Identifying Critical Process Variables in Poly(ethylene Terephthalate) Melt Spinning 1

A quantitative procedure for identifying critical operating conditions and material properties for the melt spinning of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is considered. The method is based on the experimental observation that for vitrified polymers like polystyrene and PET spun at speeds below 3000 m/minute, the molecular orientation of the as-spun fiber is uniquely determined by σ _L , the spinline stress at the glass transition temperature. Using a constant tension model that predicts σ _L , a sensitivity analysis of the fiber orientation to changes in process variables is investigated. Extrusion temperature, melt intrinsic viscosity, feed rate, and the takeup velocity are the key variables for PET melt spinning, as they strongly affect the freeze line location and the as-spun fiber orientation.