ISO 12945 2 Martindale Method of Pilling Test

This article provides overall knowledge about ISO 12945 2 Martindale Method of Pilling Test in a textile laboratory, including the cause of pilling, working principle, equipment, and test materials, and some experience and insights from a front-line textile technician.

What is Pilling?

Fabric pilling results from tangling of fabric protruding fibers while wearing cloth. Generally, the rates of the following parallel processes define the degree of pilling that develops.

fiber entanglement resulting in the creation of pills
growth of additional surface fiber known as fuzzing
fiber and pill degradation, also called matting

In a fabric testing laboratory, fabric tests would speed up the above 3 processes by the same amount and time with any fiber, yarn, or fabric.

Difference between Pilling and Abrasion

This is not to be confused with the abrasion process, which is the frictional wear and tear that another substance causes on a cloth, resulting in loss in weight. In general, ripping and tearing occur from abrasion. Synthetic fabrics generally pill more frequently than natural fibers.

Other Methods for Pilling

Other than ISO 12945-2, there are also standards used for pilling. These are as follows.

ASTM 4970
GB/T 4802.2
FZ/T98014 (DaRong is drafting enterprise )

Working principle of ISO 12945 2

A circular sample is frictioned over a surface having the same fabric or, sometimes, a wool abradant cloth, at a defined force forming a Lissajous figure. The test specimen is freely rotatable around an axis through its center, perpendicular to the plane of the test specimen. Fabric pills and additional surface fiber are visually evaluated after required revolutions of rub testing.

Martindale Pilling Tester

Martinedale Tester 401T — Martindale Tester

The Martindale test apparatus is made up of various components. It includes a base plate that houses the pilling tables and drive mechanism. The drive system’s two outside drives and inner drive cause the sample holding plate to create a Lissajous figure. The sample test holder plate is moved horizontally using a driving mechanism for each guide plate point to exhibit the same pattern.

The graph produced by converting a motion from a circle to a narrowly contracting ellipse and then back to a straight line is known as the Lissajous movement. The movement is repeated diagonally. Low friction bearings are installed on the test specimen holder guide plate, which supports the test specimen holder guide. Each matching test specimen holder body receives the bottom end of the sample holder spindle. The body, test specimen holding ring, and optional mounting load weight make up the test specimen holder. A pre-settable counting device installed in the equipment counts each revolution of one of the outer drives. Every revolution is interpreted as a pilling rub, and a Lissajous figure consisting of 16 revolutions is complete.

Equipment and Materials

Martindale Machine
Standard felt having weight 750 ± 50 g/m², thickness 3 ± 0.3mm
Light Box containing C.W.F light source (Cool white fluorescent tube)
Fabric cutters or fabric punches having diameter 140mm.
Photo Graphic Standards (A collection of five images, numbered 1 through 5, showing different levels of pilling from “no pilling” to “very severe pilling.”)
There is also a series of perfect fabrics, previously examined samples of a certain fabric. These fabrics show different levels of pilling.

Sample Preparation

Sample Cutting

Place the fabric or garment flat on a surface.
Take the specimens evenly spaced across the width of the fabric or from 2 different panels in a garment. Do not take from areas with creases and distortions. Also, specimens should never be taken nearer to the selvage.
Cut a pair of circular specimens, with one pair having a diameter of 140mm or 150±2 mm in length and width.
While cutting the specimen, avoid any abnormal tension of the fabric.

Conditioning and Testing Temperature

Condition specimens at standard atmospheric conditions for textile as defined in ISO 139 i.e. 20 ± 2°C and (65± 2%) relative humidity.

Number of Samples

Take at least three sets of specimens.
One set includes a pair of specimens.
If the wool abradant fabric is used, take three specimens for the holder.
If more than 3 specimens are to be tested, an odd number of specimens should be taken.

Marking of Samples

Mark each specimen on the back of the fabric.
Marking should be so that it does not have any effect while testing.
Marking will help ensure that all specimens are aligned in the same direction during the evaluation.

ISO 12945 2 Testing Procedure

Test Setup

Place the standard felt having diameter 140mm on bottom plate and mount the test specimen over it.
Similarly, repeat the above process for the upper plate.
Place the mounting weight (2.5 ± 0.5 Kg) and secure it with the clamping ring.

ISO 12945 2 Test Execution

Enter the number of revolutions.
Run the Martindale tester, and after every 500 revolutions, carry out the assessment.
Continue the test until the final rubbing stage is reached.

