Compare among ICI pilling box tester, Martindale pilling tester and Random

pilling tester

MD.AZMERI LATIF BEGM. Sc in Textile Engineering

Specialized in Apparel Manufacturing, Processing and Designing

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Abrasion: Abrasion is just one aspect of wear (Wear is amount of deterioration of a fabric due to breaking, cutting, or removal of the fibers.) and is the rubbing away of the component fibers and yarns of the fabric. Abrasion may be classified as follows:Plane or Flat abrasion: It is the friction between cloth to cloth. This occurs only locally, such as the rubbing of the sleeve on the coat. A flat area of material is abraded.e.g. fabric under/lower arm hole and crotch of a pant.Edge abrasion: Friction between the cloth and external objects. This is probably most important factor. For example,the kind of abrasion which occurs at collars and folds.Flex abrasion: In this case rubbing is accompanied by flexing and bending.e.g.Elbow bending, leg bending.

Friction between the fibers and the dust or grit in the fabric, resulting in the cutting of the fibers.The importance of this factor depends upon the character of the fabric or the use to which it is put and the frequency and thoroughness of cleaning.Purpose of abrasion test:1. To decide about the suitability of the end use of fiber, yarn, fabric, and garment.2. To compare a number of different fibers, yarns, fabrics.3. To determine the effect of cloth structure and finishing on the performance of fabric.4. To determine the suitability of fabric for the particular end use.

Pilling: Pills is entangled fiber clinging to the cloth surface and giving the garment an unsightly appearance. Pilling is a fabric surface fault. The pills are formed during wear and washing by the entanglement of loose fibers which protrude from the fabric surface. Under the influence of rubbing action these loose fibers develop into small spherical bundles anchored to the fabric by a few unbroken fibers.Should stray foreign fibers become part of the pills, then the color of the pills may differ from the body of the garment and fault is emphasized. Pilling has long been recognized as a fault, especially in fabrics such as woolen (short wool fiber 1-3inch, Diameter: medium or coarse) knitted goods made from soft twisted yarns.

Difference between ICI pilling box and pilling test by Martindale Abrasion TesterIn the ICI pilling test the fabric will undergo tumbling action while in the case of Martindale abrasion test the fabric sample will undergo multidirectional action against the emery cloth. So the test condition in Martindale is widely acceptable than ICI pilling.Experience has shown that when pilling does occur is usually limited to the most susceptible parts of a garment;e.g. collars, cuffs, pocket edges, front skirt panels.As pills form due to the migration of fibers from the constituent yarns in the fabric, it follows that the reduction or prevention of pilling may be effected by reducing this migratory.

Compare among ICI pilling box tester, Martindale abrasion tester and Random pilling tester.

ICI pilling box(BS EN ISO 12945-1 BS 5811 )•Imperial Chemical Industries. I.C.I, Witton, BirminghamMessrs Henry Wiggin & Co Ltd., and I.C.I.,developed this tester.•It covers Friction between the cloth and external objects.•The ICI box is mainly used for knitted fabrics. Because basically knitted garment is used for aesthetic purpose rather than non functional purpose,•In case of pilling no load is used.•The specimen is rubbed with cork, which create a rough surface.

Compare between ICI pilling box tester, Martindale abrasion tester and Random pilling tester.

•There is no direction of rotation when the sample tubes (Fabric tube made is then mounted on rubber tube) is rotate in a cork-link box, just they tumbled together.

Martindale pilling tester (pilling test swiss standard, BS EN ISO 12945-2)•It covers Friction between cloth to cloth.•The specimen under test is rubbed against a sample of the same fabric at a low pressure.(6.5 cN/cm2 for heavy woven or upholstery and 2.5 cN/cm2 knitted/woven fabric). Heavy woven or upholstery is done by extra circular weight placed in the top of the sample holder (if any)•In case of pilling no load is used.(415 g /155g)•In this test the fabric under test is mounted both in the holder and on the base plate so that it is rubbed against itself. The fabric from holder is the one that is usually assessed.•The rubbing action more closely•There is also direction of rotation when the sample rubbed. There is a multidirectional movement.•The method of attachment of fabric and the rubbing cycle,are quick and allow a rapid assessment of result (125,500,2000 cycles)•A small number of rubbing tests are usually sufficient to obtain satisfactory pills.•The results are highly reproducible

Random pilling Tester(ASTM D3512):•It is suitable for both knit& woven fabrics.•In this tester there are two bladed impeller which rotates at 1200 rev/min•Cut a 4.13.” square on the bias at approximately a 45° angle to the warp and filling directions. One sample needed per person. (Avoid cutting samples in areas with wrinkles & other distortions. Avoid getting oil, water, grease, etc. on the sample while handling.)•The inside of the chamber is lined with neoprene 1/8 inch thick that creates rough surface. It can be changed when necessary.•The (5X5inch) fabric samples are loaded into the cylindrical chamber(6” long & 5.75” dia) together with a small amount of cotton lint25 mg of a gray colored cotton fiber(lint fiber, which is capable to produce yarn).

•The cotton lint is used because the pills which are formed bear a closer resemblance to pills formed during wear than those formed when the lint is absent.•Pills are caused to form on fabric by a random rubbing action produced by tumbling specimens in a cylindrical test chamber lined with a mildly abrasive material.•To form pills with appearance and structure that resemble those produced in actual wear; small amounts of short-length gray cotton fiber are added to each test chamber with the specimens.•The specimen is rubbed with neoprene randomly.•Mainly whisking and tumbling is done on the test sample when it is rotate, there is no direction of movement when the sample rubbed. Its moves randomly.•This random tumbler is developed by world famous Du pont Company of USA. This test is only for USA buyer.

Under the test conditions applied, the ICI Pill Box and the Random Tumble methods differed in both the significance and magnitude of responses to appearance change and pilling and in the loss of fabric mass.

ConclusionThere were differences between the methods used for the assessment of resistance to pilling and appearance change in worsted spun cashmere and cashmere wool blend knit fabrics. Generally the addition of cashmere or of low crimp superfine wool resulted in fabrics being more resistant to pilling and appearance change compared with high crimp superfine wool and this was associated with increased fabric mass loss when assessed by the ICI Pill Box Method.