Sizing

Topics
-Definition & objectives
-Size ingredients and their functions
-A slasher sizing machine –units, parts, controlling points, passage diagram
-Size take-up % and its factors
-Sizing of filament and synthetic yarns
-Recipes
-Warp sizing & weaving efficiency
-Defects and remedies

Md. Reasat Aktar Arin

Lecturer, Dept. of Fabric Engineering, BUTEX
Email: arin@fe.butex.edu.bd
 Sizing
Sizing is the process of applying a protective coating onto the yarn surface so that the
yarn will suffer the least damage in weaving.

Objects
• Improve weave ability by removing
projecting fibers or hairs and making it
more resistant against tension and friction
during weaving with various machine parts.
• Increasing tensile strength
• Increasing smoothness
• Reducing static electricity formation
 Dressing
The process of jute yarn sizing is called dressing
Beaming process is follows after spool winding.
In beaming operation yarn from spool is
wounded over a beam of proper width and
correct number of end to weave jute cloth.
To increase the quality of woven cloth and
weaving efficiency, the warp yarns are coated
with starch paste. Adequate moisture is
essential in this process.
Quality characteristic of a beam is width of
beam-number of ends and weight of stand and
there is a continuous passage of yarn through
starch solution from spools to the beam.
Starch solution in water contains tamerine
kernel powder (TKP), antiseptic-sodium silica
fluoride and its concentration varies with the
quality of yarn.
 Technical changes due to sizing
• Breaking strength-increase
• Abrasion resistance- increase
• Stiffness-increase
• Electrostatic property-decrease
• Hairiness-decrease
• Yarn diameter- increase
• Absorbency-decrease
• Flexibility-increase
Requirements of Sizing
In order to ensure good technological properties of sized warps, the following
requirements should be met in size:

1.Sized warp must be sufficiently strong, smooth & elastic.

2. The sizing process must ensure the application of the required amount of size on the
yarn, or the required size regain.

3. The tension of the warp yarns at sizing must be regular & constant during all the time of
warp unwinding from the warping beams.

4. Yarn stretch & loss in elongation should be within admitted limits.

5. The package, i.e the weavers beam produced must have a cylindrical shape, the
necessary winding density & the yarn length.

6. The sizing process must be efficient, economical & must ensure the production of high-
quality sized warp.
 Essential and desirable properties of sizing materials
1. Film forming 7. Controllable viscosity
2. Adhesion 8. Easy removal and recyclability
3. Optimum penetration 9. Neutral pH
4. Film flexibility and elasticity 10. Non-polluting
11. Cheap
5. Lubrication
6. Bacterial resistance

The most important factors affecting the properties of the warp yarn after sizing are:
(1) Lubricant added to the adhesive as part of the size
(2) Adhesive type
(3) Recipe
(4) Technique of sizing.
(5) Operational conditions e.g. -yarn speed, temperature of drying, yarn tension etc.
(6) Relative humidity in weaving shed
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Size ingredients and their functions:
• Adhesive- starch, CMC ,PVA ,PVC, sago, corn, maize
Function:
a) To improve strength.
b) To improve abrasion resistance.
c) To increase extensibility.
• Lubricant or softener – Animal fat ,mineral fat, Japan wax , Tallow
Function:
a) To make the yarn soft & slippery.
b) To reduce stiffness.
• Antiseptic or anti mildew- ZnCl₂, phenol etc.
Function:
a) It helps to store the yarn without damage.
b) Protect yarn from bacteria or fungus formation
Size ingredients and their functions:
• Wetting or Hygroscopic agent- glycerin , MgCl₂ , CaCl₂ etc.
Function:
a) Prevent brittleness of size or excessive drying of yarn
b) Helps to keep standard moisture regain.
• Weighting agent-sodium sulphate, china clay
Function:
a) Increase weight of yarn.
Tinting agent- Blue
Function:
a)To increase lusture or brightness.
• Antifoaming agent- Benzene, pyridine etc.
Function:
a)To prevent foam formation.
 ➢ KOLLO TEX or Bensize (STARCH MATERIALS)
Size ingredients used ➢ QUICK SOLON SPR (MODIFIDE STARCH)
➢ BINDER (TO BIND SIZE AND YARN TOGETHER)
in a modern factory ➢ WAX (LUBRICATING AGENT)
➢ WATER

