On-trend … and on-quality

 

Spinning mills need to act fast to take advantage of important fashion trends. But yarns that hit the spot in terms of aesthetic appeal must also meet the exacting quality standards required in certain of these specialized applications.

 

The latest edition of the successful USTER® QUANTUM 3 yarn clearer addresses both these demands, thanks to new features, which allow spinners to deliver yarns that are on-trend and also on-quality.

 

Core Yarn Clearing and Color/Shade Variation are unique innovations that put spinners in control of quality and avoid claims and complaints in important applications such as stretch denim and sportswear, and in the newly fashionable market for mélange and subtly-colored yarns.

 

The Core Yarn Clearing feature with USTER® QUANTUM 3 is the first-ever automated solution to monitoring and assuring the quality of yarns with an elastane center encased by a cotton or synthetic outer. Fabrics with stretch and fancy slub effects created in this way continue to be extremely popular in both fashion items such as denim jeans and in functional garments and sports clothing.

 

Common problems when producing these yarns can occur when the inner elastane component is either missing or positioned off-center within the wrapper element. The Core Yarn Clearing feature uses powerful sensors and algorithms to detect any such problems and ensures that downstream customers receive a stretch yarn that perfectly meets their specifications.

 

Using the built-in Smart Limits facility, the correct tolerances can be set quickly and easily, so that any bobbins containing core defects are blocked and removed.

 

The new Shade Variation feature of the USTER® QUANTUM 3 overcomes several potential problems which can lead to unacceptable color and shade differences. This is particularly important for spinners operating in the growing market for mélange and color-effect yarns. Here, human error can cause bobbins of differing colors or shades to be accidentally mixed in a single yarn lot.

 

If that occurs, the problem can be difficult or impossible to identify in the yarn with the naked eye. And a single rogue bobbin can ruin a yarn lot, leading to disastrous and conspicuous results such as a barré effect in the final fabric. The risks of a mistake are often magnified by the insufficiently controlled process, inadequate lighting conditions in mills and the possibility of operatives with poor eyesight or imperfect color vision.

 

Today, latest technology in the USTER® QUANTUM 3 and its Shade Variation (SV) facility provides a separated clearing channel that deals specifically with color deviations. When clearing limits are set, the SV feature immediately starts checking the bobbin as it runs on the winding machine, after which the Continuous Shade Variation (CSV) takes over to monitor the entire length of the bobbin, based on reference data which enables detection of even the most subtle variations in mélange yarns.

 

Tradition of innovation

 

“It’s more that we hoped for, how much the new Core Yarn Clearing and the Color/Shade Variation features have been appreciated. And we are proud to have already reached the milestone this year of 1 million USTER® QUANTUM 3 clearers sold, thanks to this boost,” said Andreas Gantenbein, product manager of Yarn Clearing within Uster Technologies. “The effort USTER makes to maintain its strong innovation tradition has once again been recognized by spinners worldwide. This success will be celebrated on the day the 1 millionth clearer is produced.

 

“Whenever USTER stages an event of this type, the company reaffirms its continuing commitment to innovation,” he added. “Yarn clearers will help customers keep in step with fashion trends – and will always be developed to be a sound investment for the future.”

 

Source: Uster Technologies Ltd.