Assembly Line

Spinning fiber

Loose fibers are drawn out and twisted into yarn, or a liquid is forced through tiny holes and hardened into filament.

33 lines that use it

Barbed wire 7 stations · 13 raw sources Baseball 7 stations · 22 raw sources Bath towel 7 stations · 14 raw sources Carbon fiber 6 stations · 4 raw sources Cellulose acetate 6 stations · 8 raw sources Cotton candy 9 stations · 17 raw sources Cotton yarn 6 stations · 1 raw source Dartboard 7 stations · 22 raw sources Dental floss 7 stations · 12 raw sources Dress shirt 7 stations · 12 raw sources Fiberglass insulation 6 stations · 8 raw sources Guitar string 6 stations · 18 raw sources Hoodie 6 stations · 9 raw sources Hook-and-loop fastener 5 stations · 5 raw sources Kevlar 6 stations · 6 raw sources Leggings 8 stations · 11 raw sources Linen 6 stations · 2 raw sources Nylon 6 stations · 5 raw sources Polyester 6 stations · 8 raw sources Power cable 9 stations · 10 raw sources Rope 5 stations · 5 raw sources Sewing thread 7 stations · 8 raw sources Shoelace 5 stations · 12 raw sources Silk 6 stations · 4 raw sources Silk tie 7 stations · 10 raw sources Slinky 5 stations · 12 raw sources Socks 6 stations · 11 raw sources Spandex 6 stations · 11 raw sources Suspension bridge cable 7 stations · 22 raw sources Tailored suit 7 stations · 12 raw sources Wet wipes 5 stations · 8 raw sources Wool blanket 5 stations · 9 raw sources Wool yarn 5 stations · 2 raw sources

What it looks like on the line

  • RopeSpin fibers into yarn. Fibers are gathered and twisted into yarns. Natural fibers include manila hemp, sisal, jute and coir. Synthetic ones such as nylon, polyester and polypropylene are stronger.
  • Dress shirtSpin fine cotton yarn. Cotton fibers are combed and twisted into thin, even yarn. Dress-shirt cloth needs smooth yarn, because every lump would show as a rough patch on the surface.
  • Wet wipesForm the fiber web. Staple fibers are spun, cut to a few centimeters, blended and opened, then dispersed on a conveyor belt and spread into an even web.
  • Sewing threadRing spin the singles. Rollers draw the roving finer and a ring frame adds high twist, usually in the S direction. For corespun thread, stabilized filament comes in behind the front rollers so it is not stretched, and staple forms a sheath around it.
  • PolyesterSpin it into yarn. Staple fibers are blended, often with cotton, and twisted into yarn. It resists water, wind and weather better than plant-derived fibers do.
  • RopeTwist yarns into strands. A number of yarns are twisted together to form a strand. The twist in the strand runs opposite to the twist in the yarn.
  • SilkTwist into thread. Several single filaments are combined and twisted, a step called throwing. The amount and direction of twist decides what kind of yarn comes out, and threads may be plied together.
  • Carbon fiberSpin it into filament. PAN solution is pushed through spinnerets into a coagulating bath, forming bundles of filaments. Stretching the yarn aligns the polymer chains, which gives the finished fiber its strength.
  • ShoelaceWind the yarn. Fibers of cotton or polyester are twisted into strands and wound onto bobbins, ready to mount on the braider.
  • NylonSpin it into filaments. The melt is forced through a plate pierced with fine holes, and the strands harden in a flow of cool air. Dozens of them are gathered into a single yarn.
  • KevlarSpin it into a cold bath. The thick liquid is pushed through a spinneret and drops into cold water, where the polymer solidifies. The stiff chains line up along the thread as they come out.
  • Wool yarnDraw and twist. The wool is drawn out and twisted. Wool's natural crimp, a wave in every fiber, helps the strands cling to each other as the yarn is formed.