Abstract: A loading station for forming a fiber mass for micronaire testing. The loading station has a hopper for receiving an unformed fiber mass. A forming chamber receives the unformed fiber mass from the hopper. The forming chamber includes a non-movable back wall and a non-movable bottom plate with ports formed therein. The ports draw an airflow from the hopper into the forming chamber. A selectively movable isolation plate isolates the forming chamber from the hopper, and a selectively movable horizontal forming wall horizontally compacts the fiber mass into a desired horizontal cross-section. A selectively movable vertical forming wall vertically compacts the fiber mass into a desired vertical cross-section. A selectively movable plunger presses axially along the shaped fiber mass.

Abstract: An on-loom fabric inspection system having at least one imaging device configured to collect images of at least one section of a weaving area of a loom including a shed region, a woven fabric region and a fell region. The system is operable to detect faults in the weaving area and to produce batches of woven fabric assigned with an objective quality index.

Abstract: An instrument for identifying at least one of fiber blend composition and fiber blend ratio in an input material moved by a third set of fiber movements. A second spectral radiation source directs radiation toward the input material. A second spectral sensor receives portions of the second radiation that pass through the input material. A third spectral sensor receives portions of the second radiation that reflect off of the input material. A controller processes the signals from at least one of the second spectral sensor and the third spectral sensor to determine at least one of the fiber blend composition and the fiber blend ratio in the input material. The controller also sends control signals to the second electromagnetic radiation source and the third set of fiber movements.

Abstract: The method is used for the automatic operation of a ring spinning system (1) which contains a ring spinning machine (2) having a plurality of spinning positions (21) and a winding machine (3) having a plurality of winding positions (31). Yarn (92) is spun at one of the spinning positions (21) and wound up to a cop (91). For the spinning position (21), values of a parameter characteristic for the operation of the spinning position (21) are determined during the winding of the cop (91) and stored as spinning data. The spinning data are assigned to the cop (91). The cop (91) is set down from the spinning position (21). The spinning data assigned to the cop (91) is taken into account when deciding whether to feed the cop (91) after it has been set down to one of the winding positions (31). The automatic assignment is based on an identification of a point in time of winding of the cop (91) and an identification of the spinning position (21) at which the cop (91) was wound.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for measuring not only the reflected radiation but also the fluorescence emission of a textile sample (106), which includes a presentation subsystem (102) having a viewing window (108). A radiation subsystem (114) has a tunable radiation source (120) for directing a desired radiation (122) having a wavelength range and an intensity through the viewing window (108) toward the sample (106), and thereby causing the sample (106) to produce a fluorescence (124). A sensing subsystem (126) has an imager (130) for capturing the reflected radiation and fluorescence (124) in an array of pixels. A control subsystem (132) has a processor (136) for controlling the presentation subsystem (102), the radiation subsystem (114), and the sensing subsystem (126), and creates a reflected radiation and fluorescence image containing both spectral information and spatial information in regard to the reflected radiation and fluorescence (124) of the sample (106).

Abstract: The method is used to operate a ring spinning system (1) which contains a ring spinning machine (2) having a plurality of spinning positions (21) and a winding machine (3) having a plurality of winding positions (31). Yarn (92) is spun at one of the spinning positions (21) and wound up to a cop (91). Values of a spinning parameter are determined at different times during the winding of the cop (91) and stored as spinning data. The cop is transported from the spinning position (21) to one of the winding positions (31). At the winding position (31) the yarn (92) is rewound from the cop (91) onto a yarn bobbin (93). Values of a yarn parameter are determined at at least two different times during the rewinding of the cop (91) and stored as yarn data. The spinning data and the yarn data are automatically assigned to each other in such a way that they relate to the same yarn section. Based on the spinning data and yarn data assigned to each other, an intervention is made on the ring spinning machine (2).

Abstract: A fiber testing instrument having a fiber loading station that is sized to accommodate a fiber sample within a desired size range, a fiber extraction device for extracting a portion of the fiber sample for a first battery of fiber tests, a fiber transport device for conveying at least the remaining portion of the fiber sample, and a micronaire chamber for receiving the conveyed fiber sample, where the micronaire chamber is sized to test any fiber sample within the desired size range.

Abstract: The method is for monitoring contamination in a stream of fiber flocks transported pneumatically in an airflow. Characteristics of entities, including contamination, in the stream of fiber flocks are detected and evaluated. Values of a first parameter and a second parameter of the entities are determined from the characteristics of the entities. An event field is provided, which contains a quadrant or a part of a quadrant of a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, wherein a first axis defines the first parameter and a second axis defines the second parameter. The values of the first parameter and the second parameter determined for an entity are entered in the event field as coordinates of an event representing the entity. Thus, entities can be handled in a differentiated way.

