This course was specially designed for Chinese participants. It provided an overview of all steps required to purchase and assemble wool for processing including instruction on how wool buyers make up mill consignments to meet customers requirements. Participants also saw shearing & clip preparation practices on a working Australian sheep farm. This was followed by visits to wool testing facilities of the Australian Wool Testing Authority and then to the show-floor to see how wool clips are offered for sale, valued and auctioned. Industry and research experts then provided detailed instruction on blending, scouring and topmaking techniques according to best international practice. Participants were instructed in the use of prediction and quality measuring systems using ‘TEAM 3’ (for predicting combing performance from greasy wool parameters), ‘Topmaker’ (software for determining top characteristics), ‘Topmark’ (a free benchmarking service for international processing mills and topmakers) and ‘Yarnspec’ (a software package that predicts spinning performance based upon properties of the input top).
A practical processing trial took place during the course which enabled participants to gain practical experience on greasy wool selection, scouring, combing and quality control.
Emphasis was placed on practical and commercial aspects of early stage wool processing.
This course was presented in English with Chinese translation provided.
Participation in Course 1 was a recommended prerequisite for this course.
| Mr Don McWhirter, MacWool Ltd | Preparing the Mill Consignment | Presentation(en) | |
| Mr Gary Robinson, AWI | Processing trial – objectives and methodology | Presentation(ch) | |
| Fibre Attributes – greasy/top/yarn | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) | |
| Mr Gary Robinson, AWI | Monitoring and Analysing your Processes | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) |
| Mr Martin Prins, CSIRO | Tools to assist the topmaker – Yarn Spec | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) |
| Mr Ian Ashman, AWTA Ltd | Tools to assist the topmaker – Topmark | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) |
| Mr Martin Prins, CSIRO | Blending Wool for a uniform top which meets specification | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) |
| Dr Jock Christoe | Scouring | ||
| Effects of poor scouring | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) | |
| ‘Best practice’ systems and techniques | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) | |
| Environmental Practice on Scouring | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) | |
| Mechanical Processing | |||
| Mr Gary Robinson, AWI | Carding and Combing Fine Wool | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) |
| Niall Finn, Ray Wood | Woollen Carding and Spinning | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) |
| Notes(en) | |||
| Mr Tony Turk | Closing the Circle – Data Collection and Analysis | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) |
| Mr Barry White, IFC | Contracts and disputes resolution | Presentation(en) | Presentation(ch) |