Optimum processing parameters of sueding fabric comfort by applying the Taguchi method and fuzzy theory

Abstract

In recent years, as consumers have increasingly higher demands for the functionality of clothing, fabrics with additional functionality have been developed. The state of physical functionality experienced by a wearer under a given environmental condition is greatly influenced by the tactile, thermal and moisture transport properties of the fabric. In modern textiles, finishing is generally used to improve the appearance or other properties of fabrics. Sueding is a common finishing method. In order to meet the requirements of functionality in the process of sueding, the production process must be adjusted according to the features of the fabrics. The main method is the setting of processing parameters. This study focuses on the water vapor transmission and thermal transport, which are the main functional characteristics, and uses the fuzzy approach to acquire the combination of sueding processing parameters to optimize multiple functional characteristics. Firstly, for the main processing parameters of the sueding machine, the Taguchi method is used to obtain an orthogonal array for the experimental design. The measured water vapor transmission and thermal transport data of the fabric are used to calculate the signal-to-noise ratio. An analysis of variance is conducted to obtain the significant factors with a greater impact on functional characteristics. The fuzzy approach is used to analyze and obtain the optimal combination of processing parameters of multiple functional characteristics. This optimal combination of processing parameters is used to set the processing parameters. The reliability and reproducibility of the experiment are verified by confirmation experiments.