ASTM D418

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. Designation: D 418 – 93

Standard Test Methods for

Testing Pile Yarn Floor Covering Construction 1 This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 418; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of  original origin al adoption or, in the case of revis revision, ion, the year of last revision. revision. A number in paren parenthese thesess indicates the year of last reappr reapproval. oval. A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval. This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

´1 NOTE—This standard was corrected editorially in June 1993. The 1992 edition was incorrect. The current test methods contained in the document will eventually be balloted as individual standards.

1. Sco Scope pe

2. Referenc Referenced ed Documents TM Standards: 2.1 AS TM D 123   Terminology Relating to Textiles3 D  861   Practi Practice ce for Use of the Tex System System to Des Design ignate ate Linear   Density of Fibers, Yarn Intermediates, Linear Intermediates, and Yarns3 D 1193   Specification for Reagent Water4 D  1909  Table of Commercial Moisture Regains for Textile Fibers3 E  122 Recomm Recommended ended Practice Practice for Choice of Sample Size to Estimate Estim ate the Average Quality of a  Lot or Process 5 E 380  Standard for Metric Practice 6

1.1 The These se tes testt met method hodss cov cover er the con constr struct uction ion tes testing ting of  machi mac hine ne-m -mad adee wo wove ven, n, kn knitt itted ed,, an and d tu tuft fted ed pi pile le ya yarn rn flo floor or covering both before and after an adhesive back coating, which bonds the pile yarn to the backing fabric, has been applied. 1.2 This standard standard includes the following test methods: Component Masses2 per Unit Area Number of Binding Sites per Unit Length or Width of Floor Covering Number of Binding Sites per Unit Length or Width of Pile Floor Covering Pile Thickness—Level Pile Pile Thickness—Multilevel Pile Pile Yarn Length per Unit Length of Floor Covering Pile Yarn Length per Unit Length of Floor Covering Pile Yarn Mass per Unit Area Total Mass per Unit Area Tuft and Yarn Length of Uncoated Floor Covering Tuft Length Tuft Length Tuft Length for Level Loop Pile Floor Covering Tuft Height

Section 8 16 21 10 11 14 20 9 7 18 12 19 15 13

3. Terminology 3.1   Definitions: coating g, n—in tex textile tiless, an adh 3.1.1   back coatin adhesiv esive-ty e-type pe sub sub-stance applied to the back of a fabric for such purposes as lock lo ckin ing g pi pile le ya yarn rn tu tuft ftss in into to a car carpe pett ba back ckin ing, g, bo bond ndin ing g a secondary backing to a primary backing, or increasing fabric body or stiffness. 3.1.2   backing,  n — for pile yarn floor covering , all materials in a pile yarn floor covering other than pile yarn. 3.1.3   backing fabric ,  n —in textiles, (1) a fabric into which a pile yarn is inserted, or ( 2) a reinforcing layer adhered to the reverse side of a fabric. 3.1.3.1   Discussion—In woven and knitted pile yarn floor coverings the backing fabric is created at the same time the pile yarn is bound to the backing fabric but in tufted pile yarn floor coverings the backing fabric is made prior to the operation in which the pile yarn is fastened to the backing fabric. 3.1.4   backing, primary ,  n — for tufted pile yarn floor covering, the fabric through which the pile yarn is carried by needles to form tufts: the backing fabric. 3.1.5   backing, secondary ,  n — for pile yarn floor covering , a material adhered to the backing fabric side of a pile yarn floor covering.

1.2.1 Specimen preparation procedures procedures common to Sections 7-11   are pre presen sented ted in   Annex Annex A1 A1,,   Preparing Preparing Specim Specimens ens of  Measured Measur ed Area. Area. Annex  Annex A2 and Annex A3   give examples of  typical calculations for Sections 9-11 Sections  9-11.. 1.3 The values stated in inch-poun inch-pound d units are to be regar regarded ded as the standard standard for all measuremen measurements ts exc except ept mass. The SI (metric)) value (metric valuess for all measur measurements ements except mass are provi provided ded for information purposes only. 1.4   This standard may involve the use of hazardous materials, operations and equipment. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety practices and to det determ ermine ine the app applica licabil bility ity of re regul gulato atory ry lim limita itation tionss  prior to use.

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These methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-13 Committee D-13 on  on Textiles and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D13.21 Subcommittee  D13.21 on  on Pile Floor Coverings. Current Curre nt editio edition n approv approved ed May 12, 1993. Published Published August 1993. Origin Originally ally published as D 418 – 82. Last previous edition D 418 – 92. 2 The technically correct term “mass” is used throughout this standard in place of  “weight,” the term in common usage. The buoyancy effect of the displaced air is considered negligible for the test methods in this standard, so that apparent mass and mass are the same within the limits of precision and accuracy achieved (see section 3.4.1of 3.4.1 of E 380E 380E 380). 380).

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 Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 07.01.  Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.01. 5  Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02. 6 Excerpts appear in  Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 07.01. 4

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 3.1.5.1   Discussion—The secondary backing may be a textile ti le la laye yerr, a so soli lid d pl plas asti ticc la laye yerr, a ru rubb bber er sp spon onge ge,, or an elastomeric foam. 3.1.6   binding site, n. — for pile yarn floor covering , a place at which the pile yarn is, or can be, bound to the backing fabric. See Fig. See  Fig. 1. 1. 3.1.6.1   Discussion—In any mac machin hine-m e-made ade pil pilee yar yarn n floo floorr covering the binding sites occur in an orderly and repetitive array at uniform intervals in both the lengthwise and widthwise directions of the floor covering. The nature of the binding site differs among woven, knitted, and tufted floor coverings. For example, the binding site of a woven floor covering consists of  one or more filling shots under which the face yarn passes, while the binding site of a tufted floor covering consists of the section of backing fabric between two adjacent needle holes in the length lengthwise wise directi direction. on. 3.1.6.2 3.1.6 .2 The number of pile yarn yarn strands that can be fastened fastened at one binding site can vary from none to several, according to design. 3.1.7   carpet ,  n —all textile floor coverings not designated as rugs. 3.1.8   components , n— for pile yarn floor covering , the individual yarn or fabric elements into which a pile yarn floor covering can be dissected. 3.1.8.1   Discussion—Th —Thee maj major or com compon ponent entss of unc uncoate oated d pile pi le ya yarn rn flo floor or co cove veri ring ng ar aree th thee pi pile le ya yarn rn an and d th thee ba back ckin ing g fabric. For woven and knitted floor covering, the backing fabric may be further dissected into component yarns. dents per unit wid width th, n— for woven pile yarn floor  3.1.9   dents covering, the number of binding sites per unit width; dents being the reed spaces through which the warp yarns pass in the loom or the metal strips in the reed which form these spaces. 3.1.10   direction, lengthwise, n—in textiles, the direction in a machine-made fabric parallel to the direction of movement thee fa th fabr bric ic fo follo llowe wed d in th thee ma manu nufa factu cturi ring ng ma mach chin ine. e. (Syn. machinee dir machin direction ection and wrapwi wrapwise se.) 3.1.11   direction, widthwise,  n —in textiles, the direction in a machine-made fabric perpendicular to the direction of movement the fabric followed in the manufacturing machine. (Syn. cross machine direction, weftwise, and fillingwise .) floor cov coveri ering, ng, n.—an ess 3.1.12   floor essent entiall ially y pla planar nar mate material rial,, having a relatively small thickness in comparison to its length

or wi widt dth, h, wh which ich is la laid id on a flo floor or to en enha hanc ncee th thee be beau auty ty,, comfort, and utility of the floor. 3.1.12.1   Discussion—It is customary to distinguish between hard ha rd or re resil silien ientt flo floor or co cove veri ring ngss an and d so soft ft or tex textil tilee flo floor or coverings. Textile floor coverings are further subdivided into pile floor coverings and nonpile floor coverings such as braided rugs or flat, nonwoven barb needlepunched felt. There are two types of pile floor coverings: pile yarn and pile fiber. Typical examples of pile fiber floor coverings are flocked floor covering and fork needlepunched nonwoven floor covering. 3.1.12.2 Textile floor coverings are also classified as carpets or  rugs. floor cov coveri ering, ng, pile yar yarn, n, n.—a text 3.1.13   floor textile ile pro produc ductt in which yarn or yarn segments are attached intermittently to a backing fabric so as to project above the backing fabric to form a pi pile le;; th thee ya yarn rn en enter terin ing g th thee ba back ckin ing g fa fabr bric ic su subs bstan tantia tially lly perpendicular to the plane of the backing fabric. 3.1.13 3.1 .13.1 .1 Pile yar yarn n floo floorr cov coveri ering ng is dis distin tingui guishe shed d fro from m flannel, fork needlepunched, and flocked products in that the latter have a nap or pile formed of individual fibers rather than of yarn. 3.1.13.2 3.1.1 3.2 Pile yarn upho upholstery lstery fabrics are sometimes distinguishable from pile yarn floor covering only in that they having backings that are not as stiff as for pile yarn floor covering. tufte fted d pi pile le ya yarn rn flo floor or co cove verin ring g , th 3.1.14   gage, n—of tu thee average distance between adjacent binding sites in the widthwise direction. 3.1.15   gage,  n —of a tufting machine , the average centerline distance between the needles. 3.1.16   needles per unit width, n— for tufted pile yarn floor  covering, the number of binding sites per unit of floor covering width; needles being the means of inserting the pile yarn into the backing fabric. 3.1.17   pile, n— for pile yarn floor covering , th thee te text xtur uree surface composed of many tuft legs bound to a backing fabric in an orderly and repetitive array. 3.1.17.1   Discussion—A particular floor covering may be all cut pile, or all loop pile and in either case the pile may be of  essent ess entiall ially y one pil pilee lev level el or mul multile tilevel vel.. A par particu ticular lar floo floorr covering may also contain both cut pile areas and loop pile areas which may be of the same pile level or different pile levels. Areas of intermingled cut and loop pile or intermingled high- and low-level pile may also occur. pile, cut , n— for pile yarn floor covering , pile in 3.1.18   pile, which the legs of any one tuft element are not connected to the legs of any other tuft element. 3.1.19   pile, level, n— for pile yarn floor covering , pile in which all tuft legs are of substantially the same length. 3.1.20   pile, loop, n— for pile yarn floor covering , pile in which,, for each loop, a tuft leg of one tuft element is conne which connected cted to a tuft leg of another tuft element at another binding site so as to for form m a loo loop p whi which ch pro project jectss abo above ve the backing backing fab fabric ric between the binding sites of the connected tuft elements. 3.1.21  pile, multilevel,  n — for pile yarn floor covering , pile in which some tuft legs are substantially longer than others. pile yar yarn, n, bur buried  ied , n— for coated pile yarn floor  3.1.22   pile covering, that portion of the pile tuft elements which remains after the tuft legs have been removed by shearing.

ad = cutpile tuft element gj = loop pile tuft element ab, cd, ef, gh, ij, jk = tuft legs cd, ef = cut pike tuft leg pair ij, jk = loop pile tuft leg pair, a loop B = one binding site

