Theoretical and experimental study on the formation mechanism of fiber bundle hooks in the combing process

To enhance the quality of cotton webs during the high-speed combing process, an analysis of the formation mechanism of fiber bundle hooks was conducted. Predictive models for the length and mass of fiber bundle hooks were developed based on parameters of the combing process and cotton lap. The length of hooks was measured by ImageJ software, while the mass of hooks was determined by the cutting-weighing method. The accuracy of the predictive models was evaluated by comparing theoretical values with actual measured values. Additionally, the impact of speed on the length and mass of fiber bundle hooks, as well as the coefficient of variation (CV) of cotton webs and combed slivers was investigated. The results indicate that the theoretical values predicted by the models exhibit good consistency with the actual measured values. For long staple cotton fiber bundles, the maximum error between theoretical and actual hook lengths is 7.0%, while for medium staple cotton, it is 8.5%. Similarly, the maximum errors between theoretical and actual hook mass of long staple cotton and medium staple cotton fiber bundles are 7.1% and 7.9%, respectively. In addition, the increase in speed and the decrease in the flexural rigidity of cotton lap result in a gradual increase in the length and mass of the hooks, accompanied by a rapid reduction in fiber bundle length, which subsequently leads to an increase in the CV of cotton webs and combed slivers. The predictive models provide a theoretical foundation for optimizing the nipper mechanism of the comber.