RIETER DRAWFRAME TECHNOLOGY

The drawframe

Introduction

From a purely commercial viewpoint the drawframe is of little significance – it usually contributes less than 3% to the production costs of the yarn. However, its influence on quality, especially yarn evenness, is all the greater for this. Furthermore, if the drawframe is not properly adjusted,  yarn strength and elongation will also be affected.
There are two main reasons for the considerable influence of the drawframe on evenness. Firstly, within the sequence of machines in the short staple spinning mill, the drawframe is the definitive compensation point for eliminating errors. Inadequacies in the product leaving the drawframe not only pass into the yarn, they are actually reinforced by drafting effects following the drawframe. The yarn is never better than the drawframe sliver. Secondly, a defect arising at the drawframe itself can exert an effect of significant proportions on the overall process. High-performance drawframes currently produce over 400 kg of sliver per hour at each delivery. Very large quantities of faulty sliver will be produced in the time that elapses before discovery of the defect. It is therefore understandable that leveling drawframes are a must for every modern short staple spinning mill. It is equally clear that, of all departments in the spinning mill, the drawing section is the least suitable place for making rigorous economies. It is quite the wrong place to try to save money.

At the drawing stage for carded yarns the material rarely passes just one machine but usually two, arranged one after the other and combined to form a group. An exception is the rotor spinning mill, where often only one passage is used or even none, i.e. the sliver is fed directly from a highperformance  card, but equipped with an integrated leveling device. Normally, processing in two passages is necessary to fulfill requirements. However, a second passage after the comber is superfluous, since this does not produce any improvement in quality. On the contrary, it usually adversely affects quality due to excessive parallelization of the fibers. The drawframe used in this case, however, has then to be a leveling drawframe.

Fig. 1 – Normal processing lines; 1. card; 2. drafting module for card; 3. drawframe; 4. combing preparation, 5. combing machine; 6. roving frame; 7. rotor spinning machine, 8. ring spinning machine

The task of Drawframe

Equalizing

One of the main tasks of the drawframe is improving evenness over the short, medium and – especially – long term. Card slivers fed to the drawframe have a degree of unevenness that cannot be tolerated in practice, and slivers from the  comber contain the „infamous“ piecings; these must be obscured. It should be noted, however, that short-wave sliver evenness is not – as sometimes assumed – the sole criterion for evaluating the performance of the drawframe. It is true, for example, that unevenness over short lengths can be noticeably reduced, e.g. by very narrow setting of the rollers of the drafting arrangement, but this is often associated with deterioration in other quality parameters of the yarn, particularly strength.
It is also a mistake to assume that sliver evenness – especially over short lengths – can be significantly improved by using several passages. A second passage brings hardly any improvement and a third can actually lead to deterioration. In relation to settings and number of passages, therefore, it is important to find the optimum rather than seek the maximum. Equalizing is always and in any case performed by doubling, and can optionally also be performed by additional autoleveling. The draft and the doublings often have the same value and are in the range of 6 (short fibers) to 8 (medium and long fibers). When processing pure comber noil in the rotor spinning mill, however, it is usually necessary to settle for a value of 4 or to use high-performance  cards with integrated leveling devices instead of drawframes.

Parallelizing

To obtain an optimal value for strength in the yarn characteristics, the fibers must be arranged parallel in the fiber strand. It is mainly the drawframe‘s task to create this parallel arrangement. It fulfills this task by means of the draft, since every drafting step leads to straightening of the fibers. The value of the draft must be adapted to the material, i.e. to several fiber parameters, mainly:

• the staple length;
• the mass of the fibers;
• the volume of the strand;
• the degree of order (parallel disposition).

It will be clear that the draft cannot be high on a machine directly following the  card (if possible, not above 8), but thereafter can increase from machine to machine.

Blending

In addition to the equalizing effect, doubling also provides a degree of compensation of raw material variations by blending, which occurs simultaneously. This result is exploited in particular in the production of blended yarns comprising cotton/synthetic or synthetic/synthetic blends. At the drawframe, metering of the individual components can be carried out very simply by selection of the number of slivers entering the machine. For example, to obtain a 67:33 blend, four slivers of one component and two of the other are fed to the drawframe. Of course, these slivers must have the same hank.

