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To examine a simple testing method of measuring the force to pull a fabric through a series of parallel pins to determine the fabric softness property.

A testing system was setup for fabric pulling force measurements and the testing parameters were experimentally determined. The specific pulling forces were compared with the fabric assurance by simple testing (FAST) parameters and subjective softness ranking. Their correlations were also statistically analyzed.

The fabric pulling force reflects the physical and surface properties of the fabrics measured by the FAST instrument and its ability to rank fabric softness appears to be close to the human hand response on fabric softness. The pulling force method can also distinguish the difference of fabrics knitted with different wool fiber contents.

Only 21 woven and three knitted fabrics were used for this investigation. More fabrics with different structures and finishes may be evaluated before the testing method can be put in practice.

The testing method could be used for objective assessment of fabric softness.

The testing method reported in this paper is a new concept in fabric softness measurement. It can provide objective specifications for fabric softness, thus should be valuable to fabric community.

THE Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luft‐fahrt—known for short as the D.V.L.—at Berlin‐Adlershof, is the central establishment for aeronautical research in Germany. Hitherto the D.V.L. had as its special prerogative the testing of aircraft and aero‐engines for certificates of airworthiness. Since April 1, 1933, the Inspection Department has passed under the authority of the “Reichsamt für Flugsicherung” (Air Security Board), but it has not actually been separated from the D.V.L., continuing to have its premises at the D.V.L. establishment. (Further details of the Inspection Department are given later.)

Explores a PC‐based multi‐function virtual test and measurement system for automated manufacturing lines. The system includes single and dual channel oscilloscopes, a 50MHz spectrum analyzer, a multifunctional digital voltmeter and a 20MHz digital frequency meter. Outlines the benefits of the system including the availability of high‐performance instruments anywhere there is a PC cost saving and space saving. It also has considerable potential training test and maintenance personnel.

Examines how the personal computer has brought about dramatic changes in automatic test equipment [ATE] in electronics manufacturing. Describes the three major instrumentation types used in ATE today, the GPIB [general purpose interface bus] the VXI [VME eXtensions for instrumentation] and DAQ [data acquisition cards]. Looks at instrument drivers which provide the programmer with an interactive front panel enabling them to manipulate the instruments using a PC mouse and keyboard. Also looks at test executive software and the three main tasks it performs of test flow control, data logging and user interfacing. Concludes that in the ever changing world of ATE, virtual instrumentation is opening the system architecture of ATE and driving costs down by capitalizing on the power and low cost of the PC.

The paper aims to propose an approach to intelligent evaluation of the tensile test. A robotized system is used that performs the fabrics tensile test and estimates the extensibility of the samples using a feed‐forward neural network while trying to imitate the human expert estimation.

The specifications of the tensile test are derived by an extensive observation of the respective experts' estimation performance. The fabric sample size and the experimental conditions are specified. Linguistic values of the term “fabric extensibility” are extracted through a knowledge acquisition process. The tensile test is performed by a robot manipulator with a simple gripper and the experimental measurements (force, strain) are fed online into a neural network. The network is trained according to the extensibility estimations of the experts. The trained network is tested in estimating unknown fabric's extensibility.

The results demonstrate that the system is capable of estimating the extensibility of new fabrics.

This work can be integrated in the robotized sewing process with intelligent control where the fabric's extensibility in terms of linguistic values is necessary. The proposed system initiates a new approach, in which the fabric properties are expressed and used in a way that will facilitate the introduction of the artificial intelligence methods into the clothing industry.

This chapter outlines the challenges that research and practice in higher education have faced in measuring students' competences and learning outcomes. Particular attention is given to the systematic and institutional contexts in Germany. Based on the outlined national and international contextual framework, the Germany-wide program “Modeling and Measuring Competences in Higher Education (KoKoHs)” is discussed in terms of its two central working stages, key outcomes and lessons learned. In particular, the central results of the second phase are presented for the first time and integrated into the current state of international research. Based on this analysis, perspectives for further research on student learning in higher education and implications for practice and policy are derived.

