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International Journal of Electrical, Electronics

ISSN No. (Online) : 2277-2626
and Computer Engineering 2(2): 72-76(2013)
Special Edition for Best Papers of Michael Faraday IET India Summit-2013, MFIIS-13

Determination of the Diameter Spectrogram and Neps for Yarn

Parameterization using Image Processing
Subhasish Roy*, Anindita Sengupta* and Surajit Sengupta**
*Department of Electrical Engineering Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur, Howrah, (WB)
**Mechanical Processing Division, National Institute of Research on Jute and Allied Fiber Technology, Kolkata, (WB)
(Received 15 October, 2013 Accepted 01 December, 2013)
ABSTRACT: This paper illustrates the development of a system to measure the variation in yarn parameters using image processing
with the help of a low cost USB web camera along with a yarn moving arrangement. The complete system comprises of yarn guides and
tension control device, motor with gear box, monitor for displaying yarn parameters etc. The system enables to develop yarn diameter
spectrogram and neps count present in the yarn in a single unit. The performance of the developed system is free from any fluctuation
of ambient temperature or humidity. The available results are verified with that available from a powerful microscope. Results are
available on the monitor showing diameter spectrogram calculated for a specific length of the yarn, counters displaying the number of
neps available in that yarn for that specific length.
The future goal of this work is to acquire the image of the yarn from a spinning frame with the help of a high resolution web camera
and to process the same with advanced software to characterize the yarn which in turn dictates the fabric appearance.
Index Terms: Yarn parameterization; Image Processing; Diameter Spectrogram; Neps; Machine Vision.

I. INTRODUCTION
Yarn regularity is an important feature to assess its quality. A
higher quality requires an arrangement of fibres in which the
number of fibres in each cross section (longitudinal variation)
is close to constant.
Irregularity is used to evaluate variation in several
characteristics along a strand (yarn, roving, and sliver) and
unevenness measures the mean variation in linear density of a
strand or a part of it.
Thus to judge efficiency of yarn processing that influences
final fabric appearances, there are level of unevenness beyond
which the yarn is unacceptable [1].
For detection of such irregularities electronic capacitance
tester and optical tester are still applied as most convenient,
reliable and rugged method of testing but they have several
limitations such as humidity and temperature dependency of
capacitive sensor, reduction of efficiency with ageing for
optical sensor etc. Moreover, these systems performs the
measurement with 8 mm resolution but yarn irregularities
evaluated in 1mm range is of most importance for correct
detection of defects and imperfection as most of the
irregularities occur at a very short length between 1 to 4 mm.
To develop a system which can check irregularities of the yarn
in 1mm range, J. G. Pinto et al first proposed the online
measurement of the yarn in a spinning frame with real time
control [2].
Carvalho et al [3] improvised the existing methods with the
incorporation of other important yarn characteristics like

Integral deviation rate (IDR), Deviation rate (DR), Periodic

false, Fibre wavelength and Production fault etc.
In 2006, along with the measurement of evenness of the
yarn using capacitive sensor, hairiness analysis using optical
sensor are also adopted by Carvalho and his research group [47].
Later in 2008 and 2009, a complete system was developed
which included modular format for integrating simultaneously
yarn hairiness, mass regularity and diameter measurement but
only in the laboratory scale [8-10].
A comparative study was carried out by the researchers to
conclude about the performance of two sensors such as
capacitive and optical [11, 12].
After all this developments in the sensor design and with
the successful application of image processing and artificial
intelligence in several branches of engineering and technology,
in 2009, Carvalho et al attempted to apply image processing to
find out accurate results of above yarn parameters and some
added features such as snarl length, number of cables, fibre
orientation etc [13-14].
In this work, effort has been taken to apply digital image
processing for finding diameter spectrogram and occurrence of
neps in a single system.
The developed system can simultaneously eradicate the
spurious effects of environmental changes as well as resolution
problem of the existing industrial system. The proposed
method seems to be cost effective as a low cost USB web
camera has been used for capturing the image.

