Design and Development of Twelve-Spindle Charkha by Converting Two Six-Spindle Charkha

The Khadi industry is one of the largest employment generation initiatives in the country. This sector
employed about 14.79 lakh people both full time and part time in khadi spinning during 1994. However today,
the employment generation has come down to 7 lakh, in 2004.Hence a research has been undertaken to help
the khadi spinner to earn a better wage in his rural home itself by redesigning the spinning wheel and adding
some more spindles without unduly enlarging the size of the spinning machine.
The objectives of the study are clearly defined in the working. The methods to increase the speed of spindle
andproduction rates in the charkha spinning machine have been discussed. Here the researcher has conceived
idea of redesigning thecharkha on the lines of the spinning machines that are working inlarge textile mills. As
the ring frame is built on 6 Spindles per staff length, the researcher has taken 12 spindles so that commercially
available parts are cheaper and could be easily fixed on to themachine frame such as flutted rollers, rings,
spindles and top arms.The" spinning angle and train of wheels to drive the machine have allbeen modified.
Addition of spindlesalso contributes to increased production.
Knowing the Khadi cost chart rate we could easily calculate the wageearnings per day of the spinner. There is
a 105 - 118 percentageincrease in both production and wage earnings to the spinner on the improved 12
spindle charkha machine.The yarns that were spun on different charkhas which are availablecommercially
and compared to the performance of 12 Spindle Charkha for yarn quality. By the present research work,
millions of rural women who arein khadi industry can be retained in charkha spinning without anydrudgery
and earn a reasonable wage of Rs 174 per day for 8 hours working in improved 12 Spindle Charkha spinning.
The yarnproduced from the narrow width spinning charkha with 12 spindles isquite comparable with SITRA
norms and could be used for making bed spreads with optimum returns to the weaver also.
Elongation percentage of yarn and Hairiness Index,in all these parameters studied, the 12 spindle machine
gave good results whichwere comparable to SITRA (South Indian Textile Research Association) norms for
yarn quality.