Murata Machinery (Muratec) is the world's leading manufacturer of automatic winding machines. The Process Coner series — including the widely installed Process Coner II, the QPRO, and the QPRO EX — is found in spinning mills across every major textile market from India and Bangladesh to Turkey, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Egypt.
These machines are engineered to tight tolerances. The paper cone specifications they require are equally tight. A cone that is two-tenths of a millimetre off on the nose inner diameter, or that uses the wrong notch geometry, will generate stoppages on a QPRO that a technician will spend an afternoon diagnosing on the wrong component.
This guide documents the exact paper cone specifications required for reliable, stoppage-free operation on Murata QPRO, Process Coner II, and Mach Splicer winding machines.
The Murata Winding Machine Family
Understanding which Murata model you operate matters because cone specifications — particularly notch type — can vary between model generations.
Murata Process Coner is the original family designation for Murata's automatic winding machines. The Process Coner series has been produced in multiple generations since the 1970s. If you are operating an older generation, the machine designation on your operator's panel or nameplate will identify the generation number.
Murata QPRO is the current-generation high-speed automatic winder in the Muratec lineup. The QPRO operates at winding speeds exceeding 2,000 metres per minute and uses Murata's proprietary splicer technology for knot-free yarn joining. The QPRO EX is an enhanced version with additional automation and higher energy efficiency. For paper cone purposes, QPRO and QPRO EX share the same cone specification.
Murata Mach Splicer refers to Murata's yarn splicer mechanism — the component that joins yarn ends without a knot when a yarn break or package change occurs. The Mach Splicer is integrated into all current QPRO machines. It is not a separate machine model but a splicer type designation. From a cone specification perspective, machines with the Mach Splicer use the same cone as other QPRO configurations.
Primary Cone Specification: Murata QPRO and Process Coner
Taper angle: 5°57′ (five degrees, fifty-seven minutes)
All Murata Process Coner and QPRO winding machines are designed for the 5°57′ taper angle. This is the global standard for high-speed autoconers and is shared with Savio Orion, Schlafhorst Autoconer, and most other major autoconer brands.
Do not order "standard" or "auto-machine" cones without specifying the exact degree value. Require 5°57′ on the proforma invoice.
Length: 170mm
The standard cone length for Murata QPRO applications is 170mm. Some configurations accept 173mm — verify your machine's package setting before specifying. Acceptable length tolerance is ±1mm.
Inner diameter at nose (small end): 27mm to 28.5mm, tolerance ±0.25mm
The nose inner diameter is the most critical seating parameter on a Murata winding head. The QPRO spindle cradle holds the cone at the nose with high precision — a cone with nose ID outside ±0.25mm of the specified range will either sit too loose (generating vibration and vibration-induced stops) or too tight (risking cone cracking at the nose on insertion).
Inner diameter at base (large end): 67.5mm to 68.5mm, tolerance ±0.25mm
Weight: 40g to 42g
For Murata QPRO operating at maximum speed with fine-count or synthetic yarn, 42g is the preferred specification. The additional paper mass provides higher burst strength and better dimensional stability under the high radial pressure generated by fast winding.
Paper grade: 350-450 GSM kraft paper
Standard specification. For high-tension or synthetic yarn applications, specify toward the upper end of the GSM range for better structural performance.
Notch Specification for Murata Machines
The notch type is the specification most often wrong when mills switch cone suppliers — because it is the one most difficult to identify by visual inspection without knowing what to look for.
Murata QPRO and Process Coner: V-notch (standard)
Murata autoconers across the QPRO and Process Coner range use a V-notch cone as standard. The V-notch is a sharp, angular cut at the nose of the cone that interfaces with Murata's yarn-end catching mechanism during the automatic doffing cycle.
When the QPRO doffs a completed package and starts a new cone, the auto-doffer arm sweeps the yarn tail into the V-notch groove, securing it for the first wind. If the notch is the wrong shape — for example a Y-notch or U-notch — the yarn tail does not seat correctly in the groove, the first few layers wind without the tail being anchored, and the package starts incorrectly. This causes an auto-stop at the clearer on the first few metres and a manual re-thread.
On a QPRO running 60 spindle positions, each manual re-thread costs approximately 2-4 minutes of production time per spindle per doff cycle. If this is happening on 10 percent of positions due to a wrong notch, the cumulative production loss per shift is significant.
Confirm V-notch on the proforma invoice. If you cannot identify the notch type on your existing cones, request a sample from your supplier and measure the notch opening angle — a V-notch typically has a 30-45 degree included angle.
Surface Finish for Murata Applications
For natural fibre yarn (cotton, wool, linen): Smooth finish is appropriate and standard. Natural fibre yarn has sufficient surface texture to grip a smooth cone on the first layer without slippage.
