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Abstract:
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Yarn producers are constantly looking for new ways to
produce quality goods at a lower cost. One way to achieve
this is through open-end spinning. It is well known that
open-end spinning increases the production of yarn and
eliminates preparatory processes, but the quality and
fabrics produced from ring yarn is in many aspects
preferable to open-end yarn. On the other hand, combing is
process which adds a positive influence on ring yarn
quality, but also adds extra cost to the yarn process.
Because yarn manufacturers may not be aware of the effects
of combing on open-end yarn characteristics and subsequent
fabric properties, this thesis was designed to correlate
changes in amounts of combed sliver blended with carded
sliver to changes in yarn and fabric qualities.
To fulfill this study, fibers from a compromised
laydown were used to produce yarns spun form 100% cotton
and a 50/50 polyester/cotton stock using five different
blend levels of combed and carded slivers for the cotton
portions of the test conditions. Two different yarn
counts, 30/1 and 18/1 Ne, were spun from the sliver blends
on an open-end spinning machine, and for comparison
purposes on a ring spinning machine. Once spun, each of yarn conditions were used to knit a fabric panel consisting
of that one yarn type. These fabrics were then
commercially scoured, bleached, dyed, and calendered.
This research determined that the only significant
affect that increasing combed cotton has on open-end yarn
quality is fewer Uster neps and Classimat total defects.
As for the ranking of the knitted fabrics, increasing
combed cotton improved both the fabric appearance and hand.
In conclusion, based on the parameters used in this
research; such as, fiber limitations, processing equipment
and settings, and testing procedures, increasing the amount
of combed fibers in sliver does not practically improve
open-end yarn quality. However, this work demonstrates
that it is possible to produce a fabric from open-end yarns
with a better hand and appearance by increasing the amount
of combed cotton in the production of open-end yarn.
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