Yarn Evenness Testing

Yarn Evenness: Evenness or unevenness, regularity or irregularity, all these mean the degree of
uniformity of a product.
**Producing a yarn of uniform characters such as uniformity in weight per unit length, uniformity
in diameter, turns per inch, strength etc., is indeed a work of very great magnitude and perfect
uniform are only dreams.
**This is so, because in the case of staple fibers, that too with natural fibers, this work of
transforming millions of individual fibers of varying fineness, maturity, length, colour, diameter,
etc., into a yarn of uniform character is really hypothetical.
***Variation in weight per unit length is the basic irregularity in yarn. All other irregularities (i.e.,
twist, strength, diameter, hairiness, color etc.) are dependent on it. This is because weight per unit
length is proportional to fiber number i.e.; number of fibers in cross section of yarn.
***Yarn diameter variation is also important because sometimes portions with same mass may
have variable diameter.
***Thick place have less twist that leads to yarn hairiness and fabric pilling.
**Variations in number of fibers are the factor influenced by drafting. So any improvement in
drafting or spinning will first reflect in improvement in variability of weight per unit length.
** Thin place of yarn will get more twist compared to thick place in yarn due to lower level of
torsional rigidity resulted because of lower numbers of fibers in yarn cross-section. Ultimately, we
can say uneven yarn will produce uneven twist along the yarn length.
**Warp way streaky appearance ow weft bars in fabric comes from yarn hairiness variation that
is directly linked with yarn thick thin.
Causes of Yarn Unevenness:
1) Irregularity caused by raw material: The natural fibres have variable varieties. They
have no true fixed length, fineness, shape of cross-section, maturity, crimp, etc., which
have effect on yarn properties specially evenness.
**These variations are due to different rates of cell development due to changes in
environmental conditions (nutrients, soil, and weather).
**In man-made fibres, variations in mass/unit length occurs due to changes in polymer
viscosity, roughness of spinneret orifice, variation in extrusion pressure and rate, filament
take-up speed, presence of delustrant or additives, which can modify the particular shape
and fiber surface geometry.
2) Irregularity caused by fiber arrangement: The desirable results of relocating large
number of fibers at high speed and arranging in well-ordered form tend to be difficult.
Fibers are not precisely laid end to end, and gaps are present between them. As a result of
yarns twist, fibres arrange in spiral form in a series of folds, kinks, and doublings.
3) Inherent shortcoming of machinery: The drafting wave is one example of irregularity
due to the inability of a drafting system to control each fiber. Where roller drafting is used,
the distance from one nip to the other is greater than the length of the shorter fibres. These

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short fibres ‘float’ in the drafting zone and move forward in an irregular but cyclical
manner which results in the drafted strand having thick and thin places.
4) Mechanically defective machinery: Machines drift out of adjustment, bearings become
worn, components get damaged, and lubrication systems clog and dirt works its way into
the mechanism. Faulty rollers (top roller eccentricity) and gear wheels usually produce
periodic variation.

Expression of "Unevenness" Or "Irregularity":

1.The irregularity U%
It is the percentage mass deviation of unit length of material and is caused by uneven fibre
distribution along the length of the strand.
U% = PMD = Mean Deviation / Mean ×100

2. The coefficient of variation C.V.%

It is currently probably the most widely accepted way of quantifying irregularity.

CV% = Standard Deviation / Mean × 100

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Classification of Variation:
There are two types of variation and they are classified as the following:
(1) Random Variation: Random variation is the variation which occurs randomly in the
textile material, without any definite order.

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(2) Periodic Variations:

Two terminologies wave length and amplitude are used in order to describe a
periodic variation from the figure.
**Wave length is the distance from the one peak of the wave to the next on the same side of the
mean line.
**Amplitude is a measure of the size of the swing from the mean level. Usually this is expressed
as a percentage of the mean.