Dust removal

Dust is steadily becoming a greater problem both in processing and for the personnel involved. It is therefore important to remove dust to the greatest practical extent at every possible point within the overall process. Unfortunately, dust removal can only be carried out to a significant degree when there are high levels of fiber/fiber or fiber/metal friction, since a large proportion of these very small particles (dust) adhere relatively strongly to the fibers. Such friction arises especially on the  card and the drawframe; in the latter case, mainly owing to the drafting operation. The drawframe is therefore a good dust-removing machine. On high-performance drawframes equipped with appropriate suction systems, more than 80% of the incoming dust is extracted.

Operating principleFig. 2 – Sectional view of a drawframe

Four to eight  card or drawframe slivers (see Fig. 2) are fed to the drafting arrangement (3). A feed roller pair (2) is located above each can (1) to enable the feeding step to be performed in a controlled manner without false drafts. In some cases (seldom) a simple deflection bar is sufficient. The feed roller pairs are mounted in a creel frame or table and each is positively driven. The slivers running into the drafting arrangement leave it, after a draft of 4 to 8, as a web lacking significant cohesion. In order to avoid disintegration of the web, which would otherwise be unavoidable at the high operating speeds currently in use, it is condensed into a sliver immediately after the drafting arrangement. This sliver is then (for example in some makes) guided through a tube (4) via a passage (6) of the tube gear into a can (7), in which it must be laid in clean coils with optimal utilization of the space in the can. To enable the can to take up as much material as possible, the sliver is compressed by passing it through calendering rollers (or discs) or grooved discs (5).

Operating device

Creel (sliver feed)

In particular, the creel must be designed so that:

• false drafts are avoided;
• the machine stops immediately when a sliver break occurs;
• sliver breaks can be dealt with easily, comfortably and safely.

For this purpose, it is necessary to provide a positively driven roller or roller pair (Fig. 2, 2) above each can, one for each sliver. Driven rollers are essential in the case of insufficient fiber adherence, e.g. combed sliver. A guiding device for feeding the slivers into the drafting arrangement is also required. A table with rollers, or simply a line of rollers, can provide the required guidance. Rollers alone are preferred in rapidly operating high-draft drawframes, since friction is lower when transport is effected by means of rolling than when it relies upon sliding. The infeed roller pairs (2) also serve as electrical contact rollers, and for monitoring the sliver. If a sliver breaks, the metal rollers come into contact when the insulating sliver is no longer present between them, and the machine is stopped. Today all drawframes have in-line sliver feed (see Fig. 3), i.e. the feed cans are arranged in one or (mostly) two rows in the direction of movement into the machine. Rieter offers a two-row arrangement in “T” form, reducing space requirements in machine length.Normally, slivers may be fed in from up to eight cans per drawing head, and the cans may have diameters up to 1 000 mm (40 inches). It is important that the slivers lie closely adjacent, but not on top of one another, as they run into the drafting arrangement.

Fig. 3 – Different systems of sliver creels

The drafting arrangement(General consideration)

Requirements

The drafting arrangement is the heart of the drawframe and thus the part which exerts the most decisive influence on quality. The requirements placed on the drafting arrangement in general are correspondingly high:

• simple, uncomplicated construction;
• stable design with smooth running of the rollers (centricity);
• a mode of operation producing a high-quality product even at high running speeds;
• high degree of flexibility, i.e. suitability for all raw materials, fiber lengths, sliver hanks, etc., that might be processed in the short staple spinning mill;
• optimal control over the movement of the fibers during the drafting operation;
• high precision of both operation and adjustment;
• rapid and simple adjustability of roller spacings and draft levels;
• ease of maintenance and cleaning;
• optimal ergonomic design.

·         Influences on the draft

In all types of drafting arrangement, the factors that affect the draft are:

Factors dependent upon the fiber material:

• mass of fiber in the strand cross section;
• degree of order of the fibers (parallel disposition);
• shape of the cross section of the fiber strand;
• compactness of the fiber strand;
• adhesion between the fibers dependent upon
• surface structure,
• crimp,
• spin finish,
• compression of the strand;
• fiber length;
• evenness of distribution of fiber lengths (staple form);
• existing twist in the fiber strand.

