O o d h e a d p u b L i s h I n g L i m I t e d

2.11
Future trends
2.11.1 Industry trends
There are several trends in the wool industry which may influence, or even
guide, future developments in wool metrology. These include:
• on-farm testing;
• development of niche markets for specialised, or particular, ‘types’ of
wool;
• emerging Internet technologies;
• improvements in prediction equations, such as TEAM; and
• greater use of raw wool measurement in breeding strategies;
2.11.2 New measurement technologies
Spectroscopy
In recent years NIRS has been introduced to both performance monitoring
(especially in scouring companies in New Zealand) and Yield Testing (IWTO-
19). NIRS relies on calibration via existing measurement technologies and
relates the quantity of a given non-wool contaminant (e.g. grease) to absorption
patterns over a range of wavelengths. It offers a faster, simpler measurement
than traditional methods and there is potential for further application. X-ray
scanning, as used in security checks at airports, has also shown potential for
the rapid determination of yield.
Image analysis
Over the past 30 years major gains have been made in this technology, yet its
application to wool metrology has really just begun. There is considerable
potential for further applications, particularly as hardware and turnkey software
improves.
Refinement of existing measurement systems
Improvements are always being made to existing certifiable measurements
in terms of their precision, accuracy, speed, simplicity and cost. Potential
changes in current technologies could include:
• improvement of diameter calibration for measurement of ultrafine wool;
• knowledge of the relationship between fibre diameter and fibre length in
tops (using the OFDA4000);
• development of an estimate of the mean fibre length within a staple to
improve processing prediction;
© 2009 Woodhead Publishing Limited

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Advances in wool technology
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• prediction of greasy wool softness based on current diameter and curvature
technologies;
• development of inexpensive measurements of fibre entanglement in a
staple and the shape of staple tips; and
• derivation of a set of parameters from fibre diameter profiles to predict
staple strength.