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 CONSTRUCTION KOLLOTEX(kg) Q. S SPR(kg) BINDER(Kg) WAX(kg) FINNIFIX
7X7/34X34 2 2 1.5 0.5 0
20/2X10/80X60 4 1 1 0.5 0
Typical Size recipe
12x12/62x52 4 2 2 0.5 0
16×16/90×78
16X16/88X82
7 3 3 0.6 0
16X16/84X66
16X16/80X58
16x16/74x74
16X16/70X60
16X16/64X52 6 3 3 0.6 0
16x16/62x52
16×16/68×56
20×20/76×52 7 3 3 0.5
20×20/72×58 7 3 3 0.5
20×20/72×50 7 3 3 0.5
20×20/66×52 6 3 3 0.5
20×20/66×50 6 3 3 0.5
20X20/100X72 10 2 3 0.6 0
20+20X20/104X54 10 3 3 0.6
Type of Sizing

• Pure sizing- 7-10%

• Light Sizing- 11-15%
• Medium Sizing- 16-40%
• Heavy Sizing- Above 40%

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 Size cooking

Size ingredients are mixed with the help of

agitator in mixing tank. In the figure, A is a
motor; B is agitator getting direct motion from
motor. C is mixing tank. Size ingredients are
added in mixing tank by the help of inclined lid
(H) and steam supply from steam pipe. After
mixing size- ingredients passed through the valve
(D) and then pumped by pump (E) into cooking
and storing tank (G). In the storing tank, steam is
passed to maintain viscosity of size. Viscosities of
size depend upon concentration and temperature
of cooking tank (G).
 • Ordinary Size Mixing or Conventional Method

Size cooking :2 types • Pressure Cooker Mixing or Modern Method.

 Ordinary Size Mixing or Conventional Method
• Procedure:
I. Add required amount of water into the mixing tank making an allowance for
evaporation and condensation.
II. Stirring start and continue until the end of the process.
III. Add antiseptic and stir for 10 mins.
IV. Gradually add starch materials and stir for 30-45 mins.
V. Pass steam and bring temperature to boiling.
VI. Add softener and boil for 15-20 mins.
VII. Continue steaming the correct viscosity is obtained.
VIII.Test and adjust PH 6 to 8 by adding soda ash, alkali or acid.
IX. Total time of cooking is 120-150 mins.
X. Transfer the size material to storage tank.
XI. Finally maintain temperature at 60 °C.
 • Add required quantity of water into the mixing tank.
• Stirring start and continue until end of the process.
• Add antiseptic and stir for 10 mins.
Pressure • Gradually add starch and stir for 20- 30 mins.
• Air plug valve is tied.

Cooker • Steaming started, temperature automatically raised up to 90°C.

• Automatic timer for steaming started and the temperature and

Mixing or pressure raised up.

• After the temperature rises to 130°C. It is maintained by an automatic
controller.

Modern • Add softener.

• Continue steaming at 30°C until the required viscosity is obtained.

Method. • Adjust PH is kept 6 to 8 by adding acid or alkali.

• Transfer the size materials to storage box.
• Finally maintained temperature at 60°C.
Factory practice of modern size cooking
WATER (NORMAL TEMPERATURE)

KOLO TEX+ SPR (SLOWLY DOSING)

5 MINUTES RUN

95 C TEMPERATURE (20-25 MIN RUN)

BINDER+WAX (5MIN RUN)

FINAL VOLUME CHECK

R/F% MEASURMENT Refractometer

Viscosity Cup

Viscosity cup is used to measure viscosity

of a recipe/liquid.

