Ofda - 2000

OFDA 2000
The OFDA 2000 is the world's first instrument to measure greasy wool and diameter profile along the staple. It is the replacement of the OFDA 100, providing the same accuracy and faster measurement. The technology is used at all stages of the wool-processing pipeline, from greasy fleece through to yarn and fabric. It is also used to measure synthetic fibres, cashmere, mohair and alpaca. The OFDA 2000 is recognised by the IWTO test method (TM-47). The OFDA 2000 comes in two versions, the benchtop version (BT) used in the laboratories and the portable version used for on farm testing. Both versions have the same specifications and only differring in physical package. The OFDA is a video microscope set above a moving sample of fibres. The instrument magnifies and captures images of the individual fibres using a video camera and then identifies and measures each fibre. Each fibre diameter is measured to a resolution of 1 micron (um) and the combined mean diameter and standard deviation are calculated to a resolution of 0.01 um. OFDA's histogram data include the mean fibre diameter, standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), comfort factor, curvature and spinning fineness. The comfort factor is vital to sheep breeders and wool buyers to identify those coarse fibre in a sample that can cause a "prickly" feel in some woolen garments.
OFDA 2000 BT Benchtop Version (laboratory) The OFDA 200 normally measures 2 mm fibre snippets cut using a guillotine or minicore. The fibres are sprea onto a 70 mm square glass slide in the same fashion as the OFDA 100. See the OFDA 100 page for details. This video shows the operation of the OFDA 2000 BT.
Portable Version OFDA 2000 can provide rapid (25 seconds), accurate and precise diameter measurement along the length of greasy wool staples. Fibres in greasy staples are coated with a varying thickness of grease, dirt and suint. The OFDA 2000 automatically corrects for the grease factor, utilising a formula established after exhaustive analysis of Australian and New Zealand flocks. The greasy wool measurements provided in real time by the OFDA 2000 include: • Mean fibre diameter (including a distribution histogram). • Co-efficient of Variation of Diameter. • Percentage of fibres less than 30 micron (comfort factor). • Percentage of fibres less than 15 micron. • Curvature and Standard Deviation of Curvature. • Along staple diameter profile. • Staple length. • Position of finest and broadest points along the staple. • Average of mean fibre ends.

Example of along staple profile:

This graph is from the first shearing shed visited with OFDA 2000. It shows the diameter along the staple at each 5mm from the tip on the left. This staple would be expected to break at its finest point about 1/3 of its length from the tip. It has diameter ranging from 18um at the tip to 22um at the base. In extreme cases, sheep have been measured with over 8um variation along the staple length.

OFDA 2000 calibration verification against the projection microscope (PM) standard, IH Wool Top series 12, staple wire slide mode

PM		OFDA2000
Mean	SD	Mean	SD
16.66	3.33	16.70	3.47
18.31	3.33	18.32	3.41
20.38	4.49	20.42	4.45
23.54	5.13	23.54	4.94
26.43	5.59	26.32	5.45
30.62	7.39	30.62	7.17
34.69	8.78	34.57	8.72
37.69	8.77	37.76	8.95

OFDA 2000 Papers

OFDA 2000 in the News