Dyes and Pigments 165 (2019) 151–156

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Dyes and Pigments

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/dyepig

Kubelka-Munk double constant theory of digital rotor spun color blended T

yarn
Ruihua Yang∗, Yaya Xu, Chunping Xie, Hongbo Wang
Key Laboratory of Eco-Textile (Ministry of Education), Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China

A R T I C LE I N FO A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Different colored fibers were blended into yarns by digital rotor spinning to meet the market demand of multi-
Digital rotor spinning species and small-batch production. In order to study the color blending effect of spun yarn, two-component and
Colored spun yarn three-component blended yarns were obtained by red, yellow and blue slivers, and woven as fabrics. Parameters
Kubelka-Munk theory of K-M double constant theoretical model were calculated by the color characteristics of fabrics. The absorption
Color blending effect
coefficient (K) and the scattering coefficient (S) of the monochromatic fiber were calculated by the method of
least squares and the method of relative value, respectively. According to the above methods, two Kubelka-Munk
double constant color blending models were built. The two models were used to predict colors and blending
ratios of fabrics. The results show that the K-M model established by the least squares method can better predict
color blending effect and the blending ratio of digital rotor spun yarn.

1. Introduction
Colored yarns are spun by blending two or more kinds of colored
fibers. The fibers in the yarn cross-section are blended staggered jux-
taposition, showing a blending effect in the visual color space [1–4].
The production process is environmentally friendly, small-scale and
multi-style. In addition, the colored yarns can be woven as a fabric
without dyeing. The fabric exhibits a unique color effect - harmony, soft
and rich hazy three-dimensional effect and texture.
Color matching is one of the key technical problems of colored spun
yarn in textile industry [5–7]. It is one of the necessary conditions to
realize computer intelligent color matching in the process of digital
spinning with various ratios of colored fiber. Kubelka-Munk double-
constant theory (K-M) has been widely used in dye formula prediction
[8–11]. In recent years, many people used K-M to study blending effects
with different fibers, and achieved satisfactory results. According to the
previous study of K-M, there were two methods for solving the ab-
sorption coefficient (K) and the scattering coefficient (S) of mono-
chromatic fibers in color blended yarns or fabrics, namely, the least
squares method and the relative value method. The least squares
method was proposed by Walowit using the linear least squares re-
gression algorithm to solve K, S values, so that the color difference
between the calculated and the measured is minimal [8]. Some re-
searchers used the least squares method to study blended colors with
the three primary colored fibers (Red, Yellow and Blue), and were
satisfied with the results [9,10]. The relative value method was pro-
posed by Burlone in the study of blending effects of nine colored nylon
fiber. By assuming K and S of one fiber, the method can determine K
and S of another fiber in the color blending fabric [11]. Therefore, the
relative method was usually established by testing the parameters of
two-component yarn or fabric.
In this study, based on K-M, K and S of monochromatic fiber were
used to establish the color blending model of digital rotor spun yarn.
Two algorithms were used to solve K, S values. The blended fabric color
and blending ratio were calculated and predicted. The color difference
and blending ratio error were analyzed. It provided a theoretical basis
for further research on the three-color blending model of digital rotor
spun yarn and computer intelligent color matching.
2. Digital rotor spinning
Digital rotor spun method is one of the most flexible spinning pro-
cesses modified on the traditional rotor spinning machine [4]. The
modification is implemented by a novel mechanical system specially
designed to incorporate three separate feed rollers side by side and
controlled by servo motors with PLC. Using this new method, three
different slivers can be fed and controlled by each feed roller in-
dividually (the feeding speeds can be the same or different and can be
changed on line). Blend ratios of yarns can be controlled and achieved
by asynchronous drafted slivers. Thus, three primary colored (Red,

∗
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: yangrh@jiangnan.edu.cn (R. Yang).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2019.02.008
Received 7 December 2018; Received in revised form 3 January 2019; Accepted 4 February 2019
Available online 15 February 2019
0143-7208/ © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
R. Yang, et al. Dyes and Pigments 165 (2019) 151–156

Fig. 2. The K values of the three primary colored yarns (R, G and B) calculated
Fig. 1. Mechanism of digital rotor spun machine(1,2,3-combined rollers; 4- by the least square method.
collector; 5-main roller; 6-carding roller; 7-fiber transport channel; 8-rotor; 9-
collecting groove; 10-guide roller; 11-bobbin).

