USTER   QUANTUM 3 ®

Short Application Handbook

Software Release 1.10

Description of new features

Textile Technology / V1.0 / February 2013 / 316 050-00002

 Description of new features

Contents

1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................2

2 Smart limits for Quality Data .................................................................................................... 2

3 Detection of outlier bobbins .................................................................................................... 4

4 Detection of periodic defects ................................................................................................... 5

5 Display of theoretical count range for the setting of count channel ..................................... 7

6 Smart machine overview .......................................................................................................... 8

7 Online help function .................................................................................................................9

8 Summary ...................................................................................................................................9

© Copyright 2013 by Uster Technologies AG. All rights reserved.

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Veronesi / TT\Application Literature\Application Handbook\USTER QUANTUM 3\Short Application englisch\Description of new featuers

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Description of new features

1 Introduction
Uster Technologies AG is at the forefront of innovation to continuously improve quality control possi-
bilities in spinning mills. The latest in a series of new developments is the introduction of the new
generation of yarn clearers, the USTER® QUANTUM 3 clearers.

A new software release 1.10 will start to be be delivered in 2013.

The main advantages of this new USTER® QUANTUM 3 software release include further enhance-
ments to Smart Clearing TechnologyTM and can be summarized as follows:
• Smart limits for setting alarms for CV, Imperfections and Hairiness
• Possibility to activate the “block” mode after a certain number of alarms
• Increased suction length (max. 80 meters) for cut and block mode
• Exchange clearing settings between USTER® QUANTUM 3 control units by uploading and down-
loading of single article settings via USB stick (only supported by standalone CCUs)
• Smart summary screen for the quick identification of outliers
• Display of the theoretical detected count range based on count channel settings
• Context based online help function on the CCU 6
• Further optimized detection of periodical defects

This application report will explain these new features and give examples how to use them in a practi-
cal way.

2 Smart limits for Quality Data

Beside the seldom occurring yarn defects, such as thick and thin places, single bobbins of an off-
standard quality can spoil the end product (Fig. 2-1).

Fig. 2-1 Frequent yarn faults versus seldom-occurring defects

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 Description of new features

Wrong settings, worn out spinning elements and deflections of the yarn path are among others rea-
sons why such off-quality bobbins are produced. Such outlier bobbins can spoil a certain length of
fabric or even deteriorate the whole fabric appearance.

The main advantage of the new function is to ease the setting for alarm limits of outlier bobbins. To
help finding a right setting for the detection and elimination of outlier bobbins, a new Smart Limit pro-
posal for the CV%, Hairiness as well as for the Imperfections has been developed and implemented
(Fig. 2-2).

• By pressing the button the actual mean value of the group and the standard devia-
tion of each spindle are displayed directly on the setting screen (Fig. 2-3).

Fig. 2-2 Setting for Q Parameter CV Fig. 2-3 Display of CV values of running article

• By pressing the button a proposal of the upper and lower limit for the spindle moni-
toring for this article is displayed (Fig. 2-4). This setting is based on the experiences of Uster
Technologies AG to help the customer in setting the right limits.

Fig. 2-4 Smart limit proposal for CV setting Fig. 2-5 Confirmed setting for CV

In many cases the changes in spinning process/elements might affect only one of these quality pa-
rameters (CV, imperfections and hairiness). Therefore USTER® QUANTUM 3 offers the possibility to
set individual alarm limits for each parameter to suit the end user requirements.

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Description of new features

The limits for CV outliers are the most common one. The upper limit per position is given as a relative
value of the actual mean value of the production. In general a deviation per spindle of ±20% or higher
can already lead to a disturbance of the fabric appearance or cause barré effects.

For the yarn imperfections one separate limit for Neps, Thick places or Thin places can be defined.
Most common are the classes like +200% for Neps, +50% for Thick places or -50% for Thin places
(Fig. 2-6).

Fig. 2-6 Smart limit proposal for IPI setting Fig. 2-7 Smart limit proposal for hairiness

If the average number in an Imperfection class is lower than 10 / 1000 meters, it is advised to use the
next more sensitive class instead for setting limits. For example if the Thin -50% class is less than 10
then it is advisable to apply limits for the next sensitive class which is -40%.

Every clearer having the foreign fiber detection can also be used for measuring the yarn hairiness, if
the option is purchased. Especially for the combed and compact yarns, the hairiness measurement is
critical to ensure a constant yarn quality (Fig. 2-7).

Blocked suction devices on compacting zones or disturbances in the air suction will result in an in-
crease of hairiness and imperfections, mainly neps. These outlier bobbins can easily be detected and
taken out during the winding process. As known from different knitting studies, an increase of the hair-
iness by 1.0-1.5 will be visible and will already create disturbing effects on the fabric.

3 Detection of outlier bobbins

One important function along with the setting of Q-data limits is the elimination of outlier bobbins with
the “block”-function. Until today, a bobbin was blocked directly after the limits were exceeded. In some
cases it was found that only some part of the yarn was well above limits. With the new release the
user can define the number of times the limit needs to be exceeded until a block of this individual
bobbin is activated (Fig. 3-2).

