Sizing is a crucial preparatory process for yarns, especially multifilament yarns, before weaving. It involves applying a protective coating (size) to the yarn surface to improve its strength, reduce friction, and prevent breakage during the high-speed stresses of weaving.
The amount of size applied, known as the add-on percentage, must be carefully controlled. For multifilament yarns, the generally accepted optimum range for size add-on is:
This specific range ensures:
Add-on levels below this range may not provide adequate protection, while levels significantly above it can make the yarn brittle, increase hairiness, and negatively affect the final fabric properties.
In a sizing process, if add-on is $12.8\%$ and paste concentration is $16\%$, the value of wet pick-up (%) would be