Analysis of the heat setting process

Abstract

Heat setting is an expensive and energy elaborative textile process. Heat setting is necessary to guarantee size accuracy and dimensional stability for textile materials. Depending on the material different heat setting methods such as saturated steam or hot air are used for the fixation. The research aim is to define the influence of heat setting on mechanical characteristics and to analyse the correlation of heat setting parameters for polyester. With the help of a "one factor at a time" experimental design heat setting parameters are varied. Mechanical characteristics and the material quality of heat set and not heat set material are evaluated to analyse the heat setting influence. In the described experimental design up to a temperature of 195 °C and a dwell time of 30 seconds the material shrinkage of polyester is increasing with increasing temperature and dwell time. Shrinkage in Wales direction is higher than in course direction. The tensile strength in course direction stays constant whereas the tensile strength in Wales direction can be increased by heat setting.