Book excerpt: Existing textbooks covering the subject of yarn manufacture largely concentrate on describing the workings of machines. Fundamentals of Spun Yarn Technology presents complete coverage of yarn manufacture and technology and current research findings on the structure and properties of spun yarns. Written by a well-known and respected authority on textile technology, it not only introduces the subject, but it provides students with an advanced understanding of the various process stages. The book introduces the rudiments of staple yarn technology, covering the manufacturing process, the raw materials, and processes including short staple, worsted, semiworsted and woollen spinning, doubling, and specialty yarn processes. It also covers the more advanced studies in staple yarn technology, including new developments in fiber preparation technology, carding technology, roller drafting, gilling, ring spinning, open-end rotor spinning, air jet spinning and new research on unconventional spinning systems. This extensive range of topics, along with hundreds of tables and illustrations presented in Fundamentals of Spun Yarn Technology make it a comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of the field.