Mathematical modeling of the dynamic yarn path depending on spindle speed in a ring spinning process

This paper presents a mathematical model to predict the distribution of yarn tension and the balloon shape as a function of spindle speed in the ring spinning process. The dynamic yarn path from the delivery rollers to the winding point on the cop has been described with a non-linear differential equation system. These equations have been integrated with a Runge–Kutta method using MATLAB software. Since the numerical solution of the equations strongly depends on initial values, an algorithm of sensitivity analysis has been developed to predict the right choice of initial values in order to find a stable solution. For model validation purposes, the yarn tension has been measured between delivery rollers and yarn guide. Furthermore, a high-speed camera has been used to capture the balloon shape at different spindle angular velocities in order to compare the theoretically determined balloon shape with the one that actually occurs on the machine.