Optical Signature
Light blockage patterns recorded as individual fibers pass through a laser beam determine the thickness of processed textiles. This measured curve, called the optical extinction profile, represents the intensity of light cast by the fiber shadow onto a photodetector array. It is the fundamental signal used by automated fiber analyzers to calculate diameter.
Diameter Calculation
The width and depth of the shadow correspond directly to the physical dimensions of the fiber. As a fiber intersects the beam, the sensor detects a drop in light intensity. This decrease is converted into a voltage pulse whose duration and amplitude are analyzed.
Signal Processing
Advanced software analyzes the shape of the extinction curve to filter out signals from dust or overlapping fibers. Multiple fibers crossing the beam simultaneously create a distorted signal that is rejected by the processing algorithm. This discrimination ensures that only valid, single-fiber measurements are included in the statistics.
By examining the symmetry and sharpness of the curve, the system can also estimate the cross-sectional shape of the fiber and detect unusual structural variations.
Industrial Application
High-speed test equipment relies on this measurement method to process thousands of fiber snippets in a few minutes. Spinning mills and test houses use the resulting diameter distributions to grade raw material shipments and optimize their yarn blends.
