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LOGO: Journal of Cotton Science

 

Pilot Study to Examine the Relationship between AFIS Fiber Properties and White Speck Occurrence

Authors: P.Z. Altintas, J. L Simonton, and M. G. Beruvides
Pages: 159-167
Textile Technology

Cotton containing dead and/or immature fibers is a major concern in the dyeing and finishing of textile products. In an un-dyed state, entangled fiber clusters are generically classified as neps. It is only after the application of dye, when some neps remain un-dyed, that the more specific classification of "white speck" is used. The high volume instrument (HVI) fiber property measurement system is important in marketing and general quality assessment of the cotton crop; however, HVI is not precise enough to address immature/dead fiber content. The objective of this pilot study was to examine the relationship between the AFIS (Uster’s Advanced Fiber Information System) fiber properties and white speck occurrence on dyed yarn. Relationships between key fiber properties, such as length, nep count, and maturity, and the occurrence of white specks were investigated. Ten bales of cotton with a range of micronaire values were sampled (10 samples per bale) and analyzed using AFIS with 3 replications of each counting 3,000 fibers. Each sample was then processed into yarn and dyed using the same procedure. White specks were quantified on dyed yarn using a white speck yarn counting method. This preliminary study demonstrated a promising relationship between the AFIS fiber properties and the white speck occurrence. Fiber fineness and fiber nep per gram were highly correlated with white speck occurrence on the dyed yarn.