Ring Frame: The Ring Spinning Frame, commonly called the Ring is the conventional spinning system and it
transforms the roving (from the roving frame) into spun yarn using some functional operation.
Ring Spinning System is the oldest spinning system but why it is universal spinning system?
The ring spinning machine was invented in the year 1828 by the American Thorp. In 1830, another American,
Jenk, contributed the traveler rotating on the ring. In more than 190 years that have passed since that time, the
machine has experienced considerable modification in detail, but the basic concept has remained unchanged.
- It is universally applicable as any material (Jute, Wool, and Silk fibre) can be spun.
- It delivers a yarn with optimal characteristics specially structure and strength.
- Twist system is idealized.
- It is uncomplicated and easy to master.
- Operation of the machine is well established and accessible to everyone.
- It is flexible as regards quantities (blend and lot sizes).
Fig.1: Typical view of a Ring Frame
Function or Task of the Ring Spinning:
- To attenuate the roving to form yarn of the required count/ fineness of yarn by drafting
- To impart strength to the fibre strand by twisting
- To wind up the resulting yarn on to bobbin
- To build up the yarn on to bobbin in a suitable form for storage, transportation and processing.
Operation involved in Ring Spinning:
a) Creeling: Roving bobbin is fitted on the top of the machine on the bobbin holder of creel on both sides of the
machine. It helps to freely rotate of bobbin and hold such that roving feed to the drafting zone on tension.
b) Drafting: Drafting operation reduces weight per unit length of roving. Roving coming from the bobbin are
passed through the drafting zone known as apron drafting system (Usually 3 over 3). In apron drafting system,
fibre controlling system is better, so it is widely used.
c) Twisting: Spiral turns are inserted along the fibre axis, it increases yarn strength. The traveler which helps to
insert twisting on yarn, gets drive indirectly from spindle.
d) Winding: After twisting the yarns are wound on a suitable package known as ring cop, layers of yarn are
wound properly one above another on the package. Winding should be suitable for unwinding.
e) Building: For proper size and shape of the package the ring cops are lifted gradually. The resultant ring cops
are conical shape full package.
f) Doffing: After the required length of yarn is wound on the package, the machine is stopped. Doffing is done
manually or automatically which is the process of replacing the full package by an empty package.
Material Passage Diagram of a Ring Frame:
1
1. Bobbin Holder
2. Roving Guide
Roving Bobbin
3. Trumpet
2 4. Drafting Zone
3
4 5. Suction Tube
6. Lappet
7. Balloon Controller
5 6
8. Traveler
7
8 9. Ring Cup
9
Ring Cop 10. Spindle
10
Description:
The feed material i.e. roving bobbin is inserted at bobbin holder on the creel. The creel which is
attached to the machine is umbrella type. Then feed material is passed under the guide rollers and through the
trumpet into the drafting zone. Here some draft is inserted into the roving. The draft system is 3 over 3 drafting
system with apron. The delivery material that is delivered from the front roller is reached to the traveler over
pneumatic waste collector (suction tube), lappet and through balloon controlling ring. Lappet is used to control
the material path and balloon controlling ring is used to control the balloon formation and spinning tension. Here
roving is twisted by the movement of the traveler around the ring. The traveler gets motion from the spindle. The
yarn is then wound on the ring cop. The ring cop is inserted on the spindle.
Description of a Modern 3 over 3 Double Apron Roller Drafting System Used in Ring Frame:
1. Roller diameter:
Rollers Front Middle Back
Top 28 mm 25 mm 28 mm
Bottom 28 mm 25-27 mm 25 mm
2. Roller pressure:
Front pair: 10-18 daN (Deka-Newton)
Middle pair: 10-14 daN
Back pair: 12-16 daN
-To increase fibre gripping, roller pressure should increased
3. Top roller pressure system is pendulum arm with pneumatic weighting /spring loaded or magnetic
weighting system.
4. Roller setting distance:
Apron cradle hf(mm) vf(mm) gf(mm) Fibre length
Short 44 50-60 40
medium 53 60-70 maxm 143 51
Long 68 maxm 60
5. Total draft: up to 60
6. Amount of break draft: 1.2-1.4
7. Apron always exit in front zone, better fibre controlling is obtained
What is the role of aprons in ring spinning?
Ans: The object of aprons is to control the short fibres which are also known as floating fibres to the possible
extent and help to produce regular and stronger yarns with greater drafts.
Why spacers are used between the two aprons (top & bottom)?
