According to the Institut für Textiltechnik at RWTH Aachen University (ITA), until now, spacer fabrics have not been tested according to separate test procedures. This meant that important characteristics were not taken into account in the tests, ITA says. The first national test standard for spacer fabrics has now been developed under the direction of the ITA in the joint project NormATex (Standardization for Spacer Fabrics), which is publicly funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) within the WIPANO guideline.

“Spacer fabrics are textile structures consisting of two textile cover surfaces and at least one spacer thread system,” ITA explains. “The cover surfaces are kept apart at a certain distance by the spacer thread. This structure gives spacer fabrics special properties that make them a substitute material for other, non-textile materials. As a result of their special properties, spacer fabrics differ from conventional, flat fabrics,” ITA adds.

“Up to now, spacer fabrics have been tested according to standards for flat fabrics or other, non-textile materials. However, these standards do not take into account the special requirements for testing spacer fabrics. Therefore, objective comparisons between spacer fabrics and each other or with conventional flat fabrics or non-textile materials can- not be made in all areas of application.”

“In the documents of this series of standards the special properties of spacer fabrics are given special consideration. This ensures the standardised testing of these properties and thus objective comparisons between spacer textiles among themselves; spacer fabrics and flat 2D-textiles and spacer fabrics and non-textile materials, will be enabled,” the institute continues.

The developed standardization document DIN 60022-1, Spacer textiles - Terms and definition, sample preparation, is the first standard of the new series of standards and contains specifications for the consistent marking and sample preparation of spacer fabrics.

The document was prepared by the working committee NA 106 02 11 AA ‘Test equipment and test methods for spacer textiles’ in the DIN Textile and Textile Machinery Standards Committee under the chairmanship of ITA employee Christoph Peiner. Besides, documents on further standardized test methods for air permeability and thickness of spacer fabrics are planned. In addition, a publicly funded follow-up project focusing on further test procedures is planned. Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in testing spacer fabrics and the standardised test procedures.

Further information

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