Yellow and Blue) slivers can be blended in suitable proportions to ob-

tain as many targeted colors as possible in theory, just like “digital
printing”. It provides a simple way to reproduce the color of a standard
and is more environmentally friendly. For other kinds of color yarn
spinning process, mixing and spinning are usually completed in dif-
ferent processes: mixing first, and then spinning yarn. Such spinning
processes are complex and the factory is difficult to manage. Besides,
the color fiber mixing ratio cannot be flexibly controlled, and product
development subjects to certain restrictions. The new method proposed
in this research demonstrate advantages and development potentials of
color blended yarns in spinning flexibility and products variety (see
Fig. 1).

3. Preparation and measurement of samples

Experimental raw materials are three primary colored cotton slivers

(Red, Yellow, and Blue). The dyes are C.I. Reactive Red 239 (Reactive
Red 3BSN), C.I. Reactive blue 19 (Reactive blue KN-R) and C.I. Reactive
Yellow 176 (Reactive Yellow 3RS) purchased from Lonsen Ltd.
(Zhejiang, China).
According to the principle of digital rotor spinning machine, two
and three components of blended yarns (44.85tex) were spun with the
10% gradient combination of red, yellow and blue slivers. The specific
blending ratios of the samples were shown in Table 1.
Knitting fabrics were produced with digital rotor spun yarns. The
Fig. 3. The S values of the three primary colored yarns (R, G and B) calculated
by the least square method.
sample was 20 cm × 20 cm, and the fabric had a density of 110/cm2
produced by single jersey knitting machine TF-S3F4 produced by Taifan
Machinery Industry Co. Ltd. Color characteristics of fabrics were tested
by Datacolor 650 purchased from Datacolor Co. Ltd. The spectral re-
flectance of the fabric was measured at a specific wavelength, ranging
from 360 nm to 700 nm at a wavelength interval of 10 nm. The

Table 1
Blending ratios of the samples.
No. R:Y:B No. R:Y:B No. R:Y:B No. R:Y:B No. R:Y:B No. R:Y:B

#1 1:0:0 #12 9:1:0 #23 0:2:8 #34 5:1:4 #45 1:2:7 #56 1:4:5
#2 0:1:0 #13 1:0:9 #24 0:3:7 #35 4:1:5 #46 6:3:1 #57 4:5:1
#3 0:0:1 #14 2:0:8 #25 0:4:6 #36 3:1:6 #47 5:3:2 #58 3:5:2
#4 1:9:0 #15 3:0:7 #26 0:5:5 #37 2:1:7 #48 4:3:3 #59 2:5:3

#5 2:8:0 #16 4:0:6 #27 0:6:4 #38 1:1:8 #49 3:3:4 #60 1:5:4
#6 3:7:0 #17 5:0:5 #28 0:7:3 #39 7:2:1 #50 2:3:5 #61 3:6:1
#7 4:6:0 #18 6:0:4 #29 0:8:2 #40 6:2:2 #51 1:3:6 #62 2:6:2
#8 5:5:0 #19 7:0:3 #30 0:9:1 #41 5:2:3 #52 5:4:1 #63 1:6:3
#9 6:4:0 #20 8:0:2 #31 8:1:1 #42 4:2:4 #53 4:4:2 #64 2:7:1
#10 7:3:0 #21 9:0:1 #32 7:1:2 #43 3:2:5 #54 3:4:3 #65 1:7:2
#11 8:2:0 #22 0:1:9 #33 6:1:3 #44 2:2:6 #55 2:4:4 #66 1:8:1

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at several locations was measured. Average color difference less than

0.2 CIELAB color unit was taken as the results.

4. K-M model and experimental verification

4.1. K-M double constant theory

Since the relationship between the reflectivity (R) and the dye
concentration is complex and not a simple linear relationship, the K-M
theory uses the absorption coefficient (K) and the scattering coefficient
(S) to simplify the relationship between the reflectivity and the dye
concentration [8]. The relationship between R, K and S is expressed as
Eq. (1).

