Chapter 2

Fabric dimensions
Measurement of fabric length

• Fabric length is the distance from end to end, along the selvedge of a
fabric.
• There are 3 methods to measure the length of a fabric-
A. By using a measuring table
B. By using measuring scale
C. By using a measuring machine (Trumeter)
Ends and picks density

Thread count or cloth count Pick glass and needle

• EPI and PPI affects the
compactness of the fabric.
• The normal method used to
determine thread density is to
use a pick glass.
Procedure
1. Avoid sampling within 50 mm from the selvedge. Keep the test sample on a flat table and smoothen it out.
2. Place the counting glass on the fabrics in a direction parallel to warp if weft density is to be determined and
parallel to weft if warp density is to be determined.
3. Find the number of warp or weft threads in a specified length as required.
4. Following the procedure prescribed in steps 1 to 3, determine the number of warp and weft threads per
centimeter or inch in at least four more places.
5. Calculate the number of warp or weft threads per centimeter or inch by the following formula: n = N/L
Where,
• n = number of warp or weft threads per centimeter (or inch),
• N = observed number of threads in the distance L and
• L = distance in centimeter (or inch) across which the threads are counted.
6. Calculate the mean of all the values.
It is best to take the number of warp or weft threads per centimeter or inch of fabric as a whole number.
CPI and WPI measurement in knitted fabric
Crimp
• Crimp is defined as the ratio of
difference of length of yarn taken
from a fabric to the length of
fabric. Due to interlacing of warp
and weft threads, a certain
amount of waviness is imparted to
the warp and weft yarn in fabric.
This waviness is called crimp.
• Crimp affects the cover, thickness,
softness and hand of the fabric.
Measurement of crimp
Percentage of crimp is defined as the
mean difference between the
straightened thread length and the
distance between the ends of the
thread in the cloth.
In order to straighten the thread,
tension applied must be just sufficient
to remove all the kinks without
stretching the yarn.
From those two values we can
calculate the crimp percentage with
the following formula:
Crimp of yarn in woven and knitted fabric
• Procedure
• Place the instrument on a horizontal surface and adjust the levelling screw so that it lies flat on the surface.
• The instrument has a tension arm with a rider that moves on the arm.
• The rider should be kept at the tension value marked on the tension scale. The tension to be applied is
calculated using the formula, Tension
• = Tex / 2. Set the rider against the calculated tension.
• Mark a known length L1 on the fabric for which crimp has to be tested.
• Fix the one end of the yarn, at the mark, on the jaw of the tension arm.
• Fix the other end of the yarn on the jaw provided in the sliding unit.
• Move the sliding unit over the scale, seeing the reference marks through the mirror.
• Stop moving the rider when the reference marks coincide and note the scale reading. This is the extended or
de-crimped length L2.
• Calculate the crimp percentage using the formula given above. The procedure may be repeated for all the test
specimens. Warp crimp and weft crimp are calculated separately, and results are established.
Crimp of yarn in knitted fabric