TEXTILE TOPICS 1~C INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TEXTILE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY I LUBBOCK, TEXAS I U. S. A. Volume XX, NO.5 January 1992 THE EFFECTS OF LINT CLEANING ON FIBER AND YARN QUALITY: Part 2 lint cleaners. At the same time, the short fiber content In last month's issue of Topics we began a report increased by about one percent. dealing with the effects of cleaning at the gin on fiber After the fiber utilized in the program was received properties and yarn quality. We mentioned that the at the International Center, it was opened and study was conducted in two segments, the first of cleaned through a series of machines prior to card­ which maintained constant cleaning of the seed cot­ ing . Figure 2, given last month, showed that after the ton, and the second part exploring the effects of utiliz­ fiber was blended and opened by hopper feeders, it ing a new Multistage extractor that has been devel­ passed through a Monocylinder and two ERM clean­ oped allhe USDA Ginning Research Laboratory in ers. Table lion the following page gives the percent­ Lubbock. The diagram we gave showing the mao age of waste removed by each of these machines. A chines utilized at the gin was for Segment 1 only and study of the data in this table shows again what hap­ did not include the Multistage cleaner. The report we pens by the addition of lint cleaners. With zero lint are offering in this issue of Topics is a continuation of cleaning, the total waste percentage removed at Segment 1. We will not be able to give all the results opening and carding was 10.2%. When one lint com ing from the study, but the information presented cleaner was employed, the waste removed declined should be sufficient to show the effects of a constant to 6.2%, and a second lint cleaner reduced this even seed cotton cleaning followed by variations in the further to 5.6%. This shows that when the foreign ma­ number of lint cleaners after seed removal. Informa­ terial is not removed at the gin, it can be extracted tion on Segment 2 will be given in subsequent issues. during cleaning and carding at textile processing. It The primary concern of cleaning at the gin is fiber becomes a matter of deciding the most desirable damage which is usually accompanied by a reduction point for trash removal. in length and an increase in short fiber content. Table I at right presents some 'of our findings when testing fiber from bale samples. Please note that this testing TABLE I was done by using several different instruments in or­ INFLUENCE OF LINT CLEANERS ON FIBER QUALITY der to determine as thoroughly as possible the true fi ­ ber quality. Test (Bale Samples) 0 1 2 It is obviou s that several th ings happened when us­ Shirley Non-lint Content (%) 6.5 2 .• 2.2 ing additional lint cleaners. To begin with, the non-lint Fibrograph: content decreased considerably from zero lint clean­ 2.5% Span Length (in) 1. 04 1. 02 1.02 ers to two. At the same time, the 2.5% span length Un iformity Ratio (%.) 4. 4B 47 decreased slightly, although there is some question HVI Uniform~y Ratio (%) B4 B3 B2 as to whether this would be noticeable in processing. Peyer AL-l 01: (Sliver Sample) The uniformity ratio as measured by the Fibrograph Upper Quartile Length (in ) 1. 03 1.03 1.01 Mean Length (in) 0.85 0.83 also declined by two percent, and the same measure­ 0. 82 CV of Length (%) 34.6 33.3 33.8 ment on a high volume instrument system was re ­ Short Fiber Content (%) 13.7 13.2 14.5 duced by an identical amount. When measuring the fiber properties in sliver on the Peyer AL-1 01, we found fiber length was reduced with the addition of TABLE II Table III (middle left) gives th e influence of lint INflUENCE OF LINT CLEANERS ON deaning on yarn properties. Please note that testing­ PERCENTAGE OF WASTE AT OPENING was done on yarns at the beginning of spinning and AND CARDING then again after eight hours. A review of the data will show very little difference in yarn quality, regardless CleaninQ Point a 1 2 of how many lint cleaners were used. If anything. the Monocylinder 2.3 0. 7 0.5 use of one lint cleaner seemed to give a slightly bet­ ERM 1 2.0 0.9 0.7 ter yarn both from a standpoint of strength and a ERM2 1.0 0.6 0.5 measure of the imperfections. However. differences Card 4.9 4.0 3.9 between the three yarns are so slight that it is difficult TOTAL 10.2 6.2 5. 