This presentation includes my research work done during my M.tech. In this i summarised the functional working of Fabric Feel Tester. In future my research gives an idea for replacing subjective assessment of fabric feel in textile processing industry.

1. PAVAN KUMAR GUPTA
10/19/20161
STUDY ON FABRIC SOFTNESS
CHARACTERISTICS BY NOZZLE EXTRACTION
TECHNIQUE

2. Presentation Outline
Introduction
Objectives
Experiments
Results
Conclusions
Future scope

3. INTRODUCTION
 Fabric softness is one aspect of fabric handle feeling.
 Although there is lack in common definition about fabric softness.
 Kawabata defined fullness and softness as “a feeling comes from a
bulky, rich and well formed fabric. Springy property in
compression and the thickness accompanied with warm feeling.”
 General handle value, which are as follows: 40% softness-stiffness,
35% roughness-smoothness, 25% thinness-thickness, and 5% warm-
cool feeling.
 Fabric softness is still being judged subjectively to a large extent.

4. OBJECTIVES
10/19/20164
The main objective is to study the softness characteristics of different
types of fabrics by nozzle extraction method in single test and correlate
with various fabric properties.
Sub-objectives
 Find out correlation between subjective assessment and nozzle extraction
predicted value.
 Find out fabric properties that affect the extraction and radial force
during fabric extraction through nozzle.
 Find out the relation between extraction and radial force.
 Finding out a fabric feel factor that is combination of the extraction force
and radial force which can be used for fabric grading according the
softness.

5. 10/19/20165
Material & Methods

6. Materials
10/19/20166
 Commercial denim fabric have been procured from the Ginni International,
Nimrana (Rajasthan).
 For measuring the softness effect of functional softener and different denim
finishing treatment on the fabric one fabric is taken. The fabric constructional
parameters are given below.
Warp Weft EPI PPI Width Wt.(oz) Weave Shade
RING + OE OE 73 54 61"-62" 10 3/1 RHT IBST

7. Specification of Functional softener (IITD lab)
10/19/20167
Silicon softener (Microgenix SW 375)
Time 20 min,
ph 5-6 at room temp,
Dosage 20, 40, 60, 80 gpl

8. 10/19/20168
Sample
No.
Finish Types (Denim wash)
Calculated
GSM
1 Raw wash – Desize only 258.3
2 Enzyme wash for 60 min 257.4
3 Enzyme +heavy bleach wash 253.4
4 Enzyme + bleach +tint wash 260.9
5 Enzyme + tint wash 267.6
6 Enzyme + ice wash 258.3
7 Enzyme + ball wash 262.4
8 Stone wash for 75 min 269.8
9 Enzyme + slight bleach wash 256.7
10 Raw fabric 274.7
Different Commercial Washing Treatments
Range ~
21gsm

9. 10/19/20169
Methods
Subjective Assessment (1st survey)
Rank the softness of the fabric samples based on a five-point scale.
Evaluation Softness rating
Very soft 1
Better soft 2
Moderate soft 3
Just soft 4
Least soft 5
The assessors divided into 2
groups according to their
textile knowledge.
Group
1
Textile
person
11
Group
2
Non-
textile
person
10

10. (2nd survey)
Fabric Subjective
Softness Criteria
Groups for
Subjective Assessment
10/19/201610
Group 1 Male 15-30 14 Assessors
Group 2 Male 31-60 15 Assessors
Group 3 Male Textile students 45 Assessors
Group 4 Male professionals 10 Assessors
Group 5 Female 15-30 10 Assessors
Group 6 Female 31-60 10 Assessors
Group 7 Female Textile students 10 Assessors
Group 8 Female Professionals 9 Assessors

11. Objective Measurement
(Nozzle Extraction Instrument)
Fabric deformation during extraction through nozzle
 Low complex stresses
Compression
Bending
Biaxial extension
Friction

12. 10/19/201612
 Sample Preparation
 A total of five readings for each fabric sample (size of 24 cm dia.) were taken
and averaged for analysis purpose.
 The fabric sample should be free from wrinkles and crease.
 Experiment procedure
 Circular fabric specimen is taken and attached to sample holder . As the clamp
with which the connecting pin is attached moves upward, it extracts the fabric
specimen through the nozzle. The fabric specimen gets folded, sheared,
rubbed, compressed and bent during extraction. The extraction force as well as
radial force is recorded by the instrument; and typical force displacement curve
is obtained.
Nozzle Extraction Instrument

13. Schematic diagram of
computerized IITD
fabric feel tester
Video of Testing

14. Typical Graph
Extraction force curve
Radial force curve
Force - Displacement curve

15. Important Parameters for Nozzle
Extraction Curve
10/19/201615

16. Typical Extraction Curve Showing Asymmetry And
Definition Of The Parameters
10/19/201616

17. 10/19/201617
Results and Discussion

18. 10/19/201618
Fabrics ranked in increasing softness as Raw< 20 gpl<40 gpl<60 gpl<80 gpl.
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Raw 20gpl 40gpl 60gpl 80gpl
Group 1
Group 2
Average
Softener Finishing Level
SubjectiveSoftnessRatingScale
Subjective assessments
rating between groups
Subjective Assessment (Silicon softener)

