Abstract: A automated pilling, snag, and fuzziness inspection and grading method and apparatus for quantifying, locating, and sizing pills, snags, and/or fuzz on fabric rolls or fabric sample swatches, which includes a fulcrum about which the fabric is bent, the fulcrum defining an apex portion in the fabric where the fulcrum contacts the fabric. A moving mechanism is provided for moving a length of the fabric across the fulcrum causing the apex portion to be temporally redefined along the length of the moving fabric. An illumination mechanism is provided for projecting a light upon one side of the temporally redefined apex portion and a recording device is also provided for recording a horizon image of the temporally redefined apex portion where the horizon image being back lit by the illumination mechanism.

Abstract: A filament inspection method for detecting abnormalities in a wound yarn package includes illuminating the yarn package while sensing and recording an image of the illuminated yarn package. The method further includes evaluating the recorded image in accordance with predetermined criteria to determine thereby whether the recorded image indicates the presence of any abnormalities in the yarn package.