Ans: In order to maintain a closely defined minimum distance (space) between two aprons, spacers are used.
(The front tips of aprons are not to be too far apart or too close. Wider gap fails to control the floating fibre
movement. If the gap is less, the pressure between the aprons will be high. The fibres gripped by the front-
rollers will suffer undue strain and the result will lead to high mass variations in the resultant yarns).
What is the need for the top roller cots (rubber or synthetic coated)?
Ans: These are needed to avoid the fibres getting crushed or damaged, and also to give a proper grip on the
fibres when they are being drafted.
Why the top rollers are loaded (weighted)?
Ans: In any pair of rollers in the roller drafting system, the bottom roller is positively driven (gets motion
directly from gearing) while top roller is negatively driven (gets motion from bottom roller) through the
friction between fibre fleece and the bottom roller; and the friction between the fibre fleece and the top roller.
The self-weight of the top rollers themselves is not sufficient and has to be assisted by some suitable external
devices. Such devices are known as "roller-weighting devices". It may be weighted by spring, pneumatic,
magnetic or dead weight.
What is roller setting in ring spinning? What is its importance?
Ans: The distance between the central axes of two pairs of rollers is called as roller setting. If the pairs of
rollers are set too wide apart, there will be plucking of the fibres instead of even attenuation, and the material
that comes forward is full of thick and thin portions. On the other hand, if they are set too close, drafting
becomes difficult and many of the long fibres get gripped by both the pairs momentarily. The fibres get either
damaged or broken.
What is the typical range of break draft used in 3/3 (3 over 3) drafting system?
Ans: Break draft lies in the range of 1.13-1.38.
How much should be the hardness of top roller covering in ring spinning machine?
Ans: Covering lies in the various ranges:
Soft - 60° to 70° shore
Medium - 70° to 90° shore
Hard – above 90° sore
This is measured by shore hardness tester. Which is also known as “Durometer”.
What will happen if drafting roller (cot roller, top roller) hardness is very low?
Ans: Covering having hardness less than 60° shore is normally unsuitable because they cannot recover from
the deformation caused by squeezing out on each revolution of the roller. Also they wear out at the faster rate.
Thread guide (Lappet):
It is a yarn guide made by bending a wire named snail wire. During winding yarn,
the ring rail along with lappet is raised and lowered to control balloon size.
Functions:
1. Its main function is to guide the yarn thus maintain the security of the yarn.
2. It prevents yarn collision with adjacent yarns.
3. It surface should be smooth to prevent rubbing of yarn. Rubbing creates yarn hairiness.
The spindle: The spindle is the main part of a ring frame
which helps in twisting, winding simultaneously. It hold
the bobbin, somewhat loosely but tight enough to
prevent slippage.
Functions of spindle:
• Twisting and winding is performed by spindle.
• It holds the bobbin.
• The capacity of ring frame is mainly determine
by the number of spindle.
Different parts of spindle:
The parts of spindle are given below:-
- Spindle blade
- Wharve
- Bolster
- Lock
- Bearing
- Bolster cage
The last three parts help the spindle to fix at the right place and work properly.
Ring: The ring are made of low carbon steel i.e. soft steel or ceramic in the form
of a bar which modeled into ring shaped either by bending and welding or by
pressing by means of dies and then the stock is given the desired projection term
as ring flange. Rings are available with the following internal diameters (in mm):
36, 38, 40, 42, 45, 48, 51, and 54
Functions of Ring:
• Ring guides the circular run of the traveler.
• It also helps in twisting by means of running of the traveler.
• It also acts as a track of traveler.
Factor considered for selection of ring dia
1. Yarn count: Higher count lower ring dia
2. Empty bobbin dia: Larger the empty bobbin dia, larger the ring dia. Relation between bobbin dia and
Ring dia: B= 0.39R, Where B= Bear bobbin dia and R= Ring dia
3. Spindle speed: Higher spindle speed cause higher yarn tension, smaller ring dia.
4. Lift of the bobbin: With increasing the lift, ring dia also increases.
The Traveler
Traveler is the most tinny and simple mechanical element in ring frame which carries the most important function
like simultaneous twisting, winding, thread guide etc.
Function of Traveler:-
• Twisting on the drafted strand of fibre.
• Winding of the yarn on the bobbin.
• Maintain winding tension of the yarn by the frictional resistance between
the ring and the traveler.
• It acts as a guide for yarn on the way to be wound on the bobbin.
