Fiber cleanliness refers to textile fiber free from trash, contaminations, and dust. It is one of the important properties of fiber for spinning. Fiber cleanliness includes freedom from excessive fiber finish, debris, and oligomer. The cleanliness of cotton feedstock depends upon the degree of cleaning at the gin, opening, and carding. Cotton fiber ends tend to be damaged by the combing roll and at higher combing roll speeds there is fiber breakage. Blow room and carding departments are responsible for cleanliness of the cotton fibers. The carding process has a major impact on the final product, that is, yarn, in terms of uniformity, imperfections, and cleanliness. It is of more importance particularly for carded route, because it is the last process in which the opening and cleaning of cotton is effected.
Fig: Fiber cleanliness
Cotton fiber become dirty or unclean generally for mixing with …..
1. Vegetable matter:
Husk portions.
Seed fragments.
Stem fragments.
Leaf fragments.
Wood fragments.
2. Mineral material:
Earth.
Sand.
Ore dust picked up in transport.
Coal dust picked up in transport.
3. Other foreign matter:
Metal fragments.
Cloth fragments.
Packing materials (mostly polymers).
4. Fiber fragments:
Fiber particles (which finally make up the greater portion of dust.)
Problems due to unclean fiber in spinning: Around 30% of end breaks in yarn spinning are due to the presence of trash particles in fibers. Besides following problems occur in spinning operation for unclean fiber.
Metal parts cut the fibers and harmful to spinning machine.
Vegetable matters make disturbance in drafting.
Vegetable matters jam the carding pin.
Mineral matters decay the rolling parts of machine.
Conclusion: Cleanliness involves housekeeping efforts, improving the appearance of the work area, and, even more importantly, preventive housekeeping—keeping the work area from getting dirty, rather than just cleaning it up after it becomes dirty. Fiber cleanliness has great effect to produce quality of yarn. Unclean fiber is the major obstacle to get quality yarn.
Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.
