Teaming History With Technology
La France serves diverse market Mount Vernons La France plant has a rich history.
There has been a textile plant at this site since the late 1830s. The operation started out as
Pendleton Manufacturing Co. and has had several name changes over the years.We know that it is the
oldest textile mill in Anderson County, and weve been told that its the oldest in South Carolina,
said Nick Caldwell, president, La France Division.Benjamin F. Sloan, Thomas M. Sloan, John T. Sloan
and Enoch Berry Benson purchased the land that was to become the site of the La France plant in
1836.Operations began in February of 1838. Pendleton Manufacturing Co. actually issued its own
paper money in the 1860s signed by Benjamin F. Sloan. During the Civil War the company produced
blankets for the Confederate Army. In 1879, Augustus Sitton purchased the company and renamed the
community Autun, a combination of his name and his wifes Aull.The community and company were
renamed La France in the 1930s when La France Industries purchased the mill. La France Industries
transferred its upholstery manufacturing operation there 10 years after the purchase. In 1953, the
mill expanded into automotive upholstery.La France became part of the Mount Vernon family in 1985
when the company purchased Riegel Textile Corp.Visitors to todays La France see no evidence of this
longevity. The plant is a thoroughly modern 675,000-square-foot-facility. It employs almost 500
people, both salaried and hourly.If you make a profit in Mount Vernon, they will keep you
state-of-the-art, said Jackie Bridges, La France Griege Mill plant manager. This is probably the
most versatile, state-of-the-art plant of its type in the world. When Mount Vernon bought the plant
they completely modernized it.As an example, division managers point to a 1994-95 modernization
program in which Mount Vernon spent $42 million at La France. The money was mainly spent on new
equipment for weaving, slashing, finishing and package dyeing. 
Jackie
Bridges, general manager weaving Beginning With Yarn
The plant
does not have yarn production capability, and gets its yarn from other Mount Vernon operations and
outside vendors. In fact, La France has 41 yarn vendors. At one time, the plant had 3,200 yarn
SKUs. It trimmed that down to 600 SKUs.La Frances design staff works to keep yarn SKUs down by
using common warps and being selective about filling yarns.Production processes here include
package dyeing, weaving preparation, plush and flat weaving and finishing.La France services
several diverse market segments. Product type and customer divide these segments. On the plush
woven side the divisions markets include automotive upholstery (a joint venture with Chatham
Manufacturing), class A truck upholstery and paint roller fabrics.The flat woven side has several
categories and customers. The plant produces napery and baby blanket fabric for Mount Vernons
Consumer Products Division. It also makes specialty tapestry fabrics for several products including
pillows, table runners, wall hangings and throws. In addition, La France weaves commodity furniture
upholstery fabrics that are heat-transfer printed. The division also manufactures furniture
upholstery fabrics in partnership with several major players in that market segment.Each of these
segments has its own driving forces and histories. The plush products are strong year round. Paint
roller fabrics are in higher demand in the summer. The big truck portion of La Frances business had
a record year last year. The divisions flat tapestry fabrics are seasonal, and Christmas (March to
October) is the biggest season. In addition to all this, La France does some commission yarn
dyeing. Package Dyeing Through FinishingThe package dyeing area has Loris Bellini dye
machines. These include five production machines and one sample machine.In weaving preparation the
plant has a McCoy Ellison direct warper. There are two high-speed warpers. One is from McCoy
Ellison. The other is from Hacoba. There are two Ira Griffin dry beamers. A Benninger sectional
warper and a Hacoba-Sucker-Mueller slasher round out the department.The slasher is equipped with a
pre-dryer from Textile Technology Exchange. It has proven to be handy for selected styles. The
plant also uses McCoy Ellison warp creels.The flat jacquard area is equipped with Dornier rapier
and Picanol air-jet looms. Each machine has an Alexander Machinery off-loom take-up. Alexander
Machinery also planned the layout for both the flat and plush weave rooms. Sohler Airtex traveling
cleaners control lint in weaving.The plush weaving area has Gilbos and Murata winders for winding
and back winding. Michel Van de Wiele looms are used to produce these pile fabrics. The machines
are equipped with IRO weft feeders and Staubli jacquard and dobby heads. The plant has 60 dobby
plush machines and 26 jacquard plush machines. La France recently converted some of the plush
jacquard looms over to dobby heads to meet increased demand for dobby fabrics. The plant uses a
Barco monitoring system to track quality and production.In the finishing area, the plant has two
Marshall and Williams tenter frames. One is running inline with a Kusters piece dye range.
