THE EFFECTS OF LUBRICANTS ON THE STIFFNESS OF SEWING THREADS

(REFEREED RESEARCH) THE EFFECTS OF LUBRICANTS ON THE STIFFNESS OF SEWING THREADS YAĞLAMA MADDELERİNİN DİKİŞ İPLİKLERİNİN EĞİLME DAYANIMI ÜZERİNE ETKİLERİ Ayça GÜRARDA *, Binnaz MERİÇ KAPLANGİRAY, Mehmet KANIK, Esra YÜKSELTAN Uludag University Textile Engineering Department, Bursa, Turkey Received: 0..00 Accepted: 6.05.0 ABSTRACT This paper reports an experimental investigation into the effects of lubricants on the stiffness of sewing threads. In this work, three types of sewing threads, polyester-spun, core-spun (polyester/polyester) and core-spun (polyester/cotton) having the same ticket number at different colours (white, grey and black) were used. Three different lubricant types and lubricant feeding rates (0,5-- g/min) were applied to these sewing threads. Therefore 8 different sewing threads were obtained. The aim of this study is to see the effects of the lubricants on the stiffness of sewing thread. Sewing threads with very high bending length and flexural rigidity values may lead to sewing problems like seam pucker as they too stiff to be manipulated and controlled. To investigate the stiffness of a sewing thread bending length must be obtained. In this work a stiffness tester was used to measure the bending length of sewing thread. In this study, it was found when lubricant feeding rate increase on the sewing thread bending length and stiffness decreased. It was also found lubricant type is very important on the stiffness of sewing thread. Key Words: Sewing thread, feeding rate, amount, Stiffness, Bending length. ÖZET Bu araştırma, yağlama maddelerinin dikiş ipliklerinin eğilme dayanımı üzerine etkilerini deneysel olarak sunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, aynı etiket numarasında ve farklı renklerde (beyaz, gri ve siyah) polyester, core-spun (polyester/pamuk) ve core-spun (polyester/polyester) olmak üzere 3 tip dikiş ipliği kullanılmıştır. Bu dikiş ipliklerine 3 değişik yağ tipi ve 3 değişik yağ besleme oranı (0,5-- g/min) uygulanmıştır. Böylece 8 değişik tip dikiş ipliği elde edilmiştir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, dikiş ipliklerinin eğilme dayanımı üzerine yağların etkisini görmektir. Yüksek eğilme uzunluğu ve eğilme rijtliğine sahip dikiş iplikleri sert olmalarından dolayı kullanılması ve kontrolü zor olduğundan dikiş büzülmesi gibi dikiş problemlerine sebep olmaktadır. Dikiş ipliğinin eğilme dayanımı için eğilme uzunluğu bulunmalıdır. Bu çalışmada, dikiş ipliklerinin eğilme uzunluğunun ölçümünde, eğilme dayanımı test cihazı kullanılmıştır. Burada, yağ besleme oranı arttığı zaman dikiş ipliği eğilme uzunluğu ve eğilme dayanımı azalmaktadır. Aynı zamanda dikiş ipliklerinin eğilme dayanımı üzerine yağ tipi de çok önemlidir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Dikiş ipliği, Yağ besleme oranı, Yağ miktarı, Eğilme dayanımı, Eğilme uzunluğu. * Corresponding author: Ayça Gürarda, aycagur@uludag.edu.tr, Tel: + 90 4 940 60. INTRODUCTION In apparel industry, the sewing process is one of the critical processes in the determination of productivity and quality of the finish garment (,). What garment manufacturers can do to improve the quality of garments is to use better sewing threads, improved machinery, better garment design and better trained personel. The use of better sewing thread would appear to be easiest, least expensive option (4). The forces that are developed in the sewing thread are mostly due to the friction between the thread-needle and fabric being-sewn. Sewing thread finishes have a significant influence on threads frictional properties. The lubricant must provide low and controlled level of friction and be capable of masking the different basic surface properties of threads (3). Although there is some understanding of the effect of individual thread properties on seam apperance, their combined effect is not clear and hence sewing threads can not be compared in terms of their overall performance. The physical and mechanical properties of sewing threads related to seam apperance, their combined effect is not clear and hence sewing threads can not be compared in terms of their overall performance. The physical and mechanical properties of sewing threads related to seam apperance include linear density, irregularity, tensile, bending and frictional properties and dimensional stability (3). The bending properties of sewing threads were important for seam pucker on garments. If the sewing thread stiffness higher than 7 TEKSTİL ve KONFEKSİYON 3/0

