Quick, reliable haptic measurement of nonwovens onsite at the International Nonwovens Symposium ’22

For many nonwoven products, including wipes, diapers, clothing and footwear, certain haptic parameters such as softness, smoothness, and elasticity play significant roles in achieving high-quality finished products. Visitors to the INS 2022 from June 8-9 in Lyon, France can see for themselves a portable device to quickly and reliably test haptic traits.

Leipzig, Germany, 28.04.2022 – Ecofriendly fibers, elastic meltblown nonwovens, and new materials with antimicrobial properties are just a few of the exciting featured topics that will be presented at the INS international Nonwovens Symposium on June 8-9 in Lyon, France.

In the exhibition area, professionals in the nonwovens industries will have the chance to exchange ideas and visit exhibitor booths geared toward improving manufacturing processes and product optimization, such as the German device manufacturer emtec Electronic GmbH. The more than 25-year-old company specializes in the manufacture of measuring and testing equipment for pulp, paper, board, and textiles and serves customers in more than 80 countries around the world.

Emtec representative Thierry Onder De Linden from partnering company ODL Paper will present the TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer, a digital quality-testing device weighing less than 20 kilograms. The TSA measures along the three basic haptic parameters: micro-surface variations, which determine the feeling of softness, macro-surface variations, which determine the feeling of smoothness, and the stiffness of a material. Besides these three, the device also measures plasticity and hysteresis, which determine the recovery, and the elasticity of nonwovens, including materials with a nonstandard sample size, such as seat belts or diapers. Out of these parameters, a hand-feel value is calculated using special algorithms corresponding to the market where the tested product is intended to be sold and according to its application. These hand-feel values often show a correlation of up to almost 100 percent compared of the human sensory perception as revealed in hand-panel testing.  

“Testing the haptic qualities of nonwovens has traditionally been either a very subjective endeavour, or the testing machines are often too large, unwieldy, or the results are unreliable,” explains Alexander Grüner, Global Marketing and Business Development Manager at emtec. “With the TSA, manufacturers and researchers are able to differentiate between certain haptic traits to arrive at an objective hand-feel value and find the best combination of traits for their finished product.”