Parameters affecting the low-force frictional characteristics of fabrics in automated handling systems

Much research has been carried out on the automation of garment assembly but, in practice, many of the techniques suffer from unreliability. In order to investigate why this is so, it is necessary to determine the critical mechanical properties on the fabrics under the conditions that will be found in the handling equipment. This paper concentrates on the frictional properties of fabrics against engineering materials with particular emphasis on these properties under zero applied normal loads, i.e., self-weight. Several tests are described and the main results given. These highlight the importance of humidity and the strong influence of the fabric structure and the supporting surface on the frictional characteristics. It is concluded that either the assembly must be carried out using well defined fabrics and a degree of climate control or that these effects must be carefully considered in the design of handling systems.