USTER® TENSORAPID 4USTER® TENSOJET 4The strength and weavability measurement systems

Minimizing yarn breaks and optimizing efficiency

A basic requirement for any yarn is that it can stand up to downstream processes without causing stoppages or affecting production efficiency. No matter what the demands on the fabric in the end use are, it is during high - speed weaving and knitting that yarn comes under the greatest stress and strain forces. So the strength and elongation requirements for a yarn depend mainly on end - use and down - streaming processes.

Minimum strength and elongation properties are needed to prevent a yarn breaking or being damaged in downstream operations, as well as avoiding damage to the end products in weaving, warp yarns in particular are placed under tremendous stress, so high tensile - strength values are important. In both weft and warp knitting, the forces are relatively lower, but yarns still need good elongation properties. Sewing thread yarns require both high strength and extremely consistent elongation values.

USTER meets the industry’s need for increasingly effective and accurate tensile testing with two high - tech instruments:

– USTER® TENSOJET 4 – for precise forecasting of yarn ‘runability’ in high - performance processes, with a test speed of 400 m/min.

– USTER® TENSORAPID 4 – universal tensile tester for globally accepted standards in both staple and filament yarns. Testing speed is steplessly adjustable between 50 and 5 000 mm/min.

Tensile testing has been used in textiles since the earliest days of the industry, and USTER’s latest tensile testers have an even more vital role in the drive for improved process efficiencies and precisely specified yarn profiling between mills and their customers through its capacity, precision and reliability.

USTER® TENSOJET 4 is a unique control system that gives an accurate forecast of yarn behavior in subsequent processing, especially on high - performance weaving and knitting machinery.

Its precise measurements of tensile force and elongation also verify the yarn’s suitability for the end - product, as well as facilitating analysis of the yarn production process and fault tracing.

The USTER® TENSOJET 4 measures across 100 000 breaks, the basis for an accurate and targeted forecast of yarn processability on downstream machinery. Its enormous test capacity of 30 000 breaks per hour means it can detect seldom - occurring yarn faults or isolated weak places – an important benefit, since such problems are difficult or impossible to predict reliably with conventional testers or on the basis of statistics or probability theory.

The massive increases in weaving - machine speeds over the years have resulted in ever higher peak loads on both warp and weft yarns, and when this leads to more frequent thread breakages the impact on production efficiency is similarly magnified. So, weavers need to source yarns with no weak places at which strength and elongation are insufficient to cope with peak stresses on their machines.

The causes of infrequent and isolated weak places can in clude extremely thin places, thick places with little twist, and yarn contamination with vegetable matter, fly or foreign fibers. The only way to detect such faults is to make a large number of random tests within a short time frame, and it is essential to ensure this is done with realistic loads to recreate mill conditions.

Tests have shown that on weaving machines, force is applied on yarns within about 3 milliseconds of a break. The high test speed of the USTER® TENSOJET 4 actually simulates the dynamometric stress on the yarn during weft insertion, which occurs during the 3 – 6 milliseconds time phase.

The pressing need to avoid end breaks is illustrated by the example of yarns used in the beaming process, before weaving. Whereas other applications would regard one end break more or less in 100 000 meters of yarn as way of classifying a yarn as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, for beaming the critical figure can be as little as 0.8 end breaks in one million meters!

The USTER® TENSOJET 4 thus has an obvious and highly significant role in quality control for weaving yarns. But there is an increasing realization that knitting machines too need stronger yarns, in contrast to the faulty perception that strength testing is not required for this application. Knitting productivity has risen considerably in the past 20 years and high needle speeds on today’s knitting machines call for improved yarn tenacity, as well as the accepted elongation factor.

The high degree of precision and accuracy of measure- ments on the USTER® TENSOJET 4 provide test results with increased statistical significance, and their value is enhanced by the fact that the instrument has inbuilt correlation with the USTER® TENSORAPID tester, as well as integration with USTER® STATISTICS benchmarks.

Predicting yarn processability

Accurate and targeted forecast of yarn processability

– Test capacity of 30 000 breaks per hour

– Detection of seldom - occuring yarn faults or isolated weak places

– Simulation of dynamometric stress on the yarn

– Highly significant role in quality control for weaving yarns

– Increasing realization that knitting machines need stronger yarns

– Integration with USTER® STATISTICS

Elongation of one bobbin is too low as a result of an inconsistent spinning process

500

400

300

200

100

0

B-Force/Elong.

