Introduction To Textile Testing

 Textile testing is the term for a whole series of tests that examine the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of textile.These test are sometimes done before a textile goes into widespread use, or  they're done on textiles arriving  from other countries for sale in US markets. Countries like the United States have established standards for what should and should not be in textiles products. Tests can show whether companies making textiles are in compliance or not.

    The testing of  textile products is an expensive business. A laboratory has to be set up and furnished with a range of test equipment. Trained operatives have to be employed whose salaries have to be paid throughout the year,not just when results are required. Moreover all these costs are nonproductive and therefore add to the final cost of the product. Therefore, it is important that testing is not undertaken without adding some benefit to the final product.

Objective of Testing

• Checking the quality and suitability of raw material and selection of material .
• Monitoring of production i.e process control.
• Assessment of final product, whether the quality is acceptable or not, (how will be the yarn performance in weaving etc.)
• Investigation of faulty materials ( analysis of customer complaint, identification of fault in machine etc.)
• Product development and research.
• Specification testing : Specification are formed and the materials are tested to prove whether they fall within the limits allowed in the specification (e.g. specified by a customer)

Standardization of Testing

Requirement of results

1. Explicit (how they will perform or how they meet the specification)
2. Implicit (variability of results obtained either from time to time, operator by operator or lab to lab)

The lack of reproducibility  of the results of material may be due to :

1. Variation in the material
It can be solved through.
By proper sampling.
Use of suitable statistical methods to analyze the results.

2. Variation due to test methods
Due to operator (Care in mounting of specimen, adherence to the test procedure etc.)
Specimen size.
Atmosphere condition.
Type of test equipment.
Test condition - speed, pressure etc.

Various testing standard of textile testing

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) - India
British Standard (BS) - Britain
American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM) - USA
Deutsches Institute for Normung (DIN) - Germany Standards Institute