Slitting, shearing and inspection also take place here. The shearing machines are from
M-Tec. Painting A Perfect Product
La
France has been producing fabric for paint rollers for at least 35 years. Customer needs in this
product area have changed significantly over the years, and this serves as a great example of La
Frances innovative spirit.Making paint roller fabric is a multi-step process. First the plush
fabric is woven. Next it is brushed to remove lint. Then a latex backing is applied using a tenter
frame. Finally the fabric is slit into narrow strips and shipped to the customer.Over time some of
La Frances larger paint-roller fabric customers changed over to a process in which they switched
from a cardboard core to a phenolic core formed on the fly. This gave the product an improved wear
life. So La France worked to develop a fabric that would attach to a hot phenolic core.We put a
polyethylene filling yarn in the fabric which melts at a temperature near that of the phenolic core
and bonds to it, said Bernie Thompson, La France Finishing plant manager.We have three customers on
it right now, and they probably represent 75 percent of the paint rollers sold in this country.La
France also developed its own fabric slitting system for paint roller fabric production. About five
years ago La Frances plant engineer, Ted Hedden, designed a new system for guiding fabric into the
slitter.This innovation solved La Frances slitting problems and automated what had been basically a
hand operation. Alexander Machinery was brought onboard to build the machine. This slitting
operation is very precise. The goal is not to cross a warp end during the slitting process.We were
constantly bombarded with slit variation problems before we had this system in place, said
Thompson. We rarely have a problem now.The division also had a Canadian customer that was having
problems with the acrylic latex backing, so La France developed a neoprene backing for them.The
plant makes fabric for both industrial and consumer paint rollers. Some of the paint roller fabric
for consumer use is now being dyed pink to appeal to women buyers. It turns out that women buy most
of the paint rollers, just as they do for many other textile products.
May 2000

Alto
Yarn: Innovative Yarn Maker
Spinner specializes in slub yarns. Mount Vernons Alto, Ga., manufacturing complex
consists of two plants, the Alto fabric weaving plant and the Alto Yarn plant. The Alto plant was
built in 1967 as a supply-spinning mill for the La France Division. It was set up primarily for
ring-spun rayon yarns.Over the years it produced mostly rayon yarns. More recently cotton
processing was introduced. Today, the mill produces 100-percent cotton yarns, 100-percent rayon
yarns and plied combinations of cotton and rayon yarns.Mount Vernons involvement in slub yarn
manufacturing dates back nearly 40 years at plants in Maryland and Maine. The company was one of
the original producers of 19/1 rayon slub/nub yarn.This product remains an active style even in
todays market, but Mount Vernon no longer produces it. Mount Vernon maintained slub manufacturing
capacity as it moved south, adding slub equipment to ring spinning at the Columbia, S.C., operation
and ultimately at Tallassee, Ala.The Pamplins are very supportive owners, said Charles L. Little,
president of the Yarn Group (yarn sales division).Little became yarn merchandising manager in 1988
and took over yarn sales. In 1995, he was named president of the Yarn Division.We can feel the true
desire for growth and investment that the owners have in the business, he said.What counts for
Mount Vernon today is its commitment toward customers and the continuous investment in technology.
Investment in the Mount Vernon Mills family is often an expansion or modernization valued in the
tens of millions. 
Charlie Reed,
Quality Assurance, Alto Yarn, uses a digitalcamera to provide vendors with information on equipment
problems. The Alto OperationToday, the Mount Vernon Alto Yarn plant is a typical sales-yarn
plant, as a supplier to many more customers than just itself. Mount Vernon sells yarns out of the
Alto and Tallassee plants.The Tallassee plant historically made slub yarns. In the early 90s, ring
spinning was removed from Tallassee, with Alto adding new slub attachments to its ring spinning.One
of the major modernization programs was started in 1990 with all new Murata winding and
Saurer-Allma twisting.By 1993, the plant expanded again, nearly doubling its original output. This
included replacing all cards with Trutzschler DK series cards, electronically controlled Rieter RSB
851 drawframes and Schlafhorst SE9 rotor-spinning frames.The next, and most significant step, as
Little sees it, was to replace older ring-spinning frames with modern, automated ring-spinning
systems.This includes linking Marzoli roving frames, Suessen Fiomax 1000 ring-spinning frames, and
automated Murata Link Coner winding.The integration of the Amsler slubbing device gives the company
the extra edge to produce, at will, effect yarns for customers. Electro-Jet did the automation for
linking Marzolis roving frames with Suessens spinning frames, while Luwa-Bahnson provided a modern
air-handling system.In May 1999, the company purchased six Rieter D10 draw frames, and in January
2000 two Saurer 8-inch traverse twisters were added.Currently underway is a plan to change the
roving flyer from 16 by 6 inches to 16 by 7 inches. This is done to allow the plant to get a bigger
roving bobbin weight.Plant Manager Mike Godfrey had only praise for all of the companys suppliers,
though they admit that things were not always easy at start-up. Some of the installed technology
was new to the United States, and that is always a challenge for the mill and the supplier.