FIG. 1 Cross Section of Tufted Pile Yarn Floor Covering

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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 3.1.22.1   Discussion—The buried pile yarn is composed of  the pile yarn in the backing and a short stubble of yarn projecting above the backing. 3.1.23   pitch, n— for woven pile yarn floor covering , the number of binding sites in 27 in. (686 mm) of width. 3.1.24 rug,  n —a textile floor covering of limited area which is complete in itself and is intended for use as a partial covering of a floor or another floor covering. 3.1.25   tuft , n—in pile fabrics, those cut or uncut loops which are attached to the backing fabric at one binding site and which form part of the fabric face. 3.1.25.1   Discussion—A tuft may consist of one or more tuft elements. 3.1.26   tuft element, n.— for pile yarn floor covering , a segment of yarn bound to a backing fabric at a binding site so that two portions (legs) of the yarn project above the backing fabric, one portion on each side of the binding site. See  Fig. 1. 3.1.26.1   Discussion—In loop pile floor covering, the tuft element extends from the midpoint of the loop on one side of  the binding site to the midpoint of the loop on the other side of  the binding site. 3.1.26.2 In most pile yarn floor coverings both legs of the tuft element are immediately adjacent to the same binding site. In some pile yarn floor coverings the yarn segment extends from one leg past a number of binding sites before the second leg of the tuft element projects above the backing fabric. 3.1.27   tuft height , n— for pile yarn floor covering , the length of a tuft leg. 3.1.28   tuft leg, n— for pile yarn floor covering , one of the two portions of a tuft element that project above the backing fabric on the pile side of the floor covering. See  Fig. 1. 3.1.29   tuft length, n— for pile yarn floor covering , the length of a tuft element measured while extended in a straight line under zero tension. 3.1.30   wires per unit length , n— for woven pile yarn floor  covering, the number of binding sites per unit of floor covering length; wires in the widthwise direction being the usual means of forming the pile. 3.1.31 For the definition of other textile terms used in these methods, refer to Terminology D 123D 123.

5. Sampling Units and Test Specimens 5.1   Sampling Units : 5.1.1   Uncoated Floor Covering —The basic sampling unit of uncoated floor covering is a production roll. 5.1.2   Coated Floor Covering —The basic sampling unit of  coated floor covering is a shipping roll. The number of  shipping rolls obtained from each production roll ranges from one to over ten. 5.2   Lot Sample —Take a lot sample as directed in Recommended Practice E 122E 122 when statistical knowledge of the product variability and test method precision is available, and a decision has been made on the maximum deviation that can be tolerated between the estimate to be made from the sample and the result that would be obtained by measuring every sampling unit of the lot. Otherwise the number of sampling units in a lot sample and the use of the test results obtained from the individual test samples shall be in accordance with the manufacturer’s quality control program or with the specification agreed upon between the purchaser and the supplier. 5.3 A test sample shall consist of a full width section of floor covering cut from one end of each roll in the lot sample and shall be at least 100 mm (4 in.) longer than the specimens required for the tests being conducted. Do not cut a test sample of coated floor covering from a seam end of a production roll. 5.4 A test specimen is a designated area of a test sample that may be marked on or cut from the test sample as directed in a test method. For test samples 305 cm (120 in.) wide or wider, three test specimens are required for a test method, one at each edge no nearer to the edge than 5 % of the total floor covering width and one in the middle portion of the test sample. For test samples at least 152 cm (60 in.) wide but less than 305 cm, two test specimens are required for a test method, one at each edge no nearer to the edge than 5 % of the total floor covering width. For test samples less than 152 cm wide, only one specimen, in the middle of the width, is required for a test method. 5.5 Where it is known that systematic variations in a floor covering characteristic may occur in bands 46 cm (18 in.) or more in width, as with a modular pattern device having separate controls or adjustments for each module, take test specimens from the middle of each band. 5.6 When a full width test sample is not available, take specimens as directed in 5.4  and state in the report the width available and the number of test specimens taken. 5.7 A test result is the average of the measurements made on a set of test specimens as described in 5.4, 5.5, or 5.6. In these methods, directions are given only for obtaining a test result from one test sample. The value representative of the lot being sampled will be the average of the test results for all the test samples in the lot sample.

4. Significance and Use 4.1 The characteristics that can be determined by these test methods are useful in quality and cost control during the manufacture of pile yarn floor covering. Both appearance and performance can be affected by changes in these characteristics. 4.2 Although these test methods are useful for acceptance testing of commercial shipments as the best available methods, between-laboratory precision has not yet been determined. If  there is a disagreement arising from differences in values reported by the purchaser and the supplier when using the methods of this standard for acceptance testing, the statistical bias, if any, between the laboratory of the purchaser and the laboratory of the supplier should be determined with each comparison of test results being based on adjacent test samples cut from one shipping roll of the floor covering.

6. Conditioning 6.1 When required, condition the test specimens or the test sample in the standard atmosphere for testing textiles (21 6 1°C (70  6  2°F) at 65  6  2 % relative humidity) for 12 h or until the mass changes no more than 0.1 % in 2 h. 7. Total Mass per Unit Area 7.1   Scope—This method applies to both uncoated and coated floor covering. 3

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 TABLE 1 Conversion Factors for Mass per Unit Area

7.2   Summary of Method —The total mass per unit area is determined by weighing test specimens of the measured area. Test specimens are cut from a conditioned test sample and then measured, or are cut from an unconditioned test sample and then conditioned before measuring, so that the area of each test specimen is measured after conditioning. Each conditioned test specimen is weighed and the mass per unit area is calculated as the ratio of the test specimen mass to the test specimen area. 7.3   Apparatus: 7.3.1   Balance, having a capacity and sensitivity to weigh to the nearest 0.1 % of the test specimen mass or to the nearest 0.01 g, whichever is larger.

From oz/in.2 oz/mm2 g/in.2 g/mm2

g/m2 43 940 28.350 3 10 6 1550.0 106

oz/yd2 1296.0 836 100 45.72 29 490

NOTE  2—When the template or clicking die procedure of  Annex A1 is used, a standard area value of  B  3  L  may be used in place of values of  B and L  determined by direct measurement of the specimens. Round this standard area value to the nearest 65 mm2 (0.1 in.2).

7.7.2 Calculate the average total mass per unit area for all test specimens of the test sample to the nearest 3 g/m2 (0.1 oz/yd2). 7.8   Report : 7.8.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Method D 418 for determining total mass per unit area. Describe the material or product sampled and the method of  sampling used. 7.8.2 Report the average total mass per unit area. 7.9   Precision and Accuracy : 7.9.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining total mass per unit area is being established. 7.9.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining total mass per unit area has no known bias and may be used as a referee method.

NOTE  1—Weighing to the nearest 0.1 % means weighing to the nearest 0.01 g for test specimens weighing 10 to 100 g, to the nearest 0.1 g for 100 to 1000 g, and to the nearest 1 g for more than 1000 g. A100-g, 254 by 254-mm (10.0 by 10.0-in.) test specimen has a mass per unit area of 1550 g/m2 (457 oz/yd2) while a 1000-g, 457 by 457-mm (18.0 by 18.0-in.) test specimen has a mass per unit area of 4784 g/m 2 (141.1 oz/yd2).

7.3.2  Means for Cutting and Measuring Test Specimens , as directed for the procedure selected in Annex A1. 7.4   Conditioning—Condition the test specimens as directed in Section 6   before measuring and weighing. For  Annex A1 Procedures No. 2 and No. 3, condition the test sample before cutting the test specimens. 7.5   Sample and Test Specimens : 7.5.1 Take the test sample and the test specimens as directed in Section 5. 7.5.2 For level pile floor covering, the test specimens shall be at least 254 by 254 mm (10.0 by 10.0 in.). 7.5.3 For multilevel pile floor covering the test specimens shall comprise a full pattern repeat or a whole number multiple of a full pattern repeat in each direction, but no less than as directed in 7.5.2. If the pattern repeat is not known and cannot be determined readily, use 457 by 457 mm (18.0 by 18.0 in.) for the test specimen dimensions. 7.6   Procedure: 7.6.1  Preparation of Specimens —Follow the selected procedure of   Annex A1. 7.6.2  Test Specimen Mass —Weigh each test specimen to the nearest 0.1 % (or less) of the test specimen mass,  M  (see Note 1). 7.7   Calculation: 7.7.1   Test Specimen Total Mass per Unit Area —Calculate the total mass per unit area for each test specimen to the nearest 0.3 g/m2 (0.01 oz/yd2) using Eq 1. W  5  M  3  K  / ~ B  3  L !

To

8. Component Masses per Unit Area 8.1   Scope—This test method applies only to uncoated floor covering. 8.2   Summary of Test Method —The test specimens used for determining the total mass per unit area as directed in Section 7 are dissected into the component parts of the floor covering, separating the pile yarn from the backing fabric and, if  required, separating the yarns composing the backing fabric one from the other. Each component is weighed separately and the component mass per unit area calculated for each component as the ratio of the component mass to the test specimen area. 8.3   Apparatus—Balance, having a capacity and sensitivity to weigh each component to the nearest 0.1 % of the component mass or to the nearest 0.01 g, whichever is the larger. See Note 1. 8.4   Conditioning—Condition the test specimens as directed in Section 6 before measuring. 8.5   Test Specimens—Use the test specimens prepared for determining total mass per unit area as directed in Section 7 or prepare test specimens as directed in  7.5 and 7.6. 8.6   Procedure: 8.6.1 Manually separate the pile yarn from the backing fabric in each test specimen. 8.6.2 In the case of woven and knitted floor covering also separate the backing yarns, if required. 8.6.3 Weigh each component to the nearest 0.1 % of the component mass,  M . See Note 1. 8.7   Calculation:

(1)

where: W  = total mass per unit area of the test specimen, g/m2 (oz/yd2),  M  = mass of the test specimen, g (oz), K  = appropriate conversion factor in Table 1,  B = average width of the test specimen to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.), and  L = average length of the test specimen to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.).

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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 9.3.1   Balance, having a capacity and sensitivity such that weighings can be made to the nearest 0.1 % of the mass being weighed or to the nearest 0.01 g, whichever is the larger. See Note 1. 9.3.2   Shear or Clipper , capable of shearing close enough to the backing so as to leave a stubble of approximately 1.3 mm (0.05 in.).7 9.3.3  Means for Cutting and Measuring Test Specimens , as directed for the procedure selected in Annex A1. 9.3.4   Means for Abrading Buried Pile Yarn in Solvent —  Manual Method: 9.3.4.1   16-Mesh Screen, with rim, approximately 200 mm (8 in.) in diameter.8 9.3.4.2   Shallow Pan, large enough to hold 16-mesh screen. 9.3.4.3   Presser , having a flat, firm surface approximately 38 mm (1.5 in.) wide. 9.3.5   Means for Abrading Buried Pile Yarn in Solvent—   Mechanical Method : 9.3.5.1   Container , polyethylene, approximately 150 mm (6 in.) square at top and 130 mm (5 in.) square at bottom and 180 mm (7 in.) deep. 9.3.5.2   Wire Mesh Screen Basket , 16-mesh, approximately 114 mm (4.5 in.) square at top and 100 mm (4 in.) square at bottom and 130 mm (5 in.) deep. 9.3.5.3   Spacer , polyethylene ring, approximately 130-mm (5-in.) outside diameter and 50 mm (2 in.) high to fit the bottom of the polyethylene container and support the screen basket. 9.3.5.4  Laboratory Stirrer. 9 9.3.5.5  Shallow Tray , of glass or plastic, resistant to solvent. 9.3.6   Spatula. 9.3.7   Tweezers. 9.3.8   Laboratory Oven, set at 105°C (221°F). 9.3.9   Tea Strainer , or similar sieve. 9.3.10   Wire Mesh Screen, 100-mesh, approximately 100 by 100 mm (4 by 4 in.). 9.3.11   Gloves, chemical-resistant. 9.3.12   Brush, steel. 9.3.13   Steam Table. 9.4   Reagents—All technical grade unless otherwise specified. 9.4.1   Acetone. 9.4.2   Ammonium Thiocyanate , 70. 9.4.3 g- Butyrolactone. 9.4.4   Chloroform. 9.4.5   m-Cresol, clear. 9.4.6   Decalin. 9.4.7   Dimethylacetamide. 9.4.8   Dimethylformamide. 9.4.9   Formic Acid , 90 %. 9.4.10   Hexafluoroisopropanol . 9.4.11  Hydrochloric Acid , approximately 6  N . Carefully add 1 volume of concentrated hydrochloric acid (sp gr 1.19) to 1 volume of water.

