AFIS: Advanced Fibre Information System

Fig. 1a AFIS-Manual feeding Fig. 1b AFIS-with Autojet module

The AFIS is the standard system for nep measurement, recognized worldwide, and used from
cotton ginning to yarn manufacturing. It measures various fibre characteristics such as fibre
length, maturity, trash and nep content. The short fibre content, for example, is essential for
assessing the carding and combing efficiency of a spinning mill.
Basic measurements of the NC Module include the amount of cotton fibre and seed coat neps.
The optional L&M Module measures fibre length and short fibre content, plus cotton maturity
and immature fibre content. The optional Trash Module measures the trash and dust content
in cotton. Any material in the form of bale, mat, sliver or roving can be tested on the AFIS,
repeatedly and reliably. Blends can be tested up to a ratio of 50% cotton:50% synthetic.
The unique measuring system of the AFIS counts every fibre, nep and trash particle one by
one. The Fibre Individualizer ensures single fibre measurement, with gentle opening of the
test material. This patented and proven design provides data of unmatched accuracy and
precision, the essential basis for sound process control decisions. The AFIS sensor also uses
patented technology, ensuring true single fibre, nep and trash particle counts.
Measuring principle
The measuring principle of the AFIS is different from that of the Evenness Tester in so far as
the AFIS is an optical system (see Figure: 2b).
A fibre sample of about 500 mg (making into a 30-cm thin sliver form) is inserted into the
fibre individualizer unit (Figure: 2a) that separates the specimen into three main components:

• Lint: Fibres, short fibres, neps, seed coat neps.

• Trash & Dust: Trash, dust, fibre fragments, very large seed coats with little or no
attached fibres
A pair of pin-type opening rollers, partially surrounded by carding segments, individualize the
fibres and separate non-fibrous components. The fibre individualizer unit utilizes the principle
of aero-mechanical separation to extract trash particles, large seed coat fragments, and other
types of foreign matter from the original fibre specimen. These objects are conveyed through
the trash channel. Individual fibres, neps, and small seed coat fragments (seed coat neps) pass
through the fibre channel. Electro-optical sensors are installed in both the trash and the fibre
channel and advanced signal processing technology is applied to identify and characterize
several thousand individual cotton fibres, fibre entanglements, and foreign matter. The pulses
generated by the sensor are converted into electronic signals and evaluated by a computer. One
sensor distinguishes between individual fibres and neps. A second sensor measures the trash
and dust particles. After the test has been completed, the fibres, neps, dust and trash particles
are transported into a waste container.
• The nep module is able to distinguish between neps and seed coat neps (SCN)
• Each event (fibre, nep, SCN) has its own distinct electrical waveform
• Each samples waveform is compared to a standard waveform to determine which
classification it most resembles

Figure 2a: Principle of Fibre Individualizer in AFIS

Figure 2b: Schematic Representation of the Fibre Sensor in AFIS

 Figure 3: Signal Distinction between Single fibres and Neps

AFIS Modules
The AFIS comes with different modules enabling a customized configuration for each plant.
• NC Module (Nep Classification)
▪ Fibre neps and seed coat neps
▪ Count and size distribution
• L & M Module (Length and Maturity)
▪ Length by weight and by number
▪ Short fibre content
▪ Maturity ratio
▪ Immature fibre content
• Trash Module
▪ Dust
▪ Trash
▪ Total foreign matter
• AutoJet

NC Module – Nep Classification

The NC Module is included in the base configuration of the AFIS. It stands for “Nep
Classification” and measures the count (amount) and the size of neps and seed coat neps in
raw cotton, card mat, sliver and roving.
Fibre neps are fibre entanglements of more than one fibre. They are created in ginning, and in
the opening and cleaning process in the spinning mill. They can be eliminated in carding and
combing. But that depends on the general condition of the production machinery and its
settings.
A high nep content in raw cotton will inevitably lead to a high nep content in yarn and fabric,
and thus to second quality production. Such quality problems can only be prevented by regular
monitoring of all intermediate spinning processes with the AFIS. The AFIS nep measuring
method is the only method officially recognized by ASTM and ITMF. The NC Module
distinguishes between fibre and seed coat neps. Seed coat neps are broken parts of the cotton
seed with fibres still attached. They are created in ginning, but some cotton varieties tend to
create more seed coat neps than others. They are very difficult to clean and are believed to
create stickiness in the spinning process.
Seed coat neps are easily visible as black spots on the plain fabric surface. To dye the fabric
evenly, it has to be bleached prior to the dyeing process – an additional and costly process in
fabric finishing. Following results are received from the AFIS NC module:
Test Result Format Abbreviation
Nep Count per gram YYY Nep Cnt/g
Nep Size (micron) YYY Nep Size (µm)
Seed Coat Nep Count per gram YYY SCN Cnt/g
Seed Coat Nep Size (micron) YYYY SCN Size (µm)

