Sizing objectives of sizing; sizing materials and recipe used for different types of fibers; size

preparation equipment; sizing machines; sizing filament yarns; concept of single end sizing,
combined dyeing and sizing. Control concepts in modern sizing; energy conservation in sizing,
Performance assessment and calculations.

Sizing:

Sizing
The sizing is a preparatory process of weaving that comes after warping. It is a very important
and critical preparatory process. “The process of application of a thin film of adhesive and
binder on the yarn surface to improve the weavability of yarn is called sizing process”. It is
essential for weaving the fabric with single-ply spun yarn. The quality of the sizing process
directly influences the performance of the loom and the quality of the fabric to be woven. "The
people say that sizing is the heart of weaving". In this process, the warp sheet gets immersed
in the paste of adhesive and binder, then the warp is squeezed properly to eliminate the excess
amount of adhesive. Now the warp is dried and the ends are separated from each other. Now the
warp ends are wound on the weaver’s beam. The strength of warp yarn is increased after the
sizing process.

Objects Of Sizing
 To improve the weave ability of warp yarn.
 To maintain good fabric quality by reducing hairiness, weakness, and increasing
smoothness and the yarn's strength.
 To increase the tensile or breaking strength for cellulose yarn.
 To increase the elasticity.
 To remove the projecting fibre.
 To reduce electrostatic formation for synthetic or blended yarn
 To maintain good fabric quality.
 To increase yarn elasticity.
 To increase the yarn weight.
 To increase the frictional resistance.
 To reduce the fibers projection.
 To increase the breaking strength.
 To increase stiffness.
 To control irregularity of yarn.
 To reduce electrostatic charge.
 To make the weak or less strength yarn suitable for weaving.

Different Techniques Of Sizing

 Hot melt sizing.
 Solvent sizing.
  Foam sizing.
 High-pressure sizing.
 Electrostatic sizing.
 Emulsion sizing.
 Combined sizing.
 Conventional sizing.

Types of sizing:

Sizing may be classified into four types on the basis of size% on the yarn

1. Light sizing :10 % to 15

2. Pure sizing : 16% to 25 %
3. Medium sizing : 26 % to 50 %
4. Heavy sizing : 50 % to 100 %

sizing materials and recipe used for different types of fibers;

1. Starch
2. Binder
3. Softener
4. Anti-septic agent
5. Anti-static agent
6. Weighting agent.

SIZING INGREDIENTS:

The chemicals to be used in the preparation of sizing liquor is called sizing ingredients. Sizing
ingredients may be classified into two categories:
• Primary sizing ingredients
• Secondary sizing ingredients
Primary sizing ingredients:

the names and their roles of primary sizing ingredients are given below:

Adhesive agent:

The main role of an adhesive agent in the sizing liquor is to form a thin layer (film) on the yarn
surface. It is a very important ingredient. A major portion of sizing liquor consists of the
adhesive agent. It penetrates inside the yarn and increases the yarn strength. The protruding
fibres also bind with the yarn surface and help to increase yarn strength. The hairiness of the yarn
reduces too. Now, these days following types of adhesive agents are used in the sizing process.

Simple starch:

this is untreated starch powder. Mainly maize starch, sago starch, wheat starch, potato starch
are used as adhesive agents in sizing. The viscosity of sizing liquor with untreated starch is
always high. It gives poor penetration in the warp yarn. This starch is suitable for sizing of a
coarse count of yarn up to 20s count.

Thin boiling starch:

it is chemically treated starch. It has a lower viscosity than untreated starch. It easily penetrates
the yarn. When warp count increases, the size pick-up percentage is also increased thus the
concentration of liquor is also increases but the viscosity of liquor is kept almost the same by
using thin boiling starch. It may be successfully used in the sizing of the medium count of warp
yarn. It is a little expensive than untreated starch.

Modified starch:

it chemically modified starch. It has a very low viscosity. It gives the best penetration effect in
the yarn. It is suitable for all types of yarn count. It can be used for sizing of warp of high-speed
loom. Good quality of fabric results with this adhesive. Maximum efficiency can be achieved by
using this adhesive. This is much expensive so that it is used in the sizing of a fine count of warp
yarn only.

Binding agent:

It is used to make the adhesive film enough strong. The adhesive film has brittleness. When it
passes through various kinds of abrasive actions and jerks during weaving, the adhesive film
becomes cracked and end breakage results during weaving. The binding agent provides strength
to the adhesive film and prevents becoming a crack. There are many types of binding agents that
are being used in sizing at present time. The widely using binding agents in today’s sizing are
given below:

• Guar gum

• Carboxy methyl cellulose (C.M.C.)

• Polyvinyl alcohol (P.V.A.)

• Polyester binder(R- bind, bilbind PS, eco size)

• Acrylic binder (rainsize excel).

