Technical textiles are versatile with widespread applications. For a product to perform optimally in its particular application, the manufacturer must carefully consider the technical factors required of the coated fabric in the R&D phase. Performance testing helps determine the specification that best suits your project.
This article provides an overview of 5 performance factors to measure, through performance testing, to ensure suitability for your application.
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Table of Contents
Chemical Resistance
Chemical resistance testing shows how well a polymer can resist exposure to certain chemicals. When testing chemical resistance, it is also important to know the temperature, high or low, of the exposure. Just because a polymer performs well exposed to a chemical at room temperature does not mean it will do as well at higher temperatures. When designing for a project it is critical to know these factors and discuss with the producer of the technical textile.
UV Resistance
UV testing is done to help determine how long a material will last exposed to the sun. Using accelerated UV Resistance testing equipment like XENON Arc, or QUV can show how well a polymer will do after being exposed outdoors. Some of the testing equipment can also simulate moisture exposure and heat exposure. UV testing will generally be typically reported in exposure hours or watts of the exposure until surface cracking occurs. Like chemical resistance testing heat exposure can be a significant factor in testing and needs to be considered when designing test parameters. These results are then correlated to estimated years of exposure. Good Better Best TPU, LLDPE, PVC, EIA. This depends greatly on additives and chemistry used. There are expensive Aliphatic TPU’s that will do better than EIA and PVC.
Cold Resistance
In many cases, lower temperatures near or below the freezing point have a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the textile. The material can, become brittle or shrink in subzero temperatures. Testing the cold resistance helps in determining the operational temperature range of the material. Depending on the application, the designers may select something that works exclusively in the cold or something dynamic that delivers consistent performance over a wide temperature range.
Abrasion Resistance
Abrasion from multiple sources is a common issue in several technical textile applications. From solid material suspended in water to the small air particles in the open environment, consistent exposure to harsh environmental factors can potentially damage a product.
The abrasion resistance is a deciding factor in many industrial applications where the textile is susceptible to damage from numerous sources. In such harsh conditions, something durable with the capability to sustain damage from abrasions and impacts is more likely to be successful.
Flame Retardance
Flame tests show how fast a flame will spread across a technical textile. Testing varies greatly and certain tests can be more extreme than others. Certain tests are performed vertically and others horizontally. Some are done with wind and some in ambient static conditions. Note vertical tests are more extreme than horizontal testing, and testing done in a wind tunnel is much more extreme than state tests. Test results can be shown by spread of flame and time to take to extinguish. A measurement is recorded to show how far the flame spreads after it is extinguished. Time to extinguish is how long the material takes to self extinguish if it extinguishes. Extensive flame testing is done in construction, marine and aviation markets. Additives are used in all polymers to improve this characteristic.
How to know if E2 is the right coated fabric supplier for you
Our commitment to delivering precisely what you need. E2 ensures that you get the best technical support and guidance in specifying the product per your application. We are an ideal partner for a manufacturer that is interested in only the top solution for their product and where the real results that matter are in the field.