However, the result appears to be performing well.According to Charlie Reed, who is responsible for
the quality assurance in this plant, the effect-yarn capability on the ring-spinning frames has not
been developed to its full potential.  A Look At EquipmentAlto Yarn uses premium cotton for
open-end and ring-spun yarns. The Trutzschler equipment that we have in place contributes nicely to
the product we manufacture, Little said.One Marzoli roving frame is designated for rayon and four
frames are selected for cotton production. Electro-Jet provided the automated linking system, which
connects the five roving frames with the 14 Suessen spinning frames.Its a very versatile system,
Godfrey said of Electro-Jets installation. You insert the creel fully into the spinning frame, and
then the empty bobbin is processed through the bobbin stripper and then back to storage. Its also a
simple system and very dependable.The Alto facility was Electro-Jets first automated transport
system in the United States. The advantage of this system is the battery-operated Auto-Motor
monorail setup, which allows for high efficiency without the need for a complex infrastructure of
pneumatic lines and extensive wiring. All functions are controlled by a host computer, and the
battery-operated unit controls position constantly using on-line sensors. The system maintains full
control over handling two different raw materials rayon and cotton.From Marzolis roving frames, the
Electro-Jet system allows transport and direct insertion into the creel of the ring-spinning
frames. Suessens Fiomax 1000 ring-spinning frame is equipped with the CutCat Whorl Cleaner,
automated doffing and an interface for linking each of the 1,008 spindle frames to the Murata
winders.Amsler supplied the electro-mechanical device for slub formation, the central control unit
and the slub programming unit on the ring-spinning frame. The Amsler slubbing device allowed for
the development of new products and the innovation continues. Even rayon was moved into the slub
arena to expand the product line.We purchased the Amsler equipment because it was proven equipment
for very long link-spinning, Little said. We have had great success with the former Murata winders,
and we chose Murata winding once again.There are 32 position winders for clip-cone and conical
winding, plus dye-tubes are run on these winders as well. As one of the final stages in the plant,
Xorella Yarn Conditioners were added as the final refinement stage for cotton yarns. Conditioning
for cotton is automatic. Weaving customers have recognized the benefit conditioning imparts.Quality
is assured in several stages of the production process. Zellweger Uster has provided instruments
and equipment for quality control. In the textile lab, AFIS is used to analyze fiber materials;
Usters UT series evenness testers are used for sliver and yarn testing; and a Classimat and
single-end tester provide all necessary yarn quality data. According to the company, an investment
in the new Tensorapid will take place within the next few months.On the production floor,
Zellwegers Polyguard yarn clearers are installed on Schlafhorsts open-end spinning frames, while
P551 yarn clearers perform their tasks on the Murata winders. Zellwegers P830 serves as a
monitoring system.Little emphasized the effectiveness of the Luwa-Bahnson air conditioning system,
which was put in place while installing the new frames in the ring-spinning area. The challenge was
to keep the mill operational while the new spinning frames and return-duct system were
installed.Little and Godfrey compared this system to three other manufacturers systems throughout
the plant, and they say Luwa-Bahnsons system does an outstanding job. Luwa installed rotary
prefilters and rotating screens, based on the principle of a two-stage filtration system. It is
more efficient to separately capture coarse waste in the first stage, such as thread pieces, and
fine dust in the second stage.The prefilters function on a higher air velocity than the second
stage dust filter. All waste is automatically doffed by a waste collection system.Lint, in this
kind of operation, is a major factor to figure into the air filtration system. A deviation diffuser
permits distribution of the air at a very slow velocity. The plant also received new air washers,
and a high air exchange rate was selected because of coarse count yarns.  Specialty YarnsYarn
plant has a diversified product line, yet the philosophy is to keep the variety of products simple
enough to stay cost effective. Cotton and rayon yarns, open-end and ring-spun yarns, singles and
ply yarns, as well as straight and slub yarns are produced.Historically, Mount Vernon has always
been involved in the upholstery and home furnishing fabric trade, which is still very much a
concentration of Altos sales-yarn effort. Currently, all of the rayon production is sold to other
manufacturers. None is used within Mount Vernon.Many varieties of yarn packages are offered to
clients, exactly as the customer requires them. Alto itself has no yarn-dyeing operation, but
supplies a vast variety of different yarn package setups to its clients. Little mentioned that
there are numerous shapes and sizes of dye packages, and each dye package customer has its unique
setup and specifications. To date, the primary focus has been on coarse-count yarns, but product
developments point toward an expanded cotton count range, plus rayon slub yarns. To take full
advantage of the equipment, Mount Vernon has retained the services of Per Olsson of Sweden to
assist in developing its home furnishing product offerings.Little envisions that more and more of
the plants production will become value-added slub products. The Amsler system adds character to
yarns in a controllable manner with repeatable physical yarn characteristics. Denim, for example,
is a major segment for Altos slub yarns. Engineered slubs give denim the character of old,
traditional denim when woven into fabric.Some of our customers have 100-percent warp slub yarns and
100-percent filling slub yarns in the fabric, Little said. And you often will find customers that
will do one end of slub cotton and one end of smooth yarn alternating in the warp direction. In
filling, customers may use an end of slub yarn among several yarns selected or use 100-percent
slub.The companys philosophy is to work closely with customers and to reply to customer requests in
the shortest possible time. For example, Little mentioned that a customer called in an order for
12/2 yarns, which is not a standard item in Altos manufacturing program. By the next morning, the
yarn was in production.This is the response time our customers are looking for, and this is what we
deliver, he said.The plant is trying to offer value-added products as close as possible to
commodity yarn prices, according to Godfrey. Mount Vernon is committed to meeting large- or
small-quantity orders, and everything is treated with the same priority. Yarn-count changes are
commonplace, however, only a small percentage of equipment is subject to these changes.Our goal is
to have the best slub yarns on the market, Little said. He sees the success of Mount Vernons Alto
plant as the result of modern equipment and the training of plant personnel.
