Zellweger Uster completely re-invented the yarn clearer with its Quantum clearer. This new
clearer is digital, has capacitive and optical sensing capability and gives yarn fault
classification according to the Uster Classimat concept.The Uster Quantum clearer can be used in
several different modes including: capacitive or optical sensing, capacitive and foreign matter
sensing or capacitive and optical combined. Quantum has 100-percent digital electronics,
self-calibrating measuring heads, and on-board diagnostics.The unit is retrofittable to many
existing machines. In fact, Quantum has created its own retrofit clearer business, one that hardly
existed before its introduction. From Net To Network
Quantum has changed yarn clearer applications from that of a safety net (cutting out thick
and thin places) to that of an information source for process improvement. Mills can use Quantum
for both quality monitoring and trouble shooting. It can be used as an on-line quality barometer to
predict end-use quality. It can also be used to track down problems and measure a mills capability
to change.One of the most exciting aspects of this new technology is CAY® (computer aided yarn
clearing). CAY is an optional software package that provides users with a clear picture of their
process capability.It can be used with Uster Expert as a PC-based monitoring system. Users can also
sample individual open-end frames or winders using CAY on a laptop. Sampling a frame or winder for
as little as 10 minutes can give an indication of process capability, according to Zellweger
Uster. Custom Clearer CurvesThe Quantum clearer and CAY give mill managers powerful tools to
determine and optimize process capability. The system eliminates guesswork and allows the user to
balance productivity and quality in a clear quantitative way. With conventional analog clearers it
was necessary to shift an entire clearer curve to remove a few unacceptable faults. This meant that
many non-critical faults had to be removed in order to get those few critical ones.With Zellweger
Usters new digital technology, users can define their own clearer curves, cutting out exactly the
faults necessary to maintain quality standards. The user can even see the effects of removing these
faults in yarn and fabric instantaneously on the computer screen. The new curve can also be
instantaneously exported to clearers on the spinning frame or winder.What was the work of months to
determine and optimize process capability can now literally be done in minutes.The ability to
customize clearer curves in this way has proved invaluable to mills making slub or Amsler yarns.
The clearers can be set to ignore long thick places but still cut out other yarn faults. This wasnt
possible with analog technology. Foreign FiberQuantum has a powerful optical foreign-fiber
detection feature that can be used in conjunction with either capacitive or optical sensing.
Foreignclass®, a new standard in foreign matter classification, can detect foreign matter across
the full color spectrum.
November 1999