For Card or Other Rotating Movement Type machineries fault are to be detected by the
following formulae:
𝑽𝒑
µ=
𝒏
Where, n = speed of defective mechanical component
Vp = Production speed of that machine

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µ = Wavelength at spectrogram where fault has been detected

Mathematical Problem:

The spectrogram of Draw frame Sliver is having a peak at a wavelength of 11 cm. if

delivery speed of the calendar rollers is 330 m/min, which mechanical part will be
responsible for
the PEAK?

Relationship between Um% and CVm%: 1. The Coefficient of Variation CVm is preferred
more and more to the irregularity Um value. 2. CVm is a parameter commonly recognised for
variation at all cut lengths while Um is used to refer only to mass variations at the basic cut length
(usually 1 cm).
3. For random variations: CV=1.25*U

4. For random+periodic variation: CV>1.25*U

5. For strong periodic variation: CV<1.25*U

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What is limit Irregularity and Index of Irregularity?

For a particular type of fibre and count of yarn, there is an irregularity limit which cannot be
improved upon by the present machinery is called limit irregularity.
➢ Limiting irregularity of an ideal yarn without fibre variability:
100
CVlim = Equation 2.1
n

Where, n is the average number of fibres in yarn cross section.

➢ Limiting irregularity for an ideal yarn with fibre variability:

100 1 + 0.0001CVA
2

CVlim = Equation 2.2

n
Where CVA is the coefficient of variation of fibre cross sectional area

Cotton and synthetics (staple fibre)

Synthetic staple fibres have very little fibre variability, and cotton fibres have some small fibre
variability. For these fibres, the number of fibres in yarn cross section can be worked as below:

Yarn linear density (tex)

No of fibres in yarn cross sec tion =
Fibre linear density (tex)

The fibre variability of synthetic staples may be ignored and we can simply use equation (2.1) to
calculate the limiting irregularity of a assembly of synthetic staple fibres.

100
CVlim ( synthetic staple) =
n

Because of the small fibre variability in cotton, we cannot simply use equation (2.1) to work out
the limiting irregularity. Instead, the following equation is used to calculate the limiting
irregularity of cotton fibre assemblies.
106
CVlim =
n

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Mathematical Problem:
A cotton yarn of 25s English cotton count (Ne) consists of cotton with a micronaire value of
4.1(µgm/inch) or 4.1 Mic.
What is the limiting irregularity of this cotton yarn?

Index of Irregularities
The index of irregularity provides such a measure. It is defined as the ratio between the actual
(measured, effective) irregularity and the limiting irregularity for the yarn (or other fibre
assemblies)
CV
I=
eff

CVlim
where I = Index of irregulaity
CVeff = Effective (actual, measured) irregularity
CVlim = Limiting irregularity.
The index of irregularity is a dimensionless parameter. In the ideal case, I = 1. Since the actual
CV of a yarn is almost always higher than its limiting CV, I value is usually greater than 1. The
higher the I, the worse the yarn in evenness, regardless of the yarn count. Of course, as for
limiting irregularity, the index of irregularity also applies to fibre assemblies other than yarns

Mathematical Problem
**A cotton yarn, Nec 6, has a measured irregularity of 9.3%. The fibre fineness is 4.5µg/inch.
The limiting irregularity and the index of irregularity are to be determined.
Law of doubling
During drawing, many slivers are combined (doubled) on the input side to feed the drawframe.
The law of doubling says that if you combine (double) n slivers together, the overall irregularity
of the combined (doubled) sliver will reduce according to the following law:
______
___ CV1 + CV2....+ CVn
CV = CVI = CV
n
n
Where: CVI = CV of all n slivers at the input to the drawframe

CV = Mean value of the CV values of all the single slivers n = number of doubled slivers

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Addition of irregularity
At the roving and spinning stage, there is no doubling. A sliver is drafted into a thinner roving,
and a roving is drafted to yarn thickness during spinning. The net result is a reduction in the
number of fibres in yarn cross section. In addition, the process itself may introduce additional
irregularities to the drafted material.
Mathematically, if a fibre assembly enters a drafting process (roving, spinning) with an
irregularity of CVin, and emerges from that process with an irregularity of CVout, then the
additional irregularity due to the process itself (CVadd) can be worked out using the
following formula:

CV 2 out = CV 2 in + CV 2 add or CVadd = CV 2 out − CV 2 in

The added irregularity comes from two sources – reduction in the number of fibres in cross
section and imperfect drafting.

