Dr.

Ashok Khare
M.Text., Ph.D.
O.E.Yarn & Ring Yarn Structures
O.E.Yarn & Ring Yarn Structures
O.E.Yarn & Ring Yarn Structures
 Rotor v/s Ring Yarn
Properties Rotor Yarn Ring Yarn
Tenacity cN/tex Lower Comparatively Higher
Strength CV% - cN/tex Lower Comparatively Higher
Elongation at Break% Higher Comparatively Lower
Irregularity CV% Lower Comparatively Higher
Imperfections/1000 m Much Lower Comparatively Higher
Yarn Bulk Higher Comparatively Lower
Abrasion Resistance Higher Comparatively Lower
Stiffness Higher Comparatively Lower
Hand Harder Comparatively Softer
Surface Rougher Comparatively Softer
Hairiness Lower Comparatively Higher
Lustre Duller Comparatively Brighter
Flow Chart for Rotor Spinning
 Merits & De-Merits of Rotor Spinning
 Merits:
 Speed Frame not required.
 No necessity of second passage Draw Frame.
 When Auto Leveller is used at Card, even the Draw Frame
(first passage) can be eliminated
 Winding not required.
 In place of roving bobbins, much bigger cans can be used at
the feed side, involving reduced creel changes.
 Bigger package to warping.
 Some processes (fly frame & winding) eliminated, there is a
labour, power, space saving. This leads to sizable reduction in
the cost of the yarn.
 Higher productivity, especially with counts coarser than 10S
count.
 It is now possible to think of sliver to yarn – fully automated
process.
 Merits & De-Merits of Rotor Spinning

 De-Merits:
 The spinning is restricted to only coarse/medium counts.
 Initially high capital cost
 Yarn is weaker
 If the sliver fed to O.E. is not clean enough, it will lead to
higher wear & tear of rotor, combing roller (opening
roller) and naval, resulting higher replacement cost.
 With present generation Rotor Spinning machines, a
little liberty can be taken as for the soft particles are
concerned (< 0.5% impurities). But hard particles are
still harmful. This is because, they get wedged into rotor
(groove) and remain there. It leads to the yarn tail
picking-up the fibres in the rotor quite irregularly.
Rotor Spg. Machine - Opening & Cleaning of Sliver
Rotor Spinning - Passage
 Comparison of Rotor Machine & Ring Machine
Rotor Spinning Machine Ring Spinning Machine
Rotor spinning frame is modern spinning Ring spinning frame is conventional
system machine spinning system machine
This machine makes yarn by high This machine makes yarn from roving
drafting from sliver. using lower drafts.
The working speed of rotor spinning The working speed of ring spinning
frame is faster than ring spinning frame. frame is lower than Open-End spg frame.
Usually rotor spinning frame produced This machine can produce from low
lower count yarn. count yarn to high count yarn.
Basically the raw material of this This machine relatively uses high grade
machine is of low quality. Means low cotton to produce finer yarn.
grade cotton.
Temperature and moisture of cotton No need to control temperature and
should be controlled to produce yarn on moisture of cotton to produced yarn on
rotor spinning frame. ring spinning frame.
Twisting and winding process work Twisting and winding process work
separately in rotor spinning frame. together-simultaneously.
 Comparison of Rotor Machine & Ring Machine

Rotor Spinning Machine Ring Spinning Machine

Production of rotor spinning frame is
much higher – about 7-8 times
Consumption of electricity is
comparatively less than ring spinning.
Yarn Breaks are less
Production of sound or noise is much
less
Yarn Package is much bigger
Much less labour required
The yarns are more balanced
There is a limit to the trash content in the There is no direct limit on the trash in the
sliver fed.
Production of ring spinning frame -
Limited - - depends on spindle speed .
Consumption of electricity is
comparatively more than rotor spinning.
Yarn Breaks are more
Production of sound or noise is more.
Yarn package is very small
Labour Complement is much higher
There is snarling tendency depending
upon the twist level in the yarn
roving fed
 GENERAL FEATURES OF ROTOR SPINNING MACHINE

 Besides providing facility for changing – speeds of

Rotor & Opening Roller, drafts, twist – the following
things are provided by many machine manufacturers:

(1) Single or Double sided machine. A single sided may

be fed from existing draw frame cans [ 400 mm x 1200
mm]. Double-sided machines require smaller cans, as
the machine itself occupies less space [ 300 mm x 760
mm]. The downward or upward flow is only an aspect of
machine design
 GENERAL FEATURES OF ROTOR SPINNING MACHINE

because the gravitational forces involved are relatively

small.

