ISO 9073-9-2008 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 9073-9:2008 — Textiles — Test methods for nonwovens — Part 9: Determination of drapability including drape coefficient. This international standard specifies procedures to measure the drapability of fabrics (nonwovens, wovens and knitted fabrics) and to calculate a drape coefficient that quantifies how a circular specimen forms folds when suspended over a support.

Abstract

ISO 9073-9:2008 defines a laboratory test for evaluating fabric drapability by recording the projected shadow (or projection area) of a circular specimen draped over a support disk and converting that measurement into a drape coefficient (%). The standard describes required apparatus (drape meter or equivalent), specimen preparation and conditioning, two common evaluation approaches (manual paper-ring/shadow-trace and image-analysis), calculation of the drape coefficient and presentation of results and supplementary shape parameters for comparative assessment of material handle.

General information

• Status: Published (confirmed international standard)
• Publication date: April 2008 (Second edition, 2008)
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• ICS / categories: 59.080.30 (Textile fabrics, nonwovens testing)
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2008)
• Number of pages: 12

Scope

This part of ISO 9073 specifies a laboratory method to determine the drapability of fabric specimens and to calculate a drape coefficient for comparative purposes. It is applicable to nonwovens and may also be used for woven and knitted fabrics when a comparable measure of drape is required. The method is intended for quality control, product development and research — it provides comparative, reproducible results under defined conditioning and test conditions rather than a direct simulation of garment or end-use behavior.

Key topics and requirements

• Principle: suspend a circular specimen centrally over a supporting disk, capture the projected shadow or outline of the draped specimen and relate the projected area to the undraped specimen area to obtain the drape coefficient.
• Drape coefficient (basic calculation): expresses projection as a percentage of the flat specimen area (commonly formulated from measured areas or equivalent paper-ring mass differences).
• Two common evaluation methods: Method A — manual shadow tracing onto translucent rings and cut-and-weigh (paper-ring) technique; Method B — photographic/image analysis to calculate projected area and extract shape parameters (wave count, amplitudes, wavelengths, etc.).
• Apparatus: drape meter or equivalent rig (support disk(s), point light source or imaging arrangement), specimen cutting templates, optional camera and image-processing system for automatic evaluation.
• Specimen preparation and conditioning: specimens cut to the prescribed circular size(s), conditioned in a standard atmosphere for textiles prior to testing (standard conditioning referenced in textile test standards).
• Specimen size guidance: the standard gives procedures for testing at typical specimen diameters (a central diameter commonly used for comparative testing) and notes alternative diameters for very limp or very stiff materials; laboratories should follow the standard’s selection rules and report the specimen size used.
• Reporting: report drape coefficient (percentage), method used (A or B), specimen diameter, conditioning details, number of replicates, and any derived shape or Fourier parameters when image analysis is used.
• Reference practices: the procedure requires adherence to specified laboratory atmosphere and sampling/conditioning practices to ensure comparability of results.

Typical use and users

ISO 9073-9:2008 is used by textile testing laboratories, nonwoven and textile manufacturers, product development teams, quality control departments, academic researchers and standards bodies. Typical applications include material selection, comparative evaluation of fabric handle, R&D investigations into fabric structure–drape relationships, and acceptance testing where drape is a relevant product attribute.

Related standards

This part belongs to the ISO 9073 series (Textiles — Test methods for nonwovens), which contains multiple parts addressing mass per unit area, thickness, tensile strength, tear resistance, absorption, bending length, fluid strike-through and other performance tests. ISO 9073-9 is commonly used together with general conditioning and testing standards (for example standards that define standard atmosphere/conditioning for textiles) and with other ISO 9073 parts when a comprehensive nonwoven characterization is required.

Keywords

drape; drapability; drape coefficient; nonwovens; textile testing; drape meter; projection area; sample conditioning; image analysis; Cusick drape (method concepts)

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 9073-9:2008 is an international test method specifying how to measure fabric drapability and calculate a drape coefficient for nonwovens and other fabrics.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the principle, apparatus, specimen preparation and conditioning, two common measurement approaches (manual shadow paper-ring and image-analysis), calculation of the drape coefficient and reporting of results and supplementary shape parameters.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Textile testing laboratories, nonwoven and fabric manufacturers, quality-control and R&D teams, and academic researchers studying fabric handle and drape characteristics.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 9073-9:2008 is the second edition (2008) that revised the 1995 edition. It is published and was confirmed at periodic review; users should check their national/industry publication lists for any later amendments or newer editions before purchase, but the 2008 second edition is the recognized current edition of the part.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is Part 9 of the multi-part ISO 9073 series (Textiles — Test methods for nonwovens), which includes Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 17 and others addressing different physical and performance tests.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Drape, drape coefficient, drapability, nonwovens, textile testing, drape meter, projection area, image analysis, specimen conditioning.