Factors considered for selection of a traveler:
• Yarn count: Higher the yarn count, lower will be the traveler weight.
• Spindle Speed: If the spindle speed is high, then the yarn tension will be high. So lighter traveler should
be used to minimize tension.
• Ring dia: For same spindle speed and count, with the increase of ring diameter yarn tension as well as
frictional area increases. So traveler should be lighter.
• Empty bobbin dia: When empty bobbin dia decreases, winding angle decreases resulting a higher yarn
tension. So a light traveler should be used.
• Lift of bobbin: If the lift of bobbin increases yarn tension will be higher. So traveler weight should be
less.
• Cross section of traveler: We know, if frictional area increases, lighter traveler should be light.
- For flat frictional area increases, traveler weight decreases.
- For semi-circular, frictional area decreases, traveler weight increases.
- For circular, frictional area decreases, traveler weight increases
Traveler number or size of Traveler:
Traveler size refers to its weight. Traveler size express by numbering:
- Modern/ Direct system (Traveler weighing in micro grain is its traveler number).
- Conventional/Indirect system (Mostly used. Here, if the weight of 10 traveler is 10 grains then the
number of those traveler is 1 and so on)
Amount of Weight in Traveler No. Count (Ne) Recommended
traveler grain Traveler No.
10 10 1 16 2
10 11 2 20 1-2/0
30 3/0-4/0
10 12 3
40 6/0-8/0
10 9 1/0
50 10/0-12/0
10 8 2/0
60 13/0-15/0
10 7.5 3/0
80 16/0-19/0
10 7 4/0 100 19/0-20/0
Note: The heavier travelers are numbered progressively from 1 to 159, while those are lighter than number
1 are expressed by numbers 1/0, 2/0, 3/0……..upto the number 25/0.
Shapes of traveler (Types of Traveler)
a) C traveler;
b) Flat traveler (standard traveler);
c) Elliptical traveler;
d) N traveler
What is Flange?
Ans: The path of traveler on the ring is called flange. It may be single
or double.
Flange Width:
The term flange width express the difference the outer diameter and inner diameter of a ring. Flange width is
expressed in flange no.
Flange width= (Flange no. + 3)/32 inch
Flange no. Flange width (mm)
1 3.2
1.5 3.6
2 4
((Specification of Traveller:
A ring traveler is specified by the followings-
1. Traveler no.: 1, 2, 3, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 etc.
2. Cross section of the wire and shape
3. Flange no.
4. Surface finish- Stainless steel made, Carbon finish, Nicle finish etc.
5. Type of materials etc.
Notation of Traveler:
A traveler can be notified as follows-
3/0 MS/HF
5/0 MS/FF
7/0 HI-NI/ HF
Here,
3/0- Traveler number
MS- Mild steel
Hf- Half flange
FF- Full flange
HI-NI- High Nickel finish))
Selection of amount of Twist:
According to twist, there are two types of yarn.
a. Hard twisted yarn, e.g. Creep, Warp Yarn.
b. Soft twisted yarn, e.g. Weft or hosiery yarn.
For Indirect system, if we increase yarn count – TPI will increase & Vise-versa.
TPI √Ne, TPI = T.M √Ne
T.M (Twist Multiplier) depends on the follows:
- Type of fiber
- Type of yarn
- Yarn Count
- End Use
Count (Ne) – Woven yarn TM (Twist Multiplier)
10-20 4.6-4.8
20-40 4.4-4.6
40-60 4.2-4.4
60-80 Combed 3.8-4.2
Above 80 Combed 3.6-3.7
Knitted (Hosiery) Yarn: 3.6-3.8 (generally)
Twisting Principle: The traveler which helps to insert twisting yarn gets drive indirectly from spindle.
Each traveler rotation creates one turn (twist) in the yarn. The amount of twist inserted in the yarn is
controlled by the front roller or delivery speed and traveler rational speed.
𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑
Twist = Twist Per Inch (TPI) = 𝐷𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 (𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ/ min) ≈ 𝐷𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 (𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ/ min)
In practice, spindle speed is used instead of traveler speed which is slightly higher than traveler speed.
The direction of twist depends on the direction of spindle rotation. The Z twist is associated with the clockwise
revolution of the spindle and S twist with the anti-clockwise revolution of the spindle.
Limitation of Ring Frame:
Traveler Speed: Maximum attainable speed 50 m/s.
Delivery Speed: For high delivery speed problem arise for piecing. So production is low.
