Modal–Cotton Fibre Blend Ratio and Ring Frame Parameter Optimisation Through the Taguchi Method

Abstract

The influence of Modal–cotton (MC) fibre blend ratio and ring frame machine parameters such as front top roller loading and break draft on the blended yarn properties has been studied. Compact MC blended yarn samples of 14.75 tex with three different MC fibre blend ratio has been produced in a LR 6 ring spinning frame fitted with Suessen Compact drafting system. A robust design optimisation to minimise the variations of the output yarn properties such as blended yarn tenacity, yarn unevenness and hairiness caused because of the variations in the material as well as machine setting parameters is achieved through the Taguchi parametric design approach. It is found that the maximum compact MC blended yarn tenacity is 23.76 g/tex, which is influenced very much by MC fibre blend ratio but meagrely by top roller loading and break draft. Similarly, the minimum 9.54 U% and 3.59 hairiness index are achieved with 100:0 and 70:30 MC fibre blend ratio, respectively, at 23-kg top roller loading. Statistical ANOVA analysis is performed on the results and optimum values are obtained within the 95% confidential level through confirmation experiments.

Keywords

• break draft
• blended yarn
• modal–cotton fibre blend ratio
• robust design
• taguchi method
• top roller loading