The purpose of this paper is to test the role of corporate governance instruments in affecting the value of a firm (CGVF) in isolation and in combination of each other in a developing financial market characterized by the existence of additional imperfections in this market.

Multiple regression analysis is performed on the data which are collected by using stratified random sampling technique for the companies listed in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange for the years 2000‐2003.

The results for the study suggest that majority shareholders expropriate minority shareholders in this market. On the contrary, a bigger board, market liquidity, efficient utilization of assets and informational efficiency in the financial system have a value adding impact on the firms' performance. The results on the role of corporate governance instruments (board size and CEO duality) in affecting the value of a firm in combination with each other suggest that the additional imperfections prevalent in the selected market limit the strength of individual instruments in improving the marginal benefits of each other, explaining the nature of business operations in this market.

The results provide new insights into the CGVF relationship and highlight the importance of corporate governance provisions relevant to the firms of the developing market. These results can be used by the regulatory authorities to make effective corporate governance policies.

This paper contributes to the literature by performing a comprehensive study by using a correct proxy to value a firm and by performing additional tests for robustness to provide valid results on the CGVF relationship. Furthermore, the role of additional imperfections and implications of various business theories in explaining the relationship between corporate governance instruments (in isolation and in combination) and the value of a firm is also analysed.

Literature reveals that there is a paucity of instruments to measure multidimensional top management support (TMS). The multidimensionality and the complexity of the TMS cannot be reflected by a single-dimensional construct. The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate an instrument for the measurement of multidimensional TMS.

In this cross-sectional study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to check the validity and model fitness based on sample data collected from the PMI community. Ordinary least square and structural equation modeling techniques were used to test the research hypotheses and validate multidimensional TMS.

The findings revealed a significant positive correlation among all dimensions of top management and their significant influence on project success, especially on project efficiency and team dimensions.

Based on the existing knowledge through a coherent and refined process, the development and validation of a top management support questionnaire (TMSQ) made a significant contribution to theories and research methods.

Multidimensional TMS provides an opportunity to ensure provision of apt assistance throughout the implementation of projects for improving organizational performance across the industries.

This study targeted a sample size of 300 to develop and validate an instrument, which is in line with previous research studies on the development and validation of a reliable instrument. To operationalize TMSQ, this study adopted an online survey and received 208 responses (69 percent) from the PMI community.

This chapter highlights the growing body of international research into the benefits of residence abroad for foreign language students, surveying studies from the past 35 years originating in both the U.S.A. and the U.K. It examines some of the problematic issues confronting researchers in this area and shows how these issues have contributed to a paucity of studies in the area and led to a diversity in research design. It reports on longitudinal study, the first of its kind in the U.K., which examined the linguistic benefits of residence abroad for a cohort of modern language students from a leading university. This 4-year study used repeated measures proficiency testing, involving a C-test, a grammar test and a range of qualitative measures, to chart the progress made by students on 6- and 12-month study placements in Germany. Findings confirm substantial proficiency gains on both of the main measures but fail to confirm gender and length of residence abroad as predictors of progress. Results also reveal strong differential individual performance during residence abroad. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future research aimed at exploring this key finding further.

This paper aims to study the yarn cross-section shape which is a very important yarn physical parameter and has a dominant effect on the physical structure of the yarn. Four factors affecting the yarn cross section, i.e. twist multiplier, Roving hank, spinning system and doubling technique, were investigated.

In past researches, the yarn cross-sectional area was calculated by considering any one yarn radius giving the approximate yarn cross-sectional area by assuming the yarn as a circular one.

In this study, a testing instrument is fabricated as shown in Plates 1 and 2 for yarn cross-section measurement and a novel method for calculating the correct yarn cross-sectional area of the yarn was developed.

In the past, no such studies have been conducted on the yarn cross-section studies because of the various limitations of the yarn cross-section measuring or testing instruments.