L &M Module – Length and Maturity

The L&M Module measures fibre length and maturity in raw cotton, card mat and sliver. The
length is measured on single fibres in order to get a true fibre length distribution within a cotton
sample. AFIS is the only instrument that measures the maturity of single fibres, resulting in a
true distribution of maturity within a cotton sample. Following results are received from the
AFIS NC module:
Test Result Format Abbreviation
Y. YY (inch)
Mean Length by Weight L(w)
YY. Y (mm)
Length Variation by Weight YY. Y L(w) CV%
Y. YY (inch)
Upper Quartile Length by Weight UQL (w)
YY. Y (mm)
Short Fibre Content by Weight YY. Y SFC (w)
Y. YY (inch)
Mean Length by Number L(n)
YY. Y (mm)
Length Variation by Number YY. Y L(n) CV%
Y. YY (inch)
5% Length by Number L(n) 5%
YY. Y (mm)
Short Fibre Content by Number YY. Y SFC (n)
Fineness (millitex) YYY FINE (mtex)
Maturity Ratio Y. YY MAT
Immature Fibre Content (%) YY. Y IFC (%)

T Module – Trash
Different cottons contain different types and amounts of contamination. Larger trash can be
removed more easily than small-sized dust particles, which stick to the cotton fibre material.
The Trash Module measures dust and trash particles per gram. Increased cotton dust levels
result in higher abrasion in all stages of spinning. In addition, a high dust content in finisher
sliver can also cause a Moiré effect in open-end spinning, and increased ends down levels in
further processing.
The T Module measures the amount and size of dust and trash particles in cotton fibres.
Test Result Format Abbreviation
Dust Count per gram YYY Dust Cnt/ g
Dust Size (micron) YYY Dust Size (µm)
Trash Count per gram YYY Trash Cnt/ g
Trash Size (micron) YYYY Trash Size (µm)
Visible Foreign Matter (%) Y. YY VFM (%)
The AutoJet Module shown in Figure 4 below is a sampling device that enables an automated
and, thus, more efficient use of the AFIS. Thirty samples can be loaded in the tubes of the
AutoJet cassette prior to starting a test series. When the test has been started, the operator can
attend other tasks in the laboratory.

Figure 4: AutoJet Module

Neps
Fibre Neps are generally defined as entanglements of several fibres (Figure: 5). They are

Figure 5: Fibre Neps

generated under mechanical treatment of the cotton fibres during harvesting, ginning, opening
and cleaning of the fibres in the spinning plant.
The amount of neps in raw cotton also depends on the cotton origin or variety and harvesting
method. The table below just gives some general ranges for the amount of neps in raw cotton.
Neps/ gram Seed Coat Neps/ gram Description
˂100 ˂10 Very Low
101-200 11-20 Low
201-300 21-30 Medium
301-450 31-40 High
˃451 ˃41 Very High

Neps are reduced at carding and combing. The amount of reduction highly depends on the
machinery performance and the overall quality that the spinning mill wants to achieve.
Seed Coat Neps
Seed coat neps are fragments of the cottonseed that still
have some fibres attached (Figure: 6). They are created
mainly in ginning when the fibres are being separated
from the seed.
The amount of seed coat neps in raw cotton depends on
the quality and the aggressiveness of the ginning process.
Research indicates that some cotton varieties tend to
results in more seed coat neps than others.
The number of seed coat neps can slightly increase in
opening and cleaning. They are mainly reduced at
carding. However, the removal of seed coat neps is very Figure 6: Seed Coat Neps
difficult since the attached fibres tend to stick with the
process.
Length
Fibre length is one of the most important characteristics of cotton. It defines the spinnability
of the fibre. The “staple” (the manually pulled assessment of cotton length by a cotton classer)
has been the basis for trading cotton for more than a century. The AFIS length measurement
is rather targeted towards process control of the spinning operation.
The AFIS measures every single fibre in a cotton sample. Three-thousand fibres are counted
in each sample, resulting in a true fibre length distribution by number.