8.7.1 For each component calculate the component mass per unit area for each test specimen to the nearest 0.3 g/m 2 (0.01 oz/yd2), using Eq 2. C  5  M  3  K  / ~ B  3  L !

(2)

where: C  = component mass per unit area for the test specimen, g/m2(oz/yd2),  M  = mass of the component removed from the test specimen, g (oz), K  = appropriate conversion factor in Table 1,  B = average width of the test specimen, mm (in.), and = average length of the test specimen, mm (in.).  L 8.7.2 Calculate the average component mass per unit area for each component to the nearest 3 g/m 2 (0.1 oz/yd2) from the values of  C  obtained as directed in for all test specimens in the test sample. 8.8   Report : 8.8.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining component masses per unit area. Describe the material or product sampled and the method of sampling used. 8.8.2 Report the average component mass per unit area for each component, using component names in common usage. 8.9   Precision and Bias : 8.9.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining component masses per unit area is being established. 8.9.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining component masses per unit area has no known bias and may be used as a referee method. 9. Pile Yarn Mass per Unit Area 9.1   Scope —This test method applies only to coated pile yarn floor coverings. 9.2  Summary of Test Method —One or two strip specimens are taken as directed in 9.7.2 from each test specimen such that the combined mass per unit area of the strip specimen(s) is within 1 % of the mass per unit area of the test specimen. The total mass of the selected strip specimens taken from all test specimens of the test sample is designated  M . Most of the pile is shear from the strip specimens and discarded, leaving stubble specimens whose total mass is designated  S . The buried pile yarn in the stubble specimens along with adhering coating material is manually removed from the backing fabric with the assistance of a solvent that dissolves or softens the coating material. Most of the adhering coating material is removed from the fiber of this buried pile yarn by further soaking in solvent and by abrasion. The total mass of this partially cleaned fiber from all the strip specimens is designated  C . The amount of residual coating material on this fiber is determined by dissolving the partially cleaned pile fibers, leaving a residue of  coating material. The mass of the residue is designated  R . The mass of the pile yarn in the strip specimens equals the mass sheared from the strip specimens, ( M − S ), plus the mass of the pile yarn buried in the backing, (C − R ). 9.3   Apparatus:

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Sunbeam Model 510 Clipmaster with EA-1 SUR bottom blade, or equivalent. Standard sieve screen, Tyler Screen Scale: 16 mesh, U.S. Standard Sieve Series: 1 mm. 9 Lightning Mixer Model F, RPM 0-1550, or equivalent, available from Mixing Equipment Co., Rochester, NY. 8

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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 9.4.12   Methyl Chloroform, aerosol grade. 9.4.13   Methylene Chloride. 9.4.14   Phenol, 88 %. 9.4.15   Sodium Hydroxide , 5  6  0.5. Dissolve the equivalent of 5.0 g of reagent grade NaOH in water and dilute to 100 mL. 9.4.16   Tetrachloroethane. 9.4.17   Tetrahydrofuran . 9.4.18   Water , Type IV grade of reagent water conforming to Specification D 1193D 1193. 9.4.19   Xylene, boiling point between 135 and 140°C (275 and 284°F). 9.5   Safety Precautions: 9.5.1 The reagents cited in 9.4 can cause damage to health and property if not used with proper precautions. Some are flammable. Some are corrosive. Some are known or suspected to be toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, or otherwise harmful to people.  Table 2   lists the boiling point, flashpoint, and the 1981 ACGIH Threshold Limit Values for each reagent. The threshold limits are subject to change, and precautions should be adjusted accordingly. 9.5.2 Use hoods, gloves, and safety goggles according to the hazard presented by each reagent. 9.5.3  It is the responsibility of whoever uses this test method  to establish appropriate safety practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

9.6   Conditioning—Condition the test specimens and strip specimens as directed in Section 6 before measuring and before weighing. 9.7   Specimens: 9.7.1   Test Specimens: 9.7.1.1 The number and location of the test specimens shall be as directed in Section 5. NOTE   3—Before selecting test specimens, examine the back of the test sample for signs of variation in the amount of back coating. As far as possible, take test specimens at locations having neither high nor low amounts of back coating.

9.7.1.2 For level pile floor covering, the test specimens shall be at least 254 by 317 mm (10.0 by 12.5 in.). 9.7.1.3 For multilevel pile floor covering, the test specimens shall comprise a full pattern repeat or a whole number multiple of a full pattern repeat in each direction, but no less than as directed in   9.7.1.2.   If the pattern repeat is not known and cannot be determined readily, use test specimens at least 457 by 457 mm (18.0 by 18.0 in.) in size. 9.7.2   Strip Specimens : 9.7.2.1 Strip specimens shall be 254 mm (10.0 in.) in the lengthwise direction and 64 mm (2.5 in.) in the widthwise direction. 9.7.2.2 Take one strip specimen from each test specimen for routine quality control and acceptance testing.

TABLE 2 Reagent Hazard CharacteristicsA Reagent

Common Name

Formal NameB 

Characteristics NumberB 

Acetone g Butyrolactone Ammonium thiocyanate

2-propanone 2(3H)-furanone, dihydrothiocyanic acid, ammonium salt

67-64-1 96-48-0 1762-94-4

Chloroform m-Cresol Decalin Dimethylacetamide Dimethylformamide Formic acid Hexafluoroisopropanol Hydrochloric acid Methyl chloroform Methylene chloride Phenol Sodium hydroxide Tetrachloroethane Tetrahydrofuran Xylene

methane, trichlorophenol 3-methylnaphthalene, deca- hydroacetamide, N,N -dimethylformamide, N,N -dimethylformic acid 2-propanol,1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluorohydrochloric acid ethane,1,1,1-trichloromethane, dichlorophenol sodium hydroxide ethane,1,1,2,2-tetrachlorofuran, tetrahydrobenzene, dimethyl-

67-66-3 108-39-4 91-17-8 127-19-5 68-12-2 64-18-6 920-66-1 7647-01-0 71-55-6 75-09-2 108-95-2 1310-73-2 79-34-5 109-99-9 1330-20-7

 

Boiling Point,C  °C (°F) 56 (133) 204 (399) 170 (338) (decomposes) 61 (142) 202 (396) 192 (378) 166 (331) 153 (307) 108 (226) 58 (137) 109 (228) 74 (165) 40 (104) 182 (359) 102 (216) 146 (295) 66 (151) 139 (282)

Flash Point,C  °C (°F)

Exposure Limits,   TWAD  ppm

mg/m3

Dominant Hazard(s)E ,F ,G 

−17 (1.4) 1000 98 (209) ... ...(...) ...

2400 ... ...

e, f i d

...(...) 86 (187) 58 (136) 70 (158) 58 (136) 85 (185) ...(...) ...(...) ...(...) ...(...) 79 (174) ...(...) ...(...) −14 (6) 29 (84)

50 22 ... 35 30 9 ... 7 1900 360 19 2 35 590 435

a, c, h, t i, k, s i h, s, t g, i, s, t i, k c, vk, m, t i, k a, h a, h, z g, i, k, s i, k a, g, h, s c, e, f, m, t f

10 5 ... 10 10 5 ... 5 350 100 5 ... 5 200 100

A The information in this table is provided to alert users to the hazards accompanying the use of these reagents. Each user must make his own decisions regarding the kind and extent of risk involved and what protective measures to enforce. B  Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory, Initial Inventory (May 1979), Vol 1. C  Approximate values from various sources. D  ACGIH-TLVsT  Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances in Workroom Air adopted by ACGIH for 1981. TWA = time weighted average. E  This listing of dominant hazards is indicative, not exhaustive. Suspected as well as confirmed hazards are included in some cases. F  Legend: a = anesthetic, narcotic i = irritating c = carcinogenic k = corrosive d = forms cyanide fumes on decomposition or contact with acids m = mutagenic e = explosive s = skin penetrating f = flammable t = teratogenic, embryotoxic g = gastrointestinal v = very h = hepatoxic-liver z = carbon monoxide in blood G  Sources include: Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values, Fourth Edition 1980, ACGIH, Cincinnati, Ohio.

6

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 9.7.2.3 Take two strip specimens from each test specimen for referee testing, and for acceptance testing when the pile yarn mass per unit area is close to a minimum standard to be met or exceeded.

mass is between the upper and lower 1 % limiting values calculated in 9.8.2.2 for that test specimen. Cut additional strip specimens, if necessary. Record the total mass of all selected strip specimens from all test specimens as  M . 9.8.4   Stubble Specimens : 9.8.4.1 Shear the pile yarn on the selected strip specimens down to a stubble of approximately 1.3 mm (0.05 in.), removing and discarding all loose pile fiber.

NOTE  4—Two strip specimens may be taken from each test specimen either as a pair at the same time or as directed in 9.7.2.2 on two separate occasions. In the latter case, two sets of analyses are performed but the masses obtained from each set, at each stage of the analysis, are combined as though the two strip specimens had been taken as a pair.

NOTE   6—In shearing, avoid including in the pile fiber any removed back coating projections and fiber from fiber layers needle-punched into the backing fabric of tufted floor covering. Stop shearing before this occurs even if the pile stubble has not been reduced to 1.3 mm (0.05 in.). In subsequent steps, care must be exercised to keep the layer fiber separate from the pile fiber.

9.8   Procedure: 9.8.1  Preparation of Specimens —Follow the selected procedure in Annex A1. 9.8.1.1 Combination templates or clicking dies may be used to cut the strip specimens together with the test specimens. When a standard size test specimen template or clicking die is used on multilevel pile floor covering, the template or die may be designed to cut as many strip specimens from the test specimen as possible to provide extra strip specimens, if  needed. 9.8.1.2 For floor coverings having gages 8 mm ( 5 ⁄ 16  in.) or greater and essentially straight lengthwise lines of binding sites (less than one-half gage lateral deviation from a straight line), angle the 254-mm (10-in.) specimen dimension approximately 0.24 rad (14°) to the lengthwise direction of the floor covering. The diagonal of the 64 by 254-mm (2.5 by 10.0-in.) specimen has this angle to the 254-mm (10-in.) side.