If for example, the blocking will set to 2 or 3 per 1km, when a bobbin will be rejected as an outlier, the
test in the laboratory will confirm that this is a real outlier. This way, we increase the accuracy of the
filtering taking out the real and repeating outliers and reduce the unnecessary waste.

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 Description of new features

Fig. 3-1 Cut and suction mode max. 80 meters Fig. 3-2 Block & suction mode after 3rd repetition

In addition to this, the maximum suction length (for both cut and block) can now be adjusted to a max-
imum of 80 meters (Fig. 3-1). Higher suction length is not to be advised due to the loss of production
efficiency.

4 Detection of periodic defects

The Periodic Fault channel (PF) is a feature that has been further optimized to ensure its easy setting
and the detection of the widest range of periodic defects.

Fig. 4-1 Spectrogram with periodic defects Fig. 4-2 Difference between periodic and non-
periodic defects

A periodic defect is usually a defect of small size (amplitude) that is occurring frequently and with a
high regularity in terms of its distance (Fig. 4-1 and Fig. 4-2). This combination leads to visible fabric
patterns. Such periodic defects are caused by defective rotating elements during the yarn production
(delivery rollers at the ring spinning machine but also defective aprons in the drafting zone, worn out
gearings, etc.). Each single defect might not be disturbing by itself but their high frequency in a short
distance is disturbing.

USTER® QUANTUM 3 has a special designed functioned named “Periodical Fault” (PF). With the
setting of sensitivity the minimum limit of mass/diameter increase is selected by the customer, de-
pending on the end use of the yarn.

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Description of new features

A coarse count denim yarn needs to be set less sensitive than for a fine count compact yarn for shirt-
ing. For every individual spindle the system is using the classification of the single event and will put it
in an internal classification. In addition to this, the distance between one event of a certain dimension
to the next one in about the same size is registered. The number of periods is the number of events of
this comparable size which have to be registered to be in a periodical distance. If this rule is fulfilled
and, as shown in the example (Fig. 4-3), 20 times of such periodic events with an average sensitivity
above 35%, the clearer will cut and suck down the defective length from the package.

On the event report, as configured to display PF events, it will show the average size of the distance,
the sensitivity level as well as the periodicity of these events.

Fig. 4-3 PF setting based on sensitivity values

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5 Display of theoretical count range for the set-

ting of count channel
For both the capacitive as well as the optical yarn clearer, it is possible to calculate the theoretical
yarn count range limits given for the yarn count setting (Cp and Cm setting). By this, the mill is in posi-
tion to see immediately the yarn count range that is accepted as normal (theoretically) and everything
outside this range will be cut and removed as wrong count.

Count range
indication

Fig. 5-1 Display of count range limits

Generally, count variations are higher when short reference lengths are selected (as used in the
clearer) and are becoming smaller with longer lengths (as with the 100 meters which will be used for
the standard gravimetric count measurement on a yarn reel or by USTER® TESTER 5).

Taking this into consideration, closer limits can be applied when a longer reference length is selected.
Therefore a reference length of 6 meters or more should be used. For very count-sensitive yarns, an
even longer reference length i.e. 10 meters or higher is recommended to enable detection of very
small count variations.

Wherever the winder does not have defect related suction length possibilities (typically very old gen-
erations) a setting of 2 meters should be selected.

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Description of new features

6 Smart machine overview

On the Machine summary, a separate overview for about 54 different parameters can be selected
(Fig. 6-1). This feature facilitates the quick identification of outliers by comparing the performance of
all the winding positions for all the 54 parameters.

Since every mill uses only some of these parameters on a regular basis, the new favorite buttons will
help to switch between the most frequently used parameters in the overview screen. Up to 8 Smart
summary screens can be defined on every CCU. This selection can be edited at any time.

Fig. 6-1 Easy buttons

Any Smart summary screen can be added to the display by pressing the button or if not needed
any more the selected page can be deleted by pressing again. The selected parameters are
shown under the diagram as buttons and can be accessed with one click.

With this software release, the Y-axis of the diagram will automatically scaled to to the data of the
parameter selected.

The data of the selected parameters will be shown either in absolute or relative values depending on
the screen selection as well as for the current shift or current lot data. The user can also recall the last
shift and last lot data for comparison.

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 Description of new features

7 Online help function

The new release introduces an online help (Fig. 7-1, and Fig. 7-2). The help is context driven but a full
operation instruction can also be found. When the help button ( icon) is called up from any screen
of the CCU menu, the operation instructions that are related to this screen are displayed. Of course
one can go through the entire operation if desired.

Fig. 7-1 Online help function for clearing limits Fig. 7-2 Online help function for key functions

This online help function will adapt automatically to the selected operating language.

8 Summary
The USTER® QUANTUM 3 with Smart Clearing TechnologyTM provides extensive possibilities to de-
liver the required quality consistently. This application report explains only the new features with the
latest release. For a complete documentation and the textile application of USTER® QUANTUM 3
features please refer to the application handbook or join application training. For further support, you
may contact any Uster representative.

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Uster Technologies AG
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Phone +41 43 366 36 36
Fax +41 43 366 36 37
www.uster.com
textile.technology@uster.com
SW 461 040-00002 Printed in Switzerland © Copyright 2013 Uster Technologies AG