Introduction of Textile Testing Types, Objectives, Importance and Methods - Clothing Industry
Introduction of Textile Testing Types, Objectives, Importance and Methods - Clothing Industry
Introduction of Textile Testing Types, Objectives, Importance and Methods - Clothing Industry
Quality assurance testing helps the process or product in the long run to
establish credibility. Testing can also be defined as the procedures adopted
to determine a product’s suitability and quality.
Testing helps in the selection of the best possible raw materials. “Raw
material” is a relative term; for example, fiber is the raw material for
spinning, and yarn is the raw material for weaving.
Textile testing starts with textile fibers and goes all the way through to the
final product. The fiber test includes the length, strength, elongation,
fineness, and maturity. The yarn test includes linear density, single yarn
strength, yarn evenness, and yarn hairiness. The fabric test includes aerial
density, weave type, and air permeability.
On the basis of data obtained, testing can be classified into objective and
subjective. The former can be defined as the testing that gives us
quantitative data, which can be easily further processed and interpreted.
Subjective testing can be defined as that which gives us qualitative data,
which is difficult to interpret and is greatly influenced by operator bias.
During testing, the discrepancy of the product, for example, its strength,
maturity, waste percentage (for fibers), aerial density, and weave design
(for fabrics), is properly measured. Thus the selection of the proper raw
material is an important factor. Standards of control should be maintained
to reduce waste, minimize price, and so on. Faulty machine parts or
improper maintenance of the machines can be easily detected with the help
of textile testing. Improved, less costly, and faster protocols can be
developed by researchers with the aid of testing. The efficiency and quality
of the product can also be enhanced with the help of regular and periodic
testing.
The cycle of testing starts with the arrival of raw material and continues up
to delivery of the final product. The production of the required end quality
is impossible if the raw material is incorrect. The textile product supply
chain comprises different processes, which include the raw material
(natural or man-made fiber), yarn manufacturing, fabric manufacturing,
textile processing, and apparel and home furnishing manufacturing. It also
includes some industrial products, like ropes, cords, and conveyer belts. All
the aforementioned processes are performed in separate units or in a
single unit if the establishment is a vertical production unit.
So the raw material for a spinning unit is fiber, for a weaving unit is yarn,
for a textile processing unit is greige fabric, and so on. “Raw material” is a
relative term that depends upon the further process for which it is used. Its
testing is an important step, as improper raw material or low grade raw
material will not yield the required quality of the end product. The testing
of raw material is also performed to verify whether the incoming material
accords with the trade agreement. Its consignment is therefore accepted or
rejected on the basis of test results. The agreed specifications should be
realistic so that the incoming raw material properties can meet the
required level easily.
The proper testing protocol as well as proper monitoring are also required.
The sampling techniques in use should also be selected properly, since the
wrong selection could lead to serious problems. At the same time, the
statistical tool employed is also an important factor. The collection of data
is one thing, but its proper evaluation and interpretation, and the action
taken on the basis of it, is an important factor in quality control.
Textile testing is vital to identify the particular cause of that fault so that it
can be avoided in future consignments. It will also help to rectify the
running process and enable it to run more smoothly so that the final
product accords with the customer’s requirement. It also helps to isolate
the faulty part or machine so as to resolve any dispute between the supplier
and the producer.
Importance of standards:
The tested textile materials should satisfy certain specifications. Some of
these requirements are implicit and others are explicit. The latter are those
that indicate a material’s performance in service or whether it will meet its
specifications or not.
The implicit requirement is that the test is repeatable, that is the textile
material will give the same results if it is tested again after some time by
another technician or at some other place or the customer’s laboratory. In
other words the test can measure the correct value of the property being
assessed. There is no use in testing if it is not reproducible, as it will then
count for nothing.
In the case of the selling and buying of the product, it is important that
both parties will get the same results when they test the same material.
Disputes may arise due to the improper testing of the end product, which
can lead to severe legal action or the cancelation of the sale agreement.
The sampling method used to select a fiber for testing depends upon the
form in which the fiber is available. We have published another article on
sampling techniques.
You can read this: Sampling Techniques for Fiber, Yarn, Fabric
and Garment Testing
References: