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11.1    Introduction

Silk weaving has reached a very high standard of industrial efficiency. In fact, today a number of varieties of silk fabrics are produced on handlooms and sophisticated power looms. This requires different qualities of raw silk. In order to assist the weaving industry in the selection of the required raw silk, it must be first tested and classified. Further, the raw silk reeling industry requires well-defined standards, which can only be achieved by silk testing. As the demand for silk is global and a number of countries compete in the trade of raw silk, it is necessary that there should be industry standards for raw silk quality so as to enable buyers to purchase raw silk at internationally accepted grades. This is the reason why all raw silk produced should be classified following testing.

The testing of raw silk is based on the procedure laid down by the International Silk Association (I.S.A.). This procedure is quite conservative and the equipment used is consistent with traditional patterns when compared to procedures followed for general textile products. The traditional method has been widely preferred in silk producing and consuming countries of the world. The mechanical testing procedure is similar everywhere, but the compilation of test results and standards for various grades differs slightly from country to country.

In 1914, an essay competition was held in New York for quality silk goods. During 1921-1927, silk classification committees were set up. In 1928 and 1929, International Technical Conferences were held in Yokohama and New York, respectively. All silk producing countries such as Japan, China, Russia, France, Italy, etc., and silk consuming countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, were represented. The organization of the International Silk Association and the organization of the third International Technical Raw Silk Conference in Zurich in 1949 followed by a fourth one in New York in 1950, contributed to placing silk technology and silk research on a global basis. In 1949-1950, a Bulletin was issued by the International Silk Association (I.S.A.) on International Standard Methods for Raw silk Testing and Classification. In 1961 a revision was made and it was decided to divide them into three categories. A second amendment was made in raw silk testing and classification in 1974. Recently, an electronic testing system was introduced into I.S.A.’s methods.

Two main tests are usually applied, namely the conditioned weight test and the test for quality. The quantity tested from a consignment depends on the total weight. Usually, 5-10 bales of 60 kg each or 20 bales of 30 kg each is the unit of testing used for the export of raw silk.

This test is conducted on the whole lot of raw silk, which has to be classified. This is carried out in an inspection room, which is well illuminated. There are three main factors that have to be tested. These are:

In this test, the entire lot is inspected to assess the uniformity of colour, lustre and feel. The result is not recorded in the I.S.A. method, but is classified as good, fair and inferior under the Japanese method.

Here, considering the presence and degree of a number of defects assesses the general finish of the lot. These defects are:

1. Re-reeling. Gummed skeins; gummed spots on skeins; double ends; irregular traverse and partial flack of traverse.
2. Finish. Tangled filament, defective lacing, filament out of place in skein (pulled filaments loose).
3. Arrangement. Lacing of booking card through skeins; non-uniform skeins; wrong twisting; raised filament; streaky filament; cut ends; discoloured skeins; foreign matter on skeins; irregular skeins on book; knots on skeins; skeins or books of different types.
4. Damage. Books of irregular shape; gummed books, soiled filaments; frayed skeins; insect attached skeins; musty skeins, etc.

The results are expressed in terms such as good, fair, poor or inferior. Outstanding defects are mentioned in the Test Certificate.

The degrees of Colour and Lustre and the Smoothness or Hand of the lot are inspected and indicated in the following manner:

1. Colour: light, medium or deep
2. Lustre : bright, medium or dull
3. Hand : smooth, medium or rough

After completion of the test on the whole lot, the following tests have to be conducted. To conduct these tests, it is necessary to take out 50 skeins off the lot if the skeins weigh below 120 g. Alternatively, 25 skeins are taken if the skeins weight over 120 g. Having extracted the required number of skeins, the following test is carried out:

Equipment required:

• Winding frame
• Wheels and bobbins

Number of sample skeins drawn out for this test should be 40 skeins out of 50 skeins for a lot which weighs approximately 70 g each and 20 skeins out of 25 skeins drawn out for each skein weighing approximately 140 g.

When winding is started only the top half of the sample skeins should be wound. The winding should be carried out at a predetermined speed for a specific duration. The number of breaks that occur should be counted and noted. When breaks occur, it is necessary to note the cause of each break and this should be recorded.

The winding speed and duration of winding has also to be adjusted according to the denier of the raw silk being tested. For reference purposes, the different time and speed and other requirements are shown in Table 34.

