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USTER^â AFIS PRO

Advanced Fiber Information System 

 

                AFIS TEST RESULTS 

Test Result	Format	Abbreviation
Nep Count per gram	XXX	Nep Cnt/g
Nep Size [micron]	XXX	Nep Size [mm]
Seed Coat Nep Count per gram	XXX	SCN Cnt/ g
Seed Coat Nep Size [micron]	XXXX	SCN Size [mm]

The L&M module measures the length and maturity of the fiber in raw cotton, card mat and sliver. The correct length of the fiber in the cotton sample is divided by the length measured on a single fiber. The uster AFIS PRO is the only tool that measures maturity Of single fibers, resulting in a real distribution of maturity within one Cotton Sample.

Test Result	Format	Abbreviation
Mean Length by eight	X.XX (in) XX.X (mm)	L(w)
Length Variation by weight	XX.X	L(w) CV%
Upper Quartile Length by weight	X.XX (in) XX.X (mm)	UQL (w)
Short Fiber Content by weight	XX.X	SFC (w)
Mean Length by Number	X.XX (in) XX.X (mm)	L(n)
Length Variation by number	XX.X	L(n) CV%
5%-Length by number	X.XX (in) XX.X (mm)	L(n) 5%
Short Fiber Content by number	XX.X	SFC (n)
Fineness [millitex]	XXX	FINE [mtex]
Maturity Ratio	X.XX	MAT
Immature Fiber Content [%]	XX.X	IFC [%]

   

The T module measures the amount and size of dust and dust particles in cotton fibers.

 

Test Result	Format	Abbreviation
Dust Count per gram	XXX	Dust Cnt/g
Dust Size [micron]	XXX	Dust Size [mm]

 

 

Ø  Neps:

Fiber Neps are generally considered to be trapped in multiple fibers.They are generated under mechanical treatment of the cotton fibers during harvesting, ginning, opening and cleaning of the fibers in the spinning plant.

The amount of neps in raw cotton also depends on the cotton origin or variety and harvesting method. The table below just gives some general ranges for the amount of neps in raw cotton.

 

 For further details, 

Neps/ g	Description
< 100	Very Low
101 – 200	Low
201 – 300	Medium
301 – 450	High
> 451	Very High

Neps are reduced at carding and combing. The amount of reduction highly depends on the machinery performance and the overall quality that the spinning mill wants to achieve

 

Seed Coat Neps

 

 Seed coat neps are fragments of the cottonseed that still have some fibers are created mainly in ginning when the fibers are being separated from the seed.

When the fibers are separated from the seed, it is mainly produced in the gin.  The amount of seed coat naps in raw cotton depends on the quality of the ginning process and the aggression. Research indicates that some cotton varieties tend to results in more seed coat neps than others. The table below gives some general ranges for the amount of seed coat neps in raw cotton.

 

Seed Coat Neps/ g	Description
< 10	Very Low
11 – 20	Low
21 – 30	Medium
31 – 40	High
> 40	Very High

 

  Length

  Fiber length is one of the most important features of cotton. It defines the spinnability of the fiber. The “staple” (the manually pulled assessment of cotton length by a cotton classer) has been the basis for trading cotton for more than a century. The AFIS length measurement is rather targeted towards process control of the spinning operation.

The AFIS measures every single fiber in a cotton sample. Three-thousand fibers are counted in each sample, resulting in a true fiber length distribution by number. 

The following parameters are reported to the AFIS:

L(n) : The mean length by number is the average fiber length of all the cotton fibers in the sample.

L(n) CV% : The variation of the fiber length around the average is expressed as length variation by number or CV%.

L(n) 5% : The 5% Length by number is the length of the longer 5% of all fibers in a cotton samples.

SFC (n): The short fiber content by number is the percent of all fibers in a cottonsample less than 0.5 inches or 12.7 mm.

 In addition, the AFIS uses an average fiber weight to calculate a fiber length distribution by weight. The measurement level of the by weight distribution corresponds highly to Suter-Webb and other comb sorter array methods.

 The following parameters are reported on the AFIS:

L(w) : The mean length by weight is the average fiber length of all the cotton fibers in the sample

L(w) CV%; The variation of the fiber length around the average is expressed as length variation by weight or CV%.

UQL(w) ; The Upper Quartile Length by weight is the length of the longer 5% of all fibers in a cotton samples.

SFC (w): The short fiber content by weight is the percent of all fibers in a cotton sample that are shorter than 0.5 inches or 12.7 mm.

Both lengths are used in industry today. Number distribution usually gives you more accurate results when you improve your spinning process.

 Weight distribution mills are used by mills used for comb sorting methods such as sutter-web-array results. Also, the length of the upper quartile is close to the critical location of the clasp.

 The following schematic in figure 1.4 below helps better understanding the difference between both distributions:

 (n) “by number”                        (w) “by weight”

 

 2 short fiber = 50 ٪                    2 short fiber = 100 grams = 33%

 4 fiber = 100%                          4 fiber = 300 g = 100%

 

 

 Four "ideal" fibers are shown with the same linear density or "weight".

 For example, we assume that all 4 fibers together weigh 300 grams:

number In terms of number, 50% of fibers are short fibers.

By weight, 33% of all fibers are short fibers.

The number distribution represents the distribution of the correct length of the fiber in the sample. Each fiber count is a direct result of the measurement.

 Short and long fibers are treated equally.

 The by weight distribution is always biased towards the longer fibers. 

 

Longer fibers weigh more than shorter fibers. Therefore, the result always looks a little "better" than the number result.

 However, it is really up to the spinning mill to decide what values they prefer to work with. 

.

 Ø  Short Fiber Content

 During the development phase of the cotton, the fiber first grows in its length.