May 2000

Beyond 2000: Weaving PrepBy Dr. Sabit Adanur Weaving Speeds Up
From winding to automatic drawing-in, weaving preparation is becoming even more critical.

With ever-increasing weaving speeds, the requirements on weaving preparation are also getting
more stringent. The filling yarns are not subjected to the same type of stresses as are the warp
yarns and thus are easily prepared for the weaving process. Depending on the spinning method, the
filling yarns may not be prepared at all, but rather taken straight off the spinning process and
transported to the weaving process. Winding is the major preparation process for filling yarn. Warp
preparation includes winding, warping, slashing and drawing-in or tying-in.The cost to repair a
yarn failure is much less if it occurs prior to the weaving process. In addition, a yarn failure
during weaving also increases the chances for off-quality fabric. Many if not most of the quality
problems encountered during fabric forming are directly related to mistakes made during yarn
manufacturing or yarn preparation for weaving. These facts show the importance of weaving
preparation. Winding Winding produces a yarn package that is suitable for further processing. The
amount of yarn on several small spinners packages are combined by splicing or knotting onto a
single package. Knotting has been replaced by splicing in modern winding machines. The winding
process provides an opportunity to clear yarn defects. Thin and thick places, slubs, neps or loose
fibers on the yarn are cleared during winding and thus the overall quality of the yarn is
improved.The increasing use of newer spinning technologies resulted in a situation where the old
concept of yarn clearing and package quality now has become a part of the spinning process rather
than part of a separate winding process. Properly formed packages of defect-free spun yarn are an
even more critical factor. Package considerations include condition of the package core, the proper
provision of yarn transfer tails, properly formed splices or knots, elimination of internal defects
such as slubs, sloughs, tangles, wild yarn, scuffs and ribbon wind, elimination of external defects
such as over-end winding, cob webs, abrasion scuffs, poor package shape or build, proper density
(hardness) and unwindability.The clearers of todays technology are more sophisticated and contain
electronics that continuously monitor the yarn to detect thin and thick places. The latest yarn
clearing systems can also detect foreign fibers. Then these fibers are classified and eliminated
during the winding process. As a result, the quality of the yarn can be improved during the winding
process. Todays winding machines allow use of different size bobbins with different flange
diameters, overall lengths and winding widths on the same machine. For winding of industrial yarns
such as aramid, carbon or glass yarns and monofilaments, specially designed yarn guide elements are
used. A spindle speed of 5,000 rpm is possible.In precision winding, the position of the yarn as it
is laid on the package is controlled very precisely to increase the density of the package. With
the electronic system, freely programmable package build is possible.WarpingThe preparation of warp
yarn is more demanding and complicated than that of the filling yarn. Modern weaving machines have
placed increased demands on warp preparation due to faster weaving speeds and the use of insertion
devices other than the shuttle. Warp yarn must have uniform properties with sufficient strength to
withstand stress and frictional abrasion during weaving. The number of knots should be kept to a
minimum. The knots should be standard type and size so they fit through the heddle eyes and reed
dents. Size agent must be applied uniformly on the surface of the yarn. The yarns on the warp sheet
must be parallel to each other with equal tension.Todays warping machines can process all kinds of
materials including coarse and fine filament and staple yarns, monofilaments, textured and smooth
yarns, silk and other synthetic yarns such as glass. Usually a static eliminator device is
recommended for yarns that can generate static electricity. With todays computerized sectional
warping systems, once the basic style information is entered, the computer automatically calculates
the number of sections on the beam and width of each section, carrier lateral movement speed and
automatic positioning of each section start point, automatic stops for leasing and calculation of
the correct feed speed irrespective of the material and warp density.The computer can also monitor
the automatic stops for predetermined length, operating speed regulation of +/- 0.5 percent between
warping and beaming, beaming traverse motion and memory of yarn breakage during warping for
beaming.Other typical features of a modern sectional warper are:

• feeler roller to apply material specific pressure to obtain exactcylindrical warp
  build-up;
• lease and sizing band magazines
• constant warp tension over the full warp width;
• automatic section positioning with photo-optical section width measurement;
• pneumatic stop brakes;
• warp tension regulation for uniform build-up; and
• automatic warp beam loading, doffing and chucking.Todays headstocks are equipped with advanced
  design features such as precision direct drive, advanced electronics, smooth doffing and
  programmable breaking. Automatic hydraulic doffing is accomplished with the operation of one
  button. Programmable pneumatic braking provides a constant stopping distance regardless of the
  operating speed or beam diameter. The length of the yarn wound on the beam is controlled with a
  measuring roller and counter device. The density of the yarn can be controlled by tension, pressure
  or both. Frictional drive usually results in higher yarn density. In spindle drive, yarn tension
  and a hydraulically activated pressure roller are used to control density. Some headstocks are
  designed to run more than one beam width. Manual cutting and knotting takes an average of 8
  seconds. For a 640-package creel, it takes 85 minutes for one person to complete the whole creel.