Above binding agents are used individually or within combination according to requirement,
quality and the warp count is always taken into consideration before the selection of binding
agents.

Softening agent:

It is used to make the adhesive film more soft and flexible. As we know that the warp yarn
passes through different angles so that the adhesive film becomes crack due to the bending
movement of the yarn. This problem necessitates that the adhesive film should be soft and
flexible. The softening agent provides enough softness to the adhesive film. It also makes the
yarn surface smooth. Following types of softening agents are used now these days:

• Vegetable fats (dalda, refined oil)

• Animal fats (mutton tallow)

• Synthetic softener (R-soft, textile wax)

A little amount of softener is used in the sizing liquor. It does not affect the costing of the sizing
process on many scales.

SECONDARY SIZING INGREDIENTS:

The secondary sizing ingredients of sizing agents are given below:

Antistatic agent:

It prevents the generation of electrostatic charge in the warp yarn during weaving. When the
warp makes up and down movement during weaving, the ends rub to each other and generates an
electrostatic charge in the warp. These electrostatic charges cause warp breakage during
weaving. A very little amount of antistatic agent is used in the sizing liquor. The types of
antistatic agents are given below:

• Sepcostate

• LV-40

• PAA-40

Antiseptic agent:

It is used to prevent bacteria or mildew formation in the sized beam or fabric woven from a sized
warp. When the sized warp or fabric remains unused, there are chances of bacteria or mildew
formation in humid conditions or rainy seasons. Some antiseptic agent is added to the sizing
liquor to avoid this problem.

• Salicylic acid

• Zinc chloride

• Phenol

• Emulsifier

• Copper sulphate

Hygroscopic agent:

The main role of the hygroscopic agent in the sizing liquor is to improve the moisture absorption
capacity of warp from the air. Since we know that the strength of cotton increases by increasing
moisture percentage when the warp absorbs the moisture during weaving, the warp breakage rate
is reduced. The majorly using hygroscopic agents are given below:

• French chock

• China clay

Weighting agent: These agents are used to increase the weight of the fabric. The fabrics are to
be sold at grey atage or require the special type of finishing to get fuller appearance are sized
with the weighting agent

size preparation equipment:

Types of size box used in sizing machine:

The size box and all parts that remain in contact with the size solution are made of stainless steel
to prevent corrosion. The size liquor in the size box is normally heated by steam supplied
through a steam coil placed at the bottom of the size box. The steaming coils placed in the size
box should ensure uniform heating of the size liquor in the entire size box. the basic function of
all size boxes is to impregnate the warp sheet in the size liquor at a predetermined application
temperature and to squeeze out the excess size liquor before the yarn sheet reaches the drying
zone. Most slashers are equipped with a single sizing box having two pairs of squeezing rolls and
an immersion roll. Figure 15 shows a typical size box. A sheet of warp yarn is drawn from the
warper’s beams and fed to the size box over a pair of guide rolls with a slack rod or tension roll
riding on the warp between the two guide rolls. The sheet of yarn is immersed in a size solution
by one or two immersion roll(s). The immersion roll is normally movable. The yarn sheet with
wet size on it then passes through one or two pairs of squeezing rolls, as shown in Fig. 15. Fig:
15 Schematics of size box.

The purpose of the squeeze rolls is to remove the excess size liquid from the yarns. For filament
yarn sizing a single squeeze size box is usually used; however, in case of spun cotton and
synthetic yarns where higher size add on is required, double squeeze size boxes are normally
preferred. The bottom roll in a pair of squeeze rolls is made up of stainless steel and the top roll
is made from cast iron material covered with rubber. The drawback of the high pressure
squeezing is that the top squeeze rolls deflect or bend when loaded at such high pressure.

Conventional size box and its feature

The conventional type of size box shown in figure below which is used in the old two cylinder
sizing range is rectangular in shaft and open at top except for the smaller compartment.
 The box divided into two compartment. A smaller one at the front end and a slightly larger one
at the near end. The two compartment are separate by a portion with a small rectangular opening
at the bottom for the size mixture to flow from one to the other compartment. The smaller
compartment which is usually with a lid to prevent evaporation of water from the size paste act
as a storage or reverse compartment to which the size paste is supplied from the storage back of
the size mixture through a feed pipe. The float roller shown fig. is to keep constant the level of
size mixture in the size box. The float roller is simply a hollow copper rubbing and due to its
light weight compound to its volume floor on the surface of the size mixture. It is provided with
an air tube to prevent collapse due to fall in temperature.

