A Modified Hand-Held Force Meter to Measure Yarn Tension in the Ring Spinning Process

Yarn tension measurement and control are crucial in ensuring high-quality ring yarn production. Currently, the predominant testing method is to apply a three-roller tension meter to measure the yarn tension between the front rollers and yarn guide. However, the measurement hinders the twist propagation probably causing yarn breakage during the spinning process. In this study, a modified hand-held force meter was proposed to measure the yarn tension with reduced wrap angle. The yarn tension meter was calibrated, and the results showed that the errors between actual yarn tension and theoretical tension are less than 7%. The tension meter was then used in the real-spinning process, and it was found that the spinning stability was not affected by the tension sensor. Additionally, a theoretical model was used to analyze the effect of the wrap angle on the yarn tension and twist distribution. The results showed that due to the reduced wrap angle, yarn tension and twist distribution were not significantly affected. The most significant advantage of this tension meter is its minimal impact on the spinning process and yarn performance, while being a cost-effective and simple solution for measuring yarn tension.