You are on page 1of 12

Parameters Affecting Performance of Warp Yarns During Weaving

Material characteristics
Fiber type, e.g., cotton, polyester, acetate
Yarn type and structure including blend composition, e.g. staple
Ring, open end, air-jet, combed, carded, core spun, continuous filament
Yarn hairiness.
Yarn preparation
Winding
Warping
Slashing
Tension on yarn during sizing
Moisture content
Drying temperature
Slashing machine parameters
Slashing speed
Size box characteristics
High pressure squeeze rolls, including hardness of rolls
Type of sizing method, e.g., single end, Cutt method, foam method
Amount of size
Yarn tension
Closeness of yarns
Loom parameters
Type of loom, e.g., shuttle, rapier, projectile, air-jet
Weave
Loom speed
Warp tension

Factors Influencing Sizing Parameters

Type of yarn, spun or filament

Spun yarn parameters such as twist, count, and fiber blend

Spinning system, i.e., ring, rotor, air-jet, compact, etc.

Type of weaving machine, i.e. shuttle, projectile, rapier,

air-jet, water-jet, multiphase, etc.

Type of fiber, natural or manmade

Fiber blend

Construction and weave of fabric

Environmental laws

The concentration of the size and add-on


depend upon the following factors:
Yarn denier—lower deniers (finer yarns) have higher surface areas and
therefore require more size.
Construction of fabrics—the higher the number of warps per unit space,
the higher the size requirement.
Type of weave—plain weave fabrics are more difficult to weave due
to a greater number of interlacements compared to weaves with long
floats such as satin.
The loom type, for example, shuttle or shuttleless, and weaving conditions
influence the type and amount of size to be applied. The use of
a water-jet loom also influences the characteristics of the size selected.
The size should be water soluble during application but should be
water insoluble when dried, so that when the pick is inserted by the
water jet the size is not removed.
Type of sizing machine—conventional, predryer type or single-end sizing;
each has different application procedures and constraints.

Size requirements for filament yarns are summarized by Hall


[31] as follows:
The size solution must wet-out and penetrate the filament bundle. This
may not be an inherent attribute of the basic size since it can be
achieved through the use of compatible binders and additives, such
as emulsifiers and wetting agents.
The viscosity of the size solution must be low enough to allow for good
penetration into the filament bundle.
The size must have good adhesion to the particular filament type being
sized, as shown in Table 4.4.
The sizing agent must have quick drying without a delayed set or producing
a tacky surface.
The size should produce an elastic and flexible film which matches
the elasticity and flexibility that the yarns have to withstand during
weaving.
The size should be antistatic or should not contribute toward static buildup.
The size shedding on the loom should be minimized so that deposition of
size on heddles, reeds, and other loom parts are avoided or minimized.
The size film properties should be insensitive to changes in humidity
conditions. Ideally, the size should be brittle when bone dry on the
sizing machine so as to achieve separation of individual yarns at the
splitting rods, but when the moisture is equilibrated in the weaving
room at high humidity the size should be tough and flexible.
The size should be easily removable during desizing.
The size should not be detrimental to the yarn, processing equipment,
or human health.
The size should be easy to prepare without the need of special equipment
or costly controls.
The size properties should not be affected by the type of producer spin
finish used.

Many factors influence the impact of the size upon the yarn. These factors include
the size recipe and temperature, the condition of the equipment, and the amount of
size picked up by the yarn
Introduction to textile sizing

Necessity of Warp Sizing


During the weaving process, the yarns are subjected to three basic physical stresses. These are
stretch, strain and abrasion. Although these forces exist in varying proportions depending upon
the type of loom and the fabric styling, all three are forces that must be considered in all cases.
Therefore, the ideal sizing material would produce a smooth, tough, elastic film which would
adhere to the yarn. It should smooth to friction and abrasion. It should be tough to endure the
load or strain and it should be elastic to allow flexibility and sufficient stretch.

Advantage of using Polyvinyl Alcohol in Warp Sizing

PVA is an excellent film provider. Its tough film is easily removed (desized) with hot water. It
leads to the following benefits:

-Superior Abrasion resistance


- Adhesion to synthetic fibres
-flexibility/ elongation
-strength
- user friendly slashing performance.

Yarn sized with PVA can run at lower add-on because of the adhesion and strength advantage
PVA provides over natural binders. It requires in quantity only 1/3 rd of the starch.

The excellent abrasion resistance means less shedding on the slasher and in the weave room.

The inherent flexibility of films of PVA resins eliminates the need for high Relative humidity in
the weave room. A RH of 65-75% are recommended

PVA solutions are thermally stable and can be maintained for lower periods of time at high
temperature.

