Regain tester  is the oven-drying tester used to measure the moisture content and regain of textile fibers

Textile fibers have hygroscopic features and can absorb or lose a variable percentage of water in relation to ambient temperature (°C) and humidity (%) where they are located, e.g. the wool can absorb up to 30% of moisture content without feeling that sense by human touch.

Moisture content (MC%) and moisture regain (MR%) of textiles become relevant points in commercial negotiations, because of frequent disputes between suppliers and end customers, thus fundamental aspect to know exactly what percentage of moisture content of textile materials; the fibers conditioning process can help determining the Commercial weight (%) of a bulk material consignment.
MC% and MR% are determined by weighing a series of Oven-dry masses of lot samples, analyzing their moisture content and regain after the drying process and comparing results to official regains (%) of fiber materials.

In compliance with UNI, IWTO, ASTM, BISFA, others, REGAIN TESTER 70S is a rapid oven drying tester designed by Branca Idealair to determine in an extremely short time the water content of fiber materials

It is used in ginneries, spinning mils, production areas and laboratories for fiber classification, but it is also widely spread in public conditioning enties and research centres and other laboratories for fiber classification.

The oven drying tester dries up fiber subsamples at 105°C and this drying temperature can be applied to the majority of textile materials and except silk fibers at 140°C.
The oven drying test method describes how the test must be performed and that the dry mass is determined only once the weighing difference is lower than 0,05%.

The advantage of Regain oven 70S faster process is given by means of the flow of air at negative pressure that assures a rapid drying in a very short time (e.g. with 400 g in less than 5 minutes for fibers and in less than 7 minutes for yarns) and keeping the material soft, uniform and with unaltered shape (no burnings).

USEFULNESS/BENEFITS
The advantage of the oven drying tester is given by the action of water vapour diffusion from the hearth of the fiber without damage as shown in comparative tests made by Mr. M. Denis (Directeur de la S.A. Les Conditionnements Publics Verviètois) and by Mr. L. Rousseau (Directeur du Centre de Recherches et de Controle Lainier & Chimique de Verviers in Celac), where the fibers dried up with Regain tester 70S don’t change their physical properties during the dyeing process compared to the fiber dried other traditional models, which present alterations in the outer shape of fibers through the comparative analyses with microscope.

Regain oven 70S has a solid chassis composed of a bell sealed oven drying chamber, wherein all side walls are covered externally by special sealants to assure inside temperature with lowest gradients lower than 0,05°C and uniform in every points of the chamber. The preventive rear damper in the air outlet avoids flotation errors due to buoyancy effector convective air movements that could affect the precise weighing of the balance.

We designed a PID logic control for temperature close control that never exceed ± 2 °C once achieving the value (e.g. 105°C).

METTLER TOLEDO precision scale is the scale brand chosen  IDEALAIR for Regain oven 70S and has a great weighing accuracy of ± 0,01 g and it can measures up to 4000 grams of material inside the tared can, while the reading of weighings can be red monitored on HMI display or by a PC.

Apart from preliminary subsample preparation, the operator is free of any duties to the tester when the process runs and at all dryings end the Regain tester 70S collects all data on memory.
The usefullnes to have a automatic equipment helps the endusers to follow other working activities enjoying the full potential of the oven drying tester Regain tester 70S and only recovering significant data at the end of the fiber conditioning process.

Regain tester 70S automatic process are managed by an advanced technology and evices properly implemented with a custom PID fine regulation designed by Branca Idealair; our system has improve reliability, reproducibility and repeatability on oven performances and results e.g. using SSR to command the activation of power devices and with the use of a special temperature probe signals.

An Application Software BRT^4.0 allows data collection, commands transmission and response return, formulas and statistical evaluations and trend graphs monitor; the package includes CD and dongle USB runtime key that enables the software use.

An optional THERMAL ASCII PRINTER gives a overall test listing at the end of each fiber conditioning process. The whole report will show all wet and dry masses collected on memory including significant data as e.g. total process time, MC%, MR%, regain correction (%), loss (g), etc..

ASCII printer can be supplied in thermal or ink impact version on request.

The oven drying test bulletin includes the following input data:

• DATE and TIME
• SUPPLIER
• MATERIAL
• SAMPLES No.
• TARA, weight of the basket
• CORE SAMPLE WEIGHT, weight of core material taken in sampling
• OVEN DRY WEIGHT, weight of the core sample after all moisture has been removed by drying process
• LOSS, difference in weight between the Core Sample Weight and the Oven Dry Weight. The Loss represents the weigth of water which was present in the core sample
• REGAIN, weight of water in the core sample expressed as a percentage of the Oven Dry Weight
• NET WEIGHT, OVEN DRY, weight of oven dry material calculated to be in the consignment
• OFFICIAL REGAIN, at reference percentage is the weight which must be added to the Nett Weight, Oven Dry to determine the Invoice Weight at the nominated Regain
• INVOICE WEIGHT, weight of material which would be present if it was conditioned to the nominated Regain
• OPERATOR SIGNATURE