K (1 − Rλ )2
⎛ ⎞ =
⎝ S ⎠λ 2Rλ (1)

Where: Rλ is the reflectivity of the sample at the wavelength λ .

Fig. 4. The K/S values of the three primary colored yarns (R, G and B) calcu- In addition, since K and S of the opaque fibers are additive [12], the
lated by the least square method. relationship between the K/S value of the color blending fabric and the
ratio of each monochromatic fiber is denoted as Eq. (2) according to the
K-M double constant theory [9]:
n
K ∑ Ci Ki
= in= 1
S ∑i = 1 Ci Si (2)

Where i = 1 … n is the monochromatic blending ratio.

4.2. Least squares method

According to the K-M theory, for the three-component colored fiber

blending yarn, Eq. (2) can be expressed as
C1 K1 + C2 K2 + C3 K3
K /S =
C1 S1 + C2 S2 + C3 S3 (3)

The equation is developed as Eq. (4):

− C1 K1 − C2 K2 − C3 K3 + C1 (K / S ) S1 + C2 (K / S ) S2 + C3 (K / S ) S3 = 0
(4)
Fig. 5. The K values of the three primary colored yarns (R, G and B) calculated
by the relative value method. According to the least squares method proposed by Walowit, K and
S of each monochromatic fiber at different wavelengths are obtained by
using the coefficient matrix.
Set
Am,1 = −C1

Am,2 = −C2

Am,3 = −C3

Am,4 = C1 (K / S )

Am,5 = C2 (K / S )

Am,6 = C3 (K / S )

We can get the coefficient matrix:

⎡ A1,1 ⋯ A1,6 ⎤
⎢ ⋮ ⋮ ⋮ ⎥
B=⎢
A ⋯ Am,6 ⎥
Fig. 6. The S values of the three primary colored yarns (R, G and B) calculated ⎢ m,1 ⎥
⎣ 1 ⋯ 1 ⎦ (6)
by the relative value method.

⎡0⎤
measurement results were used as basic data for subsequent models. ⋮
Y=⎢ ⎥
During color testing, the knitting samples were folded 4 layers to ensure ⎢0⎥
opaque and the 30 mm aperture was selected. In each sample, the color ⎢
⎣1⎥ ⎦ (7)

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⎡ K1 ⎤
⎢ K2 ⎥
⎢ K3 ⎥
X=⎢ ⎥
⎢ S1 ⎥
⎢ S2 ⎥
⎢S ⎥
⎣ 3⎦ (8)
Therefore, the system of linear equations can be expressed as a
matrix equation:
Y = B⋅X (9)
K and S of each monochromatic fiber at a certain wavelength can be
obtained by the least squares method, as represented by Eq. (10).
X = (BT B )−1 BT Y (10)
Since the matrix Y is a zero matrix, the sum and the mean of the
unknowns are defined as a reasonable constant by adding the Y matrix
and the coefficient matrix B with a row 1 respectively in order to
guarantee solution of the linear system of equations.
Fig. 7. The K/S values of the three primary colored yarns (R, G and B) calcu-
lated by the relative value method.
4.3. Relative value method

The relative value method is to select one of the monochromatic

fibers in the two-component blending materials as reference fibers, and
S of the selected fiber at each wavelength is set as 1, that is S1 = 1, then
K1 = (K / S )1. Since the required sample is a two-component sample
when using the relative value method, Eq. (2) can be expressed as:
C1 K1 + C2 K2
K /S =
C1 S1 + C2 S2 (11)

