Definition and measurement of drape co-efficient using the Cusick Drapemeter does not reflect the elegance of drape. Fabric samples with different hanging appearance are found to have same drape coefficient. Therefore, a new method of measuring drape using a modified drape meter is proposed in this paper. In the new method, apart from the top projection, elevation projection (image) of draped specimen mounted on the drape meter disc is taken using additional light source. This elevation projection can be obtained along warp or weft direction. New 3-D Drape co-efficients are then proposed and calculated using warp way elevation projection area and weft way elevation projection area of the draped specimen along with the top projection. The studies confirm that the new 3-D drape coefficient (3-D DC) calculated from top projection and weft way elevation projection is capable of differentiating samples with different drape appearance but same conventional drape coefficient. This 3-D DC has better correlation with most of the drape describing parameters compared to conventional drape coefficient. New 3-D Drape Coefficient has a very high positive correlation (0.97) in grey and (0.92) in dyed fabric with conventional drape coefficient too. Drape similarity ratio, another new measure, denotes the uniformity of drape along with warp and weft directions. Studies were conducted with cotton and polyester/cotton blended shirting fabrics with different picks per inch in both grey and dyed conditions. Studies on drape coefficient with time show that the DC % decreases with time and it can be said that sample reaches stabilised condition after 5 minutes of sample mounting. It was also observed that seamed fabrics have stabilised drape appearance and DC %. As drape is primarily related to appearance and gracefulness, subjective appearance evaluation was carried out using colour photographs (3 views) of draped fabric specimen taken as proposed in the new method. 500 respondents compr
Author: G.Thilagavathi & V.Natarajan* Department of Textile Technology,PSG College of Technology, Coimbator
Submit Date: 12/31/1999 20:00