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Progression of TEAM-2 to TEAM-3: Why?

TEAM-1

The Trials Evaluating Additional Measurement (TEAM) commenced in 1981. The trials were initiated due to rapid changes in the marketing of wool where sale by sample was being firmly established as the preferred method for sale. In addition, the value determining characteristics of wool were being specified following coretesting and significant advances had been made in the measurement for Length & Strength. The aim of the original TEAM project was to enable processors of Australian combing wools to evaluate new measurements of Staple Length, Staple Strength, Position of Break and Clean Colour and to examine how they may influence processing performance and processing prediction.

TEAM-2

The TEAM-2 trial commenced in 1986 with the aim of expanding the amount of data that had already been collected and to further evaluate the applicability of the TEAM-1 formulae. In 1988 updated processing prediction formulae were published following the analysis of a database of approximately 600 processing consignments. Although there have been some attempts since 1988 to improve processing prediction, a survey conducted in 1997 clearly showed that the TEAM-2 formulae were the generally recognised world benchmarks.

TEAM-3

Processing performance had improved significantly since the 1980’s and there was a general feeling in the industry that the TEAM-2 formulae required updating. In July 2000, Laserscan was introduced as the standard for all Presale Fibre Diameter tests in Australia and it was suggested that the new measurements provided by Laserscan, such as Coefficient of Variation of Diameter, may influence top making performance. In addition, the availability of Length and Strength data on the majority of combing lots in Australian sale catalogues would enable a large scale processing trial to proceed relatively smoothly. As a result, AWTA Ltd initiated a 4 year, AUD$500,000 processing trial commencing in 2001 and concluding in 2004. Following the analysis of data from more than 600 commercial processing consignments, new processing prediction formulae were developed.