K2
(K / S )2 =
S2 (12)
The above two equations can be combined as:
C1 [(K / S ) S1 − K1]
S2 =
C2 [(K / S )2 − K / S ] (13)

K2 = (K / S )2 S2 (14)
Where: C1, C2 are the ratios of each monochromatic sample, respec-
tively; K1, K2, S1, S2 are K and S values of the monochromatic, respec-
Fig. 8. Tested and predicted R of validation Samples by the least square tively; K/S is the K/S value of the blended fabric; (K / S )1 and (K / S )2 are
method. the K/S value of each monochrome fabric, respectively.
Then the K and S values of the other fiber in the blended yarn can be
determined. In order to check the results, blended fabrics with different
ratios are used to solve the equations, and then the average K and S can
be adopted respectively. However, the K and S values of the colored
fibers obtained by this method are only relative values and not the true
K and S values of the colored fibers. Therefore, K and S values obtained
by this method cannot represent the real colors of the fibers.

5. Results and analysis

According to K and S values of each monochromatic fiber obtained

by the above two methods, two types of the color blending models of
digital rotor spun yarn based on K-M double constant theory can be
established. 3 single-component and 27 two-component fabrics were
used to solve K and S values by the relative value method. For 36
samples with three components, 31 were used for the least squares
method to solve K and S, and remaining 5 were used for validation of
the two models.
Based on the values of K and S of the monochromatic fibers at dif-
ferent wavelengths calculated above, the reflectance of the predicted
Fig. 9. Tested and predicted R of validation Samples by the relative value
samples was calculated using Eq. (15).
method.
R = 1 + K / S − [(K / S )2 + 2 × K / S ]1/2 (15)
Since most of the colors can be achieved by blending the three

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Table 2
Model verification values by the least square method.
No. Tested Predicted Actual blending ratio Predicted blending ratio ΔE

L a b L a b

#32 51.317 18.228 −7.458 52.037 17.410 −7.477 0.7:0.1:0.2 0.718:0.088:0.191 1.09
#47 54.011 10.293 7.589 54.214 10.366 7.119 0.5:0.3:0.2 0.492:0.308:0.200 0.52
#54 55.219 −0.361 12.092 55.425 0.291 12.311 0.3:0.4:0.3 0.284:0.401:0.315 0.72
#58 57.200 2.951 19.645 57.214 3.935 20.386 0.3:0.5:0.2 0.293:0.491:0.216 1.23
#63 58.832 −7.170 25.129 59.115 −7.090 25.998 0.1:0.6:0.3 0.102:0.589:0.309 0.92

Table 3
Model verification values by the relative value method.
No. Tested Predicted Actual blending ratio Predicted blending ratio ΔE

L a b L a b

#32 51.317 18.228 −7.458 52.097 18.879 −7.795 0.7:0.1:0.2 0.605:0.084:0.181 1.07
#47 54.011 10.293 7.589 54.564 11.163 7.283 0.5:0.3:0.2 0.425:0.263:0.182 1.08
#54 55.219 −0.361 12.092 55.823 0.589 12.265 0.3:0.4:0.3 0.251:0.359:0.285 1.14
#58 57.200 2.951 19.645 57.741 4.402 21.012 0.3:0.5:0.2 0.270:0.450:0.207 2.07
#63 58.832 −7.170 25.129 59.615 −6.823 26.229 0.1:0.6:0.3 0.085:0.560:0.297 1.39

