LEIPZIG - Testing equipment specialist Emtec Electronic is taking its latest technology for textile haptic assessment to this week’s Functional Fabric Fair Spring in Portland, Oregon.
As Emtec notes, when it comes to assessing the tactile properties of textiles, relying only on the subjective impressions of hand-feel testers can be insufficient. This is because individual testers’ sensitivity, daily conditions, and cultural backgrounds can all influence their perceptions. As a result, an objective evaluation of haptic parameters is crucial for clear communication of product specifications across locations.
Emtec’s TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer addresses this challenge by providing an objective number on how a fabric subjectively feels to the touch.
The device boasts high accuracy, aligning with results from traditional hand panel testing methods conducted by 'touch experts' with a correlation of up to 100%. Beyond evaluating softness, smoothness, stretch, and recovery (which can be determined in under two minutes), it also measures additional tactile parameters, such as thermo-haptic, friction, and crumple or drape behaviour. Moreover, a camera has been included to provide optical analysis of a sample.
Accompanying the TSA is the Virtual Haptic Library, a cloud-based database engineered to digitise and categorise sample data. When used in conjunction with the TSA, this platform enables real-time global accessibility to haptic test results. Manufacturers also can compare samples and detect deviations in set haptic parameters, facilitating enhanced transparency, traceability, and efficiency in the supply chain.
Alexander Gruener, global business development manager at Emtec, explained: “Technologies like our TSA device and Virtual Haptic Library provide textile manufacturers with invaluable insight into their product's tactile properties, enabling data-driven decisions that enhance quality and streamline production.
“By quantifying and digitizing touch parameters, the need to ship samples globally for haptic validation is eliminated, resulting in a rapid return on investment and improved production efficiency.”
At Functional Fabric Fair Spring 2024, Emtec can be found at booth 1205D.
