Design and practicability evaluation: a novel platform for fabric steam ironing

Abstract

Purpose – Smooth appearance of fabrics after ironing with steam, soleplate, ironing speed and their interactions cannot be studied using household ironing machines such as hang steamer and flatiron. The purpose of this paper is to present the design and verification of a simple, low-cost test platform based on the fabric materials hang-ironing factors includes temperature, humidity, ironing speed (time). Design/methodology/approach – This platform achieves adjustable and stable steam flow rate, enabling any ironing speed and any temperature of soleplate below 200°C. Moreover, the whole ironing process is automatically after experiment level set ahead for better observation to the ironing process. Findings – Regression results of the apparatus are stable, statistical significant which is verified by the statistics under design of experiment. Originality/value – It is useful in other aspects such as nozzle test and improvement, new products evaluation and smooth appearance level experiment and test for new ironing product and its research. It is also useful in other aspects such as nozzle test and improvement, new products evaluation and smooth appearance level experiment and test for new ironing product and its research.

Effects of pressure-free steam ironing on cotton fabric surfaces and wrinkle recovery

“…Furthermore, the IS is controlled by an independent electronic unit that is a part physically isolated from the rest of the system. 33 Thus, SA*IS and ST*IS are also ruled out. The only interaction left of the six possible pairs is between the SA and ST (SA*ST).…”

“…In any fabric wrinkle study, one of the most fundamental challenges is to produce samples with specified, repeatable wrinkle and surface smoothness for evaluation/comparison. 3,33,37 The procedures described below are adopted to generate wrinkles as close as possible within the three replicas.…”

“…Each test of 30 is run at three repeats, and the resulted fabric surface is evaluated by the two observers, as shown in Figure 2(d) in the standard environment following the in-lab standard with reference to AATCC test method 124-2010, which has been used in the previous research of Liang et al. 33,50…”

“…26–31 There are also several investigations of fabric compression specifically in the context of ironing. 3,25,32,33…”

“…[26][27][28][29][30][31] There are also several investigations of fabric compression specifically in the context of ironing. 3,25,32,33 Although at the end of the ironing process the threephase fabric system (solid fibers, steam vapor and liquid water droplets) is in thermodynamic equilibrium, a theoretical analysis of the entire process is still lacking. Researches on fabric behaviors are still too sporadic for use in such Modella modeling effort.…”