tank and
maintain temperature at
temperature at 60⁰C. 60⁰C.
• Sizing-Weaving Curve or
Size take-up percentage
& Weaving efficiency:
• From AB,
Breakage rate α {1/size%}
• From BC,
Breakage rate constant to a
certain limit.
• From CD,
Breakage rate α size%
 Drying system
• Cylinder drying:
i)Two cylinder drying.
ii)Multi cylinder drying.
• Hot air drying.
• Infrared drying.
• Combined drying.
 Cylinder Drying:
• In this type of machine, drying is done by passing
over hot cylinders.
– Two Cylinder Drying:
• In this drying process, two copper cylinder are used
in which one cylinder is large diameter and other is
small comparatively.
• Firstly warp sheet is passed below the small cylinder
and then over the bigger one.
• The yarn is dried while traveling through the
circumference of the cylinder.
• Advantages:
• Simple process and cheap.
• Less risky.
• Disadvantages:
• Slow process.
• Drying efficiency is low.
• Irregular drying.
• Due to sticky property of cylinder uneven
drying.
 Multi Cylinder Drying
• In this type of machine the drying unit
consists of 5 to 7 or 11 cylinders having
same diameter are used.
• All cylinders may be steel cylinders or
first two cylinders are Teflon coated
and rest of are steel cylinder
• The cylinders are heated by passing
steam.
• Heat in initial cylinder is low and
gradually increases when moved
towards final cylinder.
• If large amount of heat is given to the
initial, the sized may be backed
• Advantages:
• High speed process.
• Uniform drying.
• Non-sticky so smooth drying.
• Drying efficiency high.
• Less time required
• Disadvantages:
• For high viscosity stick property may observed.
• For friction, yarn hairiness.
• Shinning effect.
• Yarn shape may hamper.
 Hot Air Drying
• In this machine, the drying unit is
a closed chamber containing a
number of guide rollers through
which warp yarn passes.
• Hot air blown into the chamber,
causing the moisture in the yarn
to evaporate.
• Exhaustion should be used to
throw away the moisture.
• If moisture remains inside the
chamber it may condense and
again fall on the yarn.
• Hot air should be continuously
passed through the chamber so
the process becomes somewhat
costly.
• Advantages:
• Regular drying.
• Not shinning effect.
• Non Sticky property.
• High speed drying.
• Disadvantages:
• Costly process
• For closed chamber, required more time.
• Less suitable for fine yarn.
• Difficult to maintain temperature
 Infra-red Drying
• In this chamber the heating
chamber consists of a plate which
is constantly heated by gas flame.
• The warp sheet is passed over
the plate and dried in the
process.
• When gas flames are not used
then electronic plate may be
used.
• Arrangement should be made to
through out the moisture
removed from the yarn. This
machine is not used singally.
• Advantages:
• No shinning effect.
• Drying efficiency high.
• Disadvantages:
• Yarn may burn.
• Higher cost.
• Difficult to maintain uniform heating.
• Risk of accident.
 Combined Drying
• In this type of machine preheating is
done by cylinder drying method
• and final drying is done by hot air
drying method or infrared drying
method.
• Advantages:
• Regular drying.
• Drying efficiency is high.
• Speedy process.
• Disadvantages:
• Shinning effect.
• High cost.
 Factors to be considered while drying
• EPI: If EPI is more warp sheet density increase and
drying time required more.
• Count of warp yarn: Higher count, drying quickly.
• If yarn is coarser, more time required to dry.
• Twist of warp yarn: Higher twist, lower dry ability.
• Concentration of liquor: Higher concentration lower
dry ability.
• Size pick-up%: Higher pick-up% dry ability lower.
• Speed of running: More speed, lower ability
because of cylinder and yarn contact for the time.
• System of drying: Hot air drying < cylinder drying.