Equipment required:

• Sizing reel (1:125 metres in circumference)
• Balance
• Denier scale

Only a fixed length from each skein is taken for the testing. The highest degree of deviation is noted and compared with the average size deviation of the conditioned weight. When testing raw silk of 33-denier or finer in size, 200 skeins of 450 metres each are taken out by picking out four skeins out of each of the 50 sampling skeins taken from the testing lot. In the case of 34-denier and over, 400 sizing skeins are extracted by picking eight skeins of 112.5 metres in length each from the 50 sample skeins (total length 45 000 metres).

The entire lot of sizing skeins should be in ten separate lots.

Each sizing skein should be weighed on a quadrant scale in each lot separately. The total weight of all the skeins in each lot is therefore obtained. Table 35 indicates the size deviation of the skeins being tested. This table covers the number of skeins in a lot, the graduation in the scale for weighing each skein and all the skeins of a lot together.

If there is a difference in weight beyond the permissible denier indicted in the above table when the weight of the individual skeins are totalled and compared with the result obtained by weighing all the skeins together, the weighing operations both of single skein and the whole lot must then be repeated. The number of individual sizing skeins of each denier size should be noted in the table of frequency distribution.

The size deviation can be obtained by the following formula:

Where t_I, t_2, t₃ ^……., t_n are the sizes of the sizing skeins in a denier; f₁, f₂, f₃ ^……., f_n are their frequencies.

N is the total number of sizing skeins.

M is the calculated average size.

The results of the size deviation test are calculated down to two decimal places.

• Maximum deviation test : the difference between average size and average of four thickest sizes and also the difference between average size and average of four thinnest sizes are determined. Comparison is then made of both differences and the result of maximum deviation determined as the larger one. The result of maximum deviation is calculated down to one decimal place.
• Average size test : All the sizing skeins are then placed in the conditioning oven and dried at 140ºC. Until it reaches a constant, weighing is undertaken after the first ten minutes of drying.

Maximum size deviation (denier) =

The test is carried out with test samples of a fixed length using a Seriplane. These test samples represent fine passages and coarse ones, divided into 3 groups (Evenness Variation, I, II and III ) according to the degree and fequency of size variations.

º Evenness Variation I:   The intensity of variation greater than the V₀ panel but does not exceed V₁ panel of the Standard Variation Photographs.

º Evenness Variation II:    The intensity of variation greater than the V₁ panel but does not exceed the V₂ panel of the Standard Variation Photographs.

º Evenness Variation III:  The intensity of variation, which includes all the variations greater than the V₂ panel of the Standard Variation Photographs.

Panel - A panel is a section of raw silk 127 mm wide by 457 mm long uniformly wound from a bobbin on to an inspection board.

In the Japanese method, Variation I is applied not for the major test or auxiliary test but for the optional text.

ºApparatus and equipment: Seriplane (127 x 457 mm), Standard Photographs and Illumination room.

º Sample: The sample for the test consists of a total of one hundred panels from 50 test samples taken at the rate of two panels from each test sample.

The thread is spaced on the inspection panel according to the size under test as follows:

9 denier or finer ……………………..133 threads per 25.4 mm
10 to 12 denier ……………………...114        "              "
13 to 16 denier ……………………...100        "              "
17 to 26 denier ……………………. ...80        "              "
27 to 36 denier …………………….....66        "              "
37 to 48 denier …………………….....57        "              "
49 to 68 denier …………………….....50        "              "
69 to 104 denier ……………………...40        "              "
105 to 149 denier …………………….33        "              "
150 to 197 denier …………………….28        "              "
198 denier or coarser …………………25        "              "

The test is conducted by the estimator from a position of about 2 metre distance directly in front of the inspection panels, which are placed in such a way that the panel receives the same intensity of light by indirect lighting, over the entire board. On any one side of the inspection board, each stripe found on each panel is carefully compared with the standard variation photographs and the intensity of variation is determined. The frequency of evenness Variation I, II and III found with the 100 panels is recorded separately. The record shows each total frequency of variations grouped in Evenness Variation I, II and III.

The evaluation of evenness in the Indian method (Table 41) is indicated by percentage. Percentage is indicated to the nearest 5 percent starting from 100 percent to 50 percent.

Below 50 percent, it is made to the nearest 10 percent. The record then shows the estimated evenness percentage of each panel, the average evenness percentage of a total of one hundred panels and the low evenness percentage of low panels corresponding to one-quarter of the total panels inspected.