fabric stiffness seam pucker were occur on the garments (5). The simple cantilever is a common method to measure the bending rigidity of fabrics. However, the small dimension and untwisting of the free end of yarn are the major difficulties in the simple cantilever method. A two support beam system was used to measure the bending rigidity of yarn (6). Owing to the helical paths taken by the fibers in the yarn, they are both bent and twisted when the yarn is bent. The yarn bending rigidity depends on the bending and torsional rigidity of its constituent fibers, the arrangement due to twist, and the geometric parameters such as helix angle. The yarn bending rigidity can be predicted using the tensile modulus and shear modulus of its constituent fibers, yarn helix angle and yarn radius. One of the yarn s mechanical properties, the bending property, is not only closely connected with the fabric s physical properties, such as crimp, skew and curl but also with its formability, such as drape, crease recovery and tailorability (7). Yarn flexural rigidity was estimated by the ring loop method. Some chemical treatments cause an increase in flexural rigidity regardless of the yarn structure. The swelling of fibres during enzymatic scouring and bleaching might increase the compactness of the structure, resulting in lesser freedom of fiber movement during bending. However, increase in flexural rigidity is more marked in rotor yarns than in ring-spun yarns. Moreover, increased twist factor normally increases flexural rigidity (8). To investigate the stiffness of a sewing thread bending length and flexural rigidity must be obtained.. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three types of sewing threads, polyester-spun, polyester/polyester core-spun (poly/poly) and poliester/ cotton core-spun (poly/cotton) having the same ticket number at different colours (white, grey and black) were used. Three different lubricant types and lubricant feeding rates (0,5-- g/min) were applied to these sewing threads. Therefore 8 different sewing threads were obtained. Tenacity and elongation values of sewing threads were measured in a Instron Strength Tester. was applied to these sewing threads under controlled conditions with the OMR winding machine. feeding rates were set up with Graf lubrication system. The properties of lubricants were in Table. The properties of sewing threads before lubricant application were in Table and the properties of sewing thread after lubrication were in Table 3, 4 and 5. After the lubricants were applied to the sewing threads on the winding machine under controlled lubricant feeding rates, the amount of lubricant on the sewing threads were measured. Mesdan Oil Exraction Apparatus (Code 73B) was used to measure for quick determination of lubricant percent content of thread. As described at Turkish Standart 50 Textile Glass- Determination of Stiffness of Rovings and ISO 3375:009, suspension of a test piece of threads, 500 mm long, at its centre over a hook with specified dimensions and measurement of the separation of the two hanging ends of the test specimen at a standart distance of 60 mm below the suspension point (9). A suitable sewing thread stiffness tester is shown in Figure. SPSS was used for all statistical procedures. The results were evaluated by analysis of variance (anova) and Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) test. All test results were assessed at significant levels of α 0.05. Table 6 