9.8.4.2 Weigh all the stubble specimens from all test specimens together to the nearest 0.01 g and record as the stubble specimen mass, S . NOTE   7—When separate pile yarn mass per unit area estimates are required for individual test specimens, weigh the stubble specimen(s) from each test specimen separately and conduct the subsequent steps of  the procedure treating the stubble specimens from each test specimen separately. When individual stubble specimen weighings are required, as for the pile thickness determination on multilevel pile yarn floor covering, add the masses obtained for all stubble specimens together to obtain the value of  S .

9.8.5   Separation of Buried Pile Yarn from Backing —The objective of this operation is to separate the buried pile yarn of  each selected stubble specimen from the backing fabric(s) and some of the back coating materials. The steps to be followed will vary with the type of floor covering construction: tufted, woven, or knitted; the type of backing fabric: jute, woven polypropylene, with or without needlepunched fiber, and nonwoven polypropylene; and the type of back coating: latex, hot melt, polyurethane, poly(vinyl chloride), and rubber foam. Variations of composition within each type of coating will require variations in treatment, as well. Frequently used procedures are detailed in 9.8.5.1-9.8.5.8. 9.8.5.1 First remove most of any attached cushion manually by slicing with a knife and by abrasion with the steel brush, taking care not to remove pile fiber from the yarn in the backing. 9.8.5.2 Remove the backcoating material as directed in 9.8.5.3 for poly(vinyl chloride) coatings,  9.8.5.4   for hot melt coatings, and 9.8.5.5 for latex coatings. See 9.5 and Table 2 for safety precaution information. 9.8.5.3  Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Coatings —Remove poly(vinyl chloride) coatings by placing the stubble specimen in a beaker containing tetrahydrofuran at room temperature. Use a spatula to scrape off the softened PVC coating. Proceed to  9.8.5.8. 9.8.5.4   Hot Melt Coatings—Remove hot melt coatings with methyl chloroform; warm as necessary. If there is a secondary backing, proceed to 9.8.5.6, otherwise to 9.8.5.7 and 9.8.5.8. 9.8.5.5   Latex Coatings—Soften the latex in latex coated tufted floor covering by placing the stubble specimen in chloroform, methyl chloroform or methylene chloride for approximately 10 min at room temperature. Proceed to 9.8.5.69.8.5.8.

NOTE   5—With coarse gages and straight lengthwise lines of binding sites it is possible to lose a whole row of tufts by a small lateral shift in the location of the strip specimen location when the long dimension is parallel to the line of binding sites. Angling the strip specimen avoids this problem.

9.8.2  Equivalent Mass for s Strip Specimens : 9.8.2.1 Determine the total mass per unit area of each test specimen as directed in Section 7. Convert this to an equivalent mass for s  strip specimens in grams using Eq 3.  E i 5  AsW i / K 

(3)

where: = numerical designation of an individual test specimen i (1, 2, . . . n; where  n  = number of test specimens),  E i = equivalent mass of the s strip specimen(s) for the ith test specimen, g,  A = nominal area of one strip specimen, 16 000 mm2 (25 in.2), s = number of strip specimens taken from each test specimen, 1 or 2, W i = total mass per unit area of the ith test specimen, g/m2 (oz/yd2), and K  = appropriate conversion factor from Table 1, converting g/mm2 (g/in.2) to the units of Wi. 9.8.2.2 Calculate 1 % limiting values for acceptable masses for s  strip specimens using Eq 4 and 5. Upper Limit 5  1.01 E i

(4)

Lower Limit 5  0.99 E i

(5)

9.8.3   Strip Specimen Selection—Weigh the strip specimen(s) from each test specimen to the nearest 0.01 g. Select  s strip specimen(s) from each test specimen whose combined

NOTE   8—A woven polypropylene primary backing often can be

7

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 transfer the fiber to cleaner solvent with the tea strainer or sieve. Pour the spent solvent through the strainer to catch any fiber remaining and discard the accumulated coating particles, after inspecting to ensure no fiber adheres to them. Use  9.8.6.1 when   9.8.6.2 or   9.8.6.3  does not provide sufficient cleaning. With some coating formulations, rice-like particles will persist even after repeated abradings. When the quantity stabilizes, proceed to the next step. 9.8.6.5 Rinse fiber with solvent and allow most of the solvent to evaporate from the fiber in a hood either at room temperature or on a steam table.

stripped from the rest of the backing of a tufted floor covering with little or no solvent treatment.

9.8.5.6 Peel the secondary backing from the primary backing, repeating the solvent immersion, if necessary. 9.8.5.7 Scrape buried yarn, together with any coating material adhering to the yarn from the primary backing or the secondary backing, or both, with a spatula. Tweezers may be necessary in some instances. 9.8.5.8 Accumulate the separated buried pile yarn in a beaker and cover it with solvent. Combine the buried yarn from all of the selected stubble specimens for the remaining steps of  the procedure. 9.8.6   Cleaning of Buried Pile Yarn—Remove the back  coating material from the buried pile yarn by immersing the yarn in the solvent and abrading the yarn. Two methods are suggested. 9.8.6.1   Manual Method —After 10 to 60-min immersion in solvent, place the buried yarn on the flat 16-mesh screen in the flat tray and abrade the yarn by passing the rubbing with the presser so as to force separated coating particles to pass through the screen while retaining the opened buried yarn fibers on the screen surface. 9.8.6.2  Mechanical Method —Place the buried pile yarn in the 16-mesh screen basket and put the basket in the square polyethylene container filled with solvent. Subject the yarn to power stirring for approximately 30 min. The yarn should circulate vertically while stirring. Adjust the amount of yarn per batch as needed to obtain proper circulation. 9.8.6.3   Other Methods —As new back coatings are developed, other solvents and methods may be required to remove the bulk of the back coating material from the fiber. The loss in fiber mass shall be less than 0.1 % when the new method is applied to fiber alone, without back coating. 9.8.6.4 Repeat the selected abrasion cleaning process until the buried pile yarn has been separated into individual fibers which are visually clean of coating particles. Periodically

NOTE 9—This step is not necessary if a properly ventilated explosionproof oven is used for the next step.

9.8.6.6 Place the rinsed fiber (substantially free of solvent) on a heat-resistant surface in an oven at 105°C (221°F) for at least 60 min to complete the solvent vaporization. 9.8.6.7 Check fiber for tackiness and subject the fiber to further abrasive immersion if tackiness is found. 9.8.6.8 Condition tack-free fiber for at least 4 h in the standard atmosphere of Section 6. 9.8.6.9 Weigh conditioned fiber to the nearest 0.01 g and record as buried pile yarn mass, C . 9.8.7   Fiber Dissolving: 9.8.7.1 Select the appropriate fiber solvent and dissolving conditions from Table 3. Place the cleaned fiber in a beaker and cover with the selected solvent. Follow the specified dissolving conditions. See 9.5  and  Table 2 for safety precaution information. NOTE  10—As new back coatings are used in pile yarn floor covering, it may be necessary to use special techniques involving other reagents to accomplish the final separation of fiber from back coating materials. When this is the case, test to determine whether the fiber-dissolving reagent, as used, dissolves the back coating material appreciably. The loss in back  coating mass shall be less than 1 % when the fiber-dissolving solvent is applied to back coating material in the absence of fiber.

TABLE 3 Solvents for Dissolving Pile FibersA Fiber Type

Solvent

Procedure

Acrylic

70 % ammonium thiocyanate solution g-butyrolactone dimethylacetamide dimethylformamide

15 min @ boil 15 min @ 60°C (140°F) 15 min @ 25°C (77°F), then bring to boil 15 min @ 25°C (77°F), then bring to boil

Modacrylic

acetone g-butyrolactone dimethylformamide

15 min @ 40 to 50°C (104 to 122°F) 15 min @ 25°C (77°F) 15 min @ 25°C (77°F)

Nylon

m -cresol formic acid, 90 % hydrochloric acid, 6N 

15 min @ 95°C (203°F) 15 min @ 25°C (77°F) 15 min @ 25°C (77°F)

Polyester

m -cresol hexafluoroisopropanol equal parts of 88 % phenol and tetrachloroethane

15 min @ boil 15 min @ 25°C (77°F) warm to 50°C (122°F), 15 min

Polypropylene

xylene decalin

15 min @ boil 15 min @ 135°C (275°F)

Wool

sodium hydroxide, 5 %

15 min @ boil

A

Different varieties of the generic fiber types may respond differently to the same solvent. The best combination of solvent and dissolving conditions often must be found by trial and error. As new back coatings are developed, new solvents and dissolving conditions may be required to avoid dissolving the back coating while dissolving the fiber.

8

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 10.2   Summary of Test Method —The total thickness of an unsheared strip specimen is measured as the distance between two parallel plates exerting a specified pressure on the specimen,  T . The pile yarn of the strip specimen is sheared down to a stubble. The backing thickness of the sheared strip specimen is measured as the distance between two parallel plates exerting a different specified pressure on the sheared specimen,  B. The difference (T − B) between the two measurements is the pile thickness. 10.3   Apparatus: 10.3.1   Shear or Clipper , capable of shearing close enough to the backing to leave a stubble of no more than 1.3 mm (0.05 in.),7 10.3.2   Thickness Measuring Instrument : 10.3.2.1 Having a stationary surface (plate) on which to place the specimen and a presser foot capable of being moved vertically above the plate, at least 25 mm (1 in.) from the plate. 10.3.2.2 Having two interchangeable presser feet; one 25.40 6  0.03 mm (1.000  6  0.001 in.) in diameter, the other 57.15 6 0.03 mm (2.250  6  0.001 in.) in diameter, 10.3.2.3 Having means for indicating the vertical distance between the presser foot and the plate to the nearest 0.03 mm (0.001 in.), and 10.3.2.4 Capable of developing and indicating a force up to 2.77 N (0.6 lbf) between the presser foot and the plate. 10 10.4   Conditioning—Keep the strip specimens (or the test specimens from which the strip specimens are cut) with the pile free of all contact with other materials for at least 12 h before measuring the thickness. 10.5   Specimens: 10.5.1   Test Specimens: 10.5.1.1 The number and location of the test specimens shall be as directed in Section 5. 10.5.1.2 The test specimens shall be 254 mm (10.0 in.) in the lengthwise direction by 317 mm (12.5 in.) in the widthwise direction. 10.5.2   Strip Specimens —Use only one strip specimen from each test specimen prepared and selected as directed in Section 9. 10.6   Procedure: 10.6.1   Total Thickness: 10.6.1.1 Attach the 57.15-mm (2.250-in.) presser foot loosely to the movable stem or head of the instrument and bring the presser foot into firm contact with the plate. Tighten the presser foot on the stem. 10.6.1.2 Check the instrument zero by lowering the presser foot into contact with the plate until the indicated pressure increases to the pressure to be used in measuring the indicated distance between the foot and the plate, which must then read zero  6 0.03 mm (60.001 in.). If the reading is not within this range, make an adjustment appropriate to the type of instrument being used.

