Continuous Optical Measurement of Fiber Orientation

Abstract

The specular and diffuse components of a reflection from a sliver, which bear closely on the optically measured degree of fiber orientation, have been studied from both theoretical and practical points of view, and the application of the results obtained to the device of measuring the degree of fiber orientation in a sliver was explained. The results are :1) A reflection from a sliver can be separated into the specular and diffuse components by using a polarized incident light and by observing the reflection through analyzers.2) A reflection from cotton slivers is composed chiefly of diffuse components, and the specular component is only 1/20 or 1/30 of the total reflection. The ratio of the diffuse to specular components depends on the kind of fibers.3) It is, therefore, reasonable to define the degree of fiber orientation by specular components only.4) Measurement can be simplified by using only one polarized plane to obtain the specular component on one plane. The specular component which is on the same plane but whose polarized axis is vertical to the first polarized plane can be calculated theoretically.5) It is possible to observe continuously the degree of fiber orientation of a running sliver if a rotating polarizer is placed on the incident-light side and fixed analysers on the reflection-sides, and only the specular components are picked up.