Overview
ISO 5238-1:1982 - Textile machinery and accessories - Packages of yarns and intermediate products - Part 1: Terminology defines the vocabulary used for describing packages of yarns and intermediate textile products. Published in 1982 and developed by ISO/TC 72 (textile machinery), this part standardises terms and illustrative figures used across the textile supply chain. The figures illustrate package characteristics (not to scale) and are all shown with their longitudinal axes in a horizontal position, irrespective of their orientation during production or processing.
Key topics
- Terminology scope: precise definitions for terms related to yarn packages and intermediate products (e.g., wound package, former, wound yarn).
- Winding methods referenced: terms such as cross winding, parallel winding and cop winding are covered and cross-referenced to ISO 5239 (Winding - Basic terms).
- Illustrative figures: graphical representations of package types and characteristics are included for clarity; these are illustrative and not to scale.
- Multilingual presentation: authoritative terms are given in the three official ISO languages (English, French, Russian); German and Italian equivalents are included for information, verified by DIN (Germany), SNV (Switzerland) and UNI (Italy). Only the official-language terms are ISO-authoritative.
- Standards linkage: this part is the terminology foundation for related parts (for example ISO 5238-2 on package forms) and other standards defining formers and winding types.
Practical applications
ISO 5238-1:1982 is a foundational reference for anyone working with yarn packages and intermediate products:
- Textile machinery manufacturers - to ensure consistent product descriptions, documentation and machine specifications.
- Process and production engineers - to standardise terminology in process sheets, technical drawings and operator instructions.
- Quality, procurement and logistics teams - to specify package types and acceptance criteria in contracts and shipping documents.
- Standards writers, translators and technical trainers - to align multilingual terminology and teaching materials.
- Designers of winding and finishing equipment - to match machine capability to standard package types and winding methods.
Related standards
- ISO 5238-2 - Packages of yarns and intermediate products - Part 2: Forms of winding (related forms/specifications).
- ISO 5239 - Winding - Basic terms (definitions for winding methods referenced here).
- ISO 1809 - Types of formers for yarn packages - Nomenclature.
Using ISO 5238-1:1982 helps ensure consistent, unambiguous communication about yarn packages across manufacturing, procurement and international trade - improving interoperability between textile machinery, processes and documentation.