PVA are widely reclaimed and reused for sizing, thus reducing effluent levels from the finishing
plant.

PVA and wax together will provide the optimal size performance. Wax is needed to reduce dryer
can sticking, weaker film for easier split, minimize clinging on looms and improved lubrication
for the size coating. However, excessive use of waxes can lead to poor adhesion, brittleness,
roughness and decreased abrasion resistance. Also waxes can be difficult to remove at desizing
stage which can lead to quality problems in desized fabrics. It is important to select a wax that
contains an effective emulsifier. It will act to prevent wax from redepositing back on the fabric
during desizing. Common wax is tallow.

Starch is primarily used as an extender for PVA to reduce formulation cost. However antistats
are needed with starch containing formulations to minimize static on warp yarns. Generally they
are not needed with 100% PVA sizes. Antistats funciton as humectants, helping to retain
moisture in the film while simulatneously plasticising the film. It includes urea, ethylene glycol
and glycerol. Recommended level is 3-7%.

Defomers: Size solution can exhibit foam. For this we need defoamers in the levels of 0.25 to
1.00% based on the weight.

Binders- They are used for synthetic fibres- two major types are polyester or polyacrylic
solution.

To avoid lappets warp density: For ring Spun 100% cotton - Spacing between adjecent ends
should not be less than the diameter of the yarn. For Ring spun P/C blend spacing should not be
less than 1.5 times the yarn diameter. For open end yarns, number of yarns per inch should be
10% less than the ring spun yarns of comparable count.

Viscosity: A properly sized warp will have completely encapsulating (360o) the yarn surface to
hold down loose fibres. Internal penetration must be sufficient (15-25%) to anchor the size film
to the surface of the yarn. Too low a size viscosity allows liquid to penetrate too deeply into the
yarn. Too high a viscosity will not allow sufficient penetration to anchor the size. If ends are
tightly packed in the size box, viscosity should be lowered to improve penetration.

Temperature of the size box is important for the right viscosity. High temperature may cause
PVA to form skin- causing hard size formation when the slasher is stopped. Recommended
temperature is 160-185 o F.

Drying can temperature should be set at the minimum to dry the yarn to hte desired moisture
content of 5-8%.

Yarn stretch in cotton should be 1-6%, PC should be 1-1.5%, and Rayon/ Acrylic should be 3-
5%.

Desizing agents: Can be water for PVA, NaoH for oils/waxes, HCL for starch, Enzyme for
starch, Solvents for oils/waxes or peroxide for PVA.

Process Control in Sizing-1

Sizing

The process consists of laying warp yarn parallel and sizing the yarn with a mixture to strengthen
it to withstand the rigours of weaving.

Warp yarn is withdrawn in sheet from from warp beams which are placed at the back of the
sizing machine. The yarn is then passed through sow box. Size solution is applied by immersion.
After removing surplus solution that occurs at this state, the yarn is dried and arranged on a loom
beam.

The objective of sizing is RESISTANCE to ABRASION

This objective is achieved by applying on the yarn a unifrom and smooth protective film of
suitable sizing material.

We also want that in the sized yarn there should be

- Some increase in tensile strength in the yarn


- Minimum loss of extensibility in yarn ( about 4.4-4.6% elongation at break is required for
cotton)
-Required moisture content ( 8-10% of cotton)
- Good quality of sized beam (neither too soft nor too firm + free from yarn defects)
- Good productivity and efficiency
- Reduced Cost

Process Control in Sizing

The process control program in sizing should, therefore, comprise of the following aspects:

1. Selecting the correct size receipe and size pick -up level
2. Ensuring correct preparatio of size paste
3. Control of
- size pick up
- stretch
-moisture content
-quality of beam
-machine speed
-machine efficiency
-a method to calculate the expected level of productivity

Control of Size Pick-up

Control of size pickup

For control on variation of size pick up , the two steps required are:

a. determination of average size pick up on the beam


b. Suitable adjustment in sizing conditions

a. Determination of average size pick-up


Example: The weight of sized yarn on a beam was found to be 82.5 lbs. The beam contains 1050
yards of warp, whose count before sizing was 50s cotton.If the number of ends in the warp is
3000, calculate the following:
a. The weight of size on the yarn
b. The % of size put on the yarn
c. The count of sized yarn

a. Weight of size on warp= weight of sized warp- weight of same length of unsized warp

Now weight of unsized warp= (No of ends x length of warp in yds)/(count of unsized yarn x
840)= (3000x1050)/(50x840) = 75 lbs

Therefore weight of size on warp = 82.5 -75 = 7.5 lbs

b. Percentage of size on warp = (wt of size x 100)/ wt of unsized warp

= (7.5x1000)/75 = 10%

c. Count of sized yarn = (No of ends of the warp x length of warp in yds)/(wt of lbs of warp x
840) = (3000x1050)/(82.5x840)= 45.5s cotton

b. Control on sizing condition

1. Viscosity of size paste in size box: Any variation in the concentration or temperature alters the
viscosity of the paste which in turn affects both the level of size pick up and extent of
penetration. Initially as the viscosity increases, the size pick-up also increases. But as the
viscosity increases beyond a point, the size pick up is reduced.

