Team:UCLA/Notebook/Materials/30 July 2015

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• Stretcher is up and running
  • gave it a few test runs
• Some problems with it:
  • the godet has too much friction/attraction to the thread. As a result, the thread is unable to pass from the 1st godet to the 2nd. The 1st godet drags the thread along with it, so I am unable to advance it to the 2nd.
  • it is extremely difficult to wind the thread around the 1st godet and then guide it to the 2nd by hand.
  • it is extremely difficult to unwind the thread after removing it from the ethanol. It comes out as a soggy, clumped mess.
    • It might be best to have the collection spool out in dry air
• Some observations
  • It is very easy to catch the fiber onto the 1st godet and just let it wind around it.
    • We may just switch to a 1-godet design, where 1 godet both stretches AND captures the thread
      • However, here there is the problem of recollecting the thread after it has been spooled and withdrawn from the ethanol.
  • A godet speed of 150 seems to be close to the speed at which the thread is coming out of the tubing.

• to reduce friction of the godet, we tried polishing them with acetone (they are made of ABS plastic, and acetone dissolves it).

• Sri gave a great suggestion:
  • Wind the thread around the 1st godet.
  • Once all of the thread has been extruded, reverse the 1st godet, and feed the thread to the 2nd godet.
  • update:I tried this, it didn't work. The godet still tugged the thead back, even when it was running in reverse. This doesn't make sense to me, but it did it.

• I think I got it!
  • A trick to reduce the friction of the godet is to capture some thread on the godet
    • essentially, cover the godet with the thread
  • and then wrap the thread around 1st godet and feed to 2nd godet