Abstract |
Surveys were conducted to develop criteria for heat resistant fabrics for use in industrial safety clothing. Requirements for heat resistant fabrics in industrial safety clothing were identified. Sample fabrics were obtained and identified, classified, labeled, and tested for thermal responses. The ability of fabrics to resist heat transfer and thermal disintegration on impact with molten iron (7439896) was assessed. Flammability, thermal shrinkage, and heat degradation were measured. Fire athermancy and textile properties were evaluated. Durability was measured by tests of tensile strength, tearing resistance, resistance to flexing and abrasion, thermal transmittance and insulative values, air permeability, fabric stiffness, and drapability. Performance criteria for heat resistant fabrics were defined. The author concludes that a systematic methodology is being developed for predicting from laboratory measurements the workplace performance of asbestos (1332214) substitutes. The methodology will be used to compare the fabrics tested by this research in various categories of performance, with the use of a computer for data analysis, information organization, graph generation, and statistical analysis. |