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The paper aims to present the design, validation and integration of a universal fabric gripper. Flexible material handling is one of the most challenging problems occurring in the field of manipulator robots. Because textile products shape and properties can widely vary, each textile and each technological operation should have its own specialized gripper. The objective of the work described here is therefore to design a universal gripper able to grip and transfer every kind of textile.

The design objectives are the ability to handle panels of varying shapes and sizes without material deformation and/or folding, and the easy integration with commercially available manipulator robots. To answer initial requirements and increase the textile gripping reliability, we opted to combine three different gripping technologies: vacuum, intrusion and pinch.

Each system was first validated independently through static tests. The vacuum technology offers a high reliability to handle impermeable materials. The intrusion technology is reliable for the manipulation of high porosity materials, while the pinch technology shows good results for all soft fabrics when combined with the vacuum technology. Then, the limits of the new gripper in terms of gripping capacity, compressed air consumption and characteristics and limitations of the flexible material handled were put in evidence using a robot arm. An automated selection program of the gripper based on the material characteristics has also been developed and implemented.

This paper fulfills an identified need to design a universal gripper able to grip and transfer every different kind of cut textile.

For size reasons, adapted sensors, able to measure intrinsic mechanical properties of fabrics, have not been developed yet. The study aims at developing a sensor that can be inserted within a specific textile, a “complex” fabric used as seat‐cover fabrics, and consisting of an assembly of three layers.

Piezoelectric polymer sensors containing polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) were chosen. A total of 20 “complex” were studied. A characterisation in compression was achieved, using the Kawabata Evaluation System. The best‐adapted measurement method using a PVDF sensor has been required. The method consists in analyzing the response under compressive stress of a PVDF disc using the resonant frequency of the material. A constraint series is applied to the fabric in the sensor area; the maximal phase at the sensor's resonant frequency is taken up for each one.

Phase variation is linear and differs according to the studied “complex”. A correlation study between Kawabata compression parameters and slopes did not show any relationship between slope values and compression properties when the surface fabrics of “complex” are compared, but a classification in “families” is possible when different foams are considered.

Further studies should demonstrate whether these “smart” textiles could find applications in the automotive field, to measure accurately the mass of a passenger. The influence of the external parameters (vibrations, temperature variations) has to be checked, knowing that the sensor is not depending on moisture. To complete the study, the sensor has to be tested in a real situation, i.e. inserted in a car‐seat, in contact with a human body.

This study promises development of a sensor that can be inserted into a specific textile, a “complex” fabric used as a seat‐cover, consisting of an assembly of three layers.

Increasingly consumers are looking for good feeling and comfort when they buy textile goods. To respond to these demands, sensory tools are requested by industrialists to evaluate such notions. Many studies have been performed and many device developments have taken place in the textile area such as mechanical, thermal and surface testing, so as to evaluate the related physical properties, but the links between measurement and the consumer feeling of comfort are still difficult to establish. Based on studies already performed in the food industry, the development of the sensory panel applied to textile goods has been implemented. In this paper, the sensory panel will be developed and some examples will illustrate the different procedures.

For years, the main reason for using textiles in the health care sector was to protect the patient from the medical staff. Nowadays, the garment has to play another role and protect the wearer. For dentists, risks can come from saliva which is considered potentially infectious because it frequently contains blood. This paper aims to define dentist gown specifications according to the new situation, and to propose new garments providing safety protective function as well as comfort.

Enquiries, direct interviews as well as internet forums have been used to extract dentists' requirements taking into account their need of barrier and their comfort concerns. Studies of the spraying area on the gowns have been performed to define the location of the required protection. A study of the warmer zone of the garment via IR camera has been done. Two prototypes have then been constructed and tested.

Images of impacts of drops that could cause cross‐infection allow defining the zones which are to be specifically protected. Thermographic images provide maps of hot zones of the garment when worn in working conditions, and information is obtained of desired open space zones which have been designed to create preferential ventilation required for comfort improvement. A second prototype was designed to improve results of the first one.

Replacement of current dentists garment in routine situation.

Dentists' gowns used in dental care have not been studied and not been redesigned yet, whereas new dentists are facing new risks and eagerly looking for personal protective equipment providing safety protective function as well as comfort.

More and more disposable goods are available in surgical rooms. Rules and standards have been proposed in order to prevent infection from patient to surgical team and vice versa. A proposed mandatory European standard prEn 13795 “Surgical drapes, gowns and clear air suits used as medical devices, for patients, clinical staff and equipment”, is being developed by the Committee of European Normalisation and specifies the basic performance requirements and test methods for single‐use and reusable materials after sterilisation process. Therefore, the performances of the surgical gowns demand a balance between barrier and comfort properties. In comfort evaluation, tactile feeling is one of the most primary and important aspects with regard to the grading of the products. Therefore, the influence of the sterilisation process on the tactile perception is important to be evaluated. Subsequently, the final aim of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of influence of sterilisation treatment on the tactile perception.

The purpose of this paper is to model the relationship between manufacturing parameters, especially finishing treatments and instrumental tactile properties measured by Kawabata evaluation system.