primary colors (R, G, and B), the three-component fabrics were used to
validate the models in order to study the color blending effects of the
three primary colors. To ensure validity of the sample, samples that
were involved in solving K and S did not participate in the model va-
lidation.
The ratio of each monochromatic fiber in the blended yarn was
determined by the least squares method with the above two models. In
addition, the average ratio error was calculated by comparing the
predicted with the actual ratio. Moreover, the models were used to
predict L, a and b values of the blended fabrics. Compared with the
actual measured, the color differences were obtained.
In this paper, the color difference between the measured and the
predicted value was calculated by CIE1976Lab color difference. Based
on the predicted and the measured R, the chromaticity values L, a, b of
the sample and the standard were obtained by conversion with the
correlation Eq. 16–18.
⎧ X = k ∑λ R (λ ) S (λ ) x (λ ) Δλ
⎪
Y = k ∑λ R (λ ) S (λ ) y (λ ) Δλ
⎨
⎪ Z = k ∑λ R (λ ) S (λ ) z (λ ) Δλ
⎩ (16)
100
k=
∑λ R (λ ) S (λ ) y (λ ) Δλ
⎧ L = 116(Y / Y0)1/3 − 16
⎪ rotor spun yarn.
a = 500[(X / X0 )1/3 − (Y / Y0)1/3]
⎨
⎪ b = 200[(Y / Y0)1/3 − (Z / Z0)1/3]
⎩
Where X / X0 , Y / Y0 and Z / Z0 are required to be larger than
0.008856, if not, then revised with the following correction Eq. (19).
⎧ f (X / X0 ) = 7.787(X / X0 ) + 16/116
⎪ f (Y / Y0) = 7.787(Y / Y0) + 16/116
⎪
⎪ f (Z / Z0 ) = 7.787(Z / Z0) + 16/116
⎨ L = 903.3(Y / Y0)
⎪ a = 500[f (X / X0 ) − f (Y / Y0)]
⎪
⎪ b = 200[f (Y / Y0) − f (Z / Z0 )]
⎩ (19)
Where: X, Y, and Z are the three-stimulus values of the color samples; S
(λ) represents distribution of the spectral power of the light source;
x (λ ) 、 y (λ ) 、z (λ ) are the three-stimulus value of the CIE spectrum;
Δλ represents the wavelength interval, which is set as 10 nm; k re-
presents the normalized constant; and X0 、Y0 and Z0 are the three
stimulus value of the CIE standard illuminator.
Color difference of CIE 1976 Lab is demonstrated by Eq. (20):
ΔE = [(ΔL)2 + (Δa)2 + (Δb)2]1/2 (20)
Figs. 2–7 showed the K and S values of monochromatic fibers at
different wavelengths calculated by the least squares method and the
relative value method, respectively.
The comparison results of the predicted and the actual R of the
samples were shown in Figs. 8and9, respectively by two kinds of
models. The actual and the predicted chromaticity of the samples, the
color difference and the actual and predicted ratio of the blended fibers
were shown in Tables 2 and 3.
The agreement between the actual and the predicted R of the sample
was better by the least squares method as demonstrated by Figs. 8and9.
Tables 2 and 3 demonstrated that the color differences obtained by the
least squares method were about 1, the average color difference 0.896,
the average blending ratio error 2.84%, and the agreement between the
predicted and the actual ratio was very good. The average color dif-
ference obtained by the relative value method was 1.35, which was also
not large. While the average ratio error was 10.26%, relatively large,
which meant the blending ratio of the digital rotor blended yarn cannot
(17) be predicted by this method very well. Therefore, based on the Kubelka-
Munk double-constant theory, the least squares method can be used to
better predict the color blending effect and the blending ratio of digital
(18)
6. Conclusion
Based on the Kubelka-Munk double-constant theory, the color
blending effect of digital rotor spun yarn were predicted. Two methods
were used to solve the absorption coefficient K and the scattering
coefficient S of monochromatic fibers to establish the corresponding K-
M model including the relative value method and least squares method.
Colors of the blended yarns and the blending ratio of monochromatic
fibers were predicted. The results showed that compared with the re-
lative value method, K-M model built by least squares method can
better predict the color blending effect and the blending ratio of digital
rotor spun yarn with three primary colored fibers (Red, Yellow and
Blue). This work will extend to investigate the computer intelligent
color matching and the final mass production of digital rotor spun yarn
for different fiber materials and yarn counts.

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Acknowledgment
This work was supported by Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu
Province of China No. BK20181350, the National Natural Science
Foundation of China No.51403085, the Fundamental Research Funds
for the Central Universities No.JUSRP51631A, and Priority Academic
Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.
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