Figure 7: Staple diagram and UQL. The staple diagram is a graphical representation of the
fiber length of a sample. The longest fibers are located on the left-hand side (0%) of the
diagram, the shortest fibers on the right-hand side (100%). The fiber length UQL is
equivalent to the classer’s staple.
The following parameters are reported on the AFIS:
Length information by number
- L(n) The mean length by number is the average fibre length of all the cotton fibres in
the sample.
- L(n) CV% The variation of the fibre length around the average is expressed as length
variation by number or CV%.
 - L(n) 5% The 5% Length by number is the length of the longer 5% of all fibres in a
cotton sample.
- SFC (n) The short fibre content by number is the percent of all fibres in a cotton sample
that are shorter than 0.5 inches or 12.7 mm.
In addition, the AFIS uses an average fibre weight to calculate a fibre length distribution by
weight. The measurement level of the by weight distribution corresponds highly to Suter-
Webb and other comb sorter array methods. The following parameters are reported on the
AFIS:
Length information by weight
- L(w) The mean length by weight is the average fibre length of all the cotton fibres in
the sample.
- L(w) CV% The variation of the fibre length around the average is expressed as length
variation by weight or CV%.
- UQL(w) UQL is equivalent to the Upper Quartile Length at the right end of the upper
quartile of the staple diagram. In other words, the Upper Quartile Length by weight is
the length of the longer 25% of all fibres in a cotton sample.
- SFC (w) The short fibre content by weight is the percent of all fibres in a cotton sample
that are shorter than 0.5 inches or 12.7 mm.
Both length distributions are used in the industry today. The by number distribution usually
gives you more accurate results when optimizing your processes in spinning. The by weight
distribution is used by mills that have been used to results of the comb sorter array methods
such as the Suter-Webb-Array. Also, the Upper Quartile Length is close to the classer’s staple.
The following schematic in Figure 8 below helps better understanding the difference between
both distributions:

Figure 8: Length Distributions: (n) versus (w)

Four “ideal” fibres are shown with the same linear density or “weight”. For example, we
assume all 4 fibres weigh together 300g:
• By number, 50% of the fibres are short fibres.
• By weight, 33% of all fibres are short fibres.
The by number distribution shows the true fibre length distribution in the sample. It is the
direct result of counting every single fibre during measurement. Short and long fibres are
treated equal.
The by weight distribution is always biased towards the longer fibres. The longer fibres weigh
more than the shorter fibres. Thus, the result is always looking a little “better” than the by
number results.

Figure 9: Staple Diagrams by Weight and by Length

However, it is really up to the spinning mill to decide what values they prefer to work with.
Length Module Comparison of the Length Systems
By Number By Weight
Measured Calculated
Shows the true fibre length distribution in Biased towards the longer fibres. Longer
the sample fibres “weigh” more than shorter fibres
Result is looking “better” than the “by
Short and long fibres are treated equally
number” results.
Gives more accurate results for the Used by mills that are used to the results of
optimization of the processes in spinning the comb sorter array methods.
Cotton varieties grow in different length groups, short to medium staple and long to extra-long
staples. The following describes the approximate ranges for each groups:
Staple Description Inches
Short ˂1
1 5
Medium 1 −1
32 32
6 8
Long 1 −1
32 32
9
Extra Long ˃1
32
Short Fibre Content
During the development phase of the cotton, the fibre first grows in its length. This length is
genetically determined by the cotton variety. Only after the length development has been
completed, cellulose is being deposited inside the hollow fibre. The fibre is “maturing. Thus,
initially, all fibres have more or less the same length while still being on the cotton plant. Fibre
length is reduced with any mechanical treatment such as mechanical harvesting methods,
ginning, opening and cleaning in the spinning plant.
Short fibre content is expressed as a percentage of all fibres within a sample that are
shorter than 0.5 inches or 12.7 mm.

