Abstract
Yarn strength modelling and prediction has remained as the cynosure of research for the textile engineers although the investigation in this domain was first reported around one century ago. Several mathematical, statistical and empirical models have been developed in the past only to yield limited success in terms of prediction accuracy and general applicability. In recent years, soft computing tools like artificial neural networks and neural-fuzzy models have been developed, which have shown remarkable prediction accuracy. However, artificial neural network and neural-fuzzy models are trained using enormous amount of noise free input-output data, which are difficult to collect from the spinning industries. In contrast, fuzzy logic based models could be developed by using the experience of the spinner only and it gives good understanding about the roles played by various inputs on the outputs. This paper deals with the modelling of ring spun cotton yarn strength using a simple fuzzy expert system. The prediction accuracy of the model was found to be very encouraging.