9.8.7.2 Collect the residue on the 100-mesh screen and rinse with water for aqueous solvents and with acetone for organic solvents. 9.8.7.3 Examine residue for presence of pile fibers and subject the residue to the above dissolving procedure until all sign of fiber is gone. 9.8.7.4 For nonaqueous solvents allow most of the solvent to evaporate from the rinsed residue in a hood, either at room temperature or on a steam table (see Note 9). 9.8.7.5 Place the residue in an oven at 105°C (221°F) for 60 min to remove the remaining solvent. 9.8.7.6 Condition dried residue for at least 4 h in the standard atmosphere as directed in Section 6. 9.8.7.7 Weigh residue to the nearest 0.01 g and record as coating residue, R. 9.9   Calculation: 9.9.1 Calculate the average pile yarn mass per unit area to the nearest 3 g/m2 (0.1 oz/yd2) using Eq 6. P 5  K ~ M  –  S  1  C  –  R ! /  A

(6)

where: P = average pile yarn mass per unit area, g/m2 (oz/yd2), K  = dimensional conversion factor from Table 1, converting from g/mm2 (g/in.2) to desired reporting units,  M  = total mass of the selected strip specimens from all test specimens, g, S  = total mass of all stubble specimens, g, C  = mass of cleaned buried yarn, g,  R = mass of coating residue, g, and  A = combined measured area of all strip specimens, mm2 (in.2). NOTE   11—When separate estimates are required for individual test specimens, record the mass of the strip specimen(s) selected from each test specimen as M i   and obtain values of  S i , C i and Ri   for each test specimen as directed in Note 7. A value of the pile yarn mass per unit area for each test specimen can then be calculated by substituting M i , S i , C i  and  Ri  for  M, S, C  and  R , respectively, in Eq 6 and using the measured area of  the strip specimens of each test specimen for  A .

9.9.2 An example of a typical calculation is presented in Annex A2. 9.10   Report : 9.10.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining pile yarn mass per unit area. Describe the material or product sampled and the method of  sampling used. Report the number of strip specimens taken from each test specimen. 9.10.2 Report the average pile yarn mass per unit area. 9.11  Precision and Bias : 9.11.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining pile yarn mass per unit area is being established. 9.11.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining pile yarn mass per unit area has no known bias and may be used as a referee method.

10

Schiefer Compressometer, available from Frazier Precision Instrument Co. Inc., 210 Oakmont Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20760, or any of many CRE tensile testing machines for textiles equipped with an appropriate load-measuring mechanism. See Specification D 76, Tensile Testing Machines for Textiles,  Annual Book of   ASTM Standards, Vol 07.01.

10. Pile Thickness—Level Pile 10.1   Scope—This test method applies only to level pile coated pile yarn floor covering. 9

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 10.6.1.3 For each strip specimen, raise the presser foot and center the specimen, pile up, on the plate under the foot. Lower the presser foot slowly (take about 5 s to apply full load) onto the pile surface until a pressure of 689  6  21 Pa (0.100  6  0.003 psi) is exerted on the specimen. Read the distance between the presser foot and the plate to the nearest 0.03 mm (0.001 in.) and record as the total thickness,  T . 10.6.2 After measuring the total thickness, shear the pile on each strip specimen down to a stubble measuring approximately 1.3 mm (0.05 in.).

all of the pile down to a stubble by shearing. Net pile thicknesses at the 25, 50, and 75 % levels are calculated by subtracting the stubble specimen thickness from the thicknesses measured at each of the other stages. Net pile masses are calculated by subtracting the mass of the stubble specimen from the four other weighings. The 25, 50, and 75 % net masses are expressed as a percent of the net pile mass of the unsheared specimen and the 25, 50, and 75 % net thicknesses are plotted against these net mass percentages. A smooth curve is drawn through the three plotted points. The net pile thickness corresponding to 50 % net mass is read from the smooth curve and doubled to obtain the average pile thickness. 11.3   Apparatus: 11.3.1   Balance, capable of weighing to the nearest 0.01 g. 11.3.2   Shear or Clipper , capable of shearing close enough to the backing so as to leave a stubble of no more than 1.3 mm (0.05 in.).7,11 11.3.3 Means for Adjusting the Height of the Shear , such as shims or mechanical mount for shearing head. 11 11.3.4   Thickness Measuring Instrument —As specified in 10.3.2. 11.3.5   Graph Paper , with 2-mm (0.1-in.) divisions. 11.3.6   Drafting Curves, such as set of French curves or flexible curve.12 11.4   Conditioning—Condition the strip specimens as directed in Section 6   before testing, with the pile free of all contact with other materials. 11.5  Sample and Specimens : 11.5.1   Test Specimens: 11.5.1.1 The number and location of the test specimens shall be as directed in Section 5. 11.5.1.2 The test specimens shall comprise a full pattern repeat or a whole number multiple of a full pattern repeat in each direction but no less than 254 mm (10.0 in.) in the lengthwise direction by 317 mm (12.5 in.) in the widthwise direction. If the pattern repeat is not known and cannot be determined readily, use 457 by 457 mm (18.0 by 18.0 in.) for the test specimen dimensions. 11.5.2   Strip Specimens—Obtain two strip specimens from each test specimen as directed in 9.7,  9.8.1,  9.8.2, and 9.8.3. Determine the total mass of all the strip specimens to the nearest 0.01 g and record as M 0, where the subscript zero indicates the strip specimens are unsheared. 11.6   Procedure : 11.6.1  Total Thickness—Measure the total thickness of each strip specimen as directed in 10.6.1 at three-high pile locations along the length of the strip specimen. Average the thickness values found for all strip specimens and record the average as T 0  to the nearest 0.03 mm (0.001 in.). 11.6.2  Estimation of Shearing Levels : 11.6.2.1 Obtain an approximate value of  h, the stubble specimen thickness, from prior measurements of similar materials or by shearing a strip specimen from the same material. Subtract h   from the average of the thickness measurement values T 0  to get z, the approximate total pile thickness.

NOTE  12—Both adhesive projections and a fiber layer needle punched to the surface of the backing can interfere with shearing the pile down to a stubble of 1.3 mm (0.05 in.). Therefore, a seven and one-half fold increase in pressure in measuring the thickness of the stubble specimen is used to level out minor variations in stubble height.

10.6.3   Backing Thickness : 10.6.3.1 Attach the 25.40-mm (1.000-in.) diameter presser foot loosely to the stem and bring the presser foot into firm contact with the plate. Tighten the presser foot on the stem. 10.6.3.2 Check the instrument zero as directed in  10.6.1.2. 10.6.3.3 For each stubble specimen, raise the presser foot and center the specimen, stubble side up, on the plate. Lower the presser foot onto the stubble surface until a pressure of  5170  6  69 Pa (0.75 6 0.01 lbf/in.2) is exerted on the specimen. Read the distance between the presser foot and the plate to the nearest 0.03 mm (0.001 in.) and record as the backing thickness,  B . 10.7   Calculation: 10.7.1 For each strip specimen calculate the pile thickness using Eq 7. P 5  T  –  B

(7)

where: P = pile thickness, mm (in.), T  = average total thickness, mm (in.), and  B = average backing thickness, mm (in.). 10.7.2 Average the values of  P  obtained for all strip specimens taken from the test sample and record to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.). 10.8   Report : 10.8.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining the pile thickness of level pile floor covering. Describe the material or product sampled and the method of sampling used. 10.8.2 Report the average pile thickness. 10.9  Precision and Bias : 10.9.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining the pile thickness of level pile floor covering is being established. 10.9.2   Bias—The procedure in Methods D 418 for determining the pile thickness of level pile floor covering has no known bias and may be used as a referee method. 11. Pile Thickness—Multilevel Pile 11.1   Scope—This test method applies only to multilevel pile coated pile yarn floor covering. 11.2  Summary of Test Method —The thickness and mass are measured on each selected strip specimen in the unsheared condition and after removing approximately 25, 50, 75 % and

11 12

10

B & J Machinery Company FHA Shearing Machine, or equivalent. Keuffel & Esser Co. 1864-60 will fit most plots.

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 11.6.2.2 Calculate target thicknesses to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.) for removing 25, 50, and 75 % of the pile, using Eq 8-10. t 25 5  0.75 z 1  h

(8)

t 50 5  0.5 z  1  h

(9)

t 75 5  0.25 z 1  h

 

where:  Dk  = net average pile thickness of all strip specimens at the indicated (k ) shearing level, mm (in.), T k  = average strip specimen thickness at shearing level, k , mm (in.), and T 4 = average stubble specimen thickness, mm (in.). 11.7.2  Net Pile Masses—Calculate the net total pile mass at each shearing level using Eq 12.

(10)

 N k  5  M k  –  M 4

where: t 25 , t 50 , t 75

 

(12)

where:  N k  = net total pile mass of all strip specimens at shearing level k , g  M k  = total mass of all strip specimens at shearing level k , g, and  M 4 = total mass of all stubble specimens, g. 11.7.3   Net Pile Masses in Percent —Calculate the net total pile masses as a percent of the unsheared net total pile mass at shearing levels 1, 2 and 3 (25, 50, and 75 % respectively) using Eq 13.

= target shearing thickness for 25, 50, and 75 % shearing, mm (in.),  z = T 0  − h, mm (in.), and h = approximate thickness of backing plus stubble, mm (in.). 11.6.3  25 % Shearing : 11.6.3.1 Shear each strip specimen to a thickness of approximately t 25. Remove all loose fibers from the specimens. 11.6.3.2 Measure the 25 % sheared strip specimen thickness at three different locations as directed in  10.6.1. Average the measurements for all strip specimens and record the average as T 1  to the nearest 0.03 mm (0.001 in.). 11.6.3.3 Determine the total mass of all the 25 % sheared strip specimens and record to the nearest 0.01 g as M 1. 11.6.4  50 % Shearing : 11.6.4.1 Shear each strip specimen to a thickness of approximately t 50. Remove all loose fibers from the specimens. 11.6.4.2 Measure the 50 % sheared strip specimen thickness at three different locations as directed in  10.6.1. Average the measurements for all strip specimens and record the average as T 2  to the nearest 0.03 mm (0.001 in.). 11.6.4.3 Determine the total mass of all the 50 % sheared strip specimens and record to the nearest 0.01 g as M 2. 11.6.5  75 % Shearing : 11.6.5.1 Shear each strip specimen to a thickness of approximately t 75. Remove all loose fibers from the specimens. 11.6.5.2 Measure the 75 % sheared strip specimen thickness at three different locations as directed in  10.6.1. Average the measurements for all strip specimens and record the average as T 3  to the nearest 0.03 mm (0.001 in.). 11.6.5.3 Determine the total mass of all the 75 % sheared strip specimens and record to the nearest 0.01 g as M 3. 11.6.6   Stubble Shearing : 11.6.6.1 Shear each strip specimen as close to the back as possible (approximately 1.3 mm (0.05 in.)). Remove all loose fibers from the specimens. 11.6.6.2 Measure the stubble specimen thickness at three different locations as directed in 10.6.3. Average the measurements for all strip specimens and record the average as T 4 to the nearest 0.03 mm (0.001 in.). 11.6.6.3 Determine the total mass of all the stubble specimens and record to the nearest 0.01 g as M 4. 11.7   Calculation: 11.7.1  Net Pile Thicknesses—Calculate the net average pile thickness for all strip specimens at shearing levels 1, 2, and 3 using Eq 11.  Dk  5  T k  –  T 4