Mathematical Problem
Eight slivers, with an average irregularity CV of 4%, were fed to a drawframe. The drawn sliver
has a CV value of 3%. What is the total irregularity introduced during the drawing process?

Sliver 1
CVadd = ?

CVout = 3%

Sliver 8
CVave = 4%

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Importance of yarn evenness:

1. Irregularity can adversely affect many of the properties of textile materials. The most
obvious consequence of yarn unevenness is the variation of strength along the yarn. Thus,
an irregular yarn will tend to break more easily during spinning, winding, weaving,
knitting, or any other process where stress is applied.
2. A second quality-related effect of uneven yarn is the presence of visible faults on the
surface of fabrics.
3. Twist tends to be higher at thin places in a yarn. Thus, at such locations, the penetration of
a dye or finish is likely to be lower than at the thick regions of lower twist. In consequence,
the thicker yarn region will tend to be deeper in shade than the thinner ones.
4. Other fabric properties, such as abrasion or pill-resistance, soil retention, drape,
absorbency, reflectance, or luster, may also be directly influenced by yarn evenness.

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What are the influences of periodic mass variations on woven and knitted fabric?

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Measurement of yarn evenness:

1. Visual Examination Method:

Black board appearance method

Yarn to be examined is wrapped onto a matt black surface in equally spaced turns. The black
boards are then examined under good lighting conditions using uniform non-directional light.
ASTM has a series of Cotton Yarn Appearance Standards which are photographs of different
counts with the appearances classified into four grades. The test yarn is then wound on a
blackboard (measuring 9.5 x 5.5 inches in surface area) with correct spacing and compared directly
with its corresponding standard. It is preferable to use tapered boards for wrapping the yarn if
periodic faults are likely to be present. This is because the yarn may have a repeating fault of
spacing similar to that of one wrap of yarn. By chance it may be hidden behind the board on every
turn with a parallel- side board, whereas with a tapered board it will at some point appear on the
face.

Electronic capacitance method (USTER Evenness Tester):

Capacitive methods of determining yarn evenness are the most popular and widely used methods.
The sensor for measuring the evenness of slivers, roving’s or yarns is a capacitive measuring
sensor. A high-frequency signal field is generated in the sensor slot, between a pair of capacitor
plates. If the amount of the material between the capacitor plates changes, the high-frequency
signal is altered and the electrical output signal of the sensor changes, accordingly. The result is
an electrical signal variation proportional to the mass variation of the test material passing through.
That analogue signal is then digitized (converted to data bytes), stored and processed directly by
the computer.

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Advantages: 1. High speed testing method, 2. Both yarn U% and CV% can be calculated.
Disadvantages: It is an indirect method of testing, 2. Other factors such as wastages, moisture etc.
can affect the test results.
Yarn faults classification:
1. Frequently occurring faults: These are faults occurring in the range of 10 to 5000 times
per 1000 m of yarn. Yarns spun from staple fibres contain imperfections, which can be
subdivided into three groups:

a) Thick places: +50% If the counter is actuated, the mass per unit length (cross section) at
the thick place is 150% or more of yarn mean value (> 4 mm length)

(Ranges: +100%, +70%, +50%, +35%)

b. Thin places: -50% only 50% of yarn mean value or less.

(Ranges: -60%, -50%, -40%, -30%)

c. Neps: +200% The thick place based on 1 mm length, is 300% of the yarn mean value or
more. Length shorter than 4 mm (however refers as a reference length of 1 mm)

(Ranges: +400%, +280%, +200%, +140%)

2. Seldom occurring faults: These are the thick and thin places in yam which occur so rarely
that spotting them would require testing at least 100,000 m of yarn. These faults may be
classified further into the following types:

a. Short thick places: 1 to 8 cm and above +100%

b. Long thick places: Above 8 cm and above +45%

c. Long thin places: Above 8 cm and less than -30%

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