Effects of Mechanical Cleaning on Cotton Fibers: Part III: Effects of Card Wire Condition on White Specks

Abstract

Combinations of gin and mill cleaning sequences have been studied to determine the best way to clean both smooth-leaf and hairy-leaf cottons. The two varieties were subjected to four different levels of lint cleaning at the gin, followed by nine different mill cleaning sequences, for a total of thirty-six samples. All samples were tested for fiber properties (Part II), yarn strength, and fabric strength and appearance. The yarn and fabric properties are reported in this paper. In the middle of the study, the card wire was damaged and subsequently replaced, which presented the opportunity to determine the impact of the card wire's condition on white specks. In addition, image analysis of the fabric samples by Optimas detected the percent white, the percentage of the area of white specks in a specified area of fabric. Because of the variability of white specks, a larger sample size was needed than was available for the mill samples, so only trends can be reported for the mill samples. In general, the more aggressive the cleaning, the higher the percent white. When comparing the effect of ginning, each additional lint cleaner produced an increase in percent white for the worn card wire. The new card wire decreased the percent white overall as compared to the worn card wire. The new card wire samples with three lint cleanings had a significantly higher white speck level than zero, one, or two lint cleaners. Similarly, the harsher the mill cleaning, the higher the percent white. The hairy-leaf variety produced percent white values similar to those for the smooth-leaf cotton for both the old and new card wires. Thus, when confronted with the possibility of a white speck problem, minimal gin cleaning and less aggressive mill cleaning are recommended.