 

mk  5  100 N k  /  N 0

 

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where: mk  = net total pile mass at shearing level k  as a percent of   N 0, and  N 0 = net total pile mass of all unsheared strip specimens, g. 11.7.4   Average Pile Thickness: 11.7.4.1 Plot D1, D2, and D3   versus m1, m2, and m3, respectively, on graph paper. Draw a smooth curve through the three points. 11.7.4.2 Read the net average pile thickness at m  = 50 % and double the value to obtain the average pile thickness. Record to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.). 11.8   Report : 11.8.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining the pile thickness of multilevel pile floor covering. Describe the material or product sampled and the method of sampling used. 11.8.2 Report the average pile thickness. 11.9  Precision and Bias : 11.9.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining the pile thickness of multilevel pile floor covering is being established. 11.9.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining the pile thickness of multilevel pile floor covering has no known bias and may be used as a referee method. 12. Tuft Length 12.1   Scope: 12.1.1 This test method applies only to uncoated floor covering. 12.1.2 This test method can be used for either cut or loop pile floor covering made of yarns that retain their integrity after being cut into segments. 12.1.3 Usually the tuft elements measured as directed in this test method will each be bound at only one binding site, but the test method may also be used for tuft elements bound at more

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11

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 12.6   Procedure: 12.6.1 Select the groove appropriate to the tuft element yarn diameter.

than one binding site, provided that every tuft element measured is bound at the same number of sites. NOTE   13—For level loop pile floor covering, use the test method described in Section 15.

NOTE  14—The groove is of appropriate size if the bend in the middle of  the tuft element is substantially removed when the cover plate is placed over the yarn in the groove (the groove is then small enough). The groove is too small if the fibers of the tuft element spread beyond the edge of the groove and hold the cover plate above the holder surface. A deflection of  the tuft element from straightness of as much as 1 mm (0.04 in.) will not significantly affect the measured tuft length.

12.2  Summary of Test Method : 12.2.1 Individual tuft elements of like character (cut or loop, and height) are removed from a test specimen and placed, one at a time, in a grooved yarn specimen holder that maintains the tuft yarn in a straight line while the length of the tuft element is measured with a graduated scale and a magnifying glass. 12.2.2 In loop pile floor covering, adjacent tuft elements are first separated by cutting the connecting loops at the center of  the bend with sharp scissors before the tuft elements are withdrawn from the backing fabric. 12.3   Apparatus: 12.3.1   Grooved Specimen Holders : 12.3.1.1 The length of the holder shall be at least 10 % longer than the longest tuft element to be measured. A100-mm (4-in.) length normally will be adequate. 12.3.1.2 The grooves shall have a V-shaped cross-section with a 1.05 rad (60°) angle at the bottom and widths across the top to accommodate several size yarns as follows: Yarn Bulk Coarse Medium Fine A

12.6.2 Place the extended tuft element in the groove. 12.6.2.1 If a clear graduated scale is used, cover the groove with the graduations directly over the yarn in the groove. 12.6.2.2 If a nontransparent scale is used, place the scale along one edge of the groove and the clear cover plate above the groove abutting the scale. 12.6.3 Center the magnifying glass immediately above one end of the tuft element to avoid parallax. 12.6.4 Read the graduated scale at one end of the tuft element and record to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.). 12.6.4.1 If the tuft element is not cut squarely, select visually a location midway between the extremes of the cut. 12.6.5 Without moving the scale repeat   12.6.3 and 12.6.4 for the other end of the tuft element. 12.6.6 Repeat 12.6.2-12.6.5 for the remaining tuft elements taken from the test specimens. 12.7   Calculation: 12.7.1 Calculate the length of each tuft element by determining the difference between the two scale readings. 12.7.2 Average the lengths of each group of ten tuft elements of like character to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.). 12.8   Report : 12.8.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft length. Describe the material sampled and the method of sampling used. State whether the tuft elements were removed from cut pile or loop pile areas of the floor covering and, in the case of multilevel floor covering, also state from which level of pile the tuft elements were removed. 12.8.2 Report the average tuft length for each character of  tuft separately. 12.9  Precision and Bias : 12.9.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft length is being established. 12.9.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft length has no known bias and may be used as a referee method.

Groove Widths,A mm (in.) 4.6 (0.18) 3.3 (0.13) 2.0 (0.08)

Additional grooves of intermediate width also may be used.

12.3.2   Scale, at least a length of 100-mm (4-in.) graduated in 2-mm (0.01-in.) divisions. 12.3.2.1 If the scale is not transparent, it shall be no thicker than 1 mm (0.04 in.). 12.3.3  Cover Plate, clear, plastic or glass to be used when a nontransparent scale is used. 12.3.4   Magnifying Glass, 23 to 53, mounted above the holder to permit centering the glass immediately above the cut ends of the tuft to avoid parallax in reading the scale. 12.3.5   Scissors, sharp. 12.4   Conditioning—If the fiber has a commercial moisture regain of over 5 %, the tufts must be conditioned as directed in Section 6  before measuring. Commercial moisture regains for textile fibers are listed in Table D 1909D 1909. 12.5   Tuft Element Selection: 12.5.1 Select a total of ten tuft elements of like character (either cut or loop, and of one height) from the floor covering test specimens designated in 5.4.   For three test specimens, select four tuft elements from the middle test specimen and three each from the two-side test specimens. For other numbers of test specimens than three, similarly distribute the ten tuft elements equally, or nearly equally, among the test specimens. 12.5.1.1 Select the tuft elements in each test specimen from different rows of binding sites in both the lengthwise and the widthwise directions. 12.5.2 For loop pile floor covering, separate the selected tuft element from the two adjoining tuft elements on either side by cutting, with scissors, each connecting loop midway between the binding sites of the adjoining tuft elements and the selected tuft element before removing the selected tuft element from the backing fabric.

13. Tuft Height 13.1   Scope—This test method applies to both cut and loop coated pile yarn floor covering. 13.2  Summary of Test Method : 13.2.1 Individual tuft leg specimens of like character (either cut or loop, and of one height) are cut off close to the surface of the backing of a floor covering specimen and are placed, one at a time, in a grooved specimen holder that maintains the tuft yarn in a straight line while the length of the tuft leg is measured with a graduated scale and a magnifying glass. 12

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 13.2.2 In loop pile floor covering the two tuft legs forming the loop are each severed at the backing surface from the adjacent binding sites to provide a strand of twice the tuft height. 13.3   Apparatus: 13.3.1   Means for Measuring Tuft Length, as directed in 12.3.1-12.3.4. 13.3.2  Means for Cutting Tufts at Base : 13.3.2.1  Angled Flush Wire Cutter , having blades about 10 mm (3 ⁄ 8  in.) long, angled 0.44 to 0.61 rad (25 to 35°) to the plane of the handles, and ground flush so as to permit cutting at the backing surface,13 or 13.3.2.2   Razor Knife  or razor blade in a holder. 13.4   Conditioning—If the fiber has a commercial moisture regain of over 5 %, the tufts must be conditioned as directed in Section 6  before measuring. Commercial moisture regains for textile fibers are listed in Table D 1909D 1909. 13.5   Tuft Leg Specimens : 13.5.1 Normally the tuft height measurement will be carried out in conjunction with the measurement of the pile yarn mass per unit area, and tuft leg specimens are cut from the strip specimens of   9.8.3  after weighing. 13.5.2 Cut ten tuft legs, of each kind of tuft (cut, loop, height) to be measured, from the selected strip specimens. Choose the tuft legs so that a nearly equal number of tuft legs of each kind is taken from each strip specimen. 13.5.3 When the tuft height is not measured in conjunction with the determination of pile yarn mass per unit area, distribute the tuft leg specimens uniformly over the test specimens. 13.5.4 The number and location of the test specimen areas shall be as directed in Section 5. 13.6   Procedure: 13.6.1 Sever the leg of each selected tuft leg or loop as close to the backing surface as possible with the angled flush wire cutter or razor cutter. 13.6.2 Follow the procedure of  12.6.1-12.6.6  reading “tuft leg” for “tuft element.” 13.7   Calculation: 13.7.1 For each tuft leg determine the difference between the two readings made in   13.6   to obtain the length of the individual tuft legs.

13.7.2 Average the lengths of each group of ten tuft legs of  like character to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.). 13.7.3 For loop pile floor covering divide the average tuft leg length obtained in 13.7.2 by 2 and record to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.). 13.8   Report : 13.8.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft height. Describe the material sampled and the method of sampling used. State whether the tuft legs were removed from cut pile or loop pile areas of the floor covering and, in the case of multilevel floor covering, also state from which level of pile the tuft legs were removed. 13.8.2 Report the average tuft leg length as tuft height for each character of tuft separately. 13.8.2.1 For cut pile use the average calculated in   13.7.2 and for loop pile use the average calculated in  13.7.3. 13.9  Precision and Bias : 13.9.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft height is being established. 13.9.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft height has no known bias and may be used as a referee method. 14. Pile Yarn Length per Unit Length of Floor Covering 14.1   Scope—This test method applies only to level loop uncoated pile yarn floor covering. 14.2   Summary of Test Method —The lengths of pile yarns removed from a measured length of floor covering are measured under a tension proportional to the yarn number. The pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering is the average yarn specimen length divided by the measured floor covering test specimen length. 14.3   Apparatus: 14.3.1  Scale or Tape , metal, graduated in 1 mm (0.05 in.), at least 10 % longer than the extended yarn specimen being measured. 14.3.2   Stationary Clamp , to hold one end of the yarn. 14.3.3  Means for Applying a Known Tension   to the yarn. NOTE  15—Various means for applying a known tension are available with the yarn in either a vertical or horizontal orientation. Typical laboratory load-elongation yarn testing machines may be used or the tension may be applied with a combination of weights or a spring “fish”

13 Jensen Tools & Alloys Angled Flush Cutter Type GA65, Hunter Tools (Marshall Industries) 20184, or equivalent.

TABLE 4 Typical Tensions for Pile Yarn Length per Unit Length of Floor Covering (Section  14 )

A

Cotton Count

Tex

0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 4.0

738 591 492 422 369 328 295 148

Tension Range

Mid-Range Tensions

A

mN 6200 4950 4100 3550 3100 2750 2450 1250

to to to to to to to to

A

gf

6900 5500 4550 3900 3450 3050 2750 1400

630 505 420 360 315 280 250 125

1 mN = 9.807 gf.

13

to to to to to to to to

700 560 465 400 350 310 280 140

mN

gf

6500 5200 4350 3750 3250 2900 2600 1300

665 530 445 380 330 295 265 135

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 scale having a range from 1250 to 7000 mN (125 to 700 gf).14 Small spring binder clamps weighing 3 to 4 g can be used to attach the weights to the specimen.

the values of  R   obtained as directed in   14.6.1   for all test specimens in the test sample. 14.7   Report : 14.7.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering. Describe the material sampled and the method of sampling used. 14.7.2 Report the average pile yarn length per unit length of  floor covering. 14.8  Precision and Bias : 14.8.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418, for determining pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering is being established. 14.8.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418, for testing pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering has no known bias and may be used for referee purposes.

