[A]FRACTIONAL COVER

[B] TOTAL COVER

[C] COVER AND COVER FACTOR (PIERCE)

[D] THE PEIRCE COVER FACTOR AND THE SI COVER FACTOR

[E] COMPARISON OF THE PEIRCE FRACTIONAL COVER AND THE PROPOSED FRACTIONAL COVER

[F] DETERMINATION OF FABRIC COVER

1. Fabric Cover
[A] Fractional Cover

In woven fabric, cover may be considered as the fraction of the total fabric area that is covered by the component yarn. An over simplification of the idea for woven fabric is shown below.

The Simplification of idea Yarn has circular cross section, diameter d Adjacent yarns are displaced by a distance s

Fractional fabric cover = d/s

or as a percentage 100 d / s

In ideal model, s will be equal to 1/n, where n is the number of thread per unit length. The fractional cover could be expressed in terms of d and n, i.e. fractional Cover = d n With a monofilament yarn, of circular cross section and known density, the diameter can be calculated. Let the monofilament be nylon of density 1.14g/cm3 and of 30tex.We then have: Mass of 105 cm (1km) of yarn 30g =volume x density

Hence:

30

[from which d2= 30X 4/ x1/105 x 1/1.14]

= 0.0183 cm.

If there were 35 threads/cm, s would be 1/35, and d/s/ would therefore be 35 X 0.0183 = 0.64, or, as a percentage, 64 %. This may be generalized, as follows: diameter of monofilament yarn = 

= [3.57/103 X By now we know that fractional cover = d X n Hence fractional cover = [3.57/103 X Or as a percentage: Cover % = [0.357 X
     

With a woven fabric we study two values of fractional cover one for the warp and one for weft. So far we have discussed monofilament and circular cross section. What will happen in case of staple fibre and multi filament yarns, i.e. yarn that flatten in fabrics and assume non circular cross section? (One approach to the problem is to assume that the cross section is still circular but to derive a formula for the yarn diameter. In vol.II Chapter 6 p.333 we noted Grosbergs formula for yarn diameter :) Grosbergs formula for yarn diameter:  Fractional cover: If this way of describing fabric cover were accepted, the adjective fractional might be dropped and the value merely termed cover with the symbol C. Warp cover could be C1 and weft cover C2.   

And since = d x n, we could express fractional cover as:

Example 1 What is the fractional cover for the warp in a fabric with 35 epc, woven from 30 tex? The fibre density is 1.5 g/cm3. Ct = 4.44 30/1.5X 10-3 X 35 =4 .44 x 20x 10-3 x 35 =0.695

Another proposal by the Grosberg {P.Grosber.Text.Inst.Industr.1972,10,262} is that, instead of the factor 4.44, an alternative factor of 4 be used and the value obtained called the nominal cover: Nominal cover        

It is pointed out by the Grosberg that, since we are defining only a nominal cover and not the true cover, the use of the factor 4 should not be objectionable. (In the examples that are to be found later in this chapter, the author has opted for the formula including a factor of 4.44, but the principles are not affected). [B]Total Cover In spite of the difficulties of defining fabric cover, let us consider fig 2, which represents a simplified version of one unit cell of a plain weave. The unit cell is rectangle ABCD. The shaded area is the part of the total area covered by the both yarns, and, because of this, it would not be strictly accurate merely to add warp- and weft- cover values together and quote them as the total cover. The shaded areas are each d1 xd2 and the total area of the cell is s1xs2.

Fig.2 Unit Cell of a Plain Weave

By definition, fractional cover = d/s. Hence: d1 =C1 s1 d2 = C 2 s 2 So that d1 d2 = C1 C2s1 s2

Expressed as a fraction of the total area s1 s2 , the shaded area becomes d1d2 = (C1 C2 s1 s2)/s1s2 = C1 C2 The term C1 C2must be deducted from the sum of C1 and C2 .

Hence:

total fractional fabric cover = C1 + C2 - C1 C2

Example 2 A plain cotton fabric is woven to the following details: warp: 20tex, 28epc,weft:35tex, 25 ppc (density of cotton 1.52 g/Cm3) What is the total cover of the fabric? We calculate the warp and weft cover as follows: Warp Cover : C1 = 4.4420/1.52x10-3x28 = 0.451 Weft Cover C2 = 4.44 35/1.52 x 10-3 x25 =0.533 Hence the total cover is given by: C1 + C2 - C1 C2 = 0.451 +0.533 -0.451 x0.533 = 0.984-0.24 =0.744 Theoretically, about 74% of the total area of this cotton sheeting is therefore covered by yarn.

[C] Cover And Cover Factor (PIERCE)

In earlier studies of fabric geometry {F.T.J. Text Inst, 1937, 28, T45}, a formula for yarn diameter in inches war derived|: d (in) = 1/28N

Where N is the yarn count expressed in the English Cotton count system.