19. Objective Measurement
10/19/201619
2.11
2.02 1.95
1.84
1.6
2.29
2.16 2.16
1.95
1.7
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
Raw 20gpl 40gpl 60gpl 80gpl
Force(Kg)
Fabric Samples
Radial Average®
Extraction Average
Extraction and Radial force of different level of silicon softener finished samples

20. 10/19/201620
Subjective Assessment Ranking Between The Groups
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Male 15-30
Male 30-60
Male textile students
Male professionals
Female 15-30
Female 30-60
Female textile students
Female professionals
Total 123 assessors
Scale – 1 ~ Softest
Scale – 10 ~ Harshest
Softest finished
fabric
Harshest
unfinished
fabric

21. Correlation Coefficient between Assessors
10/19/201621
Male15-30
Male30-60
Maletext.Stud.
MaleProf.
Female15-30
Female30-60
FemaleText.Stud.
FemaleProf.
Overallvalue
Male 15-30 1 0.98 0.99 0.98 0.95 0.95 0.97 0.83 0.99
Male 30-60 1 0.96 0.95 0.96 0.93 0.96 0.81 0.98
Male textile Stud. 1 0.97 0.90 0.94 0.97 0.84 0.99
Male Prof. 1 0.92 0.94 0.96 0.82 0.98
Female 15-30 1 0.92 0.89 0.79 0.94
Female 30-60 1 0.92 0.93 0.96
Female textile Stud. 1 0.78 0.97
Female Prof. 1 0.86
Overall Value 1

22. Correlation Coefficient between Nozzle
Parameters
(20&25mm Nozzle Dia.)
10/19/201622

23. Feel Factor (f)
26.58 + 20.65 × PE - 0.436 × WE - 0.131 × a + 5.064 × PR - 0.361 × DR
R² = 0.9775
-1
1
3
5
7
9
11
0 2 4 6 8 10
CalculatedFeelFactor
Subjective Assessment Value
Correlation between
Subjective Assessment &
Feel factor
R² = 0.7204
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0 2 4 6 8 10
PeakExtractionForceValue(kg)
Subjective Assessment Value
Correlation between
Subjective Assessment &
Peak Extraction Force

24. Relation between Extraction and Radial
Force
10/19/201624
R² = 0.922
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
AverageExtractionForce(Kg)
Average Radial force(Kg)
Correlation between average extraction and average radial
force

25. Factors Affecting Extraction And Radial
Force
10/19/201625
ITEM Rank Correlation ITEM Rank Correlation
EM 0.781 MIU -0.539
LT -0.839 MMD 0.287
WT 0.033 SMD 0.272
RT 0.069 LC 0.827
B -0.915 WC -0.075
2HB -0.869 RC -0.054
G -0.975 T -0.584
2HG -0.924 W -0.042
2HG5 -0.927

26. Relation Between Fabric Weight And Fabric
Softness
10/19/201626
7.26
3
5.81
4.4
5.17
3.34
6.37
2.17
7.38
10
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Numericalvalue
Fabric Number
Subjective Softness Value
Calculated GSM×2/100

27. Difference between subjective and calculated feel
value when compare different fabrics (knitted)
10/19/201627
3.95
4.88
2.83
2.49 2.56
2.36 2.4
2.27
2.05 2.06
4.1
3.4
5.1
3
3.5
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
1 2 3 4 5
Predicted feel value/10 Fabric GSM/100
Subjective Value

28. Conclusions
10/19/201628
The effect of functional softener concentration and different denim washing
treatments on fabric softness was evaluated subjectively and good correlation
was found between subjective and nozzle extraction (objective) measurement.
In general manufacturers and customers can reach agreement on the softest
and least soft fabrics, but the most important task remaining is to predict
grading of softness between these can be done by this instrument in quick
time. IITD Fabric Feel Tester is able to identify the change in fabric
feel/softness. This method may be very useful in verifying of a new fabric
product by comparing with old fabric feel value.
Fabric feel factor is calculated by using the seven parameters, obtained from
the radial and extraction curve. Out of which five parameters found to be
more significant named as unloaded fabric across orifice for extraction curve
(a), area under the curve for extraction curve (WE), Peak distance for radial
curve (DR), Peak height for extraction curve (PE) and radial curve (PR).

29. Conti….
10/19/201629
Bending (B, 2HB), shearing (G, 2HG, 2HG5), linear compression (LC),
thickness (T), extensibility (EM), linearity (LT), and surface coefficient of
friction (MIU) are the most important fabric mechanical properties that
influence the softness of fabric measured by nozzle extraction technique.
For same fabric weight as the fabric softness increases, instrument gives
different feel value according the softness of the fabrics just like a human being
judgment but not for different quality & GSM fabrics.
This instrument will be very useful for small and medium scale process house
and garment houses.

30. Future Scope
10/19/201630
 Further research needs to be undertaken to find if these factors
can be identified in other sets of fabrics. It may be that other
types of fabric might show quite different factor patterns.
Therefore try to predict a global feel factor equation by using the
fabric parameters, fabric weight, nozzle parameters, etc.
 Study the change in nozzle position, change in nozzle shape,
effect of the nozzle material, effect of speed variation, effect of
top and bottom side, mathematical relation between nozzle
diameter and fabric weight may be the topics of future research.