Roy, Sengupta and Sengupta

II. THEORATICAL CONSIDERATION OF TEXTILE
PARAMETERS
There is a direct relationship between the variation of yarn
mass and the yarn diameter shown in Fig.1. This fact allows
the possibility for determining yarn irregularity based on yarn
diameter measurement. The yarn linear mass is generally
expressed in tex which represent the mass of yarn(g) over a
kilometer (km). Thus the calculation of diameter can be
obtained by d(mm) = 0.037 sqrt (tex) [tex is the yarn linear
mass]. This relation also allows the possibility of determining
yarn irregularities based on yarn diameter also. Type of yarn
fault (NEPS) has been classified in Fig. 2.

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In order to obtain higher contrasts for the yarn geometry relief,

the illuminated yarn surface must be as close as possible to the
light source.

Fig. 3. Flowchart of Image Processing Hardware.

III. STEPS ASSOCIATED WITH IMAGE PROCESSING
SOFTWARE

Fig. 1. Yarn Configuration Example.

This section demonstrates the way to process the captured

image of different section of the yarn for characterization. Fig.
4 shows the system as a whole (without monitor).The section
which is dedicated for image acquisition is shown in Fig. 5.
The camera is taking the snap after each 5 seconds and the
captured image is interfaced with the PC for further processing
via USB connector. As the motor is made on, the yarn starts
passing in front of the camera and the captured images are fed
to the image processing software to extract various features.
The speed of the motor can be varied from 1rpm to 75 rpm in
the present set up.

Fig. 2. Type of yarn Faults (Neps).

Sensitivity with respect to diameter measurement is defined as
the yarn diameter value used to detect a particular fault
referenced to yarn diameter average. Neps are treated as those
places where there is 200% percentage increase in the average
diameter and that too exists for 4 millimeters in length.

Fig. 4. System as a whole.

Fig.2.Type of yarn Faults (Neps)

III. HARDWARE FOR IMAGE PROCESSING

In order to keep the total cost of the system at an acceptable
level, a low cost USB web CMOS camera is used. The
flowchart for the image processing hardware is shown in the
Fig. 3. The camera has the high quality CMOS sensor with the
resolution of 12 megapixels and has 5G wide-angle lens. It
also incorporates 6 LEDs with brightness controller.
Fig. 5. Image Acquisition.

Roy, Sengupta and Sengupta

A. Image analysis
Images are captured with the light transmitted by the LEDs
mounted on the camera (6 LEDs are there on the both sides of
the aperture). The environment where the images are captured
should be free from the effect of change in the intensity of the
light.
For extracting better information from an image of a moving
yarn, high resolution with correct magnification is required.
The camera which is used here has the high quality CMOS
sensor with 12mega pixels still image resolution and a 5G
wide lens for sharp and clear pictures. The arrangement of the
light along with the background has been so chosen that the
yarn can be subjected to sufficient lights. An original captured
image of cotton is shown in the Fig. 6.

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image captured by the camera has the information about the

Red, Green and Blue Components. For converting the image
into the grey scale image, definition of the colour space was
used. The NTSC has defined the colour space as

Fig. 6. Cotton.

IV. DETERMINATION OF DIAMETER

SPECTROGRAM
The captured image is first made horizontal by rotating it at
900.The image is then calibrated in millimeter and transformed
into gray scale by extracting the luminance plane and further
thresholding it to get the binarised image. The binary image is
then filtered to achieve the core of the yarn. The image is then
clamped at 1mm gap to extract the diameter of the yarn core.
Clamp function basically calculates the difference between the
upper and the lower edges of a specific clamp. The process has
been described below in the each sub section and the flowchart
is shown in the Figure 7.
A. Converting the measurement values into the real world
units
The distances between clamps are available in terms of pixels.
For converting the measurements values into real world unit a
reference image has been taken which was calibrated in the
laboratory with the help of a microscope. This calibration has
been fed into the present system and every snap of the yarn
which was already processed is calibrated by this reference
image.
B. Conversion of image from coloured to gray scale
Image acquired is converted into gray scale image by
extracting the luminance plane of the image. The coloured

Fig. 7. Flow chart of diameter detection

Where Y denotes the luminance plane, I denote the Hue

plane, Q denotes the saturation. Within these only Y represents
the luminance plane. So conversion is done only by extracting
the luminance plane. Fig. 8.shows the original image of the
yarn and Fig. 9. is the grayscale image.

