Measuring the shape-changing ability of textiles by drape test with angular sample-holding table

Abstract

The goal of this work was to make the results of the drape measurement clearer. Draping is a 3D, complex shape change caused by gravity. It characterizes the ability of textiles, with low bending stiffness to adapt to the shape of an object in a complex way. In a draping test, a circular sample is placed on a circular sample-holding table, its edges are allowed to bend down, and then the draping coefficient and the number of waves are calculated based on its planar projection. However, both factors have a large standard deviation, and strangely, the number of waves is not unambiguous. In our research, we replaced the circular table with regular, polygonal sample-holding tables of 3-15 corners, which had the same area. We compared the results obtained on the polygonal sample-holding tables with the results measured on the circular table. In our article, we present the course of the research, the testing equipment, the tested 7 types of fabrics, and the results obtained. Our results prove that with the use of a polygonal sample-holding table, the number of waves can be clear, the size and arrangement of the waves can be uniform, and so the uncertainty of the measurement results can be reduced. Based on the data, the optional use of the hexagonal sample-holding table can be recommended, especially for comparative testing of fabrics for the same purpose.