Objective, digital and categorized: emtec Electronic decodes the haptic quality of textiles at Texworld NYC
From January 22-24, Javits Center in New York City opens its doors for the largest textile event on the East Coast. emtec Electronic uses the opportunity to support the textile and apparel sourcing community in the U.S. market. The German company will be presenting its TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer for measuring the haptics of textiles at booth F06. In combination with the Virtual Haptic Library, the objective TSA data is automatically digitized and categorized.
When it comes to testing the haptic qualities of textiles, apparels and fabrics, it isn’t enough to simply rely on subjective impressions of sensations, which can vary widely depending on the sensitivity of the single hand-panel tester, daily conditions, and even the individual culture. An objective evaluation of haptic parameters such as softness, smoothness, flexibility, and recovery behavior is essential for clear communication of product specifications across locations. Parameters as friction, drape and thermo-haptics round off the spectrum of TSA measurement values.
“To reliably compare and reproduce products with the desired haptic characteristics, manufacturers need objective data on hand,” says Antonio Trampler, Area Sales Manager for emtec. “Anything else is just a guess.”
Antonio Trampler and Alexander Gruener, Business Development Manager for emtec, will be on site at the Texworld NYC together with Chase Tinker from partner company Technidyne of Industrial Physics, to demonstrate the newly designed TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer in addition to the predecessor model (established in the tissue paper industry). The new TSA features advanced measuring capabilities, including thermohaptic determination, friction, drape, an improved method for deformation and springback measurements, and an image of the sample for optical analysis.
Much like color codes, measured TSA data also function as a numeric language, allowing independent operators to accurately match the haptic characteristics of a product. In addition, the TSA integrates all measured sample data into a Virtual Haptic Library (cloud-based haptic database), allowing operators to search for, compare, and reproduce a product’s haptic traits from anywhere in the world.
“Quantifying and digitizing the subjective parameters of touch opens up new possibilities in terms of quality assurance and product reproduction,” explains Alexander Gruener. “It effectively eliminates the need to ship samples halfway around the globe to confirm a sample’s haptic conformity, which alone leads to a quick and significant return-on-investment.”