METHOD FOR MONITORING AIR FLOWS REQUIRED FOR HANDLING A THREAD AND/OR FIBER BAND AND SPINNING MACHINE UNIT

A method for monitoring air flows required for handling a thread and/or fiber band in a spinning machine having a plurality of spinning positions, and to a spinning machine unit. At least one air flow-generating source is associated with the spinning machine and is connected to an air flow duct in an airflow-communicating manner, the air flow duct having an air flow main duct, coupled to the source in an air flow-communicating manner, and a plurality of air flow branch ducts branching off from the air flow main duct, each branching off to a spinning position for supplying the air flow to the spinning positions' handling units for handling a thread or fiber band. The spinning machine is allocated an evaluation device for evaluating measurement data and a detection unit for detecting productive and/or non-productive spinning positions and/or handling units, the detection unit being connected to the evaluation device for data transmission. An air volume flow measuring unit is provided which is arranged in the air flow main duct between the source and the air flow branch duct nearest to the source along the air flow path, the air volume flow measuring unit being connected to the evaluation device for data transmission. The air volume flow is measured by means of the air volume flow measuring unit and the measurement result is transmitted to the evaluation device. Furthermore, the number of productive and/or non-productive spinning positions is detected by the detection unit at the time of the air volume flow measurement and transmitted to the evaluation device. An air volume flow target value is determined by the evaluation device depending on the number of detected productive and/or non-productive spinning positions, the air volume flow target value corresponding to a total air volume flow requirement of the spinning positions which are productive at the time when the measurement is taken. The air volume flow target value is then compared with the actual value of the measured air volume flow by the evaluation device, the evaluation device making an evaluation on the basis of the comparison as to whether there is an unacceptable deviation between the actual value and the air volume flow target value.