shows the results of the SNK tests. The numbers in brackets indicate the significant level of the factors for the properties in Table 6. Therefore, all numbers in brackets are for colour indicating that colour did not have effect on bending length. The number in bracket is 3 for poly/cotton indicating that poly/cotton thread type had significant effect on bending length. Table. Properties of lubricants used name Ruco-Fil SCI Chemical structure Polisiloksan+parafin (without water) Viscosity (mpas) 500-000 Ruco-Fil SNV Polisiloksan 350 Ruco-Fil SCW Polisiloksan+parafin (without water) 000-3000 Application temperature ( C) Cold (5 C) Cold (5 C) Hot (80 C) Table. Properties of sewing threads before lubricant application Yarn Type Colour Yarn Count (dtex) Ticket Number Twist (T/m) Tenacity Elongation (%) Bending Length (cm) White 30x 0 78 (Z) 0.377 4.44.5 Polyester-spun Black 30x 0 780 (Z) 0.353 4.8.48 Grey 30x 0 774(Z) 0.406 4.98.56 Core-spun White 5x 0 98(Z) 4 0.77.76 (poly /poly) Black 5x 0 004(Z) 0.49 0..86 Grey 5x 0 997(Z).60.9 White 3x 0 096(Z) 0.43 0.8.96 Core-spun Black 3x 0 08(Z) 0.4 0.3 (poly/cot) Grey 3x 0 05(Z) 0.4 9.8.9 TEKSTİL ve KONFEKSİYON 3/0 73

Figure. The yarn stiffness tester (9) 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.. Bending Length Results The SNK results at Table 6 show that no significant effects of the colours of the sewing threads after lubricant application on the bending length. But the yarn structure has significant effects on bending length. Core-spun (poly/cotton) sewing thread bending length was higher than core-spun (poly/poly) and polyester-spun sewing threads. feeding rates and lubricant types are also have significant effects on the bending length. The bending length values were higher on the sewing threads with lubricant feeding rate than the sewing threads with and lubricant feeding rates. High lubricant feeding rates make the sewing threads soft. types have significant effects on the sewing threads, too. The bending length values were higher on the sewing threads with SCI and SNV lubricant types than the sewing threads with SCW lubricant. Hot application with SCW lubricant makes the threads more softness than the cold application with SCI and SNV lubricants. At figure, 3 and 4 we can see these results, too. Table 3. Properties of polyester-spun sewing threads after lubrication Type Ruco-Fil SCI Ruco-Fil SNV Ruco-Fil SCW Feeding Rate(g/min) Colour Amount (%) Bending Length (cm) Tenacity Elongation (%) White 3.05.54 0.346 3.77 Grey 4..5 0.404 4.64 Black 3..6 0.346 4.96 White 8..68 0.346 3.4 Grey 6..7 0.384 4. Black 6.3.78 0.36 4.47 White 4.8.0 0.348 3.58 Grey 4.4.84 0.38 4.5 Black 4..64 0.38 4.76 White 4.9 0.377 4.69 Grey 3.95.9 0.47 5 Black 4.6 0.364 5.09 White 9.8.76 0.386 4.5 Grey 8.8.86 0.37 3.98 Black 9.3.7 0.38 5.3 White 7.9.8 0.36 3.84 Grey 6.84 0.4 4.64 Black 4.4.7 0.354 4.6 White 3.5.9 0.35 3.87 Grey 4.5.48 0.44 5.7 Black 3.35.5 0.356 5.5 White 9.35.48 0.348 3.96 Grey 9.6.5 0.34 4.0 Black 9.46 0.386 5.7 White 6.75.46 0.380 4.64 Grey 6.3.5 0.37 4.5 Black 4.65.48 0.355 5.6 74 TEKSTİL ve KONFEKSİYON 3/0

Table 4. Properties of core-spun (poly/poly) sewing thread after lubrication Type Ruco-Fil SCI Ruco-Fil SNV Ruco-Fil SCW Feeding Rate(g/min) Colour Amount (%) Bending Length (cm) Tenacity Elongation (%) White 3.55.68 0.73 Grey 3.55.8 06 0.4 Black 3.75.88 0.56 White 6.9.96 8 0.9 Grey 7..76. Black 7.9.88 6.07 White 3.3.68 9.69 Grey 3.4.68 4 0.9 Black 3.95.8 0 0.98 White 3.95.8 04 0.49 Grey 3.85.8 0 6.75 Black 3.65.9 0.496.68 White 9.75.78 0.04 Grey 9.4.78 4 0.37 Black 9..86 0.496.44 White 5..84 07 0.7 Grey 5..76 6 0.05 Black 6.7.84.44 White 3.7.8 04 5 Grey 3..9.73 Black 4.4.84 04.58 White 8.55.9 00 7 Grey 9.05.9 8.08 Black 8.3.88 03.90 White 6..78 0.496 7 Grey 3.8.7 5.4 Black 4.5.84 0.477.3 Table 5. Properties of core-spun (poly/cotton) sewing thread after lubrication Type Ruco-Fil SCI Ruco-Fil SNV Ruco-Fil SCW Feeding Rate(g/min) Colour Amount (%) Bending Length (cm) Tenacity Elongation (%) White 3.5.98 0.45 9 Grey 3.35.9 0.4 0.3 Black 3.5.84 0.43 0.47 White 8.9 0.433 0.39 Grey 7.8.96 0.40 9.33 Black 7.05.84 0.46 0.0 White 4.5.66 0.47 Grey 4.6.84 0.4 9.75 Black 3.6.88 0.4 0.7 White 3.6.94 0.43 0.33 Grey 4..96 0.4 0.0 Black 4.5.84 0.4 9.8 White 9.5.9 0.46 0.6 Grey 8.9.78 0.44 0.05 Black 9.05.78 0.43 0.0 White 6.75.78 0.48 9.88 Grey 6.5.76 0.4 0.08 Black 6.05.86 0.4 9.47 White 4..96 0.43.6 Grey 4.35.9 0.47 0.64 Black 3.3.9 0.43 0.7 White 8.5.86 0.46 9.84 Grey 8.65.86 0.44 9.8 Black 9.05.78 0.43 0.38 White 5.84.84 0.44. Grey 4.6.84 0.407 0.0 Black.5.84 0.48 0.0 TEKSTİL ve KONFEKSİYON 3/0 75