(2) Yarn Waxing may be carried out on some rotor

machines.

(3) Yarn clearing arrangement may be provided at the

winding head.

(4) There may be pneumatic transfer of trash to a

common container placed at the end of the machine.
Here a duplicate filter may permit cleaning without
interrupting production.
 GENERAL FEATURES OF ROTOR SPINNING MACHINE

(5) Yarn detection must be provided and it would stop the

sliver feed when the break is detected. This leads to

significant reduction in the fibre waste. This is an

advantage over ring spinning. When an external air

source is used, this may be used also to stop the rotor by

air breaks. This would also release some accumulated

trash particles into air duct.

 GENERAL FEATURES OF ROTOR SPINNING MACHINE

(6) The yarn length indicator may be used to signal the

full doff to avoid any over-run.

(7) Air Suction „THIRD-HAND‟ may be provided so that

the spinning continues during doffing and such

yarn is held by the suction. This would form the tail

end of the next package tube. The time up to 30

seconds, sometimes is allowed so that the doffing

and even rotor cleaning with brush is completed

during this time.

 GENERAL FEATURES OF ROTOR SPINNING MACHINE

(8) Continuity in the operation can be accomplished with

two winding heads provided for each rotor. The full
package can be removed while the next package is
being formed. This method can be most beneficial
on long staple spinning for thick carpet yarns.

(9) The machine may be provided with automatic

conveyor for carrying heavy full packages to the
required destination.
 GENERAL FEATURES OF ROTOR SPINNING MACHINE

(10) The stop-start cycle may involve the formation of a

loop of yarn when the machine stops. Thus, when it

would start again, the same loop may be used as seed

yarn and automatically fed back for piecing up – this

facility is termed as “Automatic Spinning-in” operation.

(11) Automatic cleaning & piecing-up at regular

intervals can also be provided.

Disc-on-Roller Rotor Bearing Unit

The system permits

rotor speeds up to
80,000 r.p.m. But
rotor bearings
themselves rotate
at much slower
speed, thus
providing a longer
working life. It also
enables a quick &
easy Exchange of
the rotor size.

Disc-on-Roller Rotor Bearing Unit
 Bearings
 With this arrangement, the tangential belt
drive is given directly to the rotor shaft. With
disc diameter about 8 times greater than rotor
shaft, the rotor itself can be run at 80,000
rev./min for as many as five years of three-shift
working.
 The sealed bearings themselves rotate at only
10,000 rev/min. The lower centrifugal force on
the ball bearings at this speed, permits greater
freedom in designing the bearing besides
reducing wear & tear.
 A tangential driving belt running at 40 m/s is
required to drive 9 mm rotor shaft at 80,000
rpm (allowing 6% slippage).
 Bearings

 With twin disc arrangement,, the rotor may be

changed in less than 10 seconds. This
exchangeability offers an added advantage that it
permits the use of minimum permissible diameter
for each material fibre length, thereby enabling the
maximum rotational speed, without involving yarn
tension or extra power consumption.
 A range of different rotor diameters can therefore
increase the fibre and count range of a given
machine. Most rotor spinning machines have a
tangential belt drive to the rotors.
 With disc-on roller bearings, the rotors can be
exchanged easily.
 Sliver preparation for Open-End Spinning:

 The sliver fed to Rotor Spinning machine is

around 4 ktex for short staple. Generally a finer
sliver is preferred. This is because it makes the
opening roller action easy. Specially for carpet
yarns, the lubricants added in preparation will
have to be kept to a minimum.
 Earlier to Rotor Spg., “Too few operations result in
inferior yarn; too many operations decrease the
sliver cohesion.”
 Feeding of majority of trailing hooks into rotor
machines has shown to influence the OE yarn
strength. But the effect is less conspicuous than
that in Ring Spinning.
 SPINNING TENSION & FINE COUNT LIMIT

