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11 April 2022

Solution for digitalization of haptic testing and objective softness measurement on site at Techtextil 2022

As more and more companies transition to the digitalization of textile and nonwoven production processes, many are looking for new solutions to replace traditional human hand-panels for aesthetic haptic measurement. The Tactile Sensation Analyzer from emtec Electronic is one solution that places an objective and reliable number-value on a variety of fabric traits, such as softness, smoothness, deformation and recovery.

Leipzig, Germany, 04.04.2022 – The Techtextil North America convention takes place from May 17-19, 2022 and will unite technical textile specialists from around the world.  One of the central themes for this year’s trade fair in Atlanta, Georgia is “Integrating Technology” and will provide a wide array of ideas, products, and technologies, including those for textile and nonwovens manufacturers looking to streamline production and minimize human error in testing. 

Testing device manufacturer emtec Electronic, for example, will be on site to present the TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer, a specialized measuring solution for measuring the haptic of textiles and nonwovens. Because of its singular design and unique measuring principle, the TSA is poised to replace traditional means for measuring the haptic parameters softness, smoothness, and stiffness, as well as deformation and recovery behavior. This includes methods such as hand-panel testing, in which many tactile experts compare and rank material samples, often in a series of tests. Some of the drawbacks to this method include the length of time needed and the subjective results. Humans are rarely able to distinguish between haptic parameters, and can only provide an overall impression of a material’s hand-feel. In addition, due to its analog nature, the results of hand panel testing usually have to be manually digitalized.

In comparison, the Tactile Sensation Analyzer allows companies to easily and objectively measure the haptic of textiles with the click of a button. The results have been shown to correlate very closely with the human tactile perception and are available within minutes in digital form.

"Textiles and nonwoven specialists looking to improve their process efficiency – and still maintain a high quality – need tools that save them time and resources," says Alexander Grüner, Global Marketing and Business Development Manager at emtec. “The TSA helps by quickly and reliably providing measurement data to find the right mix of haptic traits for a product in less time.”

Visitors to the Techtextil North America are invited to stop by booth #2136 in the German Pavillion for more information or to request a demonstration from the emtec representative Eric Haagen from the partnering brand Technidyne by Industrial Physics.