Two cylinders drying < Multi cylinder drying
 Sizing of filament yarn
1. In staple yarn, discrete • Size ingredients:
fibres are brought together • i) Synthetic adhesives – eg.
by the help of twisting. The PVC, PVA, CMC etc.
yarn surface is rough and • ii) Plasticizers – are not
uneven. absorbed by the fibres, form
2. In multi filament yarn the film, prevent cracking and
breaking of the film and
component filaments are provide adherence.
arranged in parallel position • iii) Others – eg. Antistatics.
except when they are
• Cautions in synthetic sizing:
twisted. The yarn surface is
• i) Heating for drying.
smooth and even in cross
• ii) Splitting for separation.
section. (Individualization of the
3. The difference in yarn yarn)
characteristics necessitate • iii) Tension not to stretch.
different approach to sizing.
 Attempts which have been tried to substitute sizing
• Use of high quality warp yarn:
The yarn which is made from longer staple & uniform staple
length may used for weaving at low speed. We may use
combed yarn.
• Use of wrapped yarn:
It is as like as core spun yarn. By using this type of yarn
weaving is possible without sizing
• Use of twisted yarn:
Twist gives certain strength to the yarn. By using this yarn
weaving may done at high speed without sizing. It is one
kind of ply yarn.
• Use of singed yarn:
Singeing may done during warping and it must be dyed
yarn. After dyeing singeing is performed. By this process
hairiness of yarn is removed which is suitable for weaving.
Use of heat setted yarn:
It is performed synthetic and synthetic
natural blended yarn.
Modification of loom mechanism:
By reducing the length of shed weaving
is done without sizing. Suppose the
length of weaving zone is 40" and PPI =
60 the no of sheds to be formed to
produce 1 pick fabric = 60 × 40 = 2400
times. So a high stretch is acted on the
warp of the weaving zone. So if we
reduce this shedding length then this
high strength is reduced and weaving
may done without sizing.
If Weaving length= 30” & PPI= 60 then
the no of sheds to be formed to
produce 1 pick fabric = 60 × 30 = 1800
times.
The approximate modification of looms
is given below:
 Analysis of weaving performance of sized yarn
• Higher breaking strength combined with higher
extension at break gives best weaving performance.
• The estimated tensile force exerted on a warp yarn is
only 20% of the breaking strength of un sized yarn.
• Fewer extensions reduce breaks.
• Cracking and dropping of size film create local stress
and encourage end breaks.
• The increased diameter of sized yarn increases inter
yarn friction and thus break.
• Yarn hairiness decreases weave ability.
• Weaving at any humidity increases short hairs(less
than 0.2mm) to the level of un sized yarn
 Faults of sizing
• Size spots:
Size material should be added gradually to the mixing
tank for good mixing. If it is added at once, spots are
appeared on the yarn.
• Repeating warp streaks:
This defect is due to uneven tension in the pre-beam.
• Shinnery:
This defect due to the friction between the yarn and
drying cylinder.
• Sandy warp:
Due to not crushed or grind the size material properly.
• Ridge Beam:
This fault occurs due to uneven distribution of yarn in
wraith.
 • Hard sizing:
If the size materials are applied too much, the size
becomes hard which causes hard sizing.
• Improper drying:
Under drying 🡪 Bacteria form 🡪 Yarn breakage.
Over drying 🡪 Hard sizing.
• Size dropping:
This defect due to not optimum the viscosity of the
size solution.
• Size stitching:
Due to improper drying after sizing.
• Uneven sizing:
Due to over or under sizing.
Due to over or under concentration of size liquor.
 • Factors Influencing the Process control in sizing:
Sizing Parameters: i. Selecting the correct size recipe
ii. Viscosity of the size solution
i. Type of yarn, spun or iii. Sizing machine speed & efficiency
filament
iv. Size add-on, stretch & moisture
ii. Spun yarn parameters such levels on warp
as twist, count, and fiber v. Quality of beam
blend vi. Concentration of the size mixture
iii. Spinning system, i.e., ring, vii. Volume of the size box (both
rotor, air-jet, compact, etc. quantity and size level)
iv. Type of weaving machine, viii. Threading arrangements
i.e. shuttle, projectile, ix. Condition of squeeze rolls
rapier,air-jet, water-jet, x. Squeezing pressure
multiphase, etc. xi. Hardness of squeeze rolls
xii. Diameter of squeeze rolls
v. Type of fiber, natural or xiii. Number of size boxes
manmade xiv. Yarn count and size box warp
vi. Fiber blend density per unit space
vii. Construction and weave of
fabric
viii. Environmental laws
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