 For satisfactory performance, minimum number of fibres

in the cross-section of OE yarns should be about 100, and
about 80 under more favourable conditions. Typically
there is also a limit to maximum fibres –500-600.
 The fine count limit depends upon : (1) Tenacity of the
yarn which is formed and (2) The forces involved – Air
Drag, Coriolis forces, Centripetal force, Friction at the
entry of Withdrawal Tube & Rotor Direction.
 According to Stalder [New Methods of Yarn
Production, 157, Textile Institute, 1972], the actual
tension at the collecting surface is very small, being
only 1.4 times the centripetal component of yarn
tension.
 Whereas, the mean yarn withdrawal tension at the
rotor centre may be 10 times greater than that at
collecting surface.
FORCES INVOLVED IN ROTOR SPINNING
 CORIOLIS FORCES
 Coriolis forces influence the shape of yarn balloon. In Ring
spinning, the kinetic energy of rotation of each element of
yarn increases as it moves down to the maximum balloon
radius. It then decreases further down in the lower part of
the balloon.
 This has effect on the balloon inclination, similar to air
drag. The only difference is that with air drag, forces are
cumulative down right up to the traveller, the tangential
Coriolis force is reversed below the point of maximum
balloon radius
 Coriolis forces are proportional to the linear yarn velocity,
therefore in spinning where the linear yarn velocity
(winding rate of yarn) is small compared with its rotational
velocity, the Coriolis forces are smaller than the air drag
forces. Coriolis forces have a significant influence on
balloon shape only when the linear yarn velocity is high [ as
in high speed winding or at low rates of twist insertion in
spinning.
POWER CONSUMPTION: Neglecting losses in the drives and ancillary
power consumed in suction, the power consumption has the direct
relationship as shown in the figure below.
 POWER CONSUMPTION

 Power consumed – P = k x d4 x h x ω3
 Where, d=rotor dia., h=rotor height, ω= rotor angular
velocity and k= constant which depends upon
machinery design. ‘k’ is the constant.
 Owing to this, the maximum economical speed may
be lower than the maximum technical possible speed.
 Approximately 60% or more of the total power is
consumed by the Rotor alone. This is, as compared to
90% by the spindles in Ring spinning.
 For the same power consumption, a rotor of 65 mm
diameter may rotate approximately three times faster
than an equivalent ring spindle.
 Rotor Speeds

 The rotor speeds are mainly governed by economic

factors, the power consumption being dominant at high
speeds. The end breakage and yarn quality also assume
lot of importance.
 The general impact of rotor speed on economics is
similar to that of spindle speed on ring frame. The
optimum rotor speed at which the cost per kg of yarn
produced is at minimum, will increase as power cost
gets reduced i.e.
Rotor Speed ↑ with Power Cost ↓, Also,
Rotor Speed ↓ with Capital Cost ↓
 Rotor Speeds
 The higher speeds lead to
(1) Increase in Variation of Yarn Withdrawal Tension as
well as Mean Withdrawal Tension Value.
(2) Increased Variation of Yarn Tenacity.
(3) Increased Probability of End-Breaks.
(4) Reduced Elongation at Break.
(5) Increase in Yarn irregularity & Imperfections.
(6) Yarn Periodicity owing to particle deposition at rotor
grooves.
(7) Piecing efficiency is the ratio of ‘No. of ends pieced-up’
to ‘No. of ends attempted. This efficiency also decreases
at higher rotor speed. This is because of the increased timing
accuracy required for piecing at higher speeds. The maximum
efficiency of piecing is found to be at 90 m/min. If the speeds
are higher than this, ‘Automatic Piecing’ is required.
 ROTOR SPEED

Rotor Speed (in thousands) =

= [ (3400-10) / (100 – D) ] † D where ‘D’ is rotor Dia.
 The range of speeds given by the above formula
only gives the values which are practically used &
not the maximum speed permitted by drives &
bearings. With larger diameters, much lower
speeds are used when spinning longer staples.
This is largely due to power consumption and the
rotor stress.
 The benefit of much higher rotor speeds as
compared to spindle speeds is possibly eroded to
some extent by the need to insert up to 25% more
twist into OE yarns (Slippage of twist).
 ROTOR DIAMETER
 From product point of view, the rotor diameter should be
as large as possible in relation to fibre length. However, in
practice, the diameter restricts speeds which are
technically possible and economically acceptable.

 Small diameter rotors, on the other hand may require

cleaning more frequently.

 Though yarns can be made on rotor from noil & re-

processed waste, for some typical end uses, the yarns
produced may be inferior, especially after laundering.
Similarly, carpet yarns can be spun from relatively short
fibre lengths ( 60 mm as compared to 120 mm). However,
their performance would be inadequate.

