Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute
Before cotton can be made into fabric for a shirt, pants, or socks it has to go through many different testing processes. In the field trip to the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute our class learned about the different processes. In the following blog post the reader will be informed about the following process work.
The first process that will be talked about is the Martindale Abrasion Tester. The purpose of this process is to test the “Abrasion Resistance” of textile fabric, or the wear and tear of a fabric. If the fabric has a pile depth of higher that 0.08” the machine will have a hard time testing the wear and tear. The machine tests the fabric by rubbing samples in different motions. The motions are either in a geometric figure or in a straight line. When the motion of a straight line is used, it eventually turns into an eclipse, which into turn becomes a straight line again that rubs in a new direction. In addition to testing the wear and tear of fabric, the machine can also test fabric for pilling. The machine does this by rubbing two of the same patterns together. These tests can provide information that is essential when wanting to make something out of these fabrics.
Another testing process that cotton must go through is the Breaking Force and Elongation of Textile Fabric. This machine is used to establish how much force a strip of fabric can handle before breaking as well as how far the fabric actually stretches before it does break. The machine can also test the “bursting strength” of fabrics. For each strip of fabric tested strip fabric there are two different procedures. They are called the cut strip test and the raveled strip test. The raveled strip test is used for woven fabrics, while the cut strip test is use for non-woven fabrics, felted fabrics and dipped or coated fabrics. The Grab test is used to test the strength of the fabrics, meaning “the strength of the yarns in a specific width together with the fabric assistance form the adjacent yarns”.
The next fabric process that the class learned about was the “Tearing Strength Elmendorf Method”. The purpose of this test computes the average tearing force of a sample of fabric. The test can stimulate a situation when a piece of fabric is exposed to an unexpected heavy load. There are five examples taken from each fabric and tested. These specimens are from wrap and filling. The test begins once the fabric is enclosed in the sample jaws while the pendulum is released. If the first test did not result in a ripped fabric, the following tests will apply more weight. If the light in the machine turns green, that means the test was acceptable, but if the light turns yellow or red the test was not acceptable.
The last test method is the method of “Dimensional Changes of Fabrics Accelerated (Quick wash).” The purpose of the test is to find out the amount of shrinkage in fabrics. The changes are “determined by comparing the distance between length and width direction bench marks before and after the test”. The template used for this test is 71/2x71/2. Each benchmark is spaced five inches apart at every angle of the sample. This fabric sample then goes through a washing machine with three different agitation times. The amount of water used to wash the fabric is three liters. Before each sample is put in the wash it is scanned to measure the distance between the markings. After it is washed the sample is scanned again to find a difference in the distance between the markings, and the results are recorded.
As you can see there are many different test that cotton fabrics must go through. Each test is different, and comes up with different results. All procedures are important, and get the cotton a little closer to becoming a shirt, pants, or a pair of socks. If the cotton did not go through these tests, then we would have no clothes!
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