The rear compartment contain on immersion roller which can be raised or lowered by means
of a rack and pinion arrangement. The warp sheet roller and then goes around the lower half of
the immerse roller by raising or lowering the immersion roller the length of the path of the warp
sheet though the size mixture can be decreased or increased, respectively, as design. This control
the size pick-up by the warp longer length of the path giving higher pick-up and vice-versa as
required. The rear compartment contain on immersion roller which can be raised or lowered by
means of a rack and pinion arrangement. The warp sheet roller and then goes around the lower
half of the immerse roller by raising or lowering the immersion roller the length of the path of
the warp sheet though the size mixture can be decreased or increased, respectively, as design.
This control the size pick-up by the warp longer length of the path giving higher pick-up and
vice-versa as required.
 The yarn then passes over the size roller. Which formally used to be “a copper roller” on the
top of the size roller rest the squeeze roller. The yarn passes out through the nip between the side
roller and the squeeze roller and get squeezed. The squeeze give the penetration of two size into
the yarn interstices and also experts out the excess of the size from the surface of the yarn to
leave on uniform, smooth film on it.

Shirley Automatic Size Box

To maintain constant concentration the ordinary size box can’t do it. That’s why the Shirley
automatic size box has been introduced with us.

Purpose of Shirley Automatic size box: In the size box Shirley automatic size box maintain
constant level of size solution and also maintain constant concentration per volume.

Construction of Shirley Automatic size box: To immerse warp yarn into liquor and squeezing
roller to control size takes up% the Shirley automatic size box consists of an immersion roller.
To control size liquor there are also a water pipe and also to control concentration there are a size
solution pipe.

Mechanism of Sizing: The mechanism of sizing is described below,

1. Through water pipe and size solution pipe, required amount of water and size liquor solution are
added respectively.
2. To maintain the concentration when the concentration is more then just add water.

3. To maintain the concentration when the concentrations is less then just add size solution.

4. Via guide roller the yarn sheet is feed to the immersion roller and come out through the sizing
roller and squeezing roller.

5. By the pressure of squeezing roller the yarn take up% is controlled.

sizing machines:

Sizing Machines
The sizing process consists of impregnating with the size the warp unwound from the warping
beams, drying, separating the ends and beaming. Moreover, during the sizing process, the warp
is marked for dividing it into pieces of predetermined length.
all sizing machines may be classified as follows:
 Cylinder sizing machine – in which the warp is dried by contact with the hot surface of
the cylinder;
 Hot air sizing machine – in which drying is effected in chambers with hot air;
 Combined sizing machine – in which the warp is dried by contact with the hot surface
of the cylinders and bypassing through hot air chambers;
 Special sizing machine - in which the warp is dried by electric heating, high-frequency
currents, by infra-red rays etc.
- Cylinder drying: Twin and multi-cylinder type.

- Hot air drying.

- Electrical drying.

The first method is based on the principle of conduction and is widely used in industry. Twin
cylinders were used for drying of sized warp in the conventional machines. Later multi cylinders
have been used and are commonly prevalent nowadays.

Passage Of Material Through A Slasher Machine

The general passage of warp through a two-cylinder slasher sizing machine is shown in the
following fig:
 Fig. Two or slasher sizing machine

The yarn from the warper’s beams usually containing about 500-800 warp ends are made to pass
into a size box through a guide roller. The warper’s beams, also known as the back beams, are
placed in a creel stand. The number of warper beams depends upon the total number of ends
required in the cloth or weaver’s beam. The warp from the rear beams passes over and under the
successive back beams. The warp sheet emerging from the back beams enters a size box that is
kept heated by a constant steam supply through pipes. The warp sheet is made to go under a
partially immersed immersion roller and then passes between the size and squeeze roller's nips.
The squeeze roller impregnates the size into the yarn structure and removes external excess size
while drags the warp sheet through the paste.

The wet size yarn then enters the drying zone comprising of either two or multi-cylinders or a
hot air chamber. The sized yarn is dried here. The residence time of the sized warp in the drying
zone is regulated in such a way as to avoid over-drying. All the cylinders are steam-heated
except the last one, which is kept cool by the cold water supply. This is done to cool the warp
sheet when it leaves the drying zone.

After leaving the drying zone, the sheet of warp yarns is split into as many sections or layers as
there are beams in the creel. This is done using lease rods or split rods. The purpose is to
eliminate the stickiness of neighbouring warp threads. The split warp threads are then
recombined and then made to pass through an ‘expanding or zig zag’ reed or comb. This comb
regulates the width of the warp sheet to the required dimensions. The warp is then made to pass
between the nips of a ‘drag roller’ and is finally wound on a beam called ‘weaver or sizers’
beam. In short, the entire slasher machine can be divided into three important zones, namely –

- Creel and size box forming the rear or backside of the machine.

- Drying arrangement forming the middle zone of the machine and

- Front zone or headstock consisting of weaver’s beam, and various controls.

