LEIPZIG, Germany — July 6, 2023 — The innovative German company emtec Electronic — a manufacturer of specialized testing equipment for the paper, textiles, and nonwoven industries — develops and manufactures the cutting-edge TSA device that optimizes textile production by quickly delivering a reliable haptic and optical analysis of any material. A new digital database makes the haptic and optical properties of textile samples virtually accessible and easily reproducible.
Enhanced measurement capabilities and digitization take haptic testing to new heights
Much like its predecessor, the new TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer allows manufacturers to objectively measure the subjective traits that determine the way a material feels to the touch, calculate specific hand-feel values, and reliably compare samples. Now, in addition to measuring the softness, smoothness, flexibility, and deformation/recovery behavior of base and finished products, the redesign now includes the following features:
- Surface thermal conductivity and thermal insulation measurement — The TSA reliably measures a product’s thermal “handshake,” delivering objective data on how warm or cool a material feels to the touch. This function is steadily gaining in popularity, since it paves the way for the design of innovative specialty products such as recreational clothing that feel cool to the touch even in the blazing sun, or lightweight outerwear that insulates as well as a down parka.
- An improved design for measuring springback behavior — The TSA employs an improved method for measuring springback behavior, which accurately captures the fabric’s ability to return to its original shape after deformation. This feature allows manufacturers to evaluate the elasticity and resilience of textiles, ensuring they meet the desired performance standards.
- An integrated high-resolution camera — To digitize optical properties, the camera captures a high-resolution image of the sample, showing in detail the fabric structure, weave, as well as any visual embellishments.
- A cloud-based Virtual Haptic Library — The Library is an online database, available via license, in which sample data can be digitized, processed, and categorized according to specific haptic and optical traits. Developed in cooperation with Black Swan Textiles, the Virtual Haptic Library can be accessed in real-time by authorized persons from anywhere in the world, enabling efficient quality assurance and control regardless of location. The Library can also be used as an online marketplace, making it easier for textile professionals to find, compare, and reproduce samples with certain haptic requirements.
“We expect the new TSA to be a game-changer for manufacturers wanting to improve and unify product quality, regardless of where the source material is coming from,” explains Alexander Gruener, Global Marketing and Business Development Manager for emtec. “The Virtual Haptic Library gives designers, technicians, and quality controllers objective parameters to rate, compare and reproduce a product’s exact haptic properties, ultimately saving time, money and resources.”
The TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer will be available to order in 2024.
Posted: July 7, 2023
Source: emtec Electronic GmbH