This test is conducted to ascertain Super Major Defects, Major Defects and Minor Defects. Each defect carries penalty points and the difference of the total penalty points from 100 gives the test result.

º Definitions

Cleanness Defects:    These are categorized into three general groups, viz., Super Major Defects, Major Defects and Minor Defects                               .

Super Major Defects: All major defects in length or size which are ten times larger than the minimum size of Major Defects are named Super Major Defects.

Major Defects:                These are divided into five as follows:

1. Waste. This is a mass of tangled cocoon filaments or fibres attached to the yarn.
2. Large slugs. These are somewhat thickened places in the thread 7 mm and above in length, or very badly thickened places shorter than 7 mm.
3. Bad casts. These appear as abruptly thickened places in the yearn due to the cocoon filaments not properly adhering to the raw silk yearn, or caused by feeding more than one cocoon filament at a time.
4. Very long knots. These are knots, which have loose ends, 10 mm and over, or those made by incorrect tying of threads.
5. Heavy corkscrews are places in which one or more cocoon filaments are longer than the rest, and give the appearance of a very coarse and large spiral.

Minor Defects: The minor defects are subdivided into four as follows:

1. Small slugs, which are considerably thickened places in the thread from 2 to less than 7 mm in length, or extremely thickened places less than 2 mm in length.
2. Long knots are knots, which have loose ends below 10 and more than 3 mm in length.
3. Corkscrews are places in which one or more cocoon filaments are longer than the remainder, and give the appearance of a thick spiral.
4. Long loops or loose ends are loops or split ends, 10 mm and above in length, when measured along the filament.

Figure 18. Various cleanness a)Waste, b) Slug, c) Bad casting, d) Split ends, e) Large loop

Apparatus and equipment: Standard Photograph for cleanness, Seriplane and lighting equipment.

Sample: The same as given under Evenness test.

In this test the inspector stands in a position of about 0.5 metres (2 feet) directly in front of the inspection panels, under the same conditions of lighting as for the cleanness test. The actual number of cleanness defects of each class and kind of defect described above, are counted on the yarns on both sides of the inspection panel, omitting the parts on its edges. The class and kind to which each defect belongs is determined by comparing it with the Standard Photographs for cleanness defects. The record should indicate the number of defects in 100 panels found by testing and also show the cleanness percentage, which is determined by deducting from 100 percent the total penalty calculated by penalizing each defect with the following rate:

For each super major defect …………. 1.0 percent
For each major defect ……………….. 0.4 percent
For each minor defect ……………….. 0.1 percent

Neatness defects : Imperfection in raw silk yarn, which are smaller than those described as minor cleanness defects are known as neatness defects. Nibs are small thickened places or spots in the yarn less than 2 mm in length. Loops are small open places in the yarn caused by the excessive length of one or more cocoon filaments, less than 10 mm in length when measured along the filament. Hairiness and fuzziness are the conditions of yarn, which show small loose ends of less than 10 mm and fine particles of cocoon filaments protruding from the yarn. Small knots are knots, which have loose ends, less than 3 mm in length. Fine corkscrews are places in which one or more cocoon filaments are longer than the remainder and give the appearance of a spiral.

Apparatus and equipment: The Standard Photographs for neatness defects, Seriplane and lighting equipment.

Sample: The same as given in the Cleanness test.

The test is conducted by the inspector, from a position of about 0.5 metres (2 feet) distance directly in front of the inspection panels, under the same conditions of lighting as for the neatness test. Each panel on any one side of the inspection board is carefully compared with the Standard Photographs for neatness defects and its neatness value is estimated in percentages. From 100 to 50 percent, the estimate should be to the nearest 5 percent. Below 50 percent, it should be made to the nearest 10 percent. The record should indicate the estimated neatness percentage of each panel, the average neatness percentage of a total of one hundred panels and the low neatness percentage represented by the average percentage of the low panels, i.e. on fifth (20 panels) of all panels examined. In the Japanese method, Cleanness and Neatness is represented as a mixed item by deducting the rate of Neatness results from the Cleanness percentage as shown in Table 37.

To test the strength of the raw silk, the breaking point (g per denier) and the degree of elongation (percentage) is carried out on the Serigraph. This test is conducted in a room, which is maintained at a standard temperature of 20ºC and a humidity of 65 percent.

               Apparatus: Serigraph, sizing reel and scale.

