Spun-dyed yarns continue to be in demand because of superior colour-fastness, cost advantages and, most of all, tighter environmental rules and regulations for dyeing works within the Chinese market. An influence on the development of micro-components and original parts is a logical consequence of this trend. During ITMA the Oerlikon Manmade Fibres segment focused on solutions for customer-specific requirements and looked into the subject of spun-dyeing, as it is a technology company.

A new sensor that identifies yarn breaks in particularly critical yarns such as extra-fine or spun-dyed yarns has been developed by Oerlikon. Many times, conventional optical sensors do not register extremely fine or coloured yarns and thus signal a yarn break, which results in a direct interruption to the spinning process. The black yarns, commonly used in the automobile industry are a particularly serious challenge for sensor technology. The new dual sensor of the Manmade Fibers segment can prevent this misdetection, reliably identifying yarn breaks, with a second ‘eye’.

Small components used in texturing also are challenged by spun-dyed yarns and they result in considerably faster wear to the coatings of yarn guides to this end. Due to their high carbon content, black yarns in particular have a very aggressive impact on yarn guides. This is a considerable cost factor for texturing companies with increasing market shares for black yarns.

After Sales Manager Achim Beul, while talking about the new coating in practice, said one of their customers has been running the new yarn guides without any noticeable wear and with outstanding yarn parameters for six months now.