6 to determine whether lint cleaners are helpful or not. Table IV shows that the use of lint cleaners may have contributed to a higher yarn breakage rate. These breaks were caused by some- TABLE III thing other than trash, however, for it can be INFLUENCE OF LINT CLEANERS ON YARN QUALITY seen very quickly that two lint cleaners re­ f in I 0 sulted in fewer trash-related breaks. Entan­ Test Sample 0 1 2 glement breaks increased slightly with the Count-Strength-Product In itial 1898 1900 1879 use of two lint cleaners. Final 1861 1869 1857 The results presented so far do not reveal much beyond what would be expected. In­ Yarn Tenacity (gllex) Initial 11.73 11.55 11 .57 Final 11.49 11 .56 11.42 formation to be presented in future issues of Topics will include the influence on fiber Elongation ("/0) Initial 6.02 5.95 5.98 properties and spinning performance when Final 5.93 5.95 5.92 cleaning cotton with a Multistage extractor. N on - Un~ormity (CV"/o) Initial 14.37 14.35 14.46 Also, data developed by using a variety of Final 14.80 14.76 14.76 cleaning and carding arrangements will be TotallmperieClions/1,000 yds In itial 104 102 106 given. Final 146 133 128 We have already stated that it is not prac­ Hair Countll 00 yds Initial 555 543 576 tical for a textile company to purchase cot­ Final 1356 1338 1339 ton without some cleaning at the gin , and .. Inillal _ At beglnnmg 01 spinning the optimum point in this likely would need Final "" After 8 hours of spinning to be determined by the type of cotton pur­ chased and the end product manufactured from it. We are aware that some companies TABLE IV prefer a lower quality cotton with a higher percentage of non-lint material, while others insist on a very high IN FLUENCE OF LINT CLEANERS ON SPINNING PERFORMANCE quality. clean fiber for their use. It would appear that the ultimate arrangements for cleaning at the gin and 0 I o r Parameter a 1 2 in the textile mill will likely result from a complete un­ derstanding on the part of the farmers and ginners Breakage Rate (per 103 rotor hours) 172 l Bl l B3 about what is good for the spinner I and a similar un­ Trash Reiated Breaks (%) 5. 3 4.6 4.2 derstanding by the textile processors of the problems at harvesting and ginning. Entanglement Related Breaks (%) 88 .9 89.6 90.3 This report will be continued in next month's Topics. Unknown (%) 5.8 5.8 5.5 We encourage our readers to save each copy of the serialization so they will have a continuously running review of the study. This research was sponsored jointly by the Texas Food and Fibers Commission and the Agriculture Re­ search Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. The report to those agencies was pre­ pared by John B. Price, assistant director at the Inter­ national Center. ORGANIC COTTON Last month we carried an article on the organic cot­ mechanical processing is just the same as for any ton being produced in Texas and other areas of the other cotton, but close attention must be given during southwestern U.S. We stated that the Texas Depart­ processing to ensure that no chemicals are added at ment of Agriculture has included cotton in its code for any point in spinning, warp preparation, weaving or the production at organic agricultural products. This knilting.) was done to offer a tiber that can be used in manu­ The company in South Hackensack uses organic facturing garments for persons who are allergic to cotton in the production of T-shirts, sleepwear, chil­ certain chemicals that may be used in the production dren's clothing and certain types of underwear. We of cotton or during textile processing. were pleased we could have the representative from Those of us not allergic to anything (with the possi­ that company call Portland and respond to the inquiry ble exception of work) find it difficult to understand we had received. It would appear that the two compa­ how the use of beneficial chemicals can create prob­ nies were able to work together with one supplying lems. but apparently th at is th e case. We know of a theneeds of the other. lady in Lubbock who has such an extreme problem We feel our readers will be interested to know that that she can wear cotton clothing only and must have much of the colored cotton we process here is pro­ 100% cotton sheets and pillo~ cases, and all of these duced organically.