I f s is the thread spacing in inches then the fractional cover is ; d/s = 1/28 s N

Furthermore, since 1/s = n, the number of threads/in., d/s = n/ 28 N By multiplying by 28, the cover factor is produced: n/N, i.e., the threads per inch divided by the square root of the English cotton count.

[D]THE PEIRCE COVER FACTOR AND THE SI COVER FACTOR An equivalent parameter to the Peirce cover factor, but with metric units replacing imperial units and traditional cotton counts, was given in in The Textile Institute and Industry in 1973{ Text. Inst. Industr., 1973,11, 189. } In a list of recommended SI units, the units of cover factor for woven fabrics are given as (threads per centimetre) tex x 10-1 Thus a fabric with a warp of 20 tex and 28 ends/cm will, have a cover factor of: 28 x 20 x 10-1 = 125

The conversion factor to change the original Peirce cover factor to the SI version is 0.957, and the reciprocal of this factor, 1.045,

multiplied by the SI value produces the Peirce value. In the example above, the Peirce cover factor will therefore be: 125 x 1045 = 13.01, '

a value not appreciably different from the SI value. It is pointed out in The Textile Institute and Industry that the intention was to derive a conversion factor close to unity, which explains the inclusion of the factor of 10-1 .

[E] COMPARISON OF THE PEIRCE FRACTIONAL COVER AND THE PROPOSED FRACTIONAL COVER In the following treatment, a conversion system will be derived to enable the older version of cover factor to be converted to the new and vice versa. If we introduce a conversion factor F, we have: [n/28N ] x F= x 10-3 x n',

Where n = threads/in. N = cotton count, T=linear density (tex), p= fibre density (g/cm3), and n' = threads/cm.

This gives:  

This factor, when multiplied by the old fractional cover, gives the proposed fractional cover. To obtain the value of the fractional cover in the new system from the old cover factor, the required conversion factor must be: =0.0425/

EXAMPLE The warp cover factor, expressed in the old system, of a plain cotton fabric is quoted as 14. Estimate the fractional cover in the new system. (Fibre density of cotton= 1'52 g/cm3.) We have:

Fractional cover =

The fractional cover in the old system is 14/28, i.e., 05, since, if all threads just touch, the cover factor 28. Example The relation between the cover factor, K (on the old system), and the fractional cover, C (on the new system), is given by K x conversion factor = C,
.

Where the conversion factor =

Determine the conversion factors for cotton (density = 1.52 g/cm3), wool (density =131 g/cm3), nylon (density = 1.14 g/cm3), and Orlon acrylic fibre (density= 1.19 g/cm3) Also determine a general conversion relation for obtaining the cover factor, K, from the fractional cover, C. Demonstrate this relation for cotton, WOOl, nylon, and Orlon.

The required values of the conversion factor may be calculated as:

The formula relating K and C maybe rearranged as follows:

The required conversion factors are therefore the reciprocals of the results

obtained in the first part of the answer, i.e.: cotton: 29.0; wool: 26.9; nylon: 25.1 Orlon: 2.'7.

It should be noted that these conversion factors cannot be used to convert values of total fractional cover. The values of the individual terms in the expression (Cl + C2- Cl C2) must be calculated. In the old system, the total cloth cover, Kc, is given by:

Kc = K1 K2 - K1 K2 / 28
Where K1 and K2. are the warp and weft cover factors, respectively. If a cotton fabric has C1= 0.426 and C2= 0475, estimate the total cloth cover, Kc We have:

K 1 = 29 x 0426= 1135
and:

K2 .= 29 x 0.475= 13.78,
Kc=1l.35+13.78 =25.13- 5.58 = 19.55

[F]Determination of fabric cover:

This may be said that fabric cover based on so many assumptions may have serious disadvantage (not accurate enough) so measurement of the yarn dimensions has been thought

of , Elmasri suggests the yarn width in the fabric should be measured by means of a projection microscope fitted with graduated and calibrated screen. (It was the time when technology was not much developed). The measured warp width is given by the symbol de and the spacing of the yarn threads can be denoted by the 1/e, the reciprocal of the number of ends/cm .Thus de takes place of d in the expression d/s, and 1/ e takes place of s. The fractional cover becomes: Ke = de / 1/ e =e de And as a percentage: Ke = 100 e de Similarly for the weft: K p = dp /1/p Where p is the picks / cm And: Kp % = pdp X100 The total fractional cover, with allowance made for the crossing of threads , is given by : K = Ke + Kp- Ke Kp

and as a % ;

K % = (Ke + Kp- Ke Kp) X 100

The advantage of these formulae is: (i) (ii)

(iii)

they express fabric cover in clear and comprehensive terms; they are easy to calculate (no fibre densities , etc., are involved); and they can discriminate between fabrics of identical sett made from yarn of the same count (linear density) but of different diameter.