  In modern machines, yarn cutting and knotting are done automatically. In an eight-tier creel,
  automatic knotting and cutting device requires an average 2 seconds per package which totals 21
  minutes for the whole creel. The automatic knotting and cutting devices are mounted on rails that
  are integrated in the creel. There are as many cutting heads as there are tiers. The devices are
  controlled by a PLC (programmable logical controller). Each package row is approached exactly at
  traverse/creep speed by means of two proximity initiators. The oscillating suction and gripping
  tubes offer the yarn ends to the knotting heads, where they are knotted and trimmed. The tails are
  removed by suction. The current trend in weaving is towards larger warp beam diameters. Today,
  weaving beams of 1,600 mm diameter are possible. SlashingThe ultimate goal of sizing is to
  eliminate or reduce warp breaks during weaving. Warp breaks are caused either by high tension or by
  low strength in the yarn. High tensions in the warp are caused by large shed openings, lack of
  proper tension compensation, high beat-up force and inadequate let-off. Knots, yarn entanglement
  and high friction also cause tension build-up. Slasher creel tension control is critical especially
  with Murata jet-spun (MJS) and open-end yarns. Maximum tension should not exceed 5 percent of
  breaking strength (15 to 20 grams (g) for ring-spun yarns and 12 to 15 g for open-end, MJS and MVS
  yarns). With coarse yarns, sometimes 30 g is allowable. The amount of size picked up is affected by
  the viscosity of the size mix as well as the yarn structure. The viscosity of the mix is controlled
  by the recipe, amount of solid content in the size liquor and the type of sizing product,
  mechanical mixing level, temperature and time of boiling. Flat filaments, textured and spun yarns
  pick-up size differently. The critical parameters to watch in the sizing process are size
  homogeneity, constant speed of the sizing machine, constant size concentrations and viscosity.
  Flooding or dry zones should be prevented in the size box. Temperature of the size box is important
  for proper size pick-up. For 100-percent polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sizing, a temperature of 160° to
  170°F is recommended.Todays modern sizing machines dynamically adjust the degree of sizing. Expert
  software packages calculate sizing values on-line as a function of the warp weight. Size
  application measuring and control systems are used to measure and calculate sizing parameters
  automatically instead of time-consuming laboratory test procedures. Based on the calculated
  parameters, the squeezing pressure at creep and normal speed is controlled via computer. A
  byrometer measures the density of the mix and controls the supply rate of the ingredients. The
  purpose is to keep the warp sizing degree constant.High-speed weaving machines require minimum
  hairiness in warp yarns. During slashing, yarn hairiness is affected mainly by the spacing between
  adjacent yarn ends in the size box and the slasher dryer configuration. In practice, the size box
  occupation may be used to determine yarn spacing. The Teflon® coating on all of the dryer cans
  should be in good shape to prevent dry can sticking (also called shedding) which may be a problem.
  Since open-end and MJS yarns have high wet pick-ups, the slasher may have to be slowed down to
  eliminate dry can sticking. Selection of a sizing machine depends on several factors including warp
  specifications, weaving requirements and production volume. The output of the sizing machine is
  determined by the size of the dryer.In so-called “walk-through head-end” beam winder, the beam
  support/drive unit is independent of the delivery/comb unit. There is a “walk-through” platform in
  between, which allows better access to the comb, delivery roll and beam. Automatic hydraulic beam
  loading and unloading, independent hydraulically lifted delivery nip rolls, pneumatically operated
  expansion, contracting and shifting of the comb are some of the other features of this new system.
  This concept was developed for large warp beams. The quality of woven fabrics depends to a great
  extent on the quality of warp preparation. Therefore, sizing machines are usually incorporated in
  weaving room control and monitoring systems as shown in Figure 1. For trouble-free weaving, a
  well-slashed warp is a must. Poor slashing may increase loom stops, which in return increases the
  cost of weaving.
  

  Chemistry For SizingWith all the ingredients available, a size mix can get quite complex.
