Wool Top Analysis by an Electronic Fiber Fineness Instrument

Abstract

A modified Electronic Fiber Fineness Instrument (EFFI) was used to obtain measurements of the average diameters and variability of 90 laboratory samples of wool tops produced from individual Rambouillet, Targhee, and Columbia fleeces and of three samples of commerciatly produced tops. The results were compared with results obtained by three laboratories which measured the same tops by the microprojection method. Least-squares procedures were utilized to test for differences between the methods, and the resulting data are presented along with correlations of results from the two methods. It is recognized that the EFFI gives slightly greater fiber-diameter readings and greater standard deviations than the short-fiber method. However, it seems that the EFFI can be used more speedily and conveniently and equally as well as the microprojection method for the measurement of fiber diameter and relative placement of samples according to diameter.