Yarn Tension: For higher machine speed, size of balloons increase as machine speed have positive
influence on balloon size. Due to increase in tension and end breakage rate increase.
Power Consumption: After a certain speed power consumption of the machine in such a way which does
not fit commercially. About 60% power is consumed in Ring Frame of the total power supplying in Ring
Spinning Mills.
Limitation of Drafting System: For higher speed of machine, drafting zone cannot control the fiber
perfectly due to high roller speed. As a result, irregular yarn will be produced.
Winding Speed: Though less RPM is required for winding but both spindle and traveler rotated at high
speed for twist insertion.
Can we use same traveler numbers for polyester, viscose and cotton fibre spinning?
Ans: No. Travelers for polyester blends have to be about 4-5 numbers heavier and those for viscose, 3-4 numbers
heavier as compared to travelers used for 100% cotton yarns.
What is the purpose of spindle brake (knee brake)?
Ans: While end breakage of yarn occurs during spinning, respective spindle will be stopped by pressing spindle
brake (usually by pressing workers knee) for piecing the yarns and start the spinning again. At high spindle speeds,
it is difficult to stop the spindles without the spindle brake.
What are winding coil and binding coil?
Ans: During the process of spinning, twisted yarn is wound over the spindle cop. For winding to occur, ring rail
is moving up and down to wind the yarn. Yarn wound during the slow upward movement of ring rail is called
winding coil, whereas yarn wound during the fast downward movement is called binding coil.
Why top roller are overlap or underlap?
Ans: The top rollers are usually arranged as shown in Fig. An overlap (a) of
2 - 4 mm is usually selected for the front rollers and an underlap (b) of
2 - 4 mm for the middle rollers. The overlap and underlap ensure smooth
running of the top rollers, and the overlap of the front roller also shortens
the spinning triangle by advancing the nip line which has a correspondingly
positive impact on ends down frequency.
What is the maximum speed of spindle in the present day ring frames?
Ans: Mechanically it can go up to 28, 000 rpm but due to traveler speed constraint, it is limited.
What is the need to place separators between spindles?
Ans: If a break occurs in the spinning triangle, then the untwisted fibre assembly may combine with yarn from
the nearby spindle. In order to prevent this happening, separator plates or aluminum or plastics material are
arranged between the individual spindles.
What is the task of traveler in ring spinning?
Ans: The traveler imparts twist to the yarn and enables winding of the yarn on the cop.
What kind of traveler is used for synthetic and blend materials?
Ans: Travelers with a half round profile allow high speeds as a result of the good seating upon the ring. This
profile keeps yarn free from damage.
What is the influence of traveler mass?
Ans: Traveler mass determines the magnitude of frictional forces between the traveler and the ring, and these in
turn determine the winding and balloon tension.
If the traveler mass is too small, what will happen in ring spinning?
Ans: If the traveler mass is too small, the balloon will be too big and the cop too soft. The cop content will be
less due to softer packing of the cop.
What is the effect of high traveler mass?
Ans: A high traveler mass leads to high yarn tension and this in turn will lead to higher end breakage rate.
Why traveler clearer is used?
Ans: Due to deposition and entangling of flying loose fibres and untwisted fibres on traveler, mass of traveler is
increased that result in increased yarn tension which finally induce an end break. To prevent such flying loose
fibres and untwisted fibres on traveler, traveler clearer is used near the ring cup.
Think you are a spinner, you need to change yarn count in a ring frame. Now what are the necessary
changes you must be done?
Ans: Changes are- 1) DCP, 2) TCP, 3) Traveler, 4) Spacer, 5) Lifter gear, 6) Ratchet wheel, 7) Speed pattern
What is under winding in ring spinning?
Ans: The doffing action replaces the ring cop present on the spindle with an empty conical tube (package). Just
before the doffing few layers of yam is wound on the top end of the conical tube and the ring rail is moved to the
wharves region of the spindle and 2 to 3 layers of the yam is wound on the wharves member, which is known as
under winding. (During the doffing operation, wound package is doffed and a fresh conical tube is re-fixed on the
spindle, the ring rail is moved upwards to a position to form a new yam package on the new conical tube. The
yarn leading from the under winding is thus connected to the first few windings around the new conical tube and
during the next doffing, the length of yam connecting the under winding and the initial winding is severed).
What are the section of a spinning mill?