Example-
A Zahn cup is a viscosity measurement
device widely used in the paint industry,
weaving preparatory section . It is
commonly a stainless steel cup with a tiny
hole drilled in the center of the bottom of
the cup. There is also a long handle
attached to the sides.
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Techniques of Sizing
• Hot melt Sizing
• Solvent Sizing
• Foam Sizing
• High Pressure Sizing
• Electrostatic Sizing
• Emulsion Sizing
• Combined Sizing
 Sizing Machine

Various units
1.Back Beam unit
2.Sizing Unit
4.Drying Unit
5.Cooling Unit
6.Leasing Unit
7.Measuring & marking unit
8.Beaming or Take up unit
Description of different unit of sizing (Yarn passage diagram)

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Back beam unit:
The unit contains frame which carries 8-20 beams to get wound, which may be arranged in various
ways.
Sizing unit:
This unit contains guide roller, tension roller, size box, immersion roller, sizing roller, squeezing roller.
Size recipe is reserved in reserved box & apply it on the yarn. Guide roller guides the yarn & tension
roller maintains the uniform tension on yarn. The size box is used to apply the size liquor to the yarn.
The size liquor is kept in size box. The warp sheet is guided through the solution by means of
immersion roller. The squeeze roller removes excess size from the yarn.
Drying unit: It contains of heated cylinder over which warp sheet passes. There may be two or multi
cylinder. Heated cylinder dries the yarn.
Cooling unit: This unit has cooling fan & guide roller. Cooling fan supplies cool air to dried warp sheet
to cool it.
Dividing unit: In order to prevent adhesion between yarns, it is necessary to separate each sized ends
from the others. For this purpose lease rod is used.
Measuring & Marking device: In this unit the length which is sized is measured by measuring roller &
marked at a given distance.
Beaming unit: Finally sized warp is wound on a weavers beam.
Choice of Size Recipe
i. Cotton Yarn- Starch Based
Polyester etc.- Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) based
ii. Fine and Superfine cotton- Thin boiling Starches
Coarse Count- Ordinary starch
iii. Heavy Fabrics- modified starch
Light and Medium- Ordinary starches
iv. Conventional sizing Machines- Low viscosity starch
High speed sizing machines- High viscosity starches
Sizes for filament yarn
Starch tends to flake off filaments and difficult to remove in finishing.
Viscose– Gelatine, Casein, & oil
Rayon- PVA, Sodium salt of acrylic acid & methacrylic acid
Acetate filament– High concentration of size is used
Dope dyed acetate filament-Vinyl resin
Nylon– Casein paraffin wax emulsion
Spun nylon– poly acrylic acid
Why sizing of filament yarn is necessary?
Multifilament yarns are continuous with no
hairiness but contain occasionally some broken
filaments which may cause problems during
weaving. Such filaments may have broken
during spinning and winding or during the
preparatory weaving processes of the mills. The
broken filaments create problems during
weaving by entangling in loom parts, causing
them to ‘‘peel back’’ until a ball is formed,
which ultimately results in a break in the yarn
and resultant loom stoppages. The size add-on
required for filament sizing typically varies
from 4 to 6% as opposed to 10 to 15% in the
case of spun yarns.
Controlling Points
• Back beam Unit: tension controlling of yarn while unwinding from warp beam
• Drying Unit-Cylinder temperature must not exceed 105˚C to maintain R.H. less
than 6.5% which is a requisite for cotton yarn.
• Cooling unit temperature
• Squeezing Pressure: A typical roller pressure for wide variety of cotton yarn is
given below.
First Squeeze: 0.12MPa
Second squeeze:0.2MPa
Immersion roller:0.1MPa
• Separation Unit: Distances between the lease rods are to be care fully set up for
solid dyed & yarn dyed fabrics
• Size bath temperature
• Headstock : All the settings are done from here eg. Speed of the Yarn Passing
Drying unit
• Methods of drying
1. Cylinder Drying
2. Hot Air Drying
3. Infrared Drying
4. Combined Drying

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Cylinder drying method
•Cylinder drying:
here, drying is done by passing over hot cylinders.
A. Two cylinder drying:
I. In this drying process, two copper cylinder are used in which one cylinder is large
diameter and other is small comparatively.
II. Firstly warp sheet is passed below the small cylinder and then over the bigger one.
III. The yarn is dried while traveling through the circumstances of the cylinder.
 B. Multi cylinder drying:
I. In this type of machine the drying unit consists of
5 to 7 or 11 cylinders having same diameter are
used.
II. All cylinders may be steel cylinders or first two
cylinders are Teflon coated and rest of are steel
cylinder.
III. The cylinders are heated by passing steam.
IV. Heat in initial cylinder is low and gradually
increases when moved towards final cylinder.
V. If large amount of heat is given to the initial, the
sized may be backed.
Why Teflon coated cylinder used in drying

• The Following are the

special features of our
Teflon Coating:
➢Good Quality
➢Long Durability
➢Very High Efficiency

➢Improved Service

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Sizing-Weaving Curve or Size take-up percentage & Weaving efficiency:

• From AB,
Breakage rate α {1/size%}
• From BC,
Breakage rate constant to
a certain limit.
• From CD,
Breakage rate α size%
Size take-up%:
The amount of size material added on the yarn surface is called size
take-up percentage.

