Fiber Length Parameters:
1. Mean length: It is defined as the average length of all fibers in the sample, based on
weight – length or relative number – length distribution.
It is the arithmetic mean of the length of all the fibers present in a sample of the cotton. It can be
calculated by number or weight of fibers.
Let us consider three fibers length (mm) and weight
are l1,l2,l3 and w1,w2,w3 respectively.
2. Upper Quartile length: It is defined as the length which is exceeded by 25% of the fibers,
by weight or number in the sample.
3. Effective Length: It is the Upper quartile length of the distribution excluding fibers below
half the upper quartile. It is obtained by the geometrical construction on a cumulative length
frequency diagram based on number.
4. Modal Length: It is the most Frequently occurring length of fibers in the weight
distribution of the sample, i.e., it is the length of the group of fibers where a greater number
of fibers will be having equal length.
5. Dispersion: It represents the variation in the length of fibers. It is the interquartile range
expressed as a percentage of effective length.
6. Span Length: It is a distance from a line where the fibers are randomly caught to a point
where only a certain percentage of fibers extend 2.5% span length is the distance from the
clamp on a fiber beard to a point up to which only 2.5% of the fibers extend. 50% span
length is the distance of the point to which 50% of the fibers extend and 66.7% span
length is the distance up to which 66.7% of the fibers extend.
7. Uniformity ratio: It is the ratio between 50% span length and 2.5% span length
expressed as a percentage.
Determination of fiber length:
Methods of measuring the fiber length
1. The technician and the graders method.
2. Breeders Method.
3. The technologist method.
The technologist method is further classified as following:
• Direct method – (a) single fiber, (b) Groups of fibers.
Eg. Baer Sorter, Shirley Comb Sorter.
• Semi direct method – Eg. Ball sledge sorter.
• Indirect method – Eg. Fibrograph, Uster Stapler.
Fiber Length Distribution
Length distribution is also an important consideration during the spinning process when fiber
lengths are sufficiently long to meet yarn spinning requirements. It can be calculated by number
or weight of fibers. The following schematic in figure below helps better understanding the
difference between both distributions:
Four “ideal” fibers are shown with the same linear density or ‘weight’. For example, we assume
all 4 fibers weigh together 300g:
By number, 50% of the fibers are short fibers.
By weight, 33% of all fibers are short fibers.
The Shirley comb sorter Method
Principle
A sample of fibers is arranged in the form of an array in the descending order of length, and from
a tracing of this array some fiber length parameters are calculated.
Apparatus
a) Two set of combs
b) Fiber grip
c) Teasing needle
d) Aluminum depressor
e) Velvet pad, and
f) Rectangular perspex scale (160 x 80 mm) marked in 5 mm squares.
Construction:
1) This instrument consists of a two set of combs (top & bottom) arranged at fixed intervals to
hold the fibers and keep them straight.
2) Here 8 top combs and 9 bottom combs are used, each comb are spaced 6 mm (¼ inch) apart
except the first two bottom comb which is 3/16 inch apart.
3) The distance from a row of bottom needles to a row of top needles is 3mm (1/8 inch).
4) An aluminum depressor, grip, teasing needles, velvet pad etc. are also used.
Procedure:
1. A bundle of fibers prepared by one of the zoning methods is straightened by hand
and pressed into the lower set of combs is impaled in the combs with the ends of fibers
protruding, as illustrated in the left-hand side of Fig.A
2. The end of the bundle is straightened by gripping the ends of the outermost fibers
with a wide clamp and withdrawing them a few at a time.
3. The whole sample is then transferred in this way, a few fibers at a time, to
position B at the other end of the combs and placed there so that the fiber ends coincide
with the first comb.
4. The sample is pressed down into the bottom combs and the top combs are then
lowered onto the sample.
5. The rear combs are moved out of the way one at a time until the ends of the
longest fibers are exposed.
6. The exposed fibers are then removed by the grip and laid on a black velvet pad.
The next comb is then removed, so exposing the fibres which constitute the next length
group and these are removed and laid next to the first set of fibres, making sure that all
the fibres are laid with a common base line.
7. Then trace the outline of the fiber array prepared on a sheet of translucent paper
(see Fig. C)
