A comprehensive note on material handling in a typical textile industry.

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
TET II3: YARN PRODUCTION 1
COURSE OUTLINE
1.0 Understand the handling of raw materials in a typical textile
industry.
2.0 Understand the principles of fibre mixing, opening, cleaning and
blending processes.
3.0 Understand the functions and operations of the Revolving flat card
and the high production card.
4.0 Understand lap preparation by both traditional and modern
methods.
5.0 Understand the principles and operations of rectilinear comber.

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
A
REFERENCES
1. R. Senthil Kumar., Process Management in Spinning, CRC Press,
Boca Raton, USA, 2015.
2. Uttam, D., Material handling in textile industries. International
Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Applied Science,
June 2013.
3. http://www.bdtextileinfo.blogspot.com.-Assessed on 25.05.16
12:10pm
4. Nkeonye, P.N., Introductory textiles, ABU Press, Zaria, Nigeria,
2003.
5.
What is a textile?
A flexible material constructed from a network of natural or artificial fibres.
TEXTILE RAW MATERIAL
Raw materials are unique substance in any production oriented textile industry. They play a
vital role in continuous production and for high quality fabric. Textile raw materials are selected
as per the manufacturing policy of the company i.e. whether a composite mill or only a
spinning, weaving or dyeing/finishing.
Types of Textile Raw Material; they include the following:
1. Fibre 2. Fabric 3. Dyestuff 4. Chemical and Auxiliaries
FIBRE: A fibre has been defined according to ASTM as ‘a unit of matter characterized by
flexibility, fineness and a high ratio of length to thickness’.

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
Name & Source: Cotton, Silk, Jute, Wool, Polyester, Nylon, Spandex, Flax, Acrylic, Aramid,
Polyethylene, etc.
FABRIC: Fabric is a planar textile structure formed by interlacing yarns, fibres or filaments. It
may be woven, knitted or nonwoven.
Name & Source: 100% cotton fabric, 65% cotton/35% polyester fabric, etc.
DYES: A dye is a coloured substance that has an affinity for the substrate (e.g. fibre, yarn, fabric,
paper, etc.), on which it is applied. Dyes are generally applied in an aqueous solution and
require a mordant to improve the fastness of dyes on substrate. The following dyes are used;
Reactive, Disperse, Acid, Basic, Direct, Sulphur, Azoic, Vat, etc.
CHEMCALS & AUXILIARIES: Dyeing auxiliaries are chemicals or formulated chemical product
which enables processing operation in preparation, dyeing, printing or finishing to be carried
out more effectively or which is essential if a given effect is to be obtained. Examples are;
sequestering agent, lubricants, desizing agent, mercerizing agent, etc.
MATERIAL HANDLING
Material handling can be defined as an “art and science of conveying, elevating, positioning,
transporting, packaging and storing of materials.”
Starting from the time, the raw materials (such as fibres for spinning unit or yarns for
weaving/knitting unit and fabrics for wet processing or garmenting units) enters the mill and
goes out of the mill in the form of finished products; it is handled at all stages within mill
boundaries such as within and between raw materials stores, various section of production
department, machine to machine and finished product stores.
Material handling involves the movement of materials, manually or mechanically in batches or
one item at a time within the plant. The movement may be horizontal, vertical or both.
Material movements add to the cost but not to the product value. The ideal manufacturing
plant will have an absolute minimum material handling and more use of mechanical material
handling equipment. Some benefits associated with effective material handling in
textile/manufacturing industry are listed below;
 Improving productivity
 Increasing the speed of material movement

4. ,
LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
 Reducing man-power
 Reducing materials wastage and minimizing production cost
 Promoting easier and cleaner handling
 Eliminating idle time of machines, equipment and workers
 Reducing fatigue incurred by the workers
 Locate and stock materials better and in less space
 Increasing safety and minimizing, etc.
FUNCTIONS OF MATERIAL HANDLING SECTION
There are basically two functions of material handling section:
1. To select production machinery and assist in plant layout so as to eliminate as far as possible
the need of material handling. For examples: in a spinning mills chute feed cards, open end
spinning machine, auto-doffing ring frames and autoconer etc. reduce the material handling
activities hence material handling cost.
2. To choose most appropriate material handling equipment which is safe and can fulfill
material handling requirements at the minimum possible overall cost. For example: Air
conveyor pipes within the blow room and between blow room and cards, big size plastic
container trolley for handling ring frame bobbins, cones and fabrics in a textile mill.
MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENTS
Wide ranges of material handling equipment’s are available in the market; which are suitable to
the most of the industrial requirements. Material handling equipment’s are classed as:
1. Industrial trucks: manual and powered
2. Cranes: overhead bridge crane, jib crane and gantry crane
3. Conveyors: belt conveyors, roller conveyor, chain or cable conveyor, etc.
4. Monorail 5. Lift 6. Slides & chutes
7. Hoists: chain type manual, electrical & pneumatic.
8. Tractors & trailers etc.
MATERIAL HANDLING IN SPINNING UNITS