14.4   Test Specimens: 14.4.1 Cut floor covering test specimens and measure in the lengthwise direction as directed in Section 7. 14.4.2 From each floor covering test specimen remove five pile yarns. Take care not to overstretch the yarn. Discard and replace any pile yarn which hangs up or catches during removal. 14.5   Procedure: 14.5.1 Insert one end of a pile yarn in the stationary clamp. The clamp should be within 6 mm ( 1 ⁄ 4  in.) of the end of the yarn. 14.5.2 Clamp the other end of the yarn to the tensioning means, also within 6 mm (1 ⁄ 4  in.) of the yarn end. 14.5.3 Apply 9.0  6  0.5 mN/tex (0.9  6  0.05 gf/tex) tension to the yarn. Typical tensions required are given in  Table 4. 14.5.3.1 If the yarn number is not known, apply a tension  just sufficient to remove any yarn crimp from the first yarn. Measure the length in millimetres as directed in   14.5.4, and weigh the yarn to the nearest 0.01 g. Calculate an estimate of  the yarn number using Eq 14. t  5  1000m / q

 

15. Tuft Length for Level Loop Pile Floor Covering 15.1   Scope—This test method applies only to level loop uncoated pile yarn floor covering. 15.2   Procedure—The pile yarn length per unit length of  floor covering is determined as directed in Section  14  and the number of binding sites per unit length of floor covering is determined as directed in Section 16. The tuft length equals the pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering divided by the number of binding sites per unit length of floor covering. 15.3   Calculations—Calculate the tuft length to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.) using Eq 16.

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where: t  = tex yarn number, m = mass of yarn specimen, g, and q = length of yarn specimen, mm (in.). 14.5.3.2 If the tension applied to this yarn falls within the range given in  Table 4 for the tex yarn number obtained, the length obtained on this yarn specimen is a valid measurement. Otherwise, the length of another yarn must be measured under the tension specified in   Table 4   for the tex yarn number obtained. 14.5.4 Measure the length, Y , of the yarn, including the portions in the clamps, with the graduated scale or tape, to the nearest 1 mm (0.05 in.). 14.5.5 Repeat 14.5.1-14.5.4  for all yarns selected. 14.6   Calculation: 14.6.1 Average the pile yarn lengths from each test speci¯ . men to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.), Y  14.6.2 For each floor covering test specimen calculate the pile yarn length per unit length to the nearest 0.01 mm/mm (in./in.) using Eq 15. ¯  /  L¯   R  5  Y 

¯  T  5  R¯  /  N 

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where: T  = tuft length, mm (in.), ¯  = average pile yarn length per unit length of floor  R covering (see  14.6.2), and ¯  = average number of binding sites per unit length of   N  floor covering (see  16.7.2). 15.4   Report : 15.4.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft length for level loop pile floor covering. Describe the material or product sampled and the method of sampling used. 15.4.2 Report the tuft length. 15.5  Precision and Bias : 15.5.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft length for level loop pile floor covering is being established. 15.5.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft length for level loop pile floor covering has no known bias and may be used as a referee method.

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where:  R = pile yarn length per unit length for the floor covering specimen, mm/mm (in./in.), ¯  Y  = average of the five yarn specimen lengths for the floor covering specimen, mm (in.), and ¯   L = average length of the floor covering specimen. 14.6.3 Calculate the average pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering,  R¯ , to the nearest 0.01 mm/mm (in./in.) from

16. Number of Binding Sites per Unit Length or Width of Floor Covering 16.1   Scope—This test method applies to both uncoated and coated floor covering. 16.2  Summary of Test Method —A graduated scale or tape is placed on the floor covering and the length of floor covering

14

The symbol gf denotes gram-force. One gf is the force exerted by a mass of  1 g under the pull of the earth’s gravity. An mN is one thousandth of a newton, the SI metric unit of force. 1 gf = 9.807 mN.

14

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 required for 40 binding sites is measured in either the lengthwise or the widthwise direction as required. The number of  binding sites per unit length is 40 divided by the measured length. 16.3   Apparatus: 16.3.1   Shear or Clipper , capable of shearing close enough to the backing so as to leave a stubble of no more than 1.3 mm (0.05 in.).7 16.3.2   Scale or Tape , metal, graduated in 1 mm (0.05 in.), and at least 10 % longer than the distance being measured. 16.3.3   Location Markers , two, such as straight pins. 16.4   Test Specimens: 16.4.1 The number and location of the test specimens shall be as directed in Section 5. 16.4.2 The test specimens shall be large enough to include 44 binding sites in each direction. 16.4.3 The measurements of this test method may be made on the test specimens without cutting the test specimens from the test sample. 16.5   Conditioning—If the fiber in any layer of the backing has a commercial moisture regain of over 5 %, the specimen must be conditioned as directed in Section 6 before measuring. Commercial moisture regains for textile fibers are listed in Table D 1909D 1909. 16.6   Procedure: 16.6.1 Place the test specimen face down on a flat surface if  the binding sites are visible from the back. Otherwise, place the test specimen back down and shear the pile close to the backing so as to reveal the binding sites. Select a line of binding sites in the direction to be counted.

where:  N  = number of binding sites per unit length or width of  floor covering, and  L = length measured as directed in 16.6.5, mm (in.). 16.7.2 Calculate the average number of binding sites per unit length or width of floor covering to the nearest 4 sites/m (0.1 site/in.). 16.7.3 For woven floor covering calculate the pitch to the nearest whole unit using Eq 18. ¯  P 5  27  N 

where: P = pitch, binding sites per 27 in. of width, and ¯  = average number of widthwise binding sites per inch of   N  width calculated as directed in 16.7.1 and 16.7.2. If desired, calculate dents/m (dents/in.) as directed in 16.7.2. 16.7.4 For tufted floor covering calculate gage to the nearest 0.03 mm/site (0.001 in./site) by using Eq 19 or Eq 20. ¯  G 5  1/  N 

¯  G 5  1000/  N 

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where: G = gage, mm/binding site, and ¯  = average number of widthwise binding sites per metre  N  of width calculated as directed in 16.7.1 and 16.7.2. 16.8   Report : 16.8.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining number of binding sites per unit length or width of floor covering. Describe the material or product sampled and the method of sampling used. 16.8.2   Woven Floor Covering —Report the following: 16.8.2.1 Average number of wires per unit length. 16.8.2.2 Average number of dents per unit width, or the pitch. 16.8.3  Knitted Floor Covering—Report the following: 16.8.3.1 Average number of courses per unit length. 16.8.3.2 Average number of wales per unit width. 16.8.4  Tufted Floor Covering —Report the following: 16.8.4.1 Average number of stitches per unit length. 16.8.4.2 Average number of needles per unit width. 16.8.4.3 Gage. 16.9  Precision and Bias : 16.9.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining the number of binding sites per unit length or width is being established. 16.9.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining the number of binding sites per unit length or width has no known bias and may be used as a referee method.

16.6.2 Select a distinguishing feature found at each binding site. NOTE   17—It is not necessary to precisely define the boundaries of a binding site; only to use the same distinguishing feature in every binding site being counted in a particular specimen. For tufted floor covering a distinguishing feature is the needle hole separating two adjacent binding sites. See   Fig. 1.   For woven floor covering it may be a filling yarn appearing once on the back for every binding site.

16.6.3 Locate the zero point at this distinguishing feature of  one binding site with a marker. 16.6.4 Count 40 complete binding sites from this marker and insert another marker at the distinguishing feature of the 40th site. 16.6.5 Measure the length, L, between the marked binding sites with the graduated scale or tape, reading to the nearest 1.3 mm (0.05 in.). 16.6.6 Make one measurement on each of the test specimens or specimen areas. 16.7   Calculation: 16.7.1 For each measurement calculate the number of binding sites per unit length or width of floor covering to the nearest 4 sites/m (0.1 site/in.) using Eq 17.  

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where: G = gage, in./binding site, and ¯  = average number of widthwise binding sites per inch of   N  width calculated as directed in 16.7.1 and 16.7.2. or:

NOTE  16—Handle uncoated floor covering so as to avoid distorting the test specimen dimensions. Do not measure the number of binding sites of  coated floor covering after treating with reagents and removing the secondary backing.

 N  5  40/  L

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17. Keywords 17.1 binding sites; construction; floor covering; mass per unit area; pile yarn; thickness; tuft height; tuft length

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15

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 18.3.6   cut pile, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, pile in which the legs of any one tuft element are not connected to the legs of any other tuft element. 18.3.7   floor covering, n.—an essentially planar material, having a relatively small thickness in comparison to its length or width, which is laid on a floor to enhance the beauty, comfort, and utility of the floor. 18.3.7.1   Discussion—It is customary to distinguish between hard or resilient floor coverings and soft or textile floor coverings. Textile floor coverings are further subdivided into pile floor coverings and nonpile floor coverings such as braided rugs or flat, nonwoven barb needle-punched felt. There are two types of pile floor coverings: pile yarn and pile fiber. Typical examples of pile fiber floor coverings are flocked floor covering and fork needlepunched non-woven floor covering. Textile floor coverings are also classified as carpets or rugs. 18.3.8   lengthwise direction, n. —in textiles, the direction in a machine-made fabric parallel to the direction of movement the fabric followed in the manufacturing machine. (Syn. machine direction and wrapwise.) 18.3.9   level pile, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, pile in which all tuft legs are of substantially the same length. 18.3.10   loop pile, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, pile in which, for each loop, a tuft leg of one element is connected to a tuft leg of another tuft element at another binding site so as to form a loop which projects above the backing fabric between the binding sites of the connected tuft elements.

18. Tuft and Yarn Length of Uncoated Floor Covering 18.1   Scope—These test methods apply only to uncoated pile yarn floor covering. 18.1.1 Usually the tuft elements measured as directed in this test method will each be bound at only one binding site, but the test method may also be used for tuft elements bound at more than one binding site, provided that every tuft element measured is bound at the same number of sites. These test methods apply only to uncoated pile yarn floor covering. 18.2   Referenced Documents 18.2.1   ASTM Standards : D 123 Terminology Relating to Textiles 3 D 1909D 1909   Table of Commercial Moisture Regains for Textile FibersD 19093 E 122E 122   Recommended Practice for Choice of Sampe Size to Estimate the Average Quality of a Lot Process5 18.3   Definitions: 18.3.1   back coating, n. —in textiles, an adhesive-type substance applied to the back of a fabric for such purposes as locking pile yarn tufts into a carpet backing, bonding a secondary backing to a primary backing, or increasing fabric body or stiffness. 18.3.1.1   backing, n. —for pile yarn floor covering, all materials in a pile yarn floor covering other than pile yarn. 18.3.2  backing fabric, n. —in textiles, (1) a fabric into which pile yarn is inserted, or (2) a reinforcing layer adhered to the reverse side of a fabric. 18.3.2.1   Discussion—In woven and knitted pile yarn floor coverings the backing fabric is created at the same time the pile yarn is bound to the backing fabric but in tufted pile yarn floor coverings the backing fabric is made prior to the operation in which the pile yarn is fastened to the backing fabric. 18.3.3   binding site, n. —for pile yarn floor covering, a place at which the pile yarn is, or can be, bound to the backing fabric. See Fig. 1. 18.3.3.1   Discussion—In any machine-made pile yarn floor covering the binding sites occur in an orderly and repetitive array at uniform intervals in both the lengthwise and widthwise directions of the floor covering. The nature of the binding site differs among woven, knitted, and tufted floor coverings. For example, the binding site of a woven floor covering consists of  one or more filling shots under which the face yarn passes, while the binding site of a tufted floor covering consists of the section of backing fabric between two adjacent needle holes in the lengthwise direction. The number of pile yarn strands that can be fastened at one binding site can vary from none to several, according to design. 18.3.4   carpet, n.—all textile floor coverings not designated as rugs. 18.3.5   components, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, the individual yarn or fabric elements into which a pile yarn floor covering can be dissected. 18.3.5.1   Discussion—The major components of uncoated pile yarn floor covering are the pile yarn and the backing fabric. For woven and knitted floor covering, the backing fabric may be further dissected into component yarns.