 Consequently, as rotor dia. Is related to fibre length, the

machines are made with a specific end use. Alternately,
interchangeable parts (rotors) may be used.
 ROTOR DIAMETER

 55-65 mm diameter – for cotton & short staple man-

made fibres (1.6 to 3.3 dtex )- for spinning 100 to 200
tex
 100mm diameter – - for home furnishing yarns up
( 3.3 to 11 dtex for 100 - 500 tex).
 [130 mm rotor for very heavy tex –8.9 to 17 dtex]
Relationship between Rotor Diameter & Fibre Length:
 Dmax = Dmin + 20
Dmin = L + C Where, L = Maximum fibre length,
C = ½ (60 – L) > 0

‘C’ is the correction factor which applies only to fibre

lengths shorter than 60 mm
 SPINNING TWIST & END BREAKAGES

 The twist must develop sufficient ‘torque’ in

gyrating yarn to cause it to rotate on its own
axis to form a finite twisted length of yarn.
This would make the fibres in the collecting
groove gather together.
 This means that, if the twist is less than a
certain critical value, the yarn formation
process can not continue; even though the
yarn strength for that twist is adequate.
 As against this, excessive twist would make too
much length of the yarn against the collecting
surface. This make the extra fibres simply to
gather on the “Already Twisted” yarn, thus
leading to more WRAPPERS.
 SPINNING TWIST & END BREAKAGES

 The yarn torque at first decreases as the rotor speed

is increased. This is due to more compact packing in
the rotor grooves.
 When the rotor speeds are further increased, the
spinning performance improves. The yarn strength
too, is better. Alternately, with improved
performance, even the lower twist can be used to
better economy.
 However, once the maximum compactness has been
reached in grooves, further increase in the rotor
speed requires more twist in the yarn to provide the
yarn torque which is necessary to overcome the
‘Increased Centrifugal Force’.
 Thus, the minimum possible twist required in
spinning also increases as the rotor speeds are
increased.
Spinning Twist & End Breaks: At High Twist levels, if the twist is
increased further, the yarn strength reduces. Consequently, at high
rotor speed, the maximum twist that can be inserted for maximum
strength, reduces. The range of possible twists thus becomes
restricted.
Hence, when the rotor speed is increased, a point is reached at which
spinning becomes impossible. Because minimum & maximum speeds
coincide (at A) & twist can‟t be further increased.
 SPINNING TWIST & END BREAKAGES

 This probably happens at 1,00,000 rotor r.p.m. while

processing 32 mm cotton & 37 tex with 46 mm rotor
diameter.
 For the same reason, at higher rotor speeds, it is not
possible to spin fine yarns as those which can be spun
at lower speeds.
 Thus, for some fibres, there is maximum rotor speed
limit beyond which the end breaks would increase even
when the twist is increased.
 In the absence of uniform helical twist like that in the
ring yarn, it may be required to insert more twist than
otherwise necessary in OE yarns.
 About 25% higher twist is necessary in cotton & long
staple yarns. However, with wool, equivalent twist
levels, as with ring may be adequate.
 SPINNING TWIST & END BREAKAGES
 The twist in the gyrating yarn inside the rotor is usually higher
than that in the final yarn twist. This is because, as the yarn
rotates, it rolls around the „Withdrawal Tube End‟, and this
produces “FALSE TWIST”. This false twist is in the same
direction as that of final twist which is inserted by the rotor.
 The amount of false twist generated depends upon the „Design
& Surface‟ of yarn withdrawal tube. Thus, a higher false twist
effect may permit lower final yarn twist for satisfactory
performance.

 This has proved to be important in Rotor Spinning, particularly

with wool fibres where a knurled shape Yarn Withdrawal Tube
may be of advantage. It is equally important that the surface-
friction characteristics of the yarn withdrawal tube remain
unchanged over a long period.

 The shape of the withdrawal tube also has shown to influence

over the wrapper fibres. A suitable shape may pose a barrier
between incoming fibres and the gyrating yarn thus reducing the
wrappers.
 SPINNING TWIST & END BREAKAGES

 If the broken end in OE shows a tapered tail as long as the

circumference of the rotor, it indicates “insufficient twist”. On
the other hand, an abrupt termination is more typical with
“excessive twist”. As with ring spinning, in rotor spinning, the
end would break when the yarn tension exceeds the yarn
strength.
 Therefore, the mean yarn strength must exceed the mean yarn
tension by a factor which would depend upon the standard
deviation of the yarn strength.
 This factor is less in OE spinning than that in ring spinning.
This is because:
(1) In OE, random tension variations are proportional to short
term variations in the yarn-mass; whereas in ring, these
variations have smaller influence because the ballooning yarn
length in ring spg. is greater than that of gyrating yarn in OE.
(2) The systematic tension variations in ring spg. are related to
balloon length variations & package diameter; whereas in OE
the tension remains constant throughout the build of the
package.
 SPINNING TWIST & END BREAKAGES

