In the textile industry, measuring the correct weight of the textile material is very important because it determines the overall quality, durability, and sustainability of the textile product. GSM is the standard unit to measure the weight of the textile material. In this article, you will learn about the GSM cutter for material, its parts, and its advantages.
Fabric GSM Definition
The weight of textile material in grams per square meter is called GSM. Different methods, both ASTM and ISO, are used to measure GSM weight.
Lab Testing As Per American GSM Testing Method
ASTM D-3776 is used according to the instructions of American textile customers. You will have to keep the testing specimen in the conditioning room, where temperature and humidity are controlled according to the testing instructions. Cut the testing specimen with a GSM cutter and weigh it on the weighting balance. The weighing balance and GSM cutter both must be calibrated before performing the test. Take 3 to 5 specimens for accuracy.
Lab Testing As Per ISO Testing Method
BS EN ISO 3801 and BS EN ISO 12127 are used according to the instructions of textile customers except American. You will have to keep the testing specimen in the conditioning room, where temperature and humidity are controlled according to the testing instructions. Cut the testing specimen with a GSM cutter and weigh it on the weighting balance. The weighing balance and GSM cutter both must be calibrated before performing the test. Take 3 to 5 specimens for accuracy.
What is GSM Cutter for Material?
GSM BladeIn the textile laboratory physical testing section, a GSM cutter is used to cut a precise circular sample of textile material. This circular cutting area is 100 square centimetres, which is 1/100th of a square meter. The cutting is done with the help of a set of replaceable blades and a cutting pad. You should change the blades when you observe an issue in cutting an exact circular testing specimen.
Parts Of GSM Cutter
Handle
The uppermost area is the handle of the GSM cutter. This handle helps us apply pressure and rotate the circular blade, which gives us an accurate cut of the testing specimen.
Cutting Blades
Blades are the initial cutting part of the GSM cutter. These blades are fixed in circular directions in the GSM cutter to cut a round or circular testing specimen. The area that is covered and to be cut is accurately 100 square centimetres.
Cutting Pad
A cutting pad is used for accurate cutting purposes to provide a stable surface for circular blades fixed in the cutter. It is usually made of rubber, which helps to prevent slipping during the testing specimen cutting process, increasing accuracy while cutting testing specimens.
How To Perform GSM Test?
There are a few steps to perform GSM testing including prior conditioning of the testing specimen, cutting the testing specimen, weighing the testing specimen, and calculating the GSM of the testing specimen.
Conditioning of the testing specimen
Cut pieces from different rolls of the same lot and keep them in a controlled humidity and temperature conditioning room. The temperature of the conditioning room should be 21± 2 degrees Celsius, and the relative humidity should be 65± 5. Give conditioning time as per the instructions of the testing method you are applying.
Cutting of testing specimen
Take the textile material and place it on a cutting pad. Make sure that the surface of the testing material is free of wrinkles, and slightly straighten the testing material with your hand. Cut three to five testing specimens with a calibrated GSM cutter, making sure that the cut area is in an accurate circle shape.
Weighing of the testing specimen
Weigh the testing specimen using a calibrated weighing balance. Always weigh the weighing balance before weighing the testing specimen to get an accurate weight. Record the weight of the testing specimen in grams.
Calculation of the GSM
Multiply the recorded weight of the testing specimen by 100 to calculate the GSM. For example, if the weight of the testing specimen is 1.30 grams, the GSM of the fabric will be 130. (1.30X100 = 130).
Advantage of GSM cutter
- A GSM cutter can provide reliable testing results by accurately measuring the fabric weight.
- No highly skilled staff are required for GSM cutter operation. The overall process is very easy and can be performed more easily and quickly.
- GSM cutters are used for every type of textile material, including woven, knitting, jacquard, and all other textile articles.
- This method saves time and money. You just have to change circular blades and rubber pads when required.
- GSM cutter is easily moveable from one department to another within or without industry.
Conclusion
The GSM cutter for material is a very important instrument in the textile laboratory physical testing section. You can get the GSM of any textile material easily and quickly. These instruments are usually used in textile industries, garments industries, retail stores, and quality control laboratories. GSM cutters accurately measure the weight of textile material, which plays a very important role in textile processing, especially wet processing. The recipe of the wet processing is 100 % dependent on the weight of the textile material to be treated. You cannot get good results from textile material, especially in pretreatment, bleaching, dyeing, or printed and finishing processes without accurate measurement of textile material weight.
FAQs
What is the abbreviation of GSM?
GSM stands for grams per square meter.
What is GSM?
GSM is the gram per square meter weight of any material.
How to find out the GSM of any textile material?
To get the GSM of textile material, cut the material with a calibrated GSM cutter, weigh the cut specimen with a calibrated weighing balance, and record the weight in grams. Multiply the weight by 100 to get the GSM of the required textile material.
Is a GSM cutter used only in the textile industry?
No, the GSM cutter for material is used in many industries, such as textile, garment, and paper, because the weight in grams per square meter is required in many industries to get an accurate idea about bulk production, which is very useful for quality control and planning.
How many testing standards are there in the textile industry to measure GSM?
There are two main testing standards applied in the textile laboratory physical testing section to measure the GSM of the textile material: ASTM (The American Society of Texting Materials) and ISO. ASTM is used according to the instructions of American textile customers, while ISO (International Standard Organization) is used according to the instructions of other textile customers, excluding Americans.
Does conditioning play a role in GSM testing?
Yes, Conditioning plays an important role in GSM testing. Humidity or moisture increases the weight of the testing specimen because textile material usually contains cotton or blends with cotton, and cotton can observe moisture. Extra conditioning that requirement will increase the weight of the testing specimen, and there will be a change in results. That’s why all testing methods instruct specific conditioning times, controlled temperature, and humidity to get accurate results everywhere around the globe.
Is GSM important in textile wet processing?
Yes, GSM plays an important role in textile wet processing. A specific recipe is required during pretreatment, bleaching, dyeing printing, and finishing in textile wet processing which depends on the weight of the fabric. For example, suppose you made a dyeing recipe of 50 kg of textile material, and put 60 kg in dyeing machines. In that case, its shade will not match the desired sample or Pantone chips because you increased the cotton weight that calculated the recipe’s weight. The extra cotton absorbed the dye molecule, or the dye molecules made a bond with the extra available cotton, and the resulting shade will be lighter than required.
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