Evaluation and Grading

Assessment of Pilling

Evaluate the test specimen in a Lightbox, which should be placed in a dark room.
Place the test specimen on the left side with the help of adhesive tape and the original fabric sample on the right side for comparison. It should be in the cabinet’s center with a vertical warp direction.

Evaluation Scale

Please use the following grading scale to assign a grade to each specimen. Indicate “half” if the grade is in between two grades. g. 2-3, 3-4.

Grade 5 – No change in surface.

Grade 4 – Slight Fuzzing or partial pilling

Grade 3 – Moderate Pilling

Grade 2 – Severe Pilling. Pills of various sizes and densities cover a huge portion.

Grade 1 – Very Severe Pilling/Dense surface fuzzing.

Calculate the mean result of specimens. The variation between two specimens should not be more than half grade.

Reporting Results

Make a test report which should include the following details

Details of fabric sample ( e.g., type of yarn, weave, knit)
Processes applied before testing for pretreatment (if washed or dry-cleaned)
Number of test specimens used while testing
Number of revolutions of tester
Abradant specifications used in the test
Mounting load weight
Date of test
Mention that the test is performed according to ISO 12945 2.

Practical experiences and insights on ISO 12945 2

Test specimens should be taken randomly. No specimen should have a common thread. i.e., take samples along the width horizontally.
If a sample is light-weighted, special care should be taken so that the specimen is not visibly extended.
While evaluating the specimen, view the specimen from just outside the viewing cabinet. It will prevent glare from the light source.
Always evaluate with two or more observers because of differences in opinion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the textile industry frequently uses the ISO 12945 2 standard, which serves as the benchmark for Martindale abrasion testing, to evaluate the longevity of textiles. This test is essential in fabric research and development (R&D). We can use it to evaluate the fabric performance before launching in stores. It also helps to ensure better quality and meet the needs of customers. Moreover, it ensures that products are long-lasting and durable. This leads to increased customer satisfaction and brand recognition in the market.

FAQs

What is the ISO standard for pilling tests?

It is the ISO standard for tests related to pilling and abrasion. The textile industry uses this standard extensively to ensure that materials fulfill the necessary quality standards.

How to prevent pilling?

It can be prevented by air drying and turning garments inside out. Also, read the care label and follow instructions. Apply fabric softener to help protect the cloth. If the washing machine is overloaded, your garments will rub against each other, creating extra friction. Select gentle, brief cycles for washing cloth in cold water. If possible, wash them by hand.

Can we get rid of pilling?

Fabric pilling is frequently unavoidable, particularly with specific textiles and objects. Some degree of pilling is always possible. The good news is that pilling from clothing can be removed in various ways.

Use tape or a lint roller to remove the fuzz.
Shavers for fabrics or sweaters can also be used to get rid of fuzz from clothing. Both natural and synthetic fabrics can have pills removed with fabric shavers. However, it is difficult to remove pills from synthetic materials effectively.
You can use a piece of Velcro to eliminate pilling. Place the Velcro hook side down on the section of the clothing that is harmed. Pull up gently and continue until the pilling disappears. Please avoid using this approach on light-weight fabrics as it may cause damage to extremely delicate fibers.

Does pilling depend on fabric material?

Because it is affected by numerous technical factors that determine the quality of textiles, pilling is a complex process. Let’s look at a few of these factors below.

Fiber Type

The stronger the fiber, the more severe the pilling it will be. This is because, after pill formation, high-strength fibers remain intact with each other and increase fuzzing.

Fiber Length

Compared to longer strands, short fibers are more likely to pill. This results from long fiber’s higher friction resistance and decreased ability to pill.

Fabric Composition

Pilling will be more obvious in a fabric composed of a blend where one fiber is strong, and the other is weak. Its stronger fiber keeps the pills attached to the fabric while the weaker fiber breaks.

Yarn Type

Compared to a low-twisted yarn with highly twisted yarn, twisted yarns will show less pilling.

Cloth Structure

Because knitted materials have a flexible structure, they are easier to pill than woven fabrics and materials consisting of tightly twisted yarns with tightly compact fibers.

Finishing Type

The fabric finishing process significantly influences the level of pilling. After finishing, the fabric’s surface changes, which also affects pilling. For example, standard compact fabrics with a smooth surface can tolerate friction better and are more robust than those with a brushed or rough surface.