Spinning preparation/Back Section (Blow Room to Simplex): Blow Room and DSC (Draw Frame,
Simplex, Comber)
Spinning section (Ring)
Finishing ( Winding, Conditioning, Packaging )
What is End Breakage Rate?
Ans: It is expressed as number of end break /100 spindle per hour.
𝑵𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌
End Breakage Rate = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓
What is Yarn Realization?
Ans: It is the term used to denote the percentage of yarn produced from given weight of raw cotton. It depends
on waste extraction.
Yarn realization% = (92-Z), for carded yarn
= (95-Z)(1-C/100)-3, for combed yarn, Where, Z = trash extracted (%) in process stages, C= comber noil%
What is yarn?
A product of substantial length & relatively small cross-section consisting of fibers and/ or filaments with or
without twist.
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibers, suitable for use in the production of textiles, Sewing,
Knitting, Weaving & rope making. Yarn can be made from any number of synthetic or natural fibers.
Defects of Yarn (Yarn Faults):
Defects present in yarn can be classified in to five categories:
1) Count Variation: Variation in diameter along the length of yarn beyond acceptable range.
2) Unevenness or Irregularity: It is mass variation per unit length (cm). This fault is expressed as U% or CV%
and evenness tester is used to measure it.
3) Frequently Occurring Faults: (Analyzed by USTER Evenness Tester) These are the faults that occur in range
of the 10 to 5000 times per 1000 m of yarn. Yarns spun from staple fibers contain imperfections, which can be
subdivided into three groups:
Thick places: Cross sectional size +30% to +100% of normal yarn with fault length of 4 to 25 mm.
Thin places: Cross sectional size -30% to -60% of normal yarn with fault length of 4 to 25 mm.
Neps: Cross sectional size +140% to +400% of normal yarn with fault length of 1 mm. Neps are defined as small
tight balls of entangled fibres on linear textile strands.
(Thin places and thick places are produced due to drafting irregularities and neps are generated due to immature
fibers in raw material)
4) Seldom Occurring Faults: (Scanned by USTER Classimat Tester) These are the thick and thin places in yarn
which occur so seldom that for their determination at least 100,000 m of yarn must be tested. This faults may be
classified into the following classes:
A. Short thick places: 1 to 8 cm and above +100%
B. Long thick places: Above 8 cm and above +45%
C. Long thin places: Above 8 cm and less than -30%
((These faults are also known as objectionable faults and should be avoided because they:
- Causes breaks during post spinning operations.
- Detract aesthetic appeal of the fabric, if allowed to pass.
Objectionable yarn faults can be categorized in three groups:
a. Faults due to raw material
b. Faults due to piecing
c. Faults due to Spinning machine
Faults due to raw material: The number of objectionable faults due to raw material varies from 16% to 30%
with different yarns.
Faults due to piecing: The number of objectionable faults due to piecing varies from 9% to 16% of the total
objectionable faults.
Faults due to spinning machine: The spinning frame (R/F) is responsible for about 50% to 60% of the total
objectionable yarn faults))
5) Periodic Faults: If any fault repeats after a certain length/time then the fault is called periodic or systematic
fault.
6) Hairiness: This is the measure for the protruding fibers from the yarn body.
7) Lot Mixing: Sometimes yarn lot can be mixed at the stages of spinning process as well as in the preparatory
section of weaving/knitting mill. This type of mixing causes severe problem in subsequent processes.
Why actual production always less then calculated production for ring frame?
Reasons are:
1. Electrical and mechanical problem
2. Creeling problem
3. Roving breakage
4. Doffing problem
5. Piecing problem
6. Power failure
7. Worker negligence etc
Different types of wastages of spinning mill:
There are various types of wastages which are found in spinning mill during the processing of raw cotton. About
12-13% wastages are produced for card process and 25-30% wastage are produced for combed process.
The names of different wastages are given below:
Blow room (waste= 3%) i. Dropings-2 ii. Lap waste etc.
Carding (waste= 4%) i. Dropings-1 ii. Sliver waste iii. Vacuum waste
Draw frame (waste= 0.5%)i. sliver waste
Lap former (waste=0.5%) i. lap waste ii. Sliver waste iii. Vacuum waste
Comber (waste= 12-18%) i. Noils ii. lap waste iii. Sliver waste
Simplex (waste= 0.5%) i. Roving waste ii. Sliver waste
Ring Frame (waste= 2-3%) i. Pneumafil ii. Hard waste ii. Sweeping iv. Vacuum waste
Winding section(waste=1%) i. Hard waste