Factors dependent upon the drafting arrangement:

 

• diameter of the rollers;
• hardness of the top rollers;
• pressure exerted by the top rollers;
• surface characteristics of the top rollers;
• fluting of the bottom rollers;
• type and form of fiber guiding devices, such as pressure rods, pin bars, aprons, condenser etc.;
• clamping distances (roller settings);
• level of draft;
• distribution of draft between the various drafting zones.

·         Suction systems for the drafting arrangement

·         One of the tasks of the drawframe is dust removal. Release of dust occurs almost exclusively in the drafting arrangement and this should be totally enclosed so that dust does not pass into the surrounding atmosphere. The dust-laden air must be extracted by suction (as shown in Fig. 10 for the Rieter machine). Each roller of the arrangement has an associated cleaning device (scraping bar and suction tube) so that fly and fibers tending to adhere to the rollers can also be carried away. In addition, on the Rieter drawframe the scraping bars are lifted from the  top rollers intermittently. Trash collections therefore pass into the dust removal system. The air extracted is passed via tubes directly to filters within the machine and then into the exhaust ducts of the air-conditioning system or directly into those ducts. Filters within the machine are cleaned manually or by a wiper. This latter arrangement has the advantage not only of easier handling but also of constant suction pressure, resulting in constant cleaning efficiency.

·        

·         Fig. 10 – 4-over-3 drafting arrangement with suction system

Coiling

The delivery arrangement

To avoid disintegration of the web, it must be collected together in a converging tube immediately after the delivery roller and guided to the sliver trumpet. The design of the trumpet is very important, as it is responsible for the proper integration of the edge fibers of the fiber strand. The bore of this sliver trumpet must be adapted precisely to the sliver volume (sliver hank). These technological parts are therefore interchangeable.

Condensing

Downstream from the trumpet, the sliver runs between two calender rollers which are pressed towards each other. This condensing of the sliver enables more material to be fitted into the cans. Several manufacturers replace the fluted or smooth cylindrical calender rollers with grooved or stepped rollers. Since these latter rollers do not permit the fibers to escape laterally, an even better condensing effect is achieved. In this way, the total filled weight of the can may be increased by up to 20%. Grooved or stepped rollers can be used simultaneously as measuring devices for autoleveling systems. However, this condensing action, with the greater fiber adhesion that results, must be taken into account in further processing. For example, break draft conditions are changed at the roving frame. The break draft distance might have to be increased.
Downstream from the trumpet, the sliver runs between two calender rollers which are pressed towards each other. This condensing of the sliver enables more material to be fitted into the cans. Several manufacturers replace the fluted or smooth cylindrical calender rollers with grooved or stepped rollers. Since these latter rollers do not permit the fibers to escape laterally, an even better condensing effect is achieved. In this way, the total filled weight of the can may be increased by up to 20%. Grooved or stepped rollers can be used simultaneously as measuring devices for autoleveling systems. However, this condensing action, with the greater fiber adhesion that results, must be taken into account in further processing. For example, break draft conditions are changed at the roving frame. The break draft distance might have to be increased.

Sliver coiling

As already described for the  card, two rotary movements are required for cycloidal coiling of the sliver. On the one hand, the rotatable plate must be rotated above the can, while the can itself must rotate, at a considerably slower rate, below the plate. A sliver tube is provided on the plate as a fixed part to guide the sliver from the calender rollers into the can (Fig. 11). This tube extends from the center of the plate to its periphery. It is important for the coils that the circumferential velocity at the deposition point (sliver exit point) is somewhat higher than the delivery speed, so that blockages of the sliver in the tube are avoided.
However, the difference should not be too large, otherwise noticeable false drafts arise in the sliver. Due to the very high delivery speeds of modern drawframes, coiling is becoming increasingly critical. That is why the shape of the sliver tube is no longer straight, but is now curved exactly to correspond to the movement of the coiling sliver. On the Rieter drawframe a honeycomb-structured, high-grade steel sheet is also provided on the underside of the rotating plate to prevent depositions of spin finish when processing synthetic fibers.
Change gears are provided to permit adjustment to requirements. The plate is usually driven by toothed belts and the can turntable by gear wheels or an individual drive. The sliver may be laid in the cans in small coils (under-center coiling) or in large coils (over-center coiling) depending on the size of the cans (see  Technology of Short-staple Spinning).
The direction of rotation may also be changed and change gears are also provided for this purpose. The plate and the can turntable were formerly made to rotate in the same direction or in opposite directions. The direction of rotation exerts an influence on the quality of the coiling operation.
The standard can format in short staple spinning was always cylindrical (Fig. 12). Some years ago Rieter introduced a new format: the rectangular CUBIcan can (see Fig. 13). Compared with the cylindrical can it has three major advantages:

• capacity is increased by about 75%, due not only to the geometry of the can but also to the elimination of the can spring;
• it permits optimal utilization of the space available in down-stream processing (especially in rotor spinning);
• it is suitable for automation.

These advantages make the rectangular can very interesting. Drawframes for filling slivers into rectangular cans are offered by Rieter and Trützschler.

Fig. 11 – Rieter Coiler (CLEANcoil)

Fig. 12 – The Rieter RSB-D 40 drawframe

Fig. 13 – Drawframe with rectangular cans

Can changers

Modern high-performance drawframes are fitted with automatic can changers. These reduce the burden on personnel, enable more machines to be allocated to one person, reduce the necessity for the operative‘s attendance at the machine, and (the chief effect) also increase efficiency. They can be classified into:

• single-step changers (flying change);
• multiple-step changers (interrupted change).

Single-step changers result in higher machine efficiency since full cans are replaced by empty ones at full speed, i.e. without stopping the machine. Multiple-step changers result in lower machine efficiency since the machine must be brought to a stop during the change. To permit long periods of operation without personnel intervention, modern drawframes are equipped with magazines for up to 8 empty cans. The full cans are ejected onto the floor or onto a can trolley.

If feeding is performed with circular cans (the normal procedure) at the subsequent processing stages quite a lot of empty space remains between the cans. Especially on rotor spinning machines this necessitates using small diameter cans with correspondingly low feeding capacity. It is far better to use rectangular cans, which can be placed side by side in front of the machine without wasting space. That is why Rieter introduced this new type of cans as an option.

One or two deliveries per machine

There is a worldwide trend from two deliveries to one delivery per drawframe. The single One or two deliveries per machine

delivery has clear advantages over the double delivery drawframe:

• 10% to 20% higher efficiency;
• higher flexibility when integrated into spinning lines;
• well suited to automatic transport systems;
• better accessibility for operation and maintenance;
• better leveling quality;
• larger can diameters are possible (up to 1 000 mm for drawframes without autoleveling).

Monitoring and Autoleveling

Aim of autoleveling

The main task of autoleveling is to eliminate deviations in mass. The efficiency of an autoleveling device used to be defined as follows: “Those machines qualify on which the reaction time is shorter than the length of the deviation to be eliminated”. This applied to the elimination of long-term deviations. In the meantime the range of application has also shifted toward short-term regulation, due to the development of servo drives operating faster and the availability of more efficient electronics. For modern autoleveling drawframes the above mentioned definition must be changed to: “Those machines qualify which allow corrections to be made as quickly as deviations appear in the incoming sliver”

Classification

Monitoring systems can be distinguished according to whether they monitor

• the machine,
• the production, or
• the quality.

With machine monitoring systems, sensors are provided at all essential points to ensure that the machines are stopped immediately if a sliver breaks or runs out, if a lap forms, and so on. This is most important, since considerable damage can otherwise be caused to the machine. Production monitors respond primarily to interruptions in operation of the machine; they calculate the efficiency of the machine and the quantity produced in total and per machine. For monitors of quality, three types were formerly in use, namely those with:

• displays;
• self-compensation; and
• autoleveling.

The devices of the first group cannot replace an autoleveler, but they were valuable and very important aids to monitoring operation. Where these systems were used, the slivers delivered were continuously checked for hank consistency (and in some cases also for evenness over short lengths). If an unacceptable deviation from the set value arose, this was indicated and the machine usually stopped.