Sample: Ten test pieces taken out of 50 test pieces. From each one of these ten test pieces, ten sizing skeins shall be prepared for tenacity and elongation test.

The sizing skeins to be tested are placed in a room, where standard humidity can be maintained, for a sufficient amount of time to allow them to become adjusted to standard conditions.

Each sizing skein is then tested for tenacity and elongation using the serigraph, which is placed in the room under the same standards of humidity. The tenacity is expressed in grams per denier, while the elongation is expressed in percentage of total stretch of the portion tested. The result is indicated by the average results of ten sizing skeins. The result of tenacity is calculated by omitting the figures after the second decimal.

By means of the Duplan cohesion tester, the number of frictions required to split silk thread for the purpose of examining the state of cocoon filaments sticking together, can be counted. This test is conducted in a room kept at standard temperature and humidity.

               Apparatus: Duplan cohesion tester.

Sample: the sample for the test should consist of 20 test pieces taken out of 50 test pieces. The yarn should be free from any cleanness defect or apparent evenness defect in the portion, which is to be tested.

The test is performed in a room where standard humidity can be maintained during the test. The maximum speed of stroke should be 140 strokes per min. The machine should be stopped after every ten strokes and every single yarn inspected very carefully to see if there are any open places. As soon as ten different open spaces, 6 mm long and above are observed, they are recorded against the number of strokes which should be considered as the strokes of the thread opened. The record of the test is the average number of strokes of 20 test pieces. The result of cohesion is recorded by omitting the decimal.

When weighing the gross weight and the dried weight of raw silk, the conditioned weight is calculated by adding 11 percent (International Standard Regain) to the dried weight.

The conditioned weight of raw silk is obtained as follows:

All skeins of raw silk for the test are put into a room with a constant temperature and humidity for 12 hours. 20 skeins are picked up for a test unit and are then weighed separately as the original weight.

Two skeins are selected from the sample for the conditioned weight test.

The sample skeins are dried in an oven one by one with the drying temperature at 140ºC. The drying is continued until the different at every weighing (every 5 minutes) is within 0.1 g.

Moisture regain is calculated as follows:

If the different between both skeins in moisture regain is over 0.5%, another one is tested again.

The total conditioned weight of the unit could be obtained from the total original weight multiplying by the following coefficient.

The coefficient of the conditioned weight is obtained by:

Notice:

Where, W is the original weight and W’ is the dry weight.

11.5.1 Grades

For classification purposes, raw silk is divided into three categories according to their sizes:

             1^st category : 18 denier and below
             2^nd category : 19 to 33 denier
             3^rd category : 34 denier and above

The grades are expressed in the following order in all categories of raw silk:

             4A, 3A, 2A, A, B, in I.S.A. Standard (Table 38-1, 2,3)
            and 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, A, B, C, D in Japanese method (Table 40-1, 2,3)

The grade of a lot in sizes 33 denier and finer (categories I and II) are determined according to the lowest respective percentage of its Size Deviation, Evenness I, Evenness II, Cleanness, Average Neatness and Low Neatness. Whereas the grad eof a lot in sizes 34 denier and coarser (category III) are determined according to the lowest respective percentage of its Size Deviation, Maximum Size Deviation, Evenness I, Evenness II, Cleanness, Average Neatness and Low Neatness as tabulated in the classifications table for each category.

Should any one or more of these results fall below the minimum limits prescribed for a grade, the lot is relegated to the lowest grade.

11.5.3   Degrading with the auxiliary tests

1. If any one of the Maximum Size Deviation, Evenness III, Winding, Tenacity, elongation or Cohesion tests of a lot in sizes 33 denier and finer, or if any one of the Evenness III, Winding, Tenacity or Elongation tests of a lot in size 34 denier or coarser, is found to be lower than the required value listed in the class of auxiliary tests, then the grade provisionally established in accordance with the preceding paragraph is lowered by as many grades as the difference that exists between the required auxiliary test class and the class actually found. Any difference that is more than one class is deemed as one class is deemed as one class difference with respect to the Maximum Deviation and Evenness Variation III of a lot in sizes 33 denier and finer and Evenness Variation III of a lot in sizes 34 denier and coarser. In case two or more auxiliary test classes are found to be lower than the corresponding values listed in the classes of the auxiliary tests, then the lot is declassed to the lowest auxiliary test class actually found.
2. In case the result of the visual inspection of a lot is found to be "Slightly Inferior" in its general finish and/or the result of the skein finish inspection in the Winding test of a lot is found to be "Poor", the grade of the lot is the one below that as has been determined in accordance with the preceding paragraphs.
3. In case the result of the visual inspection of a lot is found to be "Inferior" in its general finish, or in case the number of breaks in the Winding test exceed the limits mentioned below, the lot is determined as B grade (D grade in the Japanese method).