2. Sqeezing pressure and condition of squeezing nip: The squeesing pressure determines the
extent of penetration of the size paste between the fibres of the yarn and also of the removal of
excess size paste and hence the level of the size pick up.

3. Speed of the sizing machine: Other sizing conditions remaining unchanged, the size pick up
increases with increasing sizing speed and vice versa. This is because the time available to
squeeze the surplus size from the yarn is less at high speeds.

4. Depth of immersion roller in size paste: the depth of immersion roller in the paste determines
the duration for which the yarn remains immersed in the paste. this duration in turn influences
both the level of size pick up and the extent of size penetration.

5. Level of size paste in the size box: Variation in the level of size paste is an important source of
size pick-up variations both within and between beams.

6. Density of ends: When the density of ends is high, difficulties are encountered in obtaining
adequate and uniform size penetration. Therefore size pick up may vary at these fabrics.
Sizing Control points, sizing defects

Control of Yarn Stretch

During sizing, the yarns are under tension, this results in a slight permanent stretch in the yarn. It
leads to a decrease in extensibility or elongation at break of the sized yarn, which leads to more
breakage at the loom shed.

The various zones of stretch control on modern sizing machines are:

1. Creel zone: start- last warper beam, end-Dry nip


2. Wet Zone; Start- dry nip, end- first drying cylinder
3. Drying Zone: start- first drying cylinder, end- last drying cylinder
5. Splitting Zone: start-last drying cylinder, end- drag roll
6. Winding Zone: start- drag roll, end- loom beam

Control of Stretch in Creel Zone

The creel stretch on the existing type of sizing machines has to be controlled manually. The yarn
tension in the creel zone increases gradually with reduction in diameter of the warper's beam. To
counter this, the tightening of the beam is required to be adjusted suitably as the sizing
progresses.

Control of Stretch in the Wet Zone

The control of stretch in this zone can be done with the help of 'positive dry nip'.

On multicylinder sizing machines, stretch can be controlled by synchronising the PIV gear
during the cylinders with that driving he finishing squeeze roller in the wet zone.

Control of Moisture in sized yarns

A moisture control of 8-10% should be maintained in the sized cotton yarns. With excessive
drying, the size film becomes brittle and harsh.
Very high moisture content is also undesirable because it makes the size films soft and the yarn
sticky.

Quality of Sized Beams

A satisfactory weaver's beam should unwind well on the loom. These are some of the important
package faults:

1. Density of sized beams: A loosly packed weaver's beam does not work well. The density is
mainly influenced by two factors:
a. effectiveness of the friction clutch or the DC drive
b. effectiveness of the bream pressing motion.

2. Broken ends, missing ends, crossed ends, sticky ends

The major sources of all these faults are


a. lappers
b. invisible breaks during sizing

A lapper is an accumulaiton of layers of yarn on the warper's beam.

Those end breaks during sizing that do not form lappers are called invisible breaks.

Both lappers and invisible breaks result in missing and broken ends in the sized beams.

Crossed Ends- these are formed during weaving whenever the leading end is not available in the
appropriate place on the beam,and, therefore, the weaver has to knot the trailing end to an end
that is far away. This happens because in some cases the leading end of an invisible break
migrates to a distant place.

Sticky ends - These are caused when broken ends from the warper's beam migrate to the yarn of
another warper's beam.
In order to control these faults, it is necessary to control the incidence of lappers and invisible
breaks.

Factors affecting lappers:


- End breakage rate at warping
- Efficiency of warp stop motion at warping
- condition of beam flanges (warper's)

Factors affecting invisible breaks


- High stretch at sizing
- weak places in the yarn

Defective selvedges

There are two types of defective selvedges that cause more difficulty in unwinding during
weaving than the ends of the beam of thebeam. These are:
1. Sunken selvedges
2. Bulging selvedges

These defects can be controlled by


a. correctly setting the expandable comb at the headstock
b. Using the correct size of beam pressing roller so that it reaches both the beam flanges.
c. Ensuring that beam flanges are true.
Formation of 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 minimise the falut the eccentric dancing rollers at the headstock should be
adjusted properly.