Monitoring devices with self-compensation

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·         Fig. 14 – Former MECATROL by Zinse

·        

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·         (Outdated but interesting)

·         This is a simple but interesting compensation technique. It was offered only by the Zinser company as MECATROL (Fig. 14). The so-called „toothed roller leveler“ consists of a toothed roller pair (1) and a fluted/pressure roller pair (2) forming a small drafting device in front of the actual drafting arrangement. As the individual slivers pass through the assembly they press the two toothed rollers (1) apart by an amount corresponding to the sliver volume. A thin sliver permits the upper roller to penetrate more deeply into the inter-tooth spaces of the lower roller. This gives greater diversion of the fiber strand at the point where it passes through, which is equivalent to an increase in the circumference of the roller. If the rate of rotation is held constant, the result is a higher peripheral speed. Since the peripheral speed of the roller pair (2) remains constant, and while the draft is given by:
,
the draft is reduced between the roller pairs. A thin place is thus drawn to a lesser degree than a normal piece of sliver.

·         If a thick place passes through, the upper toothed roller is lifted. The sliver diversion between the teeth becomes smaller, as do the circumference and the peripheral velocity. The draft is thus increased, which produces at least a partial compensation of the thick place. The measuring and adjusting points are identical and the reaction is thus very fast. A fault in an individual sliver can be reduced to about 40-50%. However, it is not possible to set a desired value.

·         Monitoring devices with autoleveling systems

·         Classification

These operate in accordance with either the open-loop or the closed-loop principle. In addition to the advantages and disadvantages of these systems listed in  Technology of Short-staple Spinning, the following should be mentioned here:

• open-loop control can also compensate variations of short (to medium) wavelength, but
• closed-loop control can compensate only medium and long-term variations.

This implies that piecings arising from the combing operation can be partly eliminated with the aid of the open-loop system but not with the closed-loop device. That is why the closed-loop control system is unsuitable for application in short staple spinning. With closed-loop control the autoleveler drawframe can be used, if at all, only as the first drawframe passage, because a doubling operation is always needed after this process stage on a succeeding drawframe. However, the faults or the quality deterioration are not leveled out in this second drawframe passage either; they pass into the yarn. The autoleveler drawframe can only be installed as the last passage in the line with an open-loop control device. A further major influencing factor is the leveling speed. Leveling has to be performed so fast that any change in sliver weight will be corrected while still maintaining a safety reserve. This means that the correction speed of the system has to be far faster than the fastest possible change in the sliver cross section.
On the other hand, long-term stability can be improved with closed-loop systems. For this reason, and also because of the lack of self-monitoring in open-loop control, drawframes that operate with this principle can usefully be fitted with a monitoring device having a display. Leveling drawframes of this kind (open-loop control) are mostly used for the second passage, because the piecings have then already been drawn farther apart and faults arising from the first passage can also be compensated. Leveling drawframes with closed-loop control can therefore be used only in the first passage. Since both open-loop and closedloop systems exhibit noticeable advantages and disadvantages, some time ago several manufacturers equipped their leveling drawframes with both systems in combination. Compensation is usually effected in a range of ±25%

Leveling drawframes with open-loop control

The total volume of all slivers is measured at the infeed (Fig. 15) and adjustment is effected with the appropriate time delay in the main drafting zone, i.e. the extent of the change is retained in a storage device until the measured deviation arrives at the drafting point. Detection is usually carried out mechanically (rollers with grooves, bores or steps) or by capacitive sensors.
This system permits very precise leveling of very short lengths. A second advantage is the ability to measure far greater sliver masses due to the lower infeed speed (corresponding to the amount of draft). Recording becomes more precise. In practice, drawframe leveling using open-loop control is now predominant.

Fig. 15 – Leveling drawframe with open-loop control

Leveling drawframes with closed-loop control

In this system, the evenness of the sliver delivered is measured rather than the infeed sliver, as is the case with openloop control. In contrast to the open-loop control system, where the adjusting point is located after the measuring point, the adjusting point in the closed-loop control system is located in front of the measuring point (Fig. 16). In this case measuring has to be performed at very high speeds and with relatively small fiber masses, making high demands on the sensing device and signal processing. Nevertheless, the adjustment is still made in the main drafting zone. Mechanical or pneumatic sensing devices are generally used.

