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Chapter
Simulations of Yarn Unwinding
from Packages
Stanislav Praček and Nace Pušnik
Abstract
Yarn unwinding from stationary packages has an important role in many textile
processes. In order to achieve high unwinding velocity that can lead to increased
production rate, it is necessary to develop packages with a suitable geometry,
dimensions, and winding type. The optimal design of the package leads to an
optimal form of the balloon and low and uniform tension at high unwinding speed.
In this work I will show a simple mathematical model which can be used for
simulating the unwinding process. Using experimental values I will find a relation
between the angular velocity of the yarn around the axis and the tension. This will
allow me to calculate the oscillations of the tension in the yarn during the unwind-
ing from packages of different geometries and with different winding angles. I will
find an optimal design for a package of a new generation.
Keywords: yarn unwinding, packages, parallel wounding, cross wounding,
unwinding simulations, oscillations of the tension in yarn
1. Introduction
At the end of the production process of a spinning factory, yarn is wound on
packages. Therefore, packages are a crucial intermediate product of textile industry.
The rapid development of fast-running weaving and knitting machines has led to
the situation where unwinding yarn from packages is one of the main production
bottlenecks. For this reason it is of utmost importance to determine the package
geometry and the winding angle which allow to maximize the unwinding velocity
given the allowed highest yarn tension [1–6].
The yarn is being withdrawn with velocity V through an eyelet, where we also
fix the origin O of our coordinate system (Figure 1). The yarn is rotating around the
z axis with an angular velocity ω. At the lift-off point (Lp), the yarn lifts from the
package and forms a balloon (the name stems from the fact that in one period of
rotation, this part of the yarn describes a surface of evolution that has a form of a
balloon). At the unwinding point (Up), the yarn starts to slide on the surface of the
package. Angle ϕ is the winding angle of the yarn on the package. In order to be able
to compare various package designs, it is necessary to determine the influence of the
winding angle of the package on the angular velocity of the yarn forming the
balloon, since the angular velocity determines to a great extend the yarn tensions.
The results of simulations will be used to suggest a design for packages of new
generations, on which two kinds of layers would alternate: parallel-wound layers
and layers with high unwinding angle.
1
Textile Manufacturing Processes
Figure 1.
Yarn unwinding from a cylindrical package.
2. Machines and materials
The current angular velocity ω for cylindrical packages is computed by using the
relation [2, 3]
2π V cos ϕ
ω¼ ¼ : (1)
t c ð1 sin ϕÞ
In order to perform simulations, we additionally need a relation between the
unwinding velocity and the yarn tension. The tension is largest in the eyelet through
which the yarn is being pulled [3].
We measured tension for parallel-wound cylindrical packages of different
dimensions and for different unwinding velocities (Table 1). For such packages the
winding angle is ϕ 0°, and we obtain ω = V/c. This is the expected result since in
this case the unwinding velocity V equals the circumferential velocity of the lift-off
point, which is given by cω [3]. Figure 2 shows the unwinding yarn system. Yarn
is withdrawn from a fixed packages by a Lesson yarn drive at transport speed of up
to 2000 m per minute. Support for the guide is fixed to which the sensor for
measuring the tension of the yarn is installed.
Parameters Range of values
Yarn type Cotton
Yarn linear density m 0.8 g/m
Yarn titer tex 41.6 tex
Package radius c 92–110 mm
Package winding angle ϕ0 5°
Package height mm 250 mm
Transport speed V 1000–2000 m/min
Table 1.
Experimental parameters.
2
Simulations of Yarn Unwinding from Packages
DOI: [Link]
Figure 2.
Setup of the unwinding system.
3. Methods and simulation
In a recent paper, we developed a mathematical model [7, 8]:
1
f ðtÞ ¼ signðsintÞjsintj40 (2)
which would permit to simulate the process of unwinding (Figure 3).
In our simulation we calculate the winding angle using the function
ϕ0 ðtÞ ¼ ϕf ðtÞ (3)
where ϕ is the maximal angle of wind, then we determine the corresponding
angular velocity ω, and finally we obtain an approximation for the tension using
data from Section 2. In our calculations we considered unwinding for two consecu-
tive layers of yarn, so that the package radius remains approximately constant
during this time.
Figure 3.
Model function for winding angle.
3
Textile Manufacturing Processes
The graph below presents the changing tension in the yarn as we unwind yarn
from a cylindrical package. The time is expressed in units of phase: 2π corresponds
to one cycle of unwinding point up and down the package.