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
The figures below are some of the material handling equipment’s commonly used in textile
mills.
I. FROM TRUCK TO MILL STORES
Figure 1: 2-wheeled industrial truck/trolley Figure 2: 4-wheeled industrial truck/trolley
Figure 3: Forklifts Figure 4: Platformtruck
Typesof material handlingequipment’susedinthe spinningmillsare shownin Table 1 below
S.No Process Material Material handlingEquipment
1. From suppliertomill Cotton/Polyesterinbale form Truck or train or ship
2. From truck to store Bale of raw material Manual 2,3 or 4 wheeledtruck
3. Raw material store tomixing
section
Bale Manual 2,3 or 4 wheeledtruck
4. Mixingto blowroomline Loose cotton Special designedtrolleysor
lattice or suction
5. Blow room tocard Laps or loose cotton SpeciallydesignedtrolleyorAir
pipe conveyorandchute
6. Cardingto draw frame Slivercans Manual trolleyorcans fitted
castro wheels
7. Draw Frames to SpeedFrame Slivercans Manual trolleyorcans fitted

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
castro wheels
8. Speedframe toringframe Rovingbobbins Manual trolley/Tapaorspecial
designedtrolley
9. Ringframe doffing Ringbobbins Doffingtrolleys
10. Ringframe to winding Ringbobbins Speciallydesignedplastictrolley
11. Windingtopacking Cones Big size plastictrolleyorspecial
designedtrolley
Table 1: Material handlinginspinningunits
ii.FROMMIXING TO BLOW ROOM
Figure 5: Iron trolley Figure 6: Mixingtrolley
III.WITHIN BLOW ROOMLINE
Figure 7: Belt Conveyor

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
Figure 8: Air Pipe Conveyor
iv.FROMBLOW ROOMTO CARDINGDEPARTMENTS
Figure 9: Trolleyfor blowroom laps
Figure 10: Chute FeedingSystem
V.FROM CARDINGMACHINETO DRAWFRAME & DRAW FRAME TO SPEED FRAME

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
Figure 11: Slivercans
Figure 12: Cans carrying trolley
vi.SLIVER LAP/RIBBON LAP MACHINE TO COMBER
Figure 13: Sliver/ribbonlaps carrying trolley

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
Vii.FROMSPEEDFRAME TO RING FRAME
Figure 14: Big size trolleyfor speedframe Figure 15: Porcupine type trolleyfor speedframe
viii.TROLLEY FORSPEED FRAME FLYERS
Figure 16: Trolley for speedframe flyers
Ix.FROMRING FRAME DOFF TROLLEY

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
Figure 17: Ring frame doffingtrolley Figure 18: Ring frame doffingtrolley
X.POST SPINNING
Figure 19: Trolley fittedwithcone holderpegs
MATERIAL HANDLING & SAFETY
A. The Blow room
1. Cotton grownand harvestedbythe farmerwasuntil 1987 soldto marketing boardfor onwardsales
to the textile mills.However,withthe abolitionof the marketingboard,the textile millsorabody
representingthembuydirectlyfromthe cottonfarmers.