Fig. 16 – Leveling drawframe with closed-loop control

Correction length

Fig. 17 – The correction length

If there is a sudden deviation from the set volume as the material passes through, a corresponding signal is sent to a regulating device to correct the fault. Owing to the mass inertia of the system, compensation cannot be effected suddenly, but must be carried out by gradual adjustment. A certain time (the correction time: in Fig. 17, I ) elapses before the sliver delivered has returned to the set volume. During this time, faulty sliver is still being produced, although the deviation is being steadily reduced. The total length that departs from the set value is referred to as the correction length (I). In closed-loop systems, the correction length is further increased by the dead time. In this case it depends upon the dead time (II) and the correction time (III). The correction length depends upon the system and the speed of operation, and therefore varies considerably.
The term “correction length” is used to describe the efficiency of a leveling device. However, this term is used in different ways and sometimes also incorrectly. The current interpretation is: “The correction length is the length of the product which would be produced when leveling a rectangular deviation of the product.“ The length therefore refers to an amplitude of the fault of 1%. The term “correction length” is therefore a theoretical value, since in practice rectangular faults do not occur. As they cannot be checked in the spinning mill, the quality of the delivered sliver is usually taken as the standard of comparison, and sliver evenness can be determined by any evenness tester

The Rieter RSB leveling system

The principle

Scanning the mass of infeed slivers

Fig. 18 – RSB leveling principle

Fig. 19 – The scanning systemScanning of mass deviation is performed by the grooved scanning disc and the associated pressure disc (Fig. 18, 1; Fig. 19). The signals are scanned at short, constant intervals, giving very exact values of the mass deviations of the infeed slivers. Determination of mass deviation by the pair of rotating scanning discs of the Rieter RSB scanning system is almost frictionless, thereby enabling the sensor device to employ high working forces, and thus to scan slivers with different bulk very accurately. This is especially advantageous if the individual cans (6 to 8) of infeed sliver are stored for different lengths of time before use. In this case the volume ratio of slivers often differs quite characteristically from can to can. The leveling process

The leveling process

Using the metered signals, the leveling processor calculates a value of rotation – on the basis of a special logarithm – for the servo drive. This value is forwarded to the drafting system drive exactly when the scanned sliver piece arrives at the drafting point in the main draft zone. The synchronization of the mechanical parts, the drive, the electronics and the software is therefore very decisive. High-performance drawframes with the appropriate devices and corresponding synchronization deliver a sliver with outstanding short-term, medium-term and long-term evennessThe leveling operation itself

The leveling operation itself

Leveling is performed exclusively by adjustment of the draft. Theoretically, there are two possibilities for such adjustment, namely via the break draft and the main draft, respectively. However, the main draft is always used because it is larger, and therefore finer adjustments are possible. Furthermore, use of the break draft would run the risk of entering the stick/slip zone.
Draft variation can also be carried out by adjusting either the infeed or the delivery speed. Adjustment of the infeed speed is generally used, since lower masses then have to be accelerated and decelerated at lower speeds. Furthermore, the delivery speed, and hence the production rate, remains constant. The advantages of high-performance leveling drawframes

The advantages of high-performance leveling drawframes

In the spinning mill:

• reducing count variations;
• fewer short-term mass variations in the yarn (CV %);
• improving the coefficient of variation of yarn strength (CV % cN/tex);
• fewer yarn imperfections (IPI and Classimat);
• improving the efficiency of roving frame and spinning machine by reducing the ends down rates;
• fewer cuts on the winding machine.

In the subsequent process stages:

• reduction of ends down rates in weaving preparation and weaving;
• even appearance of the finished cloth;
• reducing the cost for claims by eliminating a remarkable number of faults.