The table below gives some general ranges for the amount of short fibre content by number
and by weight in raw cotton.
 Short Fibre Content (number) Short Fibre Content (weight) Description
˂18 ˂5 Very Low
19-23 6-8 Low
24-28 9-11 Medium
29-33 12-14 High
˃34 ˃15 Very High
Maturity/ IFC/ Fineness
Measurement of Maturity in AFIS: The AFIS measures maturity indirectly by measuring
the fibre shape. Each time a fibre passes the optical sensors, two signals are detected from two
different angles by optical sensors. Figure 10 shows a coarser fibre type (A) and a finer fibre
type (B). Each one is shown in three distinct different development stages:
• Fully mature - the left fibre having the typical convolutions of a mature cotton fibre,
looking “thick”
• Immature - the middle fibre with less obvious convolutions, being more flat
• Dead - the right fibre having no convolutions, being completely flat and “ribbon Like”.

Figure 10: Two Cotton Varieties of Different Fineness and Different Stages of Maturity

The AFIS measurement technique is able to see the differences in the shape of the fibres. The
shape of the fibres is directly related to the maturity of the fibres – or, scientifically, the cell
wall thickness “Theta”.
To calculate the mean degree of thickening theta, a circular cross-section of the measured fibre
having a perimeter P is calculated, and subsequently area A1 is divided by area A2.

The Immature Fibre Content (IFC) is the percent of all fibres within a cotton sample that
have a cell wall thickness covering less than 25% of the full area.
Fibre fineness in AFIS
It is obvious that different varieties have different perimeters, defining their fibre fineness. It
can also be observed that each sample consists of fibres with different degree of maturity. In
fact, not one fibre is exactly like another. This is the inherent characteristic of a naturally grown
fibre such as cotton.
Fibre Fineness [mtex] is determined optically on the AFIS by analyzing the fibre shape
passing the sensors. An algorithm determines fibre fineness based on the shape and form of the
fibres. As mentioned before, mature fibres do contain more cellulose than immature fibres.
Thus, mature fibres are also heavier fibres than immature fibres. This results in a higher
fineness value for mature fibre. Fibres that are less mature, containing less cellulose, therefore
result in a lower fineness value. The table below gives some general ranges of Maturity, the
Immature Fibre Content and Fineness in raw cotton.
Maturity Ratio Immature Fibre Content (%) Fineness (mtex) Description
˂0.75 ˂6 ˂150 Very Low
0.76-0.85 6-8 151-160 Low
0.86-0.90 9-11 161-170 Medium
0.91-0.95 12-14 171-180 High
˃0.95 ˃15 ˃180 Very High
Trash and Dust
Trash and dust particles are “foreign” particles that are not related to any physical properties
of cotton fibres. They are remains from the cotton plant and the field and need to be extracted
during the ginning and spinning process.
Trash is the general term used for larger impurities containing particles from the cotton plant
itself and other plants (weeds) contaminating the cotton field. Dust describes smaller particles
from the plant and simply dirt from the cotton field that sticks with the plant during harvesting.

Figure 11: Trash Particles

Trash, Dust and Microdust
Type Particle Size (µm)
Trash Above 500
Dust 50-500
Microdust 15-50
Breathable Dust Below 15
The amount of dust and trash particles depends highly on the origin of the cotton and its
harvesting method.
The V.F.M. or Visible Foreign Matter takes both, dust and trash content, as well as their size
into account. It relates very well to gravimetric measurement methods such as the Shirley
Analyzer. The table below gives some general ranges for the amount of Trash, Dust and
V.F.M. in raw cotton.
Trash Count/ g Dust Count/ g VFM% Description
˂25 ˂200 ˂0.6 Very Low
26-75 201-350 0.61-1.20 Low
76-110 351-600 1.21-2.30 Medium
111-150 601-1000 2.31-3.00 High
˃151 ˃1001 ˃3.01 Very High
AFIS Report