3.1 Terminology D3888 was originally developed as a terminology standard for rotor spinning when it evolved as a new yarn spinning technology in the 1980s. Ring spinning production had been the traditional spinning since the early 1800s when hand spinning became mechanized. Rotor spinning and other spinning technologies increased yarn production rates and formed yarns by different mechanical means that generated yarns with characteristics unlike traditional ring-spun yarns. The revision of this document is intended to compile terminology for current yarn spinning systems into one standard rather than individual standards, in that all yarn formation is generated by processing raw fiber into a spun yarn by using common preparation steps, such as opening, cleaning, carding, roving formation, and sometimes combing. Terminology in this standard is grouped by the type of spinning system and in chronological order of their development and production usage. It should be noted that the higher end of yarn number ranges cited with each spinning system are possible but are rare in actual production.