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
2. The cottonarrivesinthe factorypremisesinthe formof a highlycompressedmasscalled BALESone
of whichweighsbetween200-300kg.
3. Balesto be usedare movedfromthe warehouse tothe blow room,where theywill be openedand
allowedtoremainforat least24 hoursinorder forthe fibresto/mightabsorbmoisture before beingput
ontothe machines.
4. During processinginthe blow room,the cottonisopened,cleaned,mixedandblended.Heavyand
lightparticlessuchasstones,sandsticksand cottonseedreminants,leavesandotherimpuritiesare
removed,andcleancotton formedeitherintoamat-like sheetcalledaLAP, or feddirectlybychutesto
the carding machine.
Material HandlingPrecautions:
1. During balescarriage fromthe warehouse tothe blow sroom, care shouldbe takento avoidaccidents
causedby a careless liftingof baleswhichweighbetween200 and 300kg
2. Blowingroomstandardhumidityhastobe maintainedat55-65%. Thisis forbetterprocessingof raw
materialsaswell asconvenienceof the workers.
3. Workers inthe blowroomare warnedto alwayswear theirnose/mouthmasksfortheirsafety.Hand
glovesmaybe wornwhennecessary.
4. To avoiddamage tothe openersandblowingmachinebeaters,feedersare instructedtopickany
piece foundinthe rawcotton whenfeedingisinprogress.
NB: Bar magnetsare fixedonsome machine passagestoattractmetal piece foundinthe raw cotton
whenfeedingisinprogress.Barmagnetsare fixedonsome machine passagestoattractmetal pieces
duringprocessing.
B. Carding Section
1. Laps producedinthe blowroomare laidonthe lap standbehindthe cardingmachine.Theyare
loweredandfedtothe taker-injustbefore the previouslapunwindscompletely,forcontinuity.
2. Laps fedto the carding machine are opened,andshortfibres,sticks,leaves,sandandsmall dust
particlesare removed.The fibresare formedinto WEBandthe webcondensedbycalenderrollersto
formsliverwhichiscoiledintoa CAN.
3. Humidityincardingsectionisbetween50-55% and temperature ismaintainedat30-350
c.
Material HandlingPrecautions:
1. Cardingmachine operativesandmaintenance workersare instructedtouse mouth/nose masksfor
healthreasons.

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LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
2. Cardingengineshave heavyandfastmovingpartse.g.cylinderandtaker-in.Workersare toavoid
bodilycontactwiththese partswheninoperation.
3. A machine due formaintenance shouldhave asignplacedonitto warn everyone nottostart it.The
powersupplytosuch a machine mustbe disconnected,andif possible, mustnotbe restore withoutthe
knowledge of the maintenance staff.
4. Cardingoperativesandmaintenance workers are advisedtobe careful whencleaningmachinewith
sticks,brushesandmetal hooks.Whenthese are takenintothe machine duringoperation,theywill
damage the cylinder,dofferandflatteeth.
C. Drawing Section
Here,card sliversare passesthroughtwosetsof drawingmachines.These makesindividualfibreswithin
the sliverbetterorientedandparallelized.
The purpose of draftingfor lightandheavysliversthroughthe same passage intoone sliver istoeven
out the differencesinthemandproduce amore regularsliver.
The sliverisfinallycoiledintoacan similartothe cards.
Material HandlingPrecautions:
The drawingmachine isthe safestto operate inthe spinningdepartment.Onlysignsare placedonitfor
notificationduringmaintenance.
D. Roving Section
1. Draw framessliversare arrangedbehindthe rovingframe anddrawnthroughpairsof draftingrollers
to formroving.A rovingisthe drawnsliverfurtherreducedtoa smallersize withjustalittle twist
insertedandwoundontoa package knownas BOBBIN.
2. During operation,breakagesmayoccuralongsliverlengths,the operativesshouldnotallow piecing
up to exceed1½ inches,andonlyverylittle twistapplied.
3. Rovingpiecingshouldbe carriedoutonlybyexperiencedoperativesandmustbe done soas to avoid
frequentmachine stoppage.
Material HandlingPrecautions:
1. The sliversandroving’sinthissectionshouldbe carefullyhandledtoavoiddamage.
2. Operativesandmaintenance menshouldnotwearlongrobes.Thiscaneasilygetcaughtby flyersand
seriousaccidentmayoccur.

13. ,
LECTURE NOTE PREPAREDBY MUHAMMED RAJI.A.
DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER & TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, LAGOS NIGERIA.
3. The humidityappliedhere isaboutthe same asthat inthe carding and drawingsections.
E. RingSpinningSection
1. Rovingbroughtfrom the speedframesare arrangedontop of the ringframesand fedtothe drafting
rollers.Here,the rovingisreducedinsize,twistedintoyarnandwoundontoa BOBBIN.
2. Windingof the yarn onto a BOBBIN is done withthe aidof travellers.
3. During operation,doffingissocontrolledthatmachinesare stoppedfordoffingalternatelyandonly
one machine isstoppedata time fordoffing.Whilethe remainingonesare inoperation.
4. Humidityinthissectioniscontrolledsothatrollerlappingshall notoccur.Standardhumidityinthis
sectionisabout50%.
Material Handling Precautions:
1. Operatorsare to be careful inthe use of hookswhenremovingrollerlapping,because itcould
damage rollersandrubberaprons.
2. Bobbinsandtravellersdroppedonthe spinningfloorsshouldbe pickedimmediately.Bobbinscan
cause accidents and travellersdroppedwill be wasted.
3. Maintenance workersshouldplace warningsignsonthe machine whenworkingonitsothat other
workerscouldkeepoff.Rollersandgearscan easilycause injuries..