In Figures 4 and 5, we show the results for the oscillations of tension for a range
of four winding angles ϕ 0, 10, 20, and 30° for a very small package radius of
c = 70 mm and for two different unwinding velocities, V = 1000 and 1400 m/min,
respectively. The tension is a function of angular velocity, so it is oscillating in
agreement with Eq. (1). When the direction of unwinding changes near the edges of
the package, the yarn tension undergoes a rapid change. Such sudden jumps lead to
strong strain in the yarn, and the yarn can be damaged or even broken in two parts.
In this case we again observe very high tension in the yarn for all the enumerated
winding angles. The tension oscillates from 0.05 to 1.8 N. In such case, the unwind-
ing would fail.
Figure 6 shows the time dependence of the yarn tension for unwinding velocity
of V = 2000 m/min. The winding angle is fixed at φ0 = 5°, and we consider package
radii in the range from c = 70 to 500 mm. For large package radius, the tension is
small, but it becomes sizable already at rather low radius between c = 100 and
200 mm. Nevertheless, the highest calculated tensions remain rather low, T0 = 0.7
and 1.4 N.
Figure 4.
Variation of the tension T0 during the unwinding of the yarn from a cylindrical package for different winding
angles. V = 1000 m/min, c = 70 mm. ϕ 0° (full line), ϕ = 10° (dashed line), ϕ = 20° (dotted line), and
ϕ = 30° (dot-dashed line).
Figure 5.
Variation of the tension T0 during the unwinding of the yarn from a cylindrical package for different winding
angles. V = 1400 m/min, c = 70 mm. ϕ 0° (full line), ϕ = 10° (dashed line), ϕ = 20° (dotted line), and
ϕ = 30° (dot-dashed line).
4
Simulations of Yarn Unwinding from Packages
DOI: [Link]
Figure 6.
Variation of the parameters during the unwinding from a package at V = 2000 m/min
Figure 7.
Comparison of the tension variation at different radii and winding angles. V = 2000 m/min. The package radii
is c = 500 mm. Winding angles: ϕ 0° (full line), ϕ = 5° (dashed line), and ϕ = 10° (dotted line).
5
Textile Manufacturing Processes
We therefore make the following important conclusion: the yarn tension can be
strongly reduced by making use of packages with large radius.
The variation of the radius of the topmost layer, the angular velocity, and the
tension in the yarn during the unwinding from a parallel-wound cylindrical package
at V = 2000 m/min, ϕ = 5°, c = 70–200 mm (dashed line), and c = 160–500 mm (full
line).
In Figures 7–10, we compare the time dependence of the yarn tension for two
package radii, c = 500 and 160 mm, and for three winding angles 0, 5, and 10° at
two unwinding velocities, V = 2000 and 1500 m/min. For package radii 500 mm,
we find suitable tensions T = 0.015 and 0.03–0.04 N for all winding angles. For
package radius 160 mm, we find acceptable tension only for winding angles ϕ 0
Figure 8.
Comparison of the tension variation at different radii and winding angles. V = 2000 m/min. The package radii
is c = 160 mm. Winding angles: ϕ 0° (full line), ϕ = 5° (dashed line), and ϕ = 10° (dotted line).
Figure 9.
Comparison of the tension variation at different radii and winding angles. V = 1500 m/min. The package radii
is c = 500 mm. Winding angles: ϕ 0° (full line), ϕ = 5° (dashed line), and ϕ = 10° (dotted line).
6
Simulations of Yarn Unwinding from Packages
DOI: [Link]
and ϕ = 5°: in these cases the tension rises at most to 0.055 N, which is at the higher
end of the acceptable values. At ϕ = 10° we observe tensions around 0.08 N, which
exceeds the limit.
Figures 11–13 show the dependence of the amplitude of tension oscillations as a
function of the package radius (from 70 to 500 mm) and winding angle (from 0 to
20°) for three different unwinding velocities: 1000, 1500, and 2000 m/min. For all
unwinding velocities, the oscillation amplitudes are larger for packages with smaller
radius and large winding angle. In particular, the oscillations are very large for radii
lower than 160 mm and for winding angles exceeding 5°.
The oscillations of yarn tension are related to the variation of the angular veloc-
ity of yarn rotation around the package axis.
The amplitude of the angular velocity oscillation is
ð4Þ
Figure 10.
