Fabric stiffness

 Defination

 

Fabric stiffness: Fabric stiffness refers to the level of rigidity or resistance to bending and folding in a textile material.

·        Stiff fabrics are less pliable and more rigid, often holding their shape firmly, while soft fabrics are more flexible and bendable.

 

 

Bending length: Bending length refers to the measurement of how far a material, like a piece of fabric or paper, can bend before it breaks or folds.

·        It helps determine the flexibility or stiffness of the material.

 

Bending modulus: Bending modulus refers to a material's resistance to bending or deformation when force is applied.

·        Materials with higher bending modulus are stiffer and require more force to bend compared to those with lower bending modulus, which are more flexible and bend easily.

 

 

Flexural rigidity: Flexural rigidity refers to a material's resistance to bending when a force is applied perpendicular to its surface.

·        A higher flexural rigidity implies greater resistance to bending, while a lower rigidity indicates easier bending or flexibility.

 

 The Shirley Stiffness Tester

 

 The shirley stiffness tester:  A fabric testing instrument that is used for determine the stiffness of fabrics.

 

Description of shirley stiffness tester:

§  The stiffness tester is consists of a platform, having a smooth low friction, flat surface such as polished metal or plastic.

§  The platform is supported by two side pieces made of plastic.

§  Index lines are engraved on these side pieces, inclined at an angle of 41.50 below the plane of the platform surface. At this angle.

§  A mirror is attached to the instrument to enable the operator to view both index lines from a convenient position.

§  A scale is supplied with the instrument to measure the bending length and is graduated in cm.

 

 

 Machine specifications:

§  M/C name: The shirley fabric stiffness tester

§  Angle of inclination of intersecting: 41.5

§    Template size: 200-25 mm

§  Scale size: 250mm , thickness- 3mm

§  Physical dimension: size -250m , weight 2.5kg

 


S=Fabric Sample

 

 P=Platform

 

D=Datum line

 

L1 and L2=Index lines

 

 


 




Apparatus:

1. Stiffness tester

2. Scissor

3. Scale

 

Sample: Cotton woven fabric size:  6×1.

 

Atmosphere:

§    Temperature –  25 degree celsius  and relative humidity – 67%

§    Standard atmosphere: Temperature - 20 degree celsius and relative humidity - 65%.

 

 Procedure:

            i.            3 samples are cut in warp and 3 in weft directions.

         ii.            Sample dimensions are 6 inch × 1 inch .

       iii.            One by one, these samples are put on the tester and a scale is put on the fabric.

       iv.            Then sample is moved with slab and measure the angle and a mark is made in one side of the sample.

          v.            Then 6 values of each sample is used in calculating their mean value.

 

 

 

Result: The bending length of the fabric in warp way is 2.66.  The bending length of the fabric in weft way is 2.51. (Mean value of the Data table)

 

 

Conclusion: If the bending length of the fabric is more then the fabric stiffness is more and if less stiffness is less.

 

 

Heart Loop Test

 

Heart Loop Test:  To test the stiffness of very soft fabrics prone to twisting or curling, the heart loop method is recommended.

 

Sample Preparation:

§  Specimen length for various fabric types:

Bending length, cm

Specimen length, cm

Less than 2

15

2 to 3

       20

More than 3

at least 25

 

 

 

 

§  Fabrics with a slight curl need a 2.5 cm wide strip.

§  Cut test specimens 5 cm longer than the desired specimen length.

                



 

 



Procedure:

       i.            Setup: Specimens are clamped, allowing them to hang freely. Stiffer fabrics hang with minimal loop, while limp ones have a vertical loop.

     ii.            Measurement: After a 1-minute interval, measure the distance (l) from the top clamp edge to the loop's bottom. Stiffness is inversely related to l.

  iii.            Repetition: Turn over and redo the test for each piece.

   iv.            Averaging: Find the average loop length (l) for warp and weft separately.

     v.            Interpretation: A shorter loop (l) in centimeters means the fabric is stiffer.

Md Mehedi Hassan Shawon

B.Sc In Textile Engineering Student

Pabna textile Engineering College


Md

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