STRESS-STRAIN TESTING AND MASS DETERMINATION OF TEXTILE FIBERS

The design and development of a new fiber breaking instrument for cotton quality testing is presented. The instrument is capable of measuring the stress-strain parameters, namely the breaking load and the elongation of the fibers. Furthermore, the measurement of the mass per unit length of the cotton specimen is an integral operation of the instrument accomplished without having to remove it from the holding clamps. This addition makes the tester unique in its field and significantly increases the rate of cotton specimen testing.; The breaking load and elongation of the specimen are determined by straining the cotton fibers clamped between two jaws. The standard flat bundle method is used as outlined by the American Society of Testing and Materials. The movement separating the specimen holding clamps is produced by a stepping motor and gear system.; The mass of the specimen is determined optically. Fiber optics technology is used to bridge the gaps between light source and specimen and between specimen and detector. Scanning of the specimen across the width is provided electronically by the line detector.; The operation of the instrument is programmable. A computer system controls the motor movement and the data acquisition. Calibration and testing procedures are included in the operation of this instrument and described in this dissertation.