Comparison of the tension variation at different radii and winding angles. V = 1500 m/min. The package radii
is c = 160 mm. Winding angles: ϕ 0° (full line), ϕ = 5° (dashed line), and ϕ = 10° (dotted line).
Figure 11.
Comparison of the amplitude of the tension oscillation as a function of the package radius c and the winding
angle ϕ for constant unwinding velocity V = 1000 m/min.
7
Textile Manufacturing Processes
Figure 12.
Comparison of the amplitude of the tension oscillation as a function of the package radius c and the winding
angle ϕ for constant unwinding velocity V = 1500 m/min.
Figure 13.
Comparison of the amplitude of the tension oscillation as a function of the package radius c and the winding
angle ϕ for constant unwinding velocity V = 2000 m/min.
Figure 14.
Dependence of tension T on angular velocity ω of the yarn.
8
Simulations of Yarn Unwinding from Packages
DOI: [Link]
In the region of interest, i.e. for ϕ < 25°, we have tan ϕ ϕ.
We get
ð5Þ
This means that the amplitude of the angular velocity oscillation is approxi-
mately proportional to the unwinding velocity and winding angle, but inversely
proportional to the package radius.
From this relation we can estimate the yarn tension oscillation, knowing the
dependence between the angular velocity and the tension that can be experimen-
tally measured. We can also make use of Figure 14, which can serve to roughly
estimate the amplitude of oscillations. We determine the average angular velocity
during unwinding through
ð6Þ
Here we made use of the small-angle approximation cos (ϕ) ≈ 1. This relation is
applicable in the same range as the expansion for the tan function, and the error is
also of the same magnitude.
In Figure 14 we determine the interval from ω0 Δω/2 to ω0 + Δω/2 and read
off the interval of yarn tension it corresponds to. The amplitude of yarn tension
oscillations is then simply the difference between the maximal and minimal values.
This graphical method for making estimations can be applied to better under-
stand Figure 15, where we plot the dependence of the oscillation amplitude on the
package radius for winding angle ϕ = 10° and unwinding velocity V = 2000 m/min.
This is, in fact, a section of Figure 13 at constant angle ϕ. As a rough rule, the
amplitude of the oscillations decreases with increasing package radius c. In addition,
Figure 15.
Cross section of the plot at ϕ =10°.
9
Textile Manufacturing Processes
Figure 16.
Comparison of the amplitude of the tension oscillation as a function of the unwinding velocity V and the
package radius c. The winding angle is constant, ϕ =5°.
however, one observes a peak in the range of radii from c = 110 to 180 mm. This is
due to the particular dependence of the tension on the angular velocity, as shown in
Figure 14. In some ranges of ω, this dependence is steeper, for instance, from
ω = 200 to 240 rad/s. In this interval, oscillations of angular velocity lead to large
amplitude of tension oscillations. In other ranges, for instance, from ω = 250 to
300 rad/s, the tension does not depend much on the angular velocity; hence the
yarn tension oscillations are small.
The cross section of the previous figure at the winding angle ϕ =10°.
In Figure 16 we plot the dependence of tension oscillation amplitude from the
package radius and unwinding velocity at constant winding angle ϕ = 5°. We notice
that the lines of constant amplitude are simply straight lines. This means that the
amplitude of tension oscillations at constant angle depends only on V/c, as expected
from Eqs. (4) and (5). This suggests the possibility to make a compromise: if it is
known that the yarn is damaged at some given amplitude of tension oscillations,
then the possible choices of package radius c and unwinding velocity V lie of a
straight line. One can thus use small package radii with small unwinding velocities
or large packages with correspondingly higher unwinding velocities. It is also
apparent that during unwinding from packages with a radius of 150 mm, it is
possible to unwind at all velocities shown with a possible exception of those near the
maximum values of V = 2000 m/min.
4. Packages with alternating layers
To reduce the tension oscillations, we devised packages of alternating layers.
They are constructed so that:
a. When unwinding point moves backwards, the parallel layers are being
unwound.
[Link] unwinding point moves forward, the layers with high winding angle are
being unwound. Between two parallel layers, there should always be one layer
with higher winding angle in order to avoid interweaving of parallel layers.
10
Simulations of Yarn Unwinding from Packages
DOI: [Link]
In Figures 17 and 18, we compare packages with alternating layers with regular
cross-wound packages. The unwinding velocity is V = 2000 m/min for two package
radii c = 200 and 150 mm. The winding angle of cross-wound layers is ϕ = 10°. As
expected, the packages with alternating parallel-wound and cross-wound layers
significantly reduce the tension. We have thus achieved an elimination of high
tension spikes which lead to yarn breaking in conventional cross-wound packages.