 When using higher speeds of rotor, the standard

deviation of both yarn strength & yarn tension
increase. Therefore, at such speeds, a greater factor [
mean strength / mean tension ] is necessary;
otherwise the end breaks increase.
 End breaks of about 5-15 breaks per 100 rotor-hours
is acceptable. With „Trash extracting Machine‟ much
lower rate (2 breaks / 100 rotor hours ] may be
achieved while spinning cotton.
 From the point of view of „Length of Yarn produced
per Break‟, an equivalent ring spinning breakage rate
would have to be much lower, this being
approximately proportional to the Spindle Speed.
 ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF ROTOR SPINNING
 Floor space requirements are greater for ring spinning &
increase disproportionately at finer counts.
 Approximately 2½% less waste is produced in OE, the saving
being constant at all counts.
 Power cost is less for fine counts in ring but rapidly
increases for coarser counts. In OE, power cost is hardly
influenced by either count or package size.
 Labour cost savings are relatively higher for OE at fine
counts owing to large package spinning & no roving process
being involved.
 Working conditions are generally pleasant & end breakage
rate per unit of production is lower in OE. Almost less than
half the workers are necessary to give the same output.
 Capital & Insurance costs are greater for OE and increase
disproportionately at finer counts owing to lower production
rates. The total cost has “Break-Even Count” at around 24
tex.
 ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF ROTOR SPINNING

 For finer counts, higher capital & power cost exceeds the
saving in Labour Cost in OE.
 An increase in „Capital Cost or Power Cost‟ would increase the
“Break-Even Count (higher tex).
 Decrease in Labour and/or elimination of winding would (which
is done 60% of the cases) would have the opposite effect
(lower tex).
 30-37 tex with rewinding & 20-25 tex without, are common
practices for short staple spinning.
 As the cost of self-pumping type OE machine is lower than
trash extracting machine, with the use of Tandem card in
spinning, the former type of OE may reduce the “Break-Even
Count” to even 15 tex for cotton yarns.
 Cheaper raw material can possibly be used (noil), provided that
it is well cleaned.
 For man-made fibre carpet yarns, labour & floor space are
greatly in favour with OE. Only power cost exceeds ring
spinning for fine yarns. The power cost, however, accounts for
only 6% of the total cost, OE yarns thicker than 150 tex are
cheaper.
 END USES OF OPEN END YARN:

 Open end yarns differ from ring spun yarns in many respects.
This does not mean than one of them is superior; but it does
mean that they produce different characteristics in the end-
product.
 OE yarns can be used to advantage in fabrics where
regularity and cleanliness is of prime importance, where price
is important consideration than any other thing & where the
characteristics of OE yarns can give distinct advantage.
 OE yarns can be used in Pile fabrics, Apparels, Household &
is some industrial applications.
 OE yarns are not suitable for combed yarn application. These
would include yarns with high strength & lustre where twist
values are required to be low for aesthetic values. Especially
in 2-3 colour „Mottle Yarns‟, and where fine counts are used
and in those fabrics where „soft handle‟ is required, ring
yarns can be of advantage.
 END USES OF OPEN END YARN:

 Heavy weight sateens & Poplins, Corduroys, Velveteens,

Continuous filament warp/spun weft fabrics, Rainwears,
Denims, Jeans, Drills, Bed sheets & Window blinds,, Upholstery,
Filter cloth, Cleaning (duster) cloths, Dress goods, Shirtings,
Single & Double jersey raschel, Rib interlock & Fully fashioned
underwears, Rugs, Carpets, Blankets, Winceyette, Surgical lint,
Terry towels, Diapers, Hand knitting, Woollen-type outer wear
fabrics, Short fibre & variable-length blends –
All these can possibly be made by using OE yarns.
 It would be interesting to use ring yarn as warp & OE yarn as
weft to make a satisfactory fabric.
 Ring spinning which is much simple to operate and more
flexible than OE spinning, produces stronger yarns with parallel
fibres & particularly in fine count spinning and hence is a
formidable competitor to OE yarns.
Research on Rotor Spinning
Research on Rotor Spinning

 Minimum Possible Twist:

There is a certain
minimum twist below
which yarn cannot be
spun on rotor machine.
Minimum twist
multiplier depends upon
rotor speed as well as
rotor diameter. With
increase in rotor speed
minimum twist reduces,
reaches an optimum and
then increases.