Yarn Twist
Prepared by
Md. Sumon Miah
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Textile Engineering
Dhaka University of Engineering and
Technology,Gazipur.
Yarn Twist
Twist is the measure of the spiral turns given to
yarn in order to hold the fibers or threads together.
Twist is necessary to give a yarn coherence and
strength.
Twist is primarily instructed in to a staple yarn in
order to hold the constituent fibers together, thus
giving strength to the yarn.
False twist is used in textured yarns.
.
The effects of the twist are two fold:
As the twist increases, the lateral force holding the
fibers together is increased so that more of the fibers
are contributed to the overall strength of the yarn.
As the twist increases, the angle that the fibers make
with the yarn axis increases, so prevents them from
developing their maximum strength which occurs
when they are oriented in the direction of the
applied force.
As a result, at certain point the yarn strength
reaches a maximum value after which the strength
is reduced as the twist is increased still further.
The twist value required for the maximum strength of
yarn is higher than the normal use since increased twist
also has an effect on other important yarn properties.
A small amount of twist is used in continuous filament
yarn to keep the filaments together, but as twist is
increased the yarn strength decreases below its
maximum value.
But because of the variability of the individual filament
strengths, the initial effect of twist is to support the
weaker filaments in the yarn (Fig).
A filament yarn will be stronger than the equivalent staple
fiber yarn as a comparatively large amount of twist is always
needed in a staple yarn. Sometimes intermingling is used
instead of twist
Types of twist on the basis of twist direction
Types of twist
There are two types of twist: real twist and false
twist.
Real twist:
To insert a real twist into a length of yarn, one end
of the yarn should be rotated relative to the other
end, as indicated in figure (a). Spun yarns usually
have real twist, which holds the fibers together in
the yarn.
False Twist
When inserting false twist into a length of yarn, both
ends of the yarn are clamped, usually by rollers, and
twist is inserted with a false twister between the
clamping points, as indicated in figure (b).
If the yarn is not traversing along its axis, the twist will
be in opposite directions above and below the false
twister. If the false twister is removed, the opposite
twists will cancel out one another, leaving no real twist
in the length of yarn. If the yarn is traversing along its
axis, then the section of the yarn moving away from the
false twister would have no net twist, as indicated in
figure (b).
False twisting is a very important phenomenon,
which has considerable practical implications in yarn
technology.
Figure: Real twisting and false twisting
Twist effects on yarn and fabric properties
a) Handle
As the twist level in a yarn is increased it becomes
more compact because the fibers are held more tightly
together, so giving a harder feel to the yarn.
Because of decrease in the yarn diameter, its covering
power is reduced.
A fabric made from a high-twist yarn will therefore
feel harder and will also be thinner.
A fabric produced from a low-twist yarn will have a
soft handle but at the same time weaker yarn thus
resulting in pilling and low abrasion resistance of
fabric.
b) Moisture absorption
High twist holds the fibers tight thus restricting
water to enter.
Such a high twist yarn is used where a high
degree of water repellency is required, e.g. in
gabardine fabric.
Low twist yarn is used where absorbency is
required.
(c) Wearing properties
With an increase in twist level wearing properties
(abrasion and pilling) are improved.
High level of twist helps to resist abrasion as the
fibers can’t easily pulled out of the yarn.
The same effect also helps to prevent pilling (which
result from the entanglement of protruding fibers).
(d) Aesthetic effect
The level of twist in yarn alters its appearance both
by changing the thickness and light reflecting
properties.
Different patterns can be produced in a fabric by
using similar yarns but with different twist levels; a
shadow stripe can be produced by weaving alternate
bands of S and Z twist yarns.
Level of twist can also be used to enhance or
subdue a twill effect: a Z-twill fabric produced by
weaving Z-twist yarns will have enhanced Z-twill
effect. Same is the case for S-twill.
(d) Faults
Because of level of twist in a yarn can change its
diameter and other properties such as absorption;
variation in twist levels in what is nominally the
same yarn can change the appearance of a fabric,
so giving rise to complaints.
Level of Twist
Twist is usually expressed as the number of turns per
unit length, e.g. TPM or TPI.
However the ideal amount of twist varies with the
yarn thickness i.e., the thinner the yarn, the greater is
the amount of twist that has to be inserted to give the
same effect.
The factor that determines the effectiveness of the
twist is the angle that the fibers make with the yarn
axis.
Fig shows diagrammatically a fiber taking one full
turn of twist in a length of yarn L. the fiber makes
an angle with the yarn axis.
For a given length of yarn, the angle is governed by
the yarn diameter d.
tan θ = п d/L
The greater the diameter of the yarn, the greater the
angle of twist (for same twist level).
As 1/L is equivalent to turns per unit length then:
tan θ ∞ d x turns/unit length
In the indirect system for measuring linear density
the diameter is proportional to 1/√count.
Therefore
tan θ ∞ (turns / unit length ) / √ count
Twist factor is defined using this relationship:
K=(turns / unit length ) / √count
(K is the twist factor)
Value of K differs with each count system.
(a) In case of Tex (direct system):
K= TPM x √count
(b) For indirect:
K= TPI (or TPM or TCM)/ √count
(Value of K ranges 3.0—8.0 from softer to harder)
Effect of twist factor on physical
properties
A cotton yarn having twist factor of 3 will feel soft
and docile, whereas one with twist factor 8 will
feel hard and lively. (a lively yarn is one that
twists itself together when it is allowed to hang
freely in a loop)
Crepe yarns use high twist factors (5.5-8.0 cotton
count Ne) to give characteristic decorative effects.
