The invention relates to a method for controlling means of a workstation of a textile machine producing yarn (1) comprising a compensating unit (9) for the compensation of a yarn (1) loop with a compensating member (6, 8) and, optionally, with a rotary drum (7), whereby on the compensating unit (9) are further arranged internal means (10,15) and external means (14, 16) of detecting the compensating unit (9), in which the information from the internal means (10,15) and the external means (14, 16) of detection is used by a controller of work nodes of the workstation for the controlling activity of the control unit (11) and selection of activation of software procedures is performed on the basis of the information about the state in which the workstation is at a given moment (the course of yarn (1) formation and winding, servicing activity).

In addition, the invention also relates to a device for performing the method for controlling means of a workstation of a textile machine producing yarn (1), which comprises a control unit (11) coupled via a bidirectional communication channel to internal means (10, 15) or external means (14,16) of detecting the current state of the compensating unit (9) and to work nodes at the workstation of the textile machine, whereby the control unit (11) is provided with a decision-making and driving controller of the work nodes of the workstation according to the state of the compensating unit (9).

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring yarn quality in the textile industry. Textile yarn is checked for quality to meet the required criteria such as diameter evenness and unwanted foreign fiber presence. The invention utilizes an artificial light illuminating the yarn, focusing element, diffraction element and the image sensor for capturing of focused diffracted rays from illuminated yarn image. The presence of foreign fibres in yarn and yarn diameter is determined by processing of captured image.

A process and apparatus for separating a carbon filament tow into a set of reduced filament count bundles. The process includes feeding a tow of carbon filaments into a guide array, mechanically splitting the tow within the guide array into filament bundles, removing a coating from the filament bundles, feeding the filament bundles into a guide pin assembly to separate the filament bundles with a reduced filament count from one another, applying a false twist to the filament bundles to loosen individual filaments then recombining the individual filaments of each filament bundle into a re-bundled ribbon. Coatings may be applied to each re-bundled ribbon prior to winding each re-bundled ribbon onto a take-up.

Fiber emitters, such as carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns, are used to create infrared (IR) transmitters that can operate at high data rates, can shift spectral response, and can emit polarized light, for example by alignment of the fiber emitters in close proximity and in parallel directions. These fiber emitters can, for example, be used in patches that can be bonded to fabric or to an object, or can be woven into fabric during fabrication of a textile. The fiber emitters can be used in a variety of methods, including for friend or foe identification, communications, and identification of objects

Disclosed are acetate tow bands comprising identification fibers made of cellulose acetate which exhibit surface markings in a repeated pattern along the length of the identification fibers. The identification fibers can be incorporated into an acetate tow band. The surface markings and repeated pattern can be representative of a bale identifier. The identification fibers can be recovered from a cigarette filter, the repeated pattern decoded, and supply chain information associated with the acetate tow band used to make the cigarette filter can be obtained.

In order to optically sense a yarn moved in the longitudinal direction of the yarn, a yarn sensor has a light source, a detector and a light guiding element. The yarn sensor is based on the effect of frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR). Because of the FTIR effect, scattered light exiting the light guiding element in the contact region between the yarn and an outer surface of the light guiding element is detected by means of the detector, in which case sensing of the yarn lying against the outer surface is enabled. Alternatively, the reduced intensity in the totally internally reflected beam is then sensed by the detector. The intensity in the totally internally reflected beam is reduced mainly by the scattered light coupled out of the light guiding element.

Disclosed are fibers comprising one or more branded fibers which exhibit surface markings in a repeated pattern along the length of the branded fibers. The branded fibers can be incorporated into yarns or fiber bands to represent supply chain information of the yarns, fiber bands, and/or articles made from the yards or fiber bands. In a specific example, branded fibers can be incorporated into an acetate tow band The branded fibers can be recovered from a cigarette filter, the repeated pattern decoded, and supply chain information associated with the acetate tow used to make the cigarette filter, such as manufacturer, customer, ship to location, and even the acetate tow bale, can be obtained.

A method of communicating one or more fiber properties in a yarn and articles made thereof by providing a yarn containing at least one fiber formed from a fiber forming polymer and having a fiber property identification additive present in the fiber is provided. Also provided are yarns and articles made thereof with a fiber property identification additive which communicates one or more fiber properties in the yarn or article made thereof. In addition, methods for intensifying color of a yarn are provided as well as methods for improving bulked continuous filament fiber processing through substitution of problematic colorants are also described.

A fiber testing instrument having a fiber loading station that is sized to accommodate a fiber sample within a desired size range, a fiber extraction device for extracting a portion of the fiber sample for a first battery of fiber tests, a fiber transport device for conveying at least the remaining portion of the fiber sample, and a micronaire chamber for receiving the conveyed fiber sample, where the micronaire chamber is sized to test any fiber sample within the desired size range.

A device for contactless measurement of one or more parameters of a linear textile formation (e.g., yarn) includes a yarn sensor with at least two mutually independent detection zones for one or a combination of the parameters of yarn presence, yarn movement, or yarn quality. The individual detections zones are arranged in defined positions relative to at least two different yarn paths of the yarn at a workstation depending on changed states of the yarn at the workstation so that at least one of the parameters is measured in each of the detections zones.