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New USTER® ZWEIGLE HL400: High testing speed, high reproducibility
Outstanding improvements in yarn hairiness measurement are offered by a new testing and
classification instrument developed by Uster Technologies. The USTER® ZWEIGLE HL400
operates at speeds eight times faster than existing systems, with unrivalled levels of measuring
accuracy and repeatability.
Precise analysis of yarn hairiness is vital for many textile applications, as hairiness has a
significant influence on both the appearance and durability of fabrics, as well as impacting on the
productivity and efficiency of subsequent processing stages. Experience with textile fabrics has
shown that 15% of unacceptable fabric defects – such as pilling, for example – are caused by
high levels of hairiness or hairiness variations. The hairiness level is also an important parameter
in yarn profiles used as the basis for the buying and selling of yarns.
Uster Technologies, the world leader in high-technology quality measurement instrumentation,
already has a strong foundation in hairiness testing: the world-renowned USTER® TESTER
family, featuring the special OH module, has been acknowledged for the past 20 years as the
basis for the USTER® Hairiness H industry-standard value. Some 80% of the latest USTER®
TESTER 5 models are now equipped with this module, which serves as an early-warning system
for potential production problems.
Complementing this, and taking hairiness testing to new levels of performance, the USTER®
ZWEIGLE HL400 is the result of intensive development work by USTER® specialists. This
improvement was made since the acquisition in July last year of the product range of Zweigle, the
German maker of yarn testing instruments, which included the established Zweigle hairiness
testing system.
The most striking feature of the new USTER® ZWEIGLE HL400 is its speed. It operates at 400
m/min, compared to the 50 m/min throughput of the previous Zweigle system and today’s
competitive systems. Zweigle hairiness can now be measured at the same speed as the USTER®
TESTER 5, offering enormous benefits in productivity. This is combined with the precise
engineering and accuracy in measurement that typifies the USTER® product range.
Richard Furter, Head of Textile Technology at USTER® and an acknowledged industry expert in
quality testing, stated: “The hairiness characteristics of a finished product can be affected by
several individual factors, including yarn twist level, spindle speed and ring traveler wear, so
spinners need reliable information about the length and number of protruding fibers to allow them
to optimize both the performance of their spinning frames and the quality of the yarn being
produced. And today, as compact spinning technology becomes more popular with spinners,
measurement of both USTER® hairiness and Zweigle hairiness values is vital to allow spinners to
be in full control of the quality of the yarns they produce. The USTER® TESTER 5 with OH
module, along with the new USTER® ZWEIGLE HL400, is the only way to obtain the required
data. This latest instrument provides the vital S3 value – the number of fibers protruding by 3mm
or more – which is the main quality benchmark for a compact-spun yarn and an indicator of any
possible problems with a frame’s compacting performance.”
The USTER® ZWEIGLE HL400 provides highly-accurate measurement and classification of
hairiness, allowing in-depth yarn engineering and problem-solving at the initial manufacturing
stage. Together, the USTER® ZWEIGLE HL400 and the USTER® TESTER 5 with OH module
provide comprehensive and perfectly-integrated solutions for all hairiness testing requirements
and afford users with accurate and dependable results.
CEO of USTER®, Dr. Geoffrey Scott, commented: “The Zweigle acquisition strengthened the
overall position of Uster Technologies in yarn testing and certification, as well as providing
customers with a single source for all their laboratory testing needs. Zweigle products now
integrated into the USTER® range also include the USTER® ZWEIGLE FRICTION TESTER 5 and
USTER® ZWEIGLE TWIST TESTER 5, among others. Future editions of the USTER®
STATISTICS global quality benchmarks will include data from USTER® Zweigle-based
instruments, to enable product quality to be correlated with internationally-recognized standards.”
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