The most frequent question that customers raise relates to the life time of flange spinning rings. Spinning mills are forced to replace rings when the performance of the spinning frames in terms of yarn breakages in a given period of time and the total number of imperfections (neps, thick points, thin points and hairiness) exceeding the standards that the spinning mill has set as its objective.
Rings are one of the most important components in a spinning machine. The geometric precision of the flange and the quality of its surface on which the traveller runs are crucial for achieving optimal performance. The hardness of the ring and the quality of the raw material used to manufacture the rings also significantly affect their life span.
When, due to wear and tear over time, the geometry of the flange is altered and the surface has lost its initial characteristics like the level of roughness, the coefficient of friction between the ring and the traveller starts changing. The tension differences that are generated require an increase in weight of the traveller with a higher possibility of breakage and less control over the spinning process.
Normally temperatures of over 800°C can be reached at the point of contact between the ring and the traveller. One of the main effects of this thermal stress is a longer or shorter life span. Based on mathematical calculations and practical observations it has been noted that there is a strong correlation between the traveller replacement cycle (in days) and the life span of rings (in months/years). The spindle speed, the quality of lubrication of the yarn, the length of the tube and the general condition of the spinning frame have their effect on the travellers’ replacement cycle. The main reason for this is that the high temperatures developed by friction cause micro-weldings between the ring and the traveller, which in the long term lead to a degeneration in the surface of the ring.
This phenomenon can be easily observed in traditional rings which do not have protective layer against wear and tear. Thanks to their special coating, the SteelHawk rings made by Prosino Borgosesia Rings do not allow micro-weldings to occur on the travellers and manage to keep their surface in the same perfect condition for a much longer time, and consequently they wear out at a much slower rate.
The following table, prepared on the basis of observations made during spinning, specifies that the percentage of burnt travellers should be less than five per cent and that the percentage of seriously worn-out travellers should be less than 20 per cent. For this reason, if the traveller replacement cycle is less than six days, it is advisable not to use traditional spinning rings that SteelHawk rings. In short, SteelHawk, if properly used, facilitates doubling the average life cycle of a ring.