Two soft computing approaches, namely artificial neural network (ANN) and fuzzy inference system (FIS), have been applied to predict the compression and surface properties of knitted fabrics from finishing process. The prediction accuracy of these models was evaluated using both the root mean square error and mean relative percent error.

The results revealed the model's ability to predict instrumental tactile parameters based on the finishing treatments. The comparison of the prediction performances of both techniques showed that fuzzy models are slightly more powerful than neural models.

This study provides contribution in industrial products engineering, with minimal number of experiments and short cycles of product design. In fact, models based on intelligent techniques, namely FIS and ANNs, were developed for predicting instrumental tactile characteristics in reference to finishing treatments.

The purpose of this paper is to predict the appearance of denim fabric after repetitive uses judging the denim cloth behavior and performance in viewpoint of bagging ability. Hence, it attempts to carry out the significant inputs and outputs that have an influence on the bagging behaviors using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) technique. In this study, the Kawabata Evaluation System parameters such as the frictional characteristics, the bending, compression, tensile and shear parameters are investigated to propose a model highlighting and explaining their impacts on the different bagging properties. To improve the obtained results, the selected significant inputs are also analyzed within their bagging properties using Taguchi experimental design. The linear regressive models prove the effectiveness of the PCA method and the obtained findings.

To investigate the mechanical properties and their contributions on the bagging characteristics, some denim fabrics were collected and measured thanks to the Kawabata evaluation systems (KES-FB1, KES-FB2, KES-FB3 and KES-FB4). These bagging properties were further analyzed applying the method of PCA to acquire factor patterns that indicate the most important fabric properties for characterizing the bagging behaviors of different studied denim fabric samples. An experimental design type Taguchi was, hence, applied to improve the results. Regarding the obtained results, it may be concluded that the PCA method remained a powerful and flawless technique to select the main influential inputs and significant outputs, able to define objectively the bagging phenomenon and which should be considered from the next researches.

According to the results, there are good relationships between the Kawabata input parameters and the analyzed bagging properties of studied denim fabrics. Indeed, thanks to the PCA, it is probably easy to reduce the number of the influent parameters for three reasons. First, applying this technique of selection can help to select objectively the most influential inputs which affect enormously the bagged fabrics. Second, knowing these significant parameters, the prediction of denim fabric bagging seems fruitful and can undoubtedly help researchers explain widely this complex phenomenon. Third, regarding the findings mentioned, it seems that the prevention of this aesthetic phenomenon appearing in some specific zones of denim fabrics will be more and more accurate.

This study is interesting for denim consumers and industrial applications during long and repetitive uses. Undoubtedly, the denim garments remained the largely used and consumed, hence, this particularity proves the necessity to study it in order to evaluate the bagging phenomenon which occurs as function of number of uses. Although it is fashionable to have bagging, the denim fabric remains, in contrast with the worsted ones, the most popular fabric to produce garments. Moreover, regarding this characteristic, the large uses and the acceptable value of denim fabrics, their aesthetic appearance behavior due to bagging phenomenon can be analyzed accurately because compared to worsted fabrics, they have a high value and the repetitive tests to investigate widely bagged zones may fall the industrial. The paper has practical implications in the clothing appearance and other textile industry, especially in the weaving process when friction forms (yarn-to-yarn, yarn-to-metal frictions) and stresses are drastic. This can help understanding why residual bagging behavior remained after garment uses due to the internal stress and excessive extensions. Regarding the selected influential inputs and outputs relative to bagging behaviors, there are some practical implications that have an impact on the industrial and researchers to study objectively the occurrence of this aesthetic phenomenon. Indeed, this study discusses the significance of the overall inputs; their contributions on the denim fabric bagged zones aims to prevent their ability to appear after uses. Moreover, the results obtained regarding the fabric mechanical properties can be useful to fabric and garment producers, designers and consumers in specifying and categorizing denim fabric products, insuring more denim cloth use and controlling fabric value. For applications where the subjective view of the consumer is of primary importance, the KES-FB system yields data that can be used for evaluating fabric properties objectively and prejudge the consumer satisfaction in viewpoint of the bagging ability. Therefore, this study shows that by measuring shear, tensile and frictional parameters of KES-FB, it may be possible to evaluate bagging properties. However, it highlights the importance and the significance of some inputs considered influential or the contrast (non-significant) in other researches.

This work presents the first study analyzing the bagged denim fabric applying the PCA technique to remove the all input parameters which are not significant. Besides, it deals with the relationship developed between the mechanical fabric properties (tensile, shear and frictional stresses) and the bagging properties behavior. To improve these obtained relationships, for the first time, the regression technique and experimental design type Taguchi analysis were both applied. Moreover, it is notable to mention that the originality of this study is to let researchers and industrials investigate the most influential inputs only which have a bearing on the bagging phenomenon.

Examines the sixteenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.

Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.

Discusses the 6th ITCRR, its breadth of textile and clothing research activity, plus the encouragement given to workers in this field and its related areas. States that, within the newer research areas under the microscope of the community involved, technical textiles focuses on new, ‘smart’ garments and the initiatives in this field in both the UK and the international community at large. Covers this subject at length.