Abstract: The apparatus is for measuring at least one of color and trash in a fiber sample. A light emitting diode light source generates an incident light that is directed toward the fiber sample, and reflected by the fiber sample, thereby producing a reflected light. A sensor receives the reflected light and produces a signal. A controller controls the light source and the sensor, and at least one of receives and adjusts the signal. At least one of the incident light, the reflected light and the signal is conditioned to compensate for differences between the light emitting diode light source and a xenon light source. Thus, drawbacks of the xenon light source used to date can be avoided.

Abstract: The apparatus is for measuring at least one of color and trash in a fiber sample. A light emitting diode light source generates an incident light that is directed toward the fiber sample, and reflected by the fiber sample, thereby producing a reflected light. A sensor receives the reflected light and produces a signal. A controller controls the light source and the sensor, and at least one of receives and adjusts the signal. At least one of the incident light, the reflected light and the signal is conditioned to compensate for differences between the light emitting diode light source and a xenon light source. Thus, drawbacks of the xenon light source used to date can be avoided.

Abstract: The apparatus (1) is used for forming a ball of yarn. It contains a container (2) having an internal volume (21) which is outwardly bounded in the vertical direction partially by an internal wall (31) and in the horizontal direction completely by the internal wall (31). The internal wall (31) has an inlet opening (41) through which the yarn is injectable into the internal volume (21) by means of an air flow. The internal wall (31) is rigid. The internal volume (21) has a downwardly open outlet opening (22) for a yarn ball formed in the internal volume (21). A lower part (33) of the internal wall (31) is inclined downwardly towards the outlet opening (22). By virtue of the rigid construction, the apparatus is simple and cost-effective. Possible problems with moving parts are avoided.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The optical collection and detection system features, in the front quartersphere, a light channel assembly for collecting light reflected from the surface of the workpiece, and a front collector and wing collectors for collecting light scattered from the surface, to greatly improve the measurement capabilities of the system. The light channel assembly has a switchable edge exclusion mask and a reflected light detection system for improved detection of the reflected light.

Abstract: A measuring circuit used for the capacitive examination of a moving elongated textile test material such as card sliver, roving, yarn or woven fabric, having a measuring capacitor for accommodating the test material, and a component with a capacitance which can be changed by an electric control signal. The measuring circuit can thus be balanced in a simple, rapid, cost-effective and especially automatic way.

Abstract: A fiber testing instrument having a fiber loading station that is sized to accommodate a fiber sample within a desired size range, a fiber extraction device for extracting a portion of the fiber sample for a first battery of fiber tests, a fiber transport device for conveying at least the remaining portion of the fiber sample, and a micronaire chamber for receiving the conveyed fiber sample, where the micronaire chamber is sized to test any fiber sample within the desired size range.

Abstract: A fiber testing instrument having a fiber loading station that is sized to accommodate a fiber sample within a desired size range, a fiber extraction device for extracting a portion of the fiber sample for a first battery of fiber tests, a fiber transport device for conveying at least the remaining portion of the fiber sample, and a micronaire chamber for receiving the conveyed fiber sample, where the micronaire chamber is sized to test any fiber sample within the desired size range.

Abstract: In the method for detecting a periodic structure in a moving elongated textile material, the textile material is scanned simultaneously at several detection points which are arranged in an equidistant manner along its longitudinal direction. Scanning signals detected at the detection points are added to form a composite signal. As a result of temporal changes in the composite signal, conclusions are drawn on the periodic structure of the textile material. A spatial spectrum of the structure of the textile material can be obtained practically without any computational effort in several groups of several respective equidistant detection points.

Abstract: Using a substrate with at least one optical waveguide structure integrated thereon for the optical inspection of a moving textile material. A scanning region is provided on the substrate for optically scanning the textile material. The optical waveguide structure opens at least partly into the scanning region. The device arranged in this manner requires little space, can be used in a versatile manner and can be changed or maintained with very little effort.

Abstract: A measuring circuit used for the capacitive examination of a moving elongated textile test material such as card sliver, roving, yarn or woven fabric, having a measuring capacitor for accommodating the test material, and a component with a capacitance which can be changed by an electric control signal. The measuring circuit can thus be balanced in a simple, rapid, cost-effective and especially automatic way.

Abstract: A method of determining a testing volume for a micronaire measurement by containing a fiber sample within a micronaire chamber having a length and at least one movable end wall. A flow is initiated along the length of the micronaire chamber. The fiber sample is compressed within the micronaire chamber by advancing the movable end wall, and the advancement of the movable end wall is stopped when at least one property of the flow attains a set point. The position of the movable end wall defines the testing volume. In this manner, there is provided a convenient method of setting a testing volume and acquiring the information needed to take a micronaire measurement.