12 denier or finer......…..............breaks 50(75)
13 to 18 denier …………..........breaks 40(65)
19 to 25 denier …………..........breaks (60)
19 to 33 denier …………..........breaks 35
26 to 33 denier …………..........breaks (55)
34 to 69 denier …………..........breaks 25(45)
70 denier or coarser …………..breaks 20(35)

a)          United States Method

• Object – The purpose of the Boil-off test on raw silk is to determine the percentage of sericin and water-soluble substance
  which the silk contains.

• Apparatus –

            a) Boil-off kettle – A suitable receptacle for boiling off the silk.

            b)Oven – Conditioning oven with forced ventilation efficient to dry the skeins within the time specified, positive value control,
               capable of drying the sample skeins at 140ºC. The conditioning ovens should be equipped with a balance arranged to weigh
               the skeins with an accuracy of one centigram while suspended within the drying chamber, the hold of the skeins to be of such
               type as to insure free access of the dry air to all skins.

• Water – The water used for all parts of the test should be zero hardness.

• Soap - The soap should be properly saponified "neutral" soap in chip or

Moisture and volatile matter at 105ºC, max. percent …………..10.0
Sum of free alkali or free acid, total insoluble matter in
alcohol, and sodium chloride, max. percent …………................4.0
Free acid calculated as oleic acid, max. percent ………….........0.2
Free alkali, calculated as NaOH, max. percent …………...........0.2
Insoluble matter in water, max. percent …………......................1.0
Titer of mixed fatty acids prepared from soap …………............16 to 26ºC
Anhydrous soap content, min. percent ………….......................85.0

• Samples - Ten skeins, not more than one skein from one book, are taken to represent a five or ten bale lot. Approximately 10 g are removed from each skein. The silk removed from the original skeins is grouped into two parts of approximately 50 g each and marked, "part number one and part number two".

• Dry weight before boiling - Dry samples Part 1 and Part 2 separately in a conditioning oven at 140ºC to constant weight as determined by successive weighings at five minute intervals. The first weighing is made at the expiration of the first fifteen (15) minutes of drying. The second weighing, made five minutes after the first weighing, is taken as the dry weight provided that the loss between the successive weighings does not exceed one centigram.

• Boiling - The samples are boiled for 45 minutes in a one percent soap solution. The weight of the soap should be 25 percent of the weight of the sample and the water 100 times the weight of the soap.

• Rinsing = Rinsing should take place in two baths containing water at 60ºC, the volume of which should not be less than 25 times the weight of the sample.

• Boiling – Second boil - The samples are boiled again for 30 minutes in 2.5 litres of water per 100 grams of silk, i.e. 25 times the original weight of the sample (no soap).

• Rinsing – Repeat the rinsing operation.

• Centrifuge and dry at room temperature.

• Dry weight after boiling – Dry and weigh the samples using the same procedure as described above.

• Loss in boiling-off – The difference between the dry weight of the combined weight (Parts 1 and 2) before boiling and the dry weight of the combined weight (Parts 1 and 2) after boiling is the loss in boiling-off. The percentage of loss in boiling-off should be calculated individually per Parts 1 and 2. If the percentage of loss for each of the two parts differs by more than 1 percent, the test should be repeated. The average results of the first test and the repeat test should be reported.

b)       European Method

• Object – The object of the boil-off test on raw silk is to determine the percentage of sericin and water-soluble substances, which the silk contains.

• Apparatus –

1. Boil-off kettle – A suitable receptacle for boiling off the silk.
2. Oven – Conditioning even with forced ventilation, positive valve control, capable of drying the sample skeins at 140ºC. The conditioning ovens should be equipped with a balance arranged to weigh the skeins with an accuracy of one centigram while suspended within the drying chamber, the holder of the skeins to be of such a type as to insure free access of the dry air to all skeins.

• Soap – The soap used should be a neutral soap made from pure olive oil or olive oil foots and soda.