 This length is genetically determined by the cotton variety. Only after the length development has been completed, cellulose is being deposited inside the hollow fiber. The fiber is “maturing” (see section 1.5 of this chapter).

 Thus, initially, all fibers have more or less the same length while still being on the cotton plant. Fiber length is reduced with any mechanical treatment such as mechanical harvesting methods, ginning, opening and cleaning in the spinning plant.

 

Short fiber content is expressed as a percentage of all fibers

 

 within a sample that are shorter than 0.5 inches or 12.7 mm 

 

 

The table below gives some general ranges for the amount of short fiber content by number and by weight in raw cotton.

 

Please note that the differences are smaller for long to extra long staple cottons.

 For further details,

 

Short Fiber Content by number	Short Fiber Content by weight	Description
< 18	< 5	Very Low
19 – 23	6 – 8	Low
24 – 28	9 – 11	Medium
29 – 33	12 – 14	High
> 34	> 15	Very High

 Short fiber content needs to be controlled in opening, cleaning and carding of

 a spinning plant. It can mainly be reduced at combing. Controlling the short

 fiber content, as the nep content mentioned before, is of utmost importance

 for maintaining spinning performance and yarn quality.

 Ø  Maturity/ IFC/ Fineness

 As mentioned in paragraph 1.4.1 above, the cotton After the length development has been completed, cellulose is being deposited inside the hollow fiber. 

The fiber is “maturing”. Scientifically, the maturity of a cotton fiber is the degree of cell wall thickening (“theta”)[2].

 The degree of cell wall thickening describes the amount of cellulose that has been deposited inside the fiber during its development stage. 

The perimeter (P) is the circumference of the fiber as it is grown. This is another feature that is specific for a cotton variety, like its fiber length. Originally this perimeter is completely round during the development phase inside the cotton boll. The boll opens after the development phase is finished. At this point in time, the fibers are dried and they collapse, forming the typical “kidney-shaped” cross-section depicted below . Even a fully mature fiber

 still has a hollow core inside that is not filled with cellulose. This is called the “lumen” as shown below.

 The area of the cross section filled with cellulose finally determines the maturity of the cotton fiber. Dyestuff is deposited in the cellulose. In extreme cases, like with immature fibers, there is no cellulose for the dyestuff to remain – causing color differences in the end product such as barré or white specs.

  The Immature Fiber Content (IFC) is the percent of all fibers within a cotton sample that have a cell wall thickness covering less than 25% of the full area.

  The AFIS measures maturity indirectly by measuring the fiber shape. 

Each time a fiber passes the optical sensors, two signals are detected from two different angles.

 

·        Fully mature - the left fiber having the typical convolutions of a mature cotton fiber, looking “thick”

·        Immature - the middle fiber with less obvious convolutions, being more flat

·        Dead - the right fiber having no convolutions, being completely flat and “ribbon like

 

 Fiber Fineness [mtex] is determined optically on the AFIS PRO by analyzing the fiber shape passing the sensors. Originally, fiber fineness [mtex] is determined gravimetrically by cutting and weighing the sample [3]. An algorithm determines fiber fineness based on the shape and form of the fibers. As mentioned before, mature fibers do contain more cellulose than immature fibers. Thus, mature fibers are also heavier fibers than immature fibers. 

This results in a higher fineness value for mature fiber since mtex = 10ֿ³ [mg/ m]. Fibers that are less mature, containing less cellulose, therefore result in a lower

 fineness value.

 The table below gives some general ranges of Maturity, the Immature Fiber Content and Fineness in raw cotton. Again, this is designed just to give a basic overview.

Specific varieties may not fall within these ranges. Please note that the different properties are not necessarily interrelated.

 

Maturiy	IFC	Fineness	Description
< 0.75	< 6	< 150	Very Low
0.76 – 0.85	6 – 8	151 – 160	Low
0.86 – 0.90	9 – 11	161 – 170	Medium
0.91 – 0.95	12 – 14	171 – 180	High
> 0.96	> 15	> 180	Very High

 

 Fiber maturity cannot be changed after the cotton is harvested. If bales

 are detected with an increased amount of immature fibers, they should be

 carefully blended into the general mix or laydown. This can be accomplished best

 by using a proper bale management program (see HVI SPECTRUM). 

Immature fibers can be further reduced at carding and mainly at combing. 

 

Trash and Dust

 Trash and dust particles are “foreign” particles that are not related to any physical properties of cotton fibers. They are remains from the cotton plant and the field and need to be extracted during the ginning and spinning process. Trash is the general term used for larger impurities containing particles from the cotton plant itself and other plants (weeds) contaminating the cotton field. Dust describes smaller particles from the plant and simply dirt from the cotton field that sticks with the plant during harvesting.

 The lower bar in figure shows the size distribution of dust and trash as per ITMF definition. The upper bar shows the size distribution between dust and trash particles as utilized in the AFIS.

 The amount of dust and trash particles depends highly on the origin of the cotton and its harvesting method. Some cotton growth areas such as the Texas High Plains are known for increased dust levels due to the aggressive harvesting methods and the, generally, dusty soil conditions.

 

The V.F.M. or Visible Foreign Matter takes both, dust and trash content, as well as their size into account. It relates very well to gravimetric measurement methods such as the Shirley Analyzer. 

The table below gives some general ranges for the amount of Trash, Dust and

 V.F.M. in raw cotton. For further details,

Trash	Dust	V.F.M.	Description
< 25	< 200	< 0.60	Very Low
26 – 75	201 – 350	0.61 – 1.20	Low
76 – 110	351 – 600	1.21 – 2.30	Medium
111 – 150	601 – 1000	2.31 – 3.00	High
> 151	> 1001	> 3.01	Very High