Quality control in cotton ginneries — A status report

“Cotton quality” is defined as the natural or inherent length distribution of cotton fibers as they grow on their seeds. Quality control is simply maintaining this distribution throughout processing in a cotton gin. Quality control methods are described and analyzed. Specifically, moisture control devices (which prevent the fiber from becoming brittle and breaking) are discussed. These include a system which measures the resistance of a cotton mass to determine its moisture content and to control the drying process. Another system measures cotton temperature drops between various points in the ginning process and adjusts dryer temperatures accordingly. Progress in quality control research at the U. S. Department of Agriculture´s Cotton Ginning Research Laboratories is described, including systems for moisture detection and for process control.