Table 6. The Student-Newman-Keuls test results of sewing threads after lubrication Type Colour Feeding Rate Type Factor Bending Length (cm) Tenacity Elongation (%) Polyspun.6644 ().370 () 4.499 () Polycotton.8600 (3).4 () 0.75 () polypoly.859 ().5089 (3) 0.8866 (3) Black.774 ().430 () 8.8707 () Grey.7859 ().4460 () 8.430 () White.7904 ().435 () 8.33 ().00.76 ().433 () 8.488 ().00.7904 ().4338 () 8.4444 () 0.7978 ().436 () 8.737 () SCW.7393 ().4307 () 8.7570 () SCI.799 ().4337 () 8.3687 () SNV.893 ().4377 () 8.480 (),5 Bending Length (cm),5 0,5 Polyspun,SCI Polyspun,SNV Polyspun,SCW 0 0,5 Figure. Bending length values of white poly spun sewing threads with SCI, SNV and SCW lubricants at different lubricant feeding rates Bending Length (cm),95,9,85,8,75,7,65,6,55,5 0,5 Polypoly,SCI Polypoly,SNV Polypoly,SCW Figure 3. Bending length values of white core-spun (poly/poly) sewing threads with SCI, SNV and SCW lubricants at different lubricant feeding rates 76 TEKSTİL ve KONFEKSİYON 3/0

Bending Length (cm),95,9,85,8,75,7,65,6,55,5 0,5 Polycot,SCI Polycot,SNV Polycot,SCW Figure 4. Bending length values of white core-spun (poly/cotton) sewing threads with SCI, SNV and SCW lubricants at different lubricant feeding rates 3.. Amount Results Parafin wax is an essential constitutent of the lubricants used for many sewing thread, but silicone compounds are most frequently used because their frictional properties unaffected by heat. In this study we used Ruco-SCI and Ruco-SCW silicone-parafin based lubricants and Ruco-SNV silicone based lubricant for our sewing threads. Figure 5, 6 and 7 show that significant effects of the thread type and lubricant feeding rate on the lubricant amount. In this study, it was found when lubricant feeding rate increased on the sewing thread lubricant amount increased too. When lubricant feeding rate g/min at Graf lubrication system, poly spun and poly-cotton sewing thread lubricant amount higher than poly-poly sewing thread. Sewing threads stiffness were decreased when the amount of lubricant were increased. Amount (%) 6 4 0 8 6 4 0 0,5 Polyspun,SCI Polypoly,SCI Polycot,SCI Figure 5. amounts of white poly-spun sewing threads with SCI lubricant at different lubricant feeding rates Amount (%) 8 6 4 0 8 6 4 0 0,5 Polyspun,SNV Polypoly,SNV Polycot,SNV Figure 6. amounts of white poly-spun sewing threads with SNV lubricant at different lubricant feeding rates TEKSTİL ve KONFEKSİYON 3/0 77

8 Amount (%) 6 4 0 8 6 4 0 0,5 Polyspun,SCW Polypoly,SCW Polycot,SCW Figure 7. amounts of white poly-spun sewing threads with SCW lubricant at different lubricant feeding rates 3.3.Tenacity and Elongation Results The SNK results at Table 6 and Figure 8, 9 and 0 show that significant effects of the thread type of the sewing thread after lubricant application on the tenacity and elongation. There was no significant effect of lubricant feeding rate of the sewing threads after lubrication application on the tenacity and elongation. Core-spun (poly/poly) sewing thread tenacity and elongation values were higher than core-spun (poly/cot) and polyester-spun sewing threads. 0,39 0,38 Tenacity (N/Tex) 0,37 0,36 0,35 0,34 0,33 Polyspun,SCI Polyspun,SNV Polyspun,SCW 0,3 0,5 Figure 8. Tenacity values of white poly spun sewing threads with SCI, SNV and SCW lubricants at different lubricant feeding rates 0,5 0,55 Tenacity (N/Tex) 0,5 0,505 0,5 0,495 0,49 Polypoly,SCI Polypoly,SNV Polypoly,SCW 0,485 0,48 0,5 Figure 9. Tenacity values of white core-spun (poly/poly) sewing threads with SCI, SNV and SCW lubricants at different lubricant feeding rates 78 TEKSTİL ve KONFEKSİYON 3/0