• Samples –

1. Ten skeins, not more than one skein from any one book, are taken to represent a five or ten bale lot. Approximately 10 g is removed from each skein. The silk removed from the original skeins is grouped into two parts of approximately 50 g each and marked, part number 1 and part number 2.
2. In the case of a single bale, five skeins, not more than one skein per book, should be taken. Two samples of approximately 10 g each are removed from each skein. These ten samples are grouped into two parts, as in (a) above.

• Dry weight before boiling – Dry samples part 1 and part 2 separately in the conditioning oven at 140ºC to a constant weight as determined by successive weighing at five minute intervals. The first weighing is made after 15 minutes. Weight is considered as constant when the difference between two consecutive weighings is less than or equal to 5 centigrams. The final weighing is taken as the dry weight.

• First boil – Boil parts 1 and 2 for 30 minutes in a soap solution composed as follows:

               Weight of soap : 25 percent of net weight of silk.

Concentration : 8 g soap per litre of water which
should be demineralized, or at least at 0º
(hydrotimetric)

Volume of solution : 35 times the weight of silk.

Carbonate sodium (CO₃Na₂) : 0.3 g per litre of water in the solution.

• Rinsing – Rinse by stirring and squeezing the silk by hand in demineralized water (or water at 0º Hydrotimetric). The temperature should be 60ºC and the volume of water at least 25 times the weight of the silk.

• Second boil – Boil parts 1 and 2 a second time for 30 minutes in a solution having the same composition as the first one, except that no carbonate of soda is added.

• Rinsing – Rinse the silk in each of two baths, each time stirring and squeezing by hand.

                First bath: To consist of demineralized water (or water at 0º Hydrotimetric) at 60ºC with addition of 2 or 3 g of
                CO₃Na₂ per litre. The volume of water must be at least five times the weight of the silk.

                Second bath: To consist of water at 60ºC without carbonate of soda.

• Drying – Centrifuge and dry parts 1 and 2 for 2 hours at room temperature.

• Dry weight after boiling – Dry and weigh the samples using the same procedure as described in the above paragraph.

• Loss in boiling-off – The difference between the combined dry weights of parts 1 and 2 before and after the boilings expressed as a percentage of the combined dry weights as found in the above paragraph is the loss in boiling-off.

11.7  Exfoliation test for raw silk

• Definition – Exfoliation in raw silk is the undesirable property of the individual filaments of silk split into very fine fibrils. These fibrils initially do not absorb dye as readily as the main fibres and show up after dyeing as fine white fuzz on the surface of the silk yarn and fabric. The Exfoliation Test, as outlined below, is made on raw silk and the degree to which the raw silk tends to exfoliate can thereby be determined.

• Sample – The sample for the Exfoliation Tests consists of twenty original skeins drawn at random, an equal number from each bale of the lot, from different parts of the bale. Not more than one skein from any one book except in cases where the lot is composed of fewer than twenty books, and then more than one skein may be drawn from one book as is necessary to make up the twenty skein sample. The sample skeins are wound on regular winding bobbins for a period of twenty minutes.

• Preparation of panels – Twenty panels, one from each sample bobbin, is reeled on the metal frames on a specially modified seriplane equipped for this purpose. The size of the panels is 4 and three-quarters inches high and 3 and one-quarter inches wide. The threads are spaced at 25 threads per inch. Each frame is made to hold five panels, making a total of four frames of five panels each for each test. The specially modified seriplane is so constructed that the silk may be reeled on either one or on two frames at the same time. After the silk is reeled on the frames, the frames are placed in special racks for degumming and dyeing. The degumming and dyeing racks are made to hold eight frames or two lots each. Either four or eight frames (one or two lots) may be degummed and dyed at one time.

• Degumming and dyeing – The degumming and dyeing are done at the same time in a solution made up as follows:

