LAUSR

Abstract Spinning is one of the major steps in textiles to convert staple fibers from either natural or synthetic sources into continuous and twisted yarns. Since its invention, ring spinning has become the most widely used spinning technology due to the high yarn quality and applicability. However, the productivity is limited by its twisting and winding mechanism. Viable approaches to substantially improve the throughput of ring spinning are crucial. Therefore, this paper presents a systematic review of the literature on the state-of-the-art of disruptive technologies aiming at improving the throughput of ring spinning. Based on the governing equation of ring yarn productivity, two approaches of increasing spindle speed via reducing or eliminating ring-traveler friction and reducing yarn twist have been scrutinized. Increasing the spindle speed directly increases the centrifugal force and air drag of the yarn in the spinning balloon and exacerbates the traveler's wear. By reducing or eliminating the ring-traveler friction, it is possible to achieve a balance between improved productivity, similar energy consumption, and reasonable traveler wear. Since the yarn productivity is inversely proportional to the yarn twist, yarn productivity can be enhanced by reducing yarn twist with less energy consumption. However, with far less twist, the yarn strength is going to suffer. Therefore, both approaches improve ring yarn yield to some extent, and the level of improvement is subjected to the yarn count, fiber material, spinning conditions, etc. This review provides a clear view of the combination of both approaches to improve yarn productivity and energy efficiency. In the future, it is expected to see more studies of new alternatives which provide the ring spinning process with a cleaner and higher throughput compared to previous or current spinning technologies.