Fig. 8. Original Image.

Roy, Sengupta and Sengupta

C. Conversion from gray scale to a binary image
For extracting the region of interest from Fig. 9 the image
has been binarised by thresholding the image. Thresholding
the image helps to extract the core of the yarn which is used
for measuring the diameter. Fig. 10 shows the thresholded
image. Here the whole background of the image has been
thresholded as this code is only concerned with the diameter of
the yarn.
The image has been auto thresholded and it was maintained
throughout the test.

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A. Segmentation and Detection of edges of the binary

image
For detecting the diameter of the yarn, the binarised yarn
core is being segmented into 20 slices with the help of the
clamp tool placed at specific distances. The camera is
capturing the image of 20mm yarn at a time and it is being
sliced into a 20 equal halves. Now these clamps have the upper
and the lower edges and calculating the distance between these
edges gives the diameter of that region. The same procedure is
being used for the rest of the clamps to get the respective
diameter and the average with 20 diameter values are used to
obtain an average diameter. The diameters with the variation
of number of clamps for varying resolution are also tested.
V. DETERMINATION OF THE NUMBERS OF NEPS

Fig. 10. Thresholded Image.

Fig. 11. Yarn core after binarization.

D. Finding the yarn core for diameter detection
To determine the diameter of the yarn, the yarn core has to
be properly filtered from the binary image with the special
types of the filters. Here Robert filter has been used to
properly extract the yarn core from the binarized image.
Extraction of the yarn core is basically for the detection of the
edges from the binarized image. Fig. 11 shows the yarn core
separated from the whole yarn image.
E. Eliminating the particles from the extracted Yarn core
Fig.11 shows the extracted yarn core with the particles.
These particles are to be filtered out by the particle filter from
the perimeter of the yarn without disturbing the core of the
yarn. The maximum value for eliminating the particles are
taken as 45 pixels where as the minimum are kept in the 0
pixels. Fig. 12 shows the yarn core without the particles.

Neps is special types of yarn fault and important parameter for

yarn characterization. Neps are specifically calculated in those
areas which are 200% thicker than the calculated average
diameter and that too exists for 4mm region. The average
diameter is calculated by the above process which is being
multiplied by 2 to get the threshold value for calculating the
neps. The counters are then used for calculating the total
numbers of the Neps.
VI. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Tests are performed with the cotton and jute yarn and the
results are shown in the Table 1.The results shows that the
cotton is not uniform than that of jute. Test experiments were
performed for 78 centimeters of the yarn in both the cases. The
diameter spectrogram has been shown in the Figure
13.Diameter Spectrogram shows the variation of the diameter
along the specific length of the yarn
Table 1. Number of Neps.
Type of yarn
Length of the
yarn
Cotton
78 centimetres
Jute
78 centimetres

Fig. 13. Diameter Spectrogram.

Fig. 12. Filtered Image of the yarn core.

Neps
2
1

Roy, Sengupta and Sengupta

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VII. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK

In future some parameters are to be taken care of such as the
threshold value for binarisation of the image. It varies from
yarn to yarn and is responsible for the correct evaluation of the
result. Effort will be taken such that the threshold parameters
can change automatically using artificial intelligence. Efforts
will be also taken such that the latency between the captured
image and the processed image should have to be low such
that the proper application in the real time environment can be
done
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are grateful to Department of Science and
Technology, Govt. of India (DST, GOI), Instrument
Development Program me (IDP) for financial support of the
work [vide order no.IDP/IND/2010/25 dtd.17th Aug, 2011].
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