  Several factors should be considered when choosing the size mixture:

  • yarn material (cotton, poly/cotton, polyester, rayon, wool, etc.);
  • yarn hairiness;
  • yarn structure (ring-spun, open-end, jet-spun);
  • water used for cooking (recycled or fresh);
  • type and speed of weaving machines to be used (projectile, rapier, airjet, waterjet);
  • percent add-on (and percent solids) required;
  • yarn occupation in the size box and on the dry cans;
  • desizing procedures;
  • reclamation of size and use of enzymes in the finishing plant;
  • slasher design and number of size boxes; and
  • environmental restrictions.
  • The type
    of weaving machine should also be considered for choosing the sizing material. Since sizing is not
    a value-added process, minimizing the cost of sizing is extremely important. However, this should
    not be done by using cheap size materials at the expense of productivity and performance in the
    weave room. The ultimate goal is to optimize weaving performance with the cost of sizing. Cold
    Sizing In this process, the warp surface is treated gently without squeezing. It is claimed that in
    comparison to waxing on the sectional warper, cold sizing produces better yarn compaction, smoother
    surface and less hairiness, which improves the weaving efficiency. Cold size products from the
    suppliers can be used for cold sizing of single yarn, siro yarns and two-ply yarns of wool and
    blends, terry warps and synthetic yarns. The chemical products used are water soluble, recyclable
    and biologically degradable. The main advantages of this system have been reported to be less
    liquor pick-up and high liquor concentration, 30 to 50 percent less application compared to normal
    sizing, savings in energy in drying, less machine space and higher modularity and
    productivity.Prewet Sizing TechnologyIn another recent development, called prewet sizing
    technology, the yarns are wetted and washed with hot water prior to entering the size box. It is
    claimed that by doing this, the size add-on can be reduced by 20 to 40 percent, size adhesion is
    improved, abrasion resistance is increased and hairiness is reduced. Figure 2 shows the schematic
    of the pre-wetting process. The improvement in weaving performance is attributed to better
    encapsulation of the yarn by the sizing agent and better adhesion of the sizing agent to the yarn.
    The advantages of this system are an increase in tensile strength and abrasion resistance,
    reduction in hairiness, clinging tendency reduction and reduction in lint formation during
    weaving.Drawing-in and Tying-inToday, the drawing-in and tying-in processes are fully automated.
    Drawing-in is done using robot-like machines. A special type of heddle is needed for automated
    drawing-in. The warp ends, taken from the warp sheet, are fed individually to the drawing-in
    element. Heddles are separated from the stack and brought to the drawing-in position. A plastic
    knife opens a gap in the reed, and a hook draws-in the warp end through the heddle and reed in one
    step.Automatic drawing-in increases speed, flexibility and quality in weaving preparation compared
    to manual drawing-in. A drawing rate of 50,000 warp ends per 8 hours (200 ends per minute) is
    possible.A small portable robot is used on or off the weaving machine for tying-in. A typical
    warp-tying machine can knot single or ply yarns from 1.7 to 80 Ne (340-7 tex). They can knot
    cotton, wool, synthetic and blend warp yarns. Yarns of different thicknesses can be knotted.
    Typical knotting speed of a knotter is from 60 to 600 knots per minute. With continuous filaments
    and bulky yarns, a non-slip double knot is recommended which can be handled by knotting machines.
    Some automatic tying machines can knot extremely short tails of yarns, 5 mm. Tape yarns and
    monofilaments require a slightly different tying machine. Tape yarns of up to 8-mm width can be
    tied. The knotting speed is typically 60 to 450 knots per minute. The number of warp ends to be
    tied together can be preprogrammed; once this number is reached, the knotter stops automatically.
    Dual knotting system is used on a double-beam weaving machine. The knotters work from left to right
    and from right to left simultaneously. Several points should be considered during drawing-in and
    tying-in. Improper splicing and/or knotting can become critical to good weaving performance. The
    straightness of individual warp yarns and their freedom to act independently as they pass through a
    weaving machine is important to good weaving performance. Yarns that are crossed and tangled can
    not proceed without excessive stress and yarns that are restricted or influenced by drop-wire
    activity, heddle spacing, harness interference or reed spacing will not weave at top
    performance. 
    Editors Note: Dr. Sabit Adanur is an Alumni Professor for Auburn Universitys Department of
    Textile Engineering. He has written for a number of publications and is the author of the
    Wellington Sears Handbook of Industrial Textiles.