For this reason, the new-generation packages would allow unwinding at higher
velocities than traditional packages.
In Figures 19–21, we compare the amplitude of the yarn tension oscillation in
regular cross-wound packages and in new-generation packages for different
unwinding velocities from V = 1000 to 2000 m/min and for different winding
angles, from ϕ = 0 to 20°. Package radii are 120, 150, and 200 mm. The amplitude of
tension oscillation is larger for large unwinding velocities and for larger winding
angles. This is the case for all package radii. The totality of the results indicates that
this dependence is significantly larger for conventional cross-wound packages,
Figure 17.
Comparison of the tension variation during the unwinding of the yarn from conventional cross-wound packages
(dashed line) and from new-generation packages with alternating layers (solid line). Unwinding velocity
V = 2000 m/min, package radius c = 200 mm, and winding angle ϕ = 10°.
Figure 18.
Comparison of the tension variation during the unwinding of the yarn from conventional cross-wound packages
(dashed line) and from new-generation packages with alternating layers (solid line). Unwinding velocity
V = 2000 m/min, package radius c = 150 mm, and winding angle ϕ = 10°.
11
Textile Manufacturing Processes
Figure 19.
Comparison of the amplitude of the tension oscillation in packages with alternating layers (lighter) and in
conventional cross-wound packages (darker). Package radius in both cases is c = 120 mm.
Figure 20.
Comparison of the amplitude of the tension oscillation in packages with alternating layers (lighter) and in
conventional cross-wound packages (darker). Package radius in both cases is c = 150 mm.
where the oscillation amplitude becomes very large, while the oscillations are nota-
bly lower in the new-generation packages. The differences are largest for the pack-
age radius of c = 200 mm, where the difference at unwinding velocity of
12
Simulations of Yarn Unwinding from Packages
DOI: [Link]
Figure 21.
Comparison of the amplitude of the tension oscillation in packages with alternating layers (lighter) and in
conventional cross-wound packages (darker). Package radius in both cases is c = 200 mm.
Figure 22.
Amplitude of the tension oscillations in packages with alternating layers as a function of the unwinding
velocity ranges from V = 1500 to 2000 m/min, and the package radius ranges from c = 120 to 180 mm.
Winding angle ϕ = 10°.
V = 2000 m/min equals 0.65 N. At package radius of c = 150 mm, this difference is
still 0.4 cN.
In Figures 22 and 23, we show the amplitude of the tension oscillations in new-
generation packages as a function of package radius and unwinding velocity at
constant winding angle of cross-wound layers of ϕ = 10°. The first figure suggests
that at V = 2000 m/min, the package radius should be at least c = 150 mm in order to
avoid yarn breaking.
13
Textile Manufacturing Processes
Figure 23.
Amplitude of the tension oscillations in packages with alternating layers as a function of the unwinding velocity
ranges from V = 1000 to 2000 m/min, and the package radius ranges from c = 120 to 500 mm. Winding angle
ϕ = 10°.
5. Conclusion
The problem of high yarn tension and its high oscillations can be avoided by
constructing packages of new generations. From this study, the following conclu-
sions can be drawn:
• In designing new package times, it is desirable to limit the maximal value of
the tension in yarn but also the amplitude of the tension oscillations.
• The yarn tension can be strongly reduced by making use of packages with
large radius.
• The alternating design helps to reduce sudden change of tension, and it leads
to higher stability of the unwinding process.
With this design tension and the amplitude of the tension oscillations can be
significantly reduced. In this case it is possible to safely unwind from packages of
smaller radius even at higher unwinding velocities. This would allow higher pro-
duction rates without increased downtime due to yarn breaking. Based on the
results of our calculations, we propose a package with the following characteristics:
the inner cylinder radius should be 150 mm (arguably even 100 or 120 mm), and
the outer package radius should be from 400 to 500 mm. Parallel layers should have
a winding angle that is as close to 0 as possible, while the winding angle of other
layers should be no higher than 10°.
14
Simulations of Yarn Unwinding from Packages
DOI: [Link]
Author details
Stanislav Praček* and Nace Pušnik
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana,
Slovenija
*Address all correspondence to: [Link]@[Link]
© 2019 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms
of the Creative Commons Attribution License ([Link]
by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly cited.
15
Textile Manufacturing Processes
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