A fabric made from such yarns is first wetted and
then dried without any constraint to produce
characteristic uneven crepe effect.
The twist in yarn is not usually distributed uniformly
along its length, such that:
Twist x mass per unit length = constant
(i.e.) twist tends to run into the thin places in a yarn;
twist level will vary along the yarn inversely with
the linear density.
So it is suggested that twist level should be
determined at fixed intervals along a yarn such as
every meter.
- Fine yarns give more strength for less level of twist.
- For coarser yarn more twist is needed because it is
made of (short) staple fibers. It is possible to give
same strength by low level of twist in case of finer
yarn.
Twist Applications
Georgette is made of highly twisted yarn (upto 1000
TPM) by weaving S and Z twisted yarns alternately
both in warp and weft direction.
Chiffon is made in the same way but yarn is more
twisted (up to 2000 TPM) and finer than that used in
georgette-Cupramonium rayon is used.
Herringbone is made by using yarns of different
types and levels of twists.
MEASURING TWIST
Sampling
2-5% random sample is taken from bags that are selected
from the consignment. Say if there are 100 bags, then
select 5 bags randomly for testing. From each bag select
one cone for testing and from each cone 10 tests are to be
made thus total 50 testing.
Specimen: After conditioning, outer few layers from cone
are removed. Then it is side-end withdrawal and mounted
on the tester.
Test methods :
Following methods are used to test the twist.
a) Direct counting method :
This is the simplest method of twist measurement.
The method is to unwind the twist in a yarn and to
count how many turns are required to do this.
A suitable instrument has two jaws at a set
distance apart. One of the jaws is fixed and the
other is capable of being rotated.
A counter is attached to the rotating jaw to count
the turns. Samples are conditioned in standard
testing atmosphere before starting the test.
Testingis started at least one meter from the open
end of yarn. A standard tension (0.5cN/tex) is
used when the yarn is being clamped in the
instrument.
The twist is removed by turning the rotatable
clamp until it is possible to insert a needle
between the individual fibers at the non-rotatable
clamp end and to traverse it across the rotatable
clamp.
A magnifying glass is needed to test the fine
yarns.
No. of tests:
- Single spun yarns : A minimum of 50 tests should
be made. Specimen length for cotton is 25mm and
woollen or worsted yarns, is 50mm.
- Folded, cabled and single continuous filament
yarns : A minimum of 20 tests should be made
with specimen length of 250mm.
b) Continuous twist tester :
On twist testers, tests on consecutive lengths of
yarn are not easily made because of the instrument
design and the amount of yarn handling involved.
So this tester has the extra advantage of allowing
twist tests at fixed intervals.
The straightened fiber principle is still used for the
actual measurement of the twist.
The yarn passes from the sample package, through
a guide, through non-rotating jaw, then through
rotating jaw and finally wound on to a (clockwork-
driven) drum.
.
Assuming that a 1'' length of yarn is gripped between
the jaws, the twist is taken out and the number of
turns noted.
The handle is then turned until the counter reading is
again zero. The spring loaded jaws of the rotating
clamp are opened and the clamp moved 1'' forward to
touch the fixed clamp.
Fixed jaw is then opened; rotating clamp is pulled
back to its work position which pulls a new 1'' sample
into the test zone.
-The drum is allowed to take up the slack yarn,
fixed clamp is again closed and the next test can
be made.
For a longer test length say 5-10'' the sequence
after a test is then.
Slide the fixed clamp up to the rotating clamp,
open the rotating clamp and allow the drum to
take up the slack yarn, close it again, slide the
fixed clamp back to its original position, close it
and make the next test.
Untwist-twist method or Twist contraction method
-This method is based on the fact that yarns contract
in length as the level of twist is increased and it
increases in length on twist removing, at last
reaching a maximum length when all the twist is
removed.
- The instrument shown is used for this method.
- The yarn is first gripped in the left-hand clamp
which is mounted on a pivot and carries a pointer.
- After being led through the rotating jaw, the yarn is
pulled through until the pointer lies opposite a zero
line on a small quadrant scale; jaw is then closed.
- At this stage the specimen is under a small tension
and has a nominal length of 10''.
As the twist is removed, the yarn extends and the
pointer assumes a vertical position, so removing the
tension.
Eventually all the twist is taken out but the jaw is
kept rotating in the same direction until sufficient
twist has been inserted to bring the pointer back to
the zero mark again.
The total number of turns recorded on the revolution
counter is divided by 20 for calculating TPI.
The method is based on the assumption that the
amount of twist put in is equal to the twist that has
been removed. However, this is not necessarily the
case.
For woollen yarns the test may give results up to 20%
below the true value and for worsted it may be 15%
higher.
It may be due to:
At the point of twist removal the fibers in the yarn are
unsupported so that any tension in the yarn may cause the
fibers to slip past one another, so increasing the length of
yarn.
With some yarns when the twist is removed the amount of
twist to bring it back to the same length is not equal to the
twist taken out.
Because of these problems the method is not
recommended for determining the actual twist of a yarn
but only for use as a production control method.
It suggests that 16 samples are tested using a gauge length
of 250mm. However the method is easy to use.
Twist in Folded yarns
In folded or plied yarns, firstly there is the twist in
the individual strands making up the ply and
secondly there is the twist that holds the individual
plies together.
If the twist in the single strand is required the yarns
can be analyzed by first removing the folding twist
and then cutting out individual yarns, leaving the
one strand whose twist is then measured on twist
tester.