    May 2000

Mount Vernon
Mills Cuero, Texas, plant part of the companys Brentex Division recently celebrated 99 years of
producing textiles in southeastern Texas. The plant, whose product line includes 100-percent drill
fabric, fabric for boat covers and 65-percent/35-percent cotton greige goods for apparel, recently
completed an expansion and renovation project that has taken place over the past two years. For
Mount Vernon, the road the Cuero plant took to reach its current status as one of the most modern
plants in the textile industry wasnt nearly as smooth as it had expected.After acquiring the Cuero
facility, along with the Brenham, Texas, plant in 1992, Mount Vernon decided, in 1996, to expand
its Cuero location by building a new warehouse and manufacturing location to adjoin its existing
manufacturing facility. The ground breaking took place in July 1998. Three months later, what
happened within about a five-hour time period caused Mount Vernon to drastically alter its initial
plan. The plant, the town and much of south central Texas were decimated by a natural disaster that
many people in the area call the 500-year flood.  The Water’s WrathThe decimation began with a
weather system that dumped approximately 22 inches of rain in the area around San Antonio, Texas,
about 80 miles northwest of Cuero, and produced about six inches of rain in Cuero itself. Cuero was
given notice that the nearby Guadalupe River would crest in two days at 50 feet, more than six
inches higher than any other time on record. However, those predictions proved to be wrong. The
river did crest at 50 feet, but only hours after notice had been given.When the floodwaters
crested, the Cuero plant, like most of the town, was under water. An estimated 9.7 million gallons
of water filled the existing portion of the plant and the section under construction within about
two hours. Almost four feet of water filled the plant, leaving a months worth of clean up in its
wake. The water and silt damaged or destroyed many of the machines in the plant and buckled the
wood floor. All of the companys inventory was lost, as was the yarn, sliver and fabric that was in
production.As devastating as the flood was for Mount Vernon, the community of 7,000 fared far
worse. While there were no fatalities from the flood a situation that would have undoubtedly been
much different had the floodwaters risen at night the damage was severe.Robert D. (Bobby) Heyer,
plant manager, Cuero, was one of the many people key in the evacuation process, as he rescued
people from their homes via helicopter. Others in the tight-knit community used their boats to
evacuate people trapped in or on their homes.Its hard to believe that water will rise five feet an
hour, Heyer said. Its like backing your truck down a boat ramp to put your boat in the water and to
come back half an hour later to find that your truck is under water.There was catastrophic damage
throughout the town. Approximately one-third of the homes in Cuero (800 homes) were destroyed. More
than 100 of those homes vanished without a trace. Many homes suffered a varied amount of damage, as
only the downtown area of the city was spared the water’s wrath. Starting OverThe waters
receded within a week, and the overwhelming clean-up process began almost immediately. The flood
had destroyed more than homes. Livestock was lost from nearby ranches, and the fear of water
contamination was a major concern as streaks of chemicals could be seen in the floodwater. For
those whose homes had been destroyed or damaged, there was little initial relief. Many of the
affected victims moved in with family or friends, some lived out of their cars, and some left the
town altogether.According to Heyer, only one Mount Vernon employee was among those who left. For
those employees who did stay, Mount Vernon immediately granted financial assistance.The Pamplin
family, owners of Mount Vernon Mills, provided greatly needed assistance to those devastated by the
flood by giving $2,500 to each of the affected families. The company also gathered clothing,
bedding and other non-perishable goods at its plants across the nation and sent truckloads of items
to the flood victims. So many items were donated by company employees that excess goods were given
to the Red Cross and other relief organizations for other flood victims. Cueros customers also sent
first-quality clothing to the towns victims. Luck In TimingAs the town began its recovery
efforts, Mount Vernon began its own clean-up and rebuilding efforts. The Cuero plant was actually
quite lucky. Much of the machinery that was to be installed as part of the initial expansion and
renovation project was ordered but it had not arrived prior to the flood.Said Kent Snow, president,
Brentex Division: We really werent planning on buying 10 more cards, but the flood basically
decided that for us. The timing, as bad as it was, was very fortunate from the standpoint of how
far along the project was. We had cards coming in for the expansion that we put into production so
we could run until we could get the new ones in. Within 45 days of the flood, the plant was up and
running, although it took some innovative techniques to get there. One of the biggest achievements
of the restart was the pouring of the concrete floor in the spinning area while the spinning frames
continued to run.  
