Decision Schemes for Assessing Dark Fiber Concentration in Top

Abstract

Assessing dark fiber concentration in mill batches of top destined for the white and pastel trade is a problem of major economic importance in the wool industry. Thus it would seem desirable, if not essential, to have an agreed set of procedures for de termining whether a given concentration is exceeded. The decision criteria used throughout the industry vary widely, however, due in part to the lack of an underlying rationale. In this paper a framework is proposed within which a broad class of decision schemes may be constructed. The objective is to provide a rational basis for industry- wide uniform procedures. A method is then described for comparing the performance of a given scheme, from within this framework, with an "ideal" performance. Also a procedure for determining the parameters of such a scheme is outlined. The parameters of several example schemes are calculated and an example given of how one such scheme might be chosen as an industry standard.