Apparatus for the digitization of wear-related surface unevenness of fabrics

During use, fabric surfaces are subject to wear, often leading to unwanted surface occurrences such as pilling and/or fuzzing. The fabrics propensity for these occurrences is determined using the standardized visual method HRN EN ISO 12945-4:2020, which does not allow their separate analysis. Instrumental methods are also used; their implementation is acceptable but still not standardized. The assessment of pilling and fuzzing by instrumental methods is based on computer analysis of digital images of surfaces previously exposed to laboratory-simulated wear. However, image quality depends heavily on the capture conditions. Therefore, an innovative apparatus for the digitization of surface unevenness was designed and constructed. Within a closed housing, this device enables image capture under standard-defined conditions (illumination, viewing distance, and viewing angle). The primary advantage of this apparatus is its capability to capture images of the fabric surface from both vertical and lateral positions, enabling separate visualization and independent analysis of pilling and fuzzing.