Kent Snow,
president, Brentex Division,checks out the new weave room at Cuero. Extreme Innovation
As a result
of the massive amount of water and silt, the wood flooring had buckled, causing many problems
throughout the plant, including the inability of cans to be used effectively.The buckled flooring
was to be removed and replaced with a concrete floor. However, if the spinning frames were to be
removed from the area while this was done, at least a month in production time would be lost. The
need to maintain production was made that more pressing because one of Mount Vernons largest
customers was in immediate need of the 100-percent drill fabric produced at the plant.Plans were
immediately devised to rebuild the flooring with as little downtime as possible. The existing
flooring in the spinning room had a three-foot crawl space that would provide the space necessary
to pour the structural support for the new floor. It was decided that the 12 Schlafhorst SE9
spinning frames would be kept in place and running while the new floor was being constructed.The
spinning frames were jacked-up and stabilized with large dowel rods, while the old flooring was
removed and the new flooring was installed. A temporary plywood floor was built and lightweight
concrete was poured through holes cut in the plywood for structural support. After the support
beams were in place, the rest of the concrete floor was poured.  Making It Modern
Even before
the flood, a great deal of forethought was put into the project. As with Mount Vernon in general,
the focus of the renovation was on how to improve its product for its customers.A large part of the
Cuero expansion was oriented toward the customers in terms of defects levels, Snow said.Heyer
continued: We only have approximately 20 machines that were in here before the flood. There were
the 12 Schlafhorst spinning frames, two Rieter Uniflocs, two Unimixes and two A80s.The plant itself
was built to be both flexible and customer oriented, as shown by its ability to run 2.25- to
1.2-denier polyester. Cuero uses Rieter exclusively in its opening, cleaning, blending, carding and
drawing operations. The plant was the second operation in the United States to have the Rieter A80
blending line installed when it was brought to market, and its carding process uses the C51 Rieter
card, which can operate at a rate of 200 pounds per hour. The Rieter system has given the company
great flexibility, especially in opening.Along with the 12 Schlafhorst spinning frames, the company
also has nine Rieter R20 spinning frames with foreign fiber detectors. The foreign fiber detection
was purchased primarily because one of the companys major customers wanted to reduce the number of
seconds it was producing. The Cuero facility is also currently the only operation in the world to
use the Barco clearer on the R20s.This is the first Barco installation on the R20 spinning frames,
said Heyer. This is unique, no one else has done it.Mount Vernon also purchased two WestPoint
Foundry and Machine Co. warpers and slashers. An automated kitchen for slashing, which will
eliminate the manual handling and mixing of chemicals, has also been added.The new weave room has
145 Sulzer Textil L5200 and L5300 air-jet looms running at upwards of 870 picks per minute. Of
those looms, 45 have a width of 210 cm, allowing customer fabric use to be optimized. Because of
space limitations, the company decided to build its weaving operation with two levels, with the
looms on the top floor, and with the Alexander Machine take-up machines in the lower area. By using
this arrangement, the company has been able to optimize its weaving operation as seen by a
150-percent increase in production.Snow and Heyer agreed that the new Williamson wrapper that was
recently installed has been a hit both with the company and its customers. The wrapper is located
on the lower level of the newly built weave room along with the take-up operation. It is designed
so that the rolls of fabric can be moved from take-up to a conveyor, and then moved to and wrapped
by the wrapper. After the roll has been wrapped and labeled, it is moved via conveyor to the upper
level where the warehouse is located.This process has eliminated most of the manual handling and,
according to company estimates, saves approximately 120 cm of fabric per roll from damage.The
companys warehouse, which was initially used to store new machinery while the renovation was
underway, is designed to hold two weeks of inventory but has the flexibility to hold more if
necessary. Staying Power
While life in
the town of Cuero has yet to return to the way it was before October 1998, it is slowly getting
back to normal. Thanks in large part to Mount Vernons commitment to its employees, customers and
the town, the transition to life after the flood has moved on as smoothly as possible. Today, there
are still many residents living in government-supplied housing while more permanent homes are
built.For Mount Vernon, the rebuilding process has been completed at the plant as well. The
expanded and renovated plant is now able to produce approximately 750,000 yards of fabric per week
up from 300,000 yards per week before the renovation.The renovation of the Cuero plant was truly
unique. This is the first time a plant has been rebuilt from the ground up in this company, said
Snow. The closest thing was the Alto, Ga., facility in 1966 but that was a new construction. This
plant was totally rebuilt piece by piece with several areas running while another area was being
renovated.In the conference room is a prime example of Mount Vernons resourcefulness and
innovation: the conference table. The table was made from the useable portion of the wood salvaged
from the wood beams that were damaged in the flood. This unique table will not only provide
functionality for years to come, but also serve as a centerpiece of the Cuero legacy.

May 2000

Eastman Chemical Co., Kingsport, Tenn., recently presented Clemson University’s School of Textiles,
Fiber and Polymer Science, Clemson, S.C., a unique fiber technology worth an estimated $38 million
in intellectual properties related to capillary surface material (CSM) technology and over 100
patent rights. In addition, the university will be provided with equipment to establish a small
manufacturing lab for testing and demonstrating products.

“Eastman’s extraordinary gift brings us one step closer to our goal of being recognized as
one of the nation’s top 20 public universities,” said James Barker, president of Clemson
University. “Clemson will benefit not only because of the revenue potential, but also because our
faculty and students will have access to this technology for their own research. Ultimately,
consumers will benefit as the technology moves from Eastman’s lab through our labs to the
marketplace.”

The technology will become part of the curriculum at both undergraduate and graduate levels,
eventually becoming the foundation of post-graduate research in future years.

Bhuvenesh Goswami, a Clemson professor and technical editor for ATI, in conjunction with
Clemson professor Michael Ellison, will head research efforts, which could initially span
textiles-polymer science as well as bioengineering, environmental engineering and civil
engineering.

“This fiber research will not only impact the education of future engineers and scientists,
but could inaugurate a new chapter in the industrial growth of South Carolina,” said Thomas
Keinath, dean of the College of Engineering and Science. “Universities have always generated
intellectual capital, but we now know they can also generate economic capital by attracting
industries to the state.”



April 2000