For synthetic yarn (polyester, nylon, polypropylene, acrylic): Velvet (anti-slip, rough) finish is required. Murata QPRO machines are increasingly used in synthetic yarn applications — technical textiles, sportswear yarns, industrial yarns — where the yarn surface is very smooth. On a smooth-finish cone, the first layers of synthetic yarn slip, the package starts out of geometry, and the tension sensor flags a fault.
If your QPRO runs a yarn mix across shifts, specify velvet finish as the default. Velvet finish performs adequately on natural fibre yarn while being essential for synthetic.
Quality Requirements for Murata QPRO Cones
Burst strength: minimum 2.5 kg/cm²
The Murata QPRO winds at high speed and generates significant radial pressure on the cone wall, particularly during the buildup phase of the package. A cone below 2.5 kg/cm² burst strength risks deformation under peak winding pressure, which creates an uneven package surface that the yarn clearer may reject.
For QPRO applications running at or near maximum speed with compact-spun or synthetic yarn, specify 3.0 kg/cm² minimum.
Roundness: maximum 0.3mm ovality
The QPRO spindle rotates at very high RPM. A cone with more than 0.3mm ovality at the nose creates centrifugal imbalance that the machine amplifies at speed, generating vibration, increased stop frequency, and accelerated spindle bearing wear.
Dimensional consistency across the batch
The QPRO auto-doffer sets its insertion pressure and angle based on cone geometry. If cone dimensions vary significantly within a batch — for example nose ID ranging from 27.2mm on some cones to 28.3mm on others — the auto-doffer cannot optimise for a consistent geometry. Some cones will seat well and some will not. The result is an erratic stop pattern across the machine that is very difficult to diagnose because individual heads check out correctly on spot inspection.
Ask your supplier for batch-level dimensional consistency data — the standard deviation or range of measured values across a sample from the batch — not just individual specimen measurements.
Diagnosing Murata QPRO Stoppages Caused by the Paper Cone
The following stop types on a Murata QPRO are most commonly associated with cone specification problems. In each case, the machine stop code is listed alongside the probable cone cause.
Cradle stop / cone insertion failure: Nose ID outside tolerance or cone ovality at the nose. Measure 20 cones from the current batch at the nose. If more than 5 percent are outside ±0.25mm, the batch is non-conforming.
Tension fault on first package layers: Wrong notch type preventing yarn tail capture, or smooth finish on synthetic yarn causing layer slip. Test the auto-doffer catch function on a stopped head. Check the cone finish specification.
Package shape fault (oval, tapered, or short): Cone taper angle inconsistency, length out of tolerance, or cone deformation under winding pressure (burst strength failure). Measure taper angle on 10 cones with a cone gauge. Weigh 10 cones and confirm within 40-42g.
Increased vibration on heads after supplier change: New batch has higher ovality than previous supplier. Run roundness measurement on a sample from both batches and compare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the paper cone specification change between Murata QPRO and QPRO EX? No. The QPRO EX uses the same cone specification as the standard QPRO. The EX designation refers to drive and automation enhancements, not to winding head geometry changes that would affect cone compatibility.
We run both Murata QPRO and Savio Orion machines. Can we use one cone specification across both? In most cases, yes. Both machines accept 5°57′ cones at 170mm with V-notch. However, verify the notch type on your specific Savio configuration — some Savio models use Y-notch. If your Savio requires a different notch than your Murata, you will need to specify cones separately for each machine population.
Our Murata QPRO was recently serviced and the stoppages have returned after re-starting. Could the cone be the issue? After a service that involves the spindle cradle or auto-doffer mechanism, it is worth running a cone dimension check on the current batch to confirm the cone spec still matches the (potentially re-calibrated) machine settings. Service adjustments can sometimes shift the effective tolerance window on the cradle.
What is the lead time for Murata-specific cones from Aziz Packaging? The Alishan 5°57′ V-notch paper cone for Murata QPRO applications is a standard production item — no special tooling or setup is required. Standard lead time from order confirmation to FOB Chittagong is 4-6 weeks at 100,000-piece MOQ.
Aziz Packaging Limited manufactures the Alishan 5°57′ auto-machine paper cone — V-notch standard, velvet or smooth finish on specification — compatible with Murata Process Coner II, QPRO, and QPRO EX automatic winders. Contact us for a sample batch for machine qualification.
[Request a Murata Qualification Sample →]
[Download Alishan 5°57′ Full Specification Sheet →]
[Read: Savio Orion Cone Compatibility Guide →]
[Read: Schlafhorst Autoconer X5/X6 Cone Guide →]