Fig. Seven or multi-cylinder sizing machine

Fig. Hot air sizing machine

,
General Specification Of Sizing Machines
 Wrap speed at slow run – 3 to 7 meter/min.
 Warp speed at work – 100 to 120 meter/min.
 Maximum length in the drying part – 15 to 25 meters.
 Maximum temperature of the drying cylinder surface – 1200 C.
  Warping beam diameter – 600 to 800 mm.
 Size beam diameter – 600 to 700 mm.

sizing filament yarns;

Filament yarn sizing

Why we need to size filament yarn?
The filament yarns have much more smoother surface and stronger as compare to staple
yarnthen, why we need to size it? There is wide range of filament yarn from high twisted
filamentyarn to low twisted multi-filament yarns. High twist filament yarns may not require
sizing. Butif we do not size the low twist multi-filament yarn, they can create problems: if a
singlefilament breaks during weaving. It will make fuzz ball, float or skip that will ultimately
causethe loom to stop. It order to avoid these kinds of situations, we size the yarn.

The main function of size is to protect the yarn during looming process. That can onlyhappened
if the size material possess good adhesion properties: there is a strong force of
attraction between fiber and size material. These forces are usually Van Der Waals’ or
Hydrogen Bonding. As we know that Hydrogen bonding is much stronger
than Van Der Waals’
force so it implies that the size material that makes hydrogen bond will possess good
adhesionproperties.

Some times when the size material do not have good adhesion properties we can add
someplasticizer to the size material to improve this properties. In addition to increase the
adhesionproperties these plasticizer can also reduce the cost and have good film forming
properties.

Figure 1 the configuration of filament yarn sizing machine.

Warp preparation
Warp preparation for filament yarn is same as staple yarn. Two basic technique are used.
a) Sectional warpingb)

b) Direct warping/Beaming
Although the method is same but there are some steps and precautions which we have tofollow
in the case of filament yarn warping.
Precautions sectional warping
Filament yarn can have luster and strain variations between and within the package so it
isimportant that we use cross creeling in order to avoid strips formation on beam. The othermajor
problem is rolling of end during warping. It can be reduced by using splitting rods andcondenser
board. Otherwise these ends. Rolling can also be avoided by adding more numberof leases.

Precaution in direct warping

Direct warping is the much faster way to warp the yarn sheet. It has less problems and
morecommercial. But to avoid stripiness we make different sets of back beams.

Sizing method
The sizing method of warp prepared from sectional warping and direct warping is
different.Because the in the case of section warping we have all the ends on a single beam but in
thecase of direct warping total ends are equally divided on numbers of beams. The technique
use for sizing for sectional warped yarn is called “Beam to Beam Sizing” and for the other
it iscalled “Slashing”.

The most important thing in beam to beam sizing is to maintain the proper stretch. Somefilament
yarn can be overstretched during sizing process. Overstretched yarn become brittleand cause
yarn breakage during looming process. And after sizing it is important to use propersplicing
technique to insure that there is no stripiness and yarns are separated appropriately.Similarly in
slasher it is important to maintain the tension of each back beam and make surethat they are
tensioned equally otherwise stripiness will produce.

Factor influencing sizing

There are some which should kept in mind while sizing they can directly affect the quality ofthe
weavers beam. A list of these factor is given below.

a) Control of size bath: it is important to circulate the size material in the size box andmaintain
the exact temperature of the size material to obtain the uniform sized warp.
b) Quetsch system: the pressure applied by the squeeze roller influence the amount ofsize stored
on the yarns. It is related to the composition of the quetsch roller.
c) Drying: drying of filament yarn is very critical process. It is mostly dome by steamheated
cylinder. These cylinders are coated with anti-sticking material to avoidsticking. Drying
temperature depends on the type of yarn.
d) Stretch: the over stretching of yarn can cause brittleness which will be problem inlooming.
Over stretching can occur at three in sizing.
a.Between the warpers’ beam and quetsch roller
b.Between the quetsch roller and the first drying cylinder
c.Between the last drying cylinder and the draw roller.
e) Static electricity: static charge can be built up due to the friction between the yarnsheet and
drying cylinder. An electric static eliminator is used at the headstock toovercome this problem.

Sizing material
Below is the list of properties that a size material (for filament yarn) must have:a)

c) Good adhesion propertiesb)

d) ) Less expensivec)

e) Should give appropriate amount of strength to the yarn

d) Impart elasticity, flexing resistance, resilience and lubrication properties to the yarne)

e) It should dry easilyf)

f) It should not cause static charge build up on yarng)

g) It should not be affected by the extreme humidityh)

H) It should be easily removable during desizing.

concept of single end sizing,

combined dyeing and sizing.

Control concepts in modern sizing;

energy conservation in sizing,

Performance assessment and calculations.