Approximately twenty-four litres of water are put into the degumming and dyeing tank and the water is heated. Sixty g of sodium metasilicate are thoroughly dissolved in one litre of hot water and poured into the tank. Thirty g of dye are thoroughly dissolved in another litre of hot water and poured into the tank. The solution in the tank is then stirred thoroughly. A special dye known as United States Testing Company Sky blue S due is used. The thermometer should be left suspended in the solution at all times. When the temperature of the solution has risen to 195º-200ºF, the racks holding the frames are placed in the solution and left there for 20 minutes. During the 20minute period, the temperature of the solution should be maintained between 195º-200ºF. The same solution may be used a second time for one or two additional lots (four or eight frames). If the same bath is used a second time, tem g of due are added to the solution, but no additional sodium metasilicate is required. The added dye must be dissolved thoroughly in one-half (½) litre of water before being poured into the solution. Sufficient hot water should be added to the solution to maintain the level of the solution high enough to cover the frames. The same solution should not be used for more than two degumming and dyeing operations. It is necessary that the tank be drained and thoroughly rinsed at the end of every day even though the solution has been used for only one degumming and dyeing operation. After 20 minutes, the rack is removed from the degumming and dyeing solution and the frames are rinsed in the rinsing tank to remove excess dye. The rinsing tank is filled with warm water and rinsing is carried out by dipping the rack containing the frames up and down in the warm water three or four times. The silk on the frames is then dried thoroughly. The silk can be dried at room temperature or exposing the silk on the frames to a warm air blast or dried on the frames in a suitable warm oven. If the silk is dried in an oven, care must be taken not to scorch the silk.

• Preparation of the panels for inspection – It will be found that the silk threads on the frames will have a tendency to cling together in groups of three to six threads after the degumming and dyeing operation. After the silk has dried, the threads must be carefully separated before the silk is inspected. The separation of the threads can best be done while the frames are on the inspection racks. The threads can usually be separated by running a smooth glass rod, or similar instrument, horizontally across the threads near the top and bottom of the frame. In some cases, it may be necessary to separate some of the threads by means of a needle run vertically between the threads. These operations must be done on both the front and back surfaces of the frame. Extreme care must be taken in separating the threads in order to prevent breaking the filaments or threads. A limited amount of experience and practice will show the best way to separate the threads.

• Inspection and grading of the panels – The inspection and grading of the panels is done on the American Standard Inspection Rack. The two special holders are suspended over the top of the overhead light reflector so that the exfoliation frames can be placed in front of the light reflector, the top of the frame being approximately 1 and five-eighths inches below the forward edge of the reflector. A black seriplane board is placed in the upper brackets of the seriplane inspection rack behind the exfoliation frames. The seriplane board is inclined towards the inspection frames to an angle of approximately 40º from the vertical. The angle may be varied slightly so that the silk thread defects can be more easily observed. The exfoliation frames are maintained in a vertical position. Each of the twenty panels is given a rating by comparison with the standard photographs rated as follows: 90-80-70-60-50-30. Each panel is compared with the standard photographs and is given one of the following ratings in accordance with the standard: 100-95-90-85-80-75-70-65-60-50-40-30-20-10. If any filaments have been broken in the separation of the threads which have clung together after degumming and dyeing, care should be taken that the broken filaments are not mistaken for exfoliation and penalized. This difference can be detected after some experience in inspecting panels.

• Calculation and rating reports – The general average is obtained by calculating the average of the twenty individual ratings of the twenty panels. The penalty average is obtained by calculating the average of the lowest five panels.

• The classification degree is the average of the general average and the penalty average. The rating is based on the classification degree as follows:

Perfect                95 and higher
Excellent             85 to 94.99
Good                  75 to 84.99
Fair                     65 to 74.99
Poor                   50 to 64.99
Very poor          10 to 49.99

United States Testing Co., "Sky Blue S. Dye". This dye has the following formula:

The two (2) dyes (Alphazurine A and Wool Violet 4BN) are strong colours. For this Exfoliation test, Glauber salt could be omitted and less dye required to obtain the desired colour for the test. In that case, the following proportions are suggested:

 Table 38-1-ISA classification table for raw silk of category I (18 denier and finer)

 Table 38-2-ISA classification table for raw silk of category II

 Table 38-3-ISA classification table for raw silk of category III (34 denier and coarser)

  Table 39 - Chinese classification table for raw silk

 Table 39 - Chinese classification table for raw silk (continued)

 Table 40-1 Japanese classification table for raw silk of category I (18 denier and finergif)

 Table 40-2 Japanese classification table for raw silk of category II (19 to 33 denier)

  Table 40-3 Japanese classification table for raw silk of category III (34 denier and coarser)

 Table 41-1 Indian classification table for Class I raw silk (2.0 tex (or 18 denier) and finer)

  Table 41-2 Indian classification table for Class I raw silk (2.1 to 3.7 tex or 19 to 33 denier)

 Table 41-3 Indian classification table for Class I raw silk (3.8 tex or 34 denier and coarser)

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