·         Integrated monitoring” – essential in spinning

If the goal is efficient operation over time, it is necessary to include monitoring equipment in the overall analysis in addition to automating the activities of attendants and transport personnel. Until a few years ago, such considerations were limited to small-scale, detailed solutions on individual machines. Now, however, integrated systems covering the complete process are almost essential for spinning mills in order to utilize the above-mentioned advantages. The method of operation

·         The method of operation

The integrated monitoring device operates completely independently of the leveling system. The position of the sensor is between the drafting arrangement and the upper can plate. It is therefore clear that faults still emerging at this can plate and thereafter are not detected. In sensor technology a distinction has to be made between systems at the delivery roller (Rieter) and at the sliver trumpet (Trützschler, Zellweger). When preset limits are exceeded the machine stops. A quality monitoring system

·         A quality monitoring system

Described by means of the Rieter Quality Monitoring system (RQM))
This continuously controls the sliver mass by means of movable delivery rollers. A precision sensor unit delivers values of the highest accuracy and therefore reliability, thus preventing the production of faulty slivers. The important quality parameters are shown on a monitor, which is part of the system. These are:

• sliver count;
• sliver evenness CV%;
• length variations for 5 cm,10 cm, 25 cm, 50 cm, 1 m, 3 m, 5 m;
• detection of thick places ≥ 2cm;
• current spectrogram;
• advanced diagram displays, e.g. up to a timeframe of more than 10 days.

For example, if the spectrogram shows an error at a certain length, possible reasons for this error in the gearing diagram can be shown on the display.
The RQM can be connected to all Rieter machines and to the  SPIDERweb overall monitoring system for further analysis.

Fig. 20 – The Rieter Quality Monitor (RQM) with indication panel

·         The integrated monitoring system(Process control techniques)

·          

·         Blending drawframes

In the spinning process every doubling produces simultaneous blending – especially the 6-8 doublings on the drawframe. This blending intensity is adequate for processing cotton. However, if cotton and synthetics are to be processed together, operation of the normal drawframe will no longer be optimal, although blending is generally carried out in this way in Europe. Blending is good in the longitudinal direction, but is inadequate in the cross-section (see  Technology of Short-staple Spinning). Special blending drawframes have been available for a long time in worsted spinning and it is therefore not surprising that attempts were made to introduce them into short-staple spinning mills.
This machine (no longer offered for cotton) (see Fig. 21) had four preliminary drafting arrangements and one downstream drafting arrangement.
Each preliminary drafting arrangement processed a separate set of six slivers. The webs produced in this way were brought together on a table and fed to the downstream drafting arrangement. The sliver emerging from this point was coiled in cans.
Whereas three passages are almost always needed with normal drawframes (blending drawframe and two subsequent drawframes), two passages suffice when a blending drawframe is used (one normal drawframe followed by one blending drawframe). In addition to this advantage, and improved intermixing, a further favorable aspect should be mentioned, namely that each raw material component can be processed in a drafting arrangement of its own. However, the disadvantages are serious:

• five drafting arrangements combined in one machine (setting, maintenance, etc);
• complexity;
• cost when 100% cotton is to be processed (when blended yarns are not required).

Fig. 21 – Principle of the blending drawframe 

·         Logistics

·         If arranged for individual cans, an automatic can changer and a trolley loading station are provided. However, the first passage can also be equipped with an interlinking system between the first and second drawframe passage, i.e. not only can changing but also placing the full cans of this passage alongside the feed table of the second passage and replacing empty cans by full ones there is performed automatically. With this device (CANlink, Fig. 22) the cans are filled and pushed alongside the feed table of the second passage one by one, forming a spare row. After the feed cans of the second passage run empty, the full spare cans are pushed into the feed position (in place of the empty ones) while the empty cans are simultaneous pushed out of the feed position into an empty feed row. From here the cans return to the can changer of the first passage. Operatives‘ work is reduced to a minimum.

·         At the final passage the cans from the can changer are automatically placed on trolleys to be forwarded to the next machine.

·        

·         Fig. 22 – Rieter CANlink

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·         Technical data of a high-performance drawframe

Delivery speed [m/min]
up to 1 100
Production per delivery [kg/h]
up to 400
Deliveries per machine
1 or 2
Doublings
4 to 8
Draft
up to 12
Delivery hank [ktex]
1.25 to 7
Waste [%]
0.1 to 1