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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314470
Title: Gin saw wear test

Author
item Hughs, Sidney
item Holt, Gregory
item Hardin Iv, Robert
item Delhom, Christopher - Chris
item Byler, Richard

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/7/2015
Publication Date: 1/7/2015
Citation: Hughs, S.E., Holt, G.A., Hardin IV, R.G., Delhom, C.D., Byler, R.K. 2015. Gin saw wear test. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference, January 5-7, 2015, San Antonio, TX. p. 970.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Most current gin saw manufacturers use a 1074 steel or similar as a basis to manufacture their saw blades. The saw teeth are individually punched on the edges of the blades and then the blade goes through a heat treating process prior to use. There are indications from other industries with similar applications that cryogenically treating the gin saw blades after the teeth are punched and finished may significantly increase their useful life. Gin saw replacement is a significant maintenance expense for gin stands so a longer useful saw life could be a significant cost savings. A test was planned for the 2014/15 ginning season whose objectives were to determine: 1) if cryogenically treated (test) gin saws would last longer than standard saws (control), 2) if there were any observable HVI fiber quality differences during the season between the test and control saws, and 3) if there were any power usage differences between gin stands using the test and control saws. New multiple paired sets of standard gin saws were obtained from their manufacturer. These paired sets were split with one half subjected to cryogenic treatments and the other half treated according to current industry practice. Both the test and control saws were installed in three different cooperating commercial gin plants located across the cotton belt in Arizona, Texas, and Arkansas. Each commercial gin plant had multiple gin stands that were operated side by side. Both Lummus and Continental gin stands were represented in the test. The test and control saws were randomly installed in the number one and number two ginning positions as these are the ginning positions that normally receive the most wear. These paired gin stands were operated and serviced by each gin operator as they normally would for their operation during the 2014/15 cotton ginning season. Each gin stand and feeder pair was monitored for energy consumption. Fiber samples were taken periodically immediately after the gin stands for HVI fiber properties. Tooth wear differences between test and control gin stands is to be evaluated after the gin saws are removed. At the writing of this report, one cooperating gin plant is still ginning the 2014/15 crop. Also the tooth wear, fiber quality and power use data has yet to be evaluated and is still being gathered. Preliminary indications are that the cryogenically treated gin saws have superior wear properties and that there may not be any significant fiber quality differences between the test and control saws through the ginning season. Final evaluations will be made and reported after all data has been gathered and analyzed.