Tenacity (N/Tex) 0,435 0,43 0,45 0,4 0,45 0,4 Polycot,SCI Polycot,SNV Polycot,SCW 0,405 0,5 Feeding Rate(g/min) Figure 0. Tenacity values of white core-spun (poly/cotton) sewing threads with SCI, SNV and SCW lubricants at different lubricant feeding rates 4. CONCLUSION Core-spun (poly/cotton) sewing thread stiffness was higher than core-spun In this study, we investigated the (poly/poly) and polyester-spun sewing tenacity, elongation, bending length thread after lubricant application. and lubrication amount of three main Moreover, core-spun (poly/poly) sewing types of sewing threads with different thread has higher tenacity and lubricant feeding rates. elongation than core-spun(poly/cotton) and polyester- spun sewing thread after lubricant application. The lubricants on the sewing threads affect the sewing thread stiffness, greatly. In this study, it was found when lubricant feeding rate increased on the sewing thread bending length and stiffness decreased. It was also found lubricant type is very important on the stiffness of sewing thread. The bending length and stiffness of the sewing thread decreased after application of SCW lubricant at 80 C. Differences in the yarn structure affected bending length. Sewing threads with very high bending length and flexural rigidity values may lead to sewing problems like seam pucker as they too stiff to be manipulated and controlled. application has affected friction force and stiffness of the sewing thread. Therefore, there is necessity to optimize the amount of lubricant on the sewing threads. We suggested poly spun sewing thread and SCW lubricant at and g/min lubricant feeding rates and % 4-6 lubricant amount for optimum seam performance. It is hoped that the results can be applicable in the apparel industries. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We gratefully acknowledgement the support for this work by the Uludağ University (Project no: 009/37). We also grateful to Coats Textile Factory- Bursa/Turkey and its Quality Assurance Manager Mr. Onur Yüksel. REFERENCES. Hui P. L., et al., 007, Application of Artifical Neural Networks to the Prediction of Sewing Performance of Fabrics, International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 9 (5), pp. 9-38.. Kaya S., Erdoğan Ç., 008, A Research About Factors Which Cause Quality Defects in Apparel Plants At the Sewing Department, Tekstil ve Konfeksiyon, Yıl :8 (), s:35-4. 3. Eryürük H.S., Kalaoğlu F., 00, The Effects of Different Amounts of Application on the Sewing Performance Properties Textile Research Journal, Vol 80 (), pp.3-4. 4. Fan I., Leeuwner W., 998, The Performance of Sewing s with Respect to Seam Apperance The Journal of the Textile Institute, Vol.89, Nm, 998, pp.4-54. 5. Stylios G., Lloyd D.W.,990, Prediction of Seam Pucker in Garments by Measuring Fabric Mechanical Properties and Geometric Relationship, International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol., Nm, pp.6-5. 6. Ghane M., et al., 008, Bending Rigidity of Yarn Using Two Support Beam System, Fibers & Textiles in Eastern Europe, Vol. 6, No 3 (68), pp.30-3. 7. Park J.W. and Oh A. G., 009, Bending Rigidity of Yarns, Textile Research Journal, Vol 76 (6), pp. 478-485. 8. Tyagi G.K., Gupta S.K., 009, Study on Cotton Ring and OE Rotor Yarns Characteristics: Part III-Effect of Enzymatic Wet Proccessing on Various Characteristics, Indian Journal of Fibre & Textile Research, Vol.34, pp. 4-46. 9. Turkish Standart (TS 50), 976, Textile Glass-Determination of Stiffness of Rovings. Bu araştırma, Bilim Kurulumuz tarafından incelendikten sonra, oylama ile saptanan iki hakemin görüşüne sunulmuştur. Her iki hakem yaptıkları incelemeler sonucunda araştırmanın bilimselliği ve sunumu olarak Hakem Onaylı Araştırma vasfıyla yayımlanabileceğine karar vermişlerdir. TEKSTİL ve KONFEKSİYON 3/0 79