Size take-up% =
Factors affecting the size take up percentage
1. Fibre characteristics:
Cotton immature fibre, size take-up percentage higher due to big lumen and
Mature fibre size pick up lower due to small lumen.
2. Yarn characteristics: Higher yarn hairiness and size pick-up higher and surface
rough size pick-up increase.
3. Wet ability: Higher wet ability, higher size pick up due to absorption.
4. Linear density or Yarn count: Coarser yarn, size take-up higher and finer yarn size
take-up lower.
5. EPI: Higher EPI size take-up higher due to density of yarn in warp sheet.
6. Uniformity of warp yarn:
Uniform Yarn→ Lower size take up%
Un-uniform yarn → Higher size take-up%
7. Warp tension: Higher tension of yarn → Lower size pick up%
8. Temperature: 60°C.
9. Roller weight: Higher squeezing roller wt → low Size pick up % due to penetration.
10. Roller diameter: Higher Squeezing roller dia→ Size pick up% higher
Squeezing roller dia lower → Size pick up % lower
11. Nature of roller covering: Size roller surface rough and soft, size pick up % increases.
12. Contact length in size: Yarn contact in size size take-up % →higher
13. Running speed: Running speed higher size pick up lower , due to short time for
penetration of yarn.
14. Size concentration: Size concentration higher → pick up % higher
15. Ingredients: For different ingredient, size pick up percentage vary due to adhesive
power.
Adhesive power of starch is greater than flour.
16. Preparation condition:
Shape of sizing materials should be finer.
 Attempts which have been tried to substitute sizing
Use of high quality warp yarn: The yarn which is made from longer staple & uniform staple length may used for
weaving at low speed. We may use combed yarn.

Use of wrapped yarn: It is as like as core spun yarn. By using this type of yarn weaving is possible without sizing

Use of twisted yarn: Twist gives certain strength to the yarn. By using this yarn weaving may done at high speed
without sizing. It is one kind of ply yarn.

Use of singed yarn: Singeing may done during warping and it must be dyed yarn. After dyeing singeing is performed. By
this process hairiness of yarn is removed which is suitable for weaving.
Use of heat stetted yarn: It is performed synthetic and synthetic natural blended yarn.

Modification of loom mechanism: By reducing the length of shed weaving is done without sizing. Suppose the length
of weaving zone is 40" and PPI = 60 the no of sheds to be formed to produce 1 pick fabric = 60 × 40 = 2400 times. So a
high stretch is acted on the warp of the weaving zone. So if we reduce this shedding length then this high strength is
reduced and weaving may done without sizing. The approximate modification of looms is given below:
Sizing Faults
Hard sizing:
If the size materials are applied too much, the size becomes hard which causes hand
sizing.
Shinnery:
This defect due to the friction between the yarn and drying cylinder.
Sandy warp
Due to not crushed or grind the size material properly
Ridge Beam:
This fault occurs due to uneven distribution of yarn in wraith
Improper drying:
Under drying → Bacteria form → Yarn breakage.
Over drying → Hard sizing
Size dropping:
This defect due to not optimum the viscosity of the size solution.
 Mathematical Problem

#A warp containing 2800 ends is required to be sized to 25%. The length of

the sized warp on the beam is required to be 1080 yds. If the count of the
yarn is 40’s cotton, determine-
1. The weight of the size to be put on the warp of the given length
2. The weight of the sized warp
3. The count of the sized warp.

#A warp containing 9000 ends of 44’s sized to 15%. What will be the count of
sized yarn?
Md. Reasat Aktar Arin
Lecturer, Dept. of Fabric Engineering, BUTEX
Email: arin@fe.butex.edu.bd