0 4 8 12 16 %

Total 10/10 000Scatter PlotcN

The USTER® TENSORAPID 4 is the most versatile instrument of its type on the market, able to meet all strength testing requi re ments for both staple and filament yarns. It is ack now l edged worldwide as standard equipment for measuring tensile pro perties, with universal capability for all the bench mark strength and elongation tests required by the textile industry.

Offering automatic and precise information on yarn strength, elongation and tenacity, the USTER® TENSORAPID 4 can provide analysis data on mean values and coefficients of variation of tested material. Quality monitoring conforms to standard test methods such as those of ISO, ASTM and Chinese authorities.

The wide range of force and elongation testing possible on the unit, and its adaptable clamping options, mean it can test virtually all staple and filament yarns, as well as slivers and fabric strips, regardless of count or composition.

The highly automated USTER® TENSORAPID 4 is equipped with a sample changer for 40 bobbins or cones, allowing a huge span of testing, with programmable measuring routines able to set up many hours of operation without intervention by laboratory personnel.

Comprehensive testing to global standards

Two models are available: with 500 N measuring head for standard material or 1 500 N for special functions such as fabric tests.

The tester offers countless test and evaluation possibilities, covering all the known tensile values. For example, it is ideal for special investigations and for targeted analysis of materials and processes. Test parameters can be readily adapted for test length, speed, pre - tension and much more, and it includes measuring programs for force - elongation curves, hysteresis curves and fatigue measurements. Spectrograms and scatter plots help identify periodic faults.

Sample clamps can be arranged horizontally or vertically, depending on the material being tested. With horizontal clamping, the danger of clamp breaks with critical yarns can be avoided, since a considerable percentage of the stress is absorbed by the frictional surface of the clamp.

Results from the USTER® TENSORAPID 4 integrate with USTER® STATISTICS – the only accepted benchmarking standards in textile production and trading. Yarn quality can be automatically assessed against figures from USTER® STATISTICS, or users can fix their own limits to suit customer requirements.

Countless test and evaluation possibilities

– Ideal for special investigations or analysis of materials and processes

– Parameters can be adapted for test length, speed, pre - tension and more

– Programs included: Force - elongation curves, hysteresis curves and fatigue measurement

– Spectrograms and scatter plots help identify periodic faults

– Clamps can be arranged horizontally or vertically, depending on critical yarn

Consistent tensile properties of a cotton yarn causes a low - end break rate on weaving machines

300

240

180

120

60

0

F/E Diagram

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 %

Total 10/200cN

240

84

2-170

20/0

5.14

/© C

opyright 2

014 by U

ster Technologies A

G

Osaka, Japan

Bangkok, Thailand

Shanghai, China

Suzhou, China

Coimbatore, India

Adana, Turkey

USTER Switzerland

São Paulo, Brazil

Charlotte, USA

Knoxville, USA

The standard from fiber to fabricUSTER is the world’s leading supplier of total quality solutions from fiber to fabric. USTER standards and precise measurement provide unparalleled advantages for producing best quality at minimum cost.

Think qualityOur commitment to state - of - the - art technology ensures the comfort and feel of the finished product – satisfying the demands of a sophisticated market. We help our customers to benefit from our applied knowledge and experience – to think quality, think USTER.

Broad range of productsUSTER occupies a unique position in the textile industry. With our broad range of products, we have a wide reach across the textile chain that is unmatched by any other supplier in the market.

Optimal serviceKnow - how transfer and instant help – we are where our customers are. A total of 200 certified service engineers worldwide grants fast and reliable technical support. Benefit from local know - how transfer in your specific markets and enjoy our service à la carte.

USTER® STATISTICS – the textile industry standardsWe set the standards for quality control in the global textile industry. With USTER® STATISTICS, we provide the bench-marks that are the basis for the trading of textile products at assured levels of quality across global markets.

USTERIZED® – brand your products with qualityUSTERIZED® stands for ‘defined quality assured’ within the textile chain. We invite selected customers to join the USTERIZED® Member Program. More information at www.usterized.com.

USTER worldwideWith three technology centers, five regional service centers and 50 representative offices around the world, USTER is always sure of delivering only the best to its customers. USTER – committed to excellence, committed to quality. And that will never change.

Uster Technologies AG Sonnenbergstrasse 10 8610 Uster Switzerland T. + 41 43 366 36 36 F. + 41 43 366 36 37 sales@uster.com www.uster.com