Cost of Sizing

Cost of Sizing

The cost of sizing ( excluding cost of sizing chemicals) is generally expressed as cost per unit
length. Hence contribution of sizing cost can be calculated as:

cost of sizing= cost per unit length x tape length

cost of sizing chemcials is expressed as cost per unit length of size mixture. The cost per piece of
fabric can be calculated as:

Cost of sizing chemicals per piece length= cost/kg x (warp weight per piece length x size add on
%)

Efficiency of Sizing

Efficiency of Sizing Department

The major causes of loss of machine efficiency are:

1. Creeling, which includes removing the exhausted beams, mounting new beams, denting,
leasing etc.
2. Replacement of weaver's beam on consumption

Efficiency in sizing

Let yarn count= 34


Set length on warper's beam= 18000 m
length of yarn on weavers beam= 1500m
Total number of ends= 4000
Full running speed= 50 m/min
No of lappers per 3000 ends per 1000 m = 3
Time to cut a lapper = 90 sec
Time to doff a beam and put new lease rods = 600 seconds
time to change a set = 6300 sec
Time loss/1000 m due to miscellaneous causes= 60 sec

Calculations

Sizing time of one beam with no stops : R = (1500x60)/50 = 1800 seconds


Lappers per beam of 1500 m per 4000 ends = 6
time lost in cuttin glappers per beam = 540 seconds
Number of weavers beam per set= 12
time lost per beam in a set change = 6300/12=525 seconds
time loss in beam doffing and leasing per beam = 600 seconds
Miscellaneous losses per beam of 1500 m = 90 sec
total time to size one beam = 3555 seconds
Machine efficiency = (1800 x 100)/3555 = 50.6%

Choice of Size Receipe

Choice of Size Receipe

The suitability of size receipe for the type of yarn should take into account, fabric construction,
and end use as follows:

1. Cotton Yarn- Starch Based


Polyester etc.- Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) based

2. Fine and Superfine cotton- thin boiling Starches


Coarse Count- ordinary starch

3. Heavy Fabrics- Modified starches


Light and Medium- Ordinary starches

4. conventional sizing Machines- Low viscosity starch


High speed sizing machines- High viscosity starches

5. Unlbleached calendered sort of fabrics- More weighting agents, antiseptic softners etc. are
used.
Bleached sorts- ordinary starches

6. Finer Counts and Heavier Constructions- More size pickups


Coarse counts- Less size pickups

7. Plied yarns- low size pick up or nil even


Ingredients for water Based Sizes

1. Adhesives- Potato starch, starch from cereals ( corn, wheat, rice etc0, carboxy methyl
cellulose (CMC), Polyviny alcohol (PVA), Polyviny Chloride (PVC)

2. Lubricants- Mineral Waxes, vegetable waxes, animal fats, mineral oils, vegetable oils

3. Additives- Salicylic Acid, Zinc Chloride, Chloride emulsifiers.

Suggested Size Receipe

Ordinary starch=100
Gum= 2
Mutton tallow= 7.5

Preparation of Size Receipe

1. Ingredients

Water= 18.5"
Modified Starch = 50 kg
CMC= 5 kg
PVA= 10 kg
Gum = 1.5 kg
Softner= 1.2 kg
Antistat= 0.8 kg

Mixing: Took 17" water. Added Starch, Gum, CMC and PVA slowly and one by one as the
slurry is stirred. Softner and antistat added in storage kettle.

Cooking

1. cold stirring at 50 rpm = 12 min


2. Transfer into pressure cooker through sieve=== 45 deg C
3. Stirrer rpm in cooker== 55
4. Close lid, open steam inlet, open air vent
5. Close air vent valve when steam is seen escaping through it, temperature = 96 deg C, Pressure
= 10 PSI
6. time between point 3 and 4 == 15 min
7. Cooking starts, steam continued till temperature = 130 deg c, Pressure = 40 PSI
8. Time for getting 130 deg C after closing air vent valve = 25 min
9. Stem in-let closed
10. 10 minutes after closing steam, Temp= 124 deg C, Pressure = 32 PSI
11. Total cooking time after getting 130 deg C= 35 min
12. Flow time of paste taken through sample valve= 24 seconds
13. Transferred to storage beck
14. Final volume = 18.5 "
15. Stirrer RPM in storage beck = 20
16. Temperature after 10 min. of transfer = 100 deg C
17. Refrectometer reading= 16

Lab Data

1. Size add on = 18 %
2. Increase in strength % = 5.2
3. Elongation at break % os sized yarn = 6.8%

You might also like