18.3.11   multilevel pile, n.—for yarn floor covering, pile in which some tuft legs are substantially longer than others. 18.3.12   pile, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, the texture surface composed of many tuft legs bound to a backing fabric in an orderly and repetitive array. 18.3.12.1   Discussion—A particular floor covering may be all cut pile, or all loop pile and in either case the pile may be of essentially one pile level or multilevel. A particular floor covering may also contain both cut pile areas and loop pile areas which may be of the same pile level or different pile levels. Areas of intermingled cut and loop pile or intermingled high and low level pile may also occur. 18.3.13   pile yarn floor covering, n.—a textile product in which yarn or yarn segments are attached intermittently to a backing fabric so as to project above the backing fabric to form a pile; the yarn entering the backing fabric substantially perpendicular to the plane of the backing fabric. 18.3.13.1 Pile yarn floor covering is distinguished from flannel, fork needlepunched, and flocked products in that the latter have a nap or pile formed of individual fibers rather than of yarn. Pile yarn upholstery fabrics are sometimes distinguishable from pile yarn floor covering only in that they have backings that are not as stiff as for pile yarn floor covering. 18.3.14   primary backing, n.—for tufted pile yarn floor covering, the fabric through which the pile yarn is carried by needles to form tufts: the backing fabric. 18.3.15   rug, n.—a textile floor covering of limited area which is complete in itself and is intended for use as a partial covering of a floor or another floor covering. 16

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 18.3.16  secondary backing, n. —for pile yarn floor covering, a material adhered to the backing fabric side of a pile yarn floor covering. 18.3.16.1   Discussion—The secondary backing may be a textile layer, a solid plastic layer, a rubber sponge, or an elastomeric foam. 18.3.17   tuft, n.—in pile fabrics, those cut or uncut loops which are attached to the backing fabric at one binding site and which form part of the fabric face. 18.3.17.1   Discussion—A tuft may consist of one or more tuft elements. 18.3.18   tuft element, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, a segment of yarn bound to a backing fabric at a binding site so that two portions (legs) of the yarn project above the backing fabric, one portion on each side of the binding site. See  Fig. 1. 18.3.18.1   Discussion—In loop pile floor covering, the tuft element extends from the midpoint of the loop on one side of  the binding site to the midpoint of the loop on the other side of  the binding site. In most pile yarn floor coverings both legs of  the tuft element are immediately adjacent to the same binding site. In some pile yarn floor coverings the yarn segment extends from one leg past a number of binding sites before the second leg of the tuft element projects above the backing fabric. 18.3.19   tuft leg, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, one of the two portions of a tuft element that project above the backing fabric on the pile side of the floor covering. See  Fig. 1. 18.3.20   widthwise direction, n.—in textiles, the direction in a machine-made fabric perpendicular to the direction of  movement the fabric followed in the manufacturing machine. (Syn. cross machine direction, weftwise, and filling wise.) 18.3.21 For the definition of other textile terms used in these methods, refer to Terminology D 123D 123. 18.4  Significance and Use : 18.4.1 Test Methods D 418 for the determination of tuft length and yarn length of floor covering are useful in quality and cost control during the manufacture of pile yarn floor covering. Both appearance and performance can be affected by changes in this characteristic. 18.4.2 Although these test methods are useful for acceptance testing of commercial shipments as the best available methods, between-laboratory precision has not yet been determined. If there is a disagreement arising from differences in values reported by the purchaser and the supplier when using the methods of this standard for acceptance testing, the statistical bias, if any, between the laboratory of the purchaser and the laboratory of the supplier should be determined with each comparison of test results being based on adjacent test samples cut from one shipping roll of the floor covering. 18.5   Sampling Units and Test Specimens : 18.5.1   Sampling Units : 18.5.1.1 The basic sampling unit of uncoated floor covering is a production roll. 18.5.2 Take a lot sample as directed in Practice E 122E 122 when statistical knowledge of the product variability and test method precision is available, and a decision has been made on the maximum deviation that can be tolerated between the estimate to be made from the sample and the result that would

be obtained by measuring every sampling unit of the lot. Otherwise the number of sampling units in a lot sample and the use of the test results obtained from the individual test samples shall be in accordance with the manufacturer’s quality control program or with the specification agreed upon between the purchaser and the supplier. 18.5.3 A test sample shall consist of a full-width section of  floor covering cut from one end of each roll in the lot sample and shall be at least 100 mm (4 in.) longer than the specimens required for the tests being conducted. Do not cut a test sample of coated floor covering from a seam end of a production roll. 18.5.4 A test specimen is a designated area of a test sample that may be marked on or cut from the test sample as directed in a test method. For test samples 3050 mm (120 in.) wide or wider, three test specimens are required for a test method, one at each edge no nearer to the edge than 5 % of the total floor covering width and one in the middle portion of the test sample. For test samples at least 1520 mm (60 in.) wide but less than 3050 mm, two test specimens are required for a test method, one at each edge no nearer to the edge than 5 % of the total floor covering width. For test samples less than 1520 mm wide (60 in.), only one specimen, in the middle of the width, is required for a test method. 18.5.5 Where it is known that systematic variations in a floor covering characteristic may occur in bands 460 mm (18 in.) or more in width, as with modular pattern device having separate controls or adjustments for each module, take test specimens from the middle of each band. 18.5.6 When a full-width test sample is not available, take a specimen as directed in 5.4  and state in the report the width available and the number of test specimens taken. 18.5.7 A test result is the average of the measurements made on a set of test specimens as described in   18.5.4,   18.5.5, or 18.5.6.   In these test methods, directions are given only for obtaining a test result from one test sample. The value representative of the lot being sampled will be the average of  the test results for all the test samples in the lot sample. 18.6   Conditioning: 18.6.1 Condition the test specimens or the test sample in the standard atmosphere for testing textiles (21  6  1°C (70  6  2°F) at 65 6   2 % relative humidity) for 12 h or until the mass changes no more than 0.1 % in 2 h. 19. Tuft Length 19.1  Summary of Test Method : 19.1.1 Individual tuft elements of like character (cut or loop, and height) are removed from a test specimen and placed, one at a time, in a grooved yarn specimen holder that maintains the tuft yarn in a straight line while the length of the tuft element is measured with a graduated scale and a magnifying glass. 19.1.2 In loop pile floor covering, adjacent tuft elements are first separated by cutting the connecting loops at the center of  the bend with sharp scissors before the tuft elements are withdrawn from the backing fabric. 19.2   Apparatus: 19.2.1   Grooved Specimen Holders : 19.2.1.1 The length of the holder shall be at least 10 % longer than the longest tuft element to be measured. A100-mm (4-in.) length normally will be adequate. 17

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 19.2.1.2 The grooves shall have a V-shaped cross section with a 1.05-rad (60°) angle at the bottom and widths across the top to accommodate several size yarns as follows: Yarn Bulk Coarse Medium Fine

19.6.3 Center the magnifying glass immediately above one end of the tuft element to avoid parallax. 19.6.4 Read the graduated scale at one end of the tuft element and record to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.). 19.6.4.1 If the tuft element is not cut squarely, select visually a location midway between the extremes of the cut. 19.6.5 Without moving the scale repeat   19.6.3 and 19.6.4 for the other end of the tuft element. 19.6.6 Repeat 19.6.2-19.6.5 for the remaining tuft elements taken from the test specimens. 19.6.7 For level loop pile floor covering only the pile yarn per unit length of floor covering is determined as directed in Section 20 and the number of binding sites per unit length of  floor covering is determined as directed in Test Methods D 418. The tuft length equals the pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering divided by the number of binding sites per unit length of floor covering. 19.7   Calculation: 19.7.1 Calculate the length of each tuft element by determining the difference between the two scale readings. 19.7.2 Average the lengths of each group of ten tuft elements of like character to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.). 19.7.2.1 For level loop pile floor covering only, calculate the tuft length as in 12.2 using Eq 21.

Groove Widths, mm (in.) 4.6 (0.18) 3.3 (0.13) 2.0 (0.08)

19.2.1.3 Additional grooves of intermediate width also may be used. 19.3   Apparatus: 19.3.1   Scale, at least a length of 100 mm (4 in.) graduated in 2-mm (0.01-in.) divisions. 19.3.1.1 If the scale is not transparent, it shall be no thicker than 1 mm (0.04 in.). 19.3.1.2  Cover Plate, clear plastic or glass to be used when a nontransparent scale is used. 19.3.1.3   Magnifying Glass , 23 to 53, mounted above the holder to permit centering the glass immediately above the cut ends of the tuft to avoid parallax in reading the scale. 19.3.1.4   Scissors, sharp. 19.4   Conditioning—If the fiber has a commercial moisture regain of over 5 %, the tufts must be conditioned as directed in Section 6  before measuring. Commercial moisture regains for textile fibers are listed in Table D 1909D 1909. 19.5   Tuft Element Selection: 19.5.1 Select a total of ten tuft elements of like character (either cut or loop, and of one height) from the floor covering test specimens designated in 5.4.   For three test specimens, select four tuft elements from the middle test specimen and three each from the two-sided test specimens. For other numbers of test specimens than three, similarly distribute the ten tuft elements equally, or nearly equally, among the test specimens. 19.5.1.1 Select the tuft elements in each test specimen from different rows of binding sites in both the lengthwise and the widthwise directions. 19.5.2 For loop pile floor covering, separate the tufted element from the two adjoining tuft elements on either side by cutting, with scissors, each connecting loop midway between the binding sites of the adjoining tuft elements and the selected tuft element before removing the selected tuft element from the backing fabric. 19.6   Procedure: 19.6.1 Select the groove appropriate to the tuft element yarn diameter.

T  5  R /  N 

 

(21)

where: T  = tuft length, mm (in.),  R = average pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering (see  12.2), and  N  = average number of binding sites per unit length of  floor covering. 19.8   Report : 19.8.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418, for determining tuft length. Describe the material sampled and the method of sampling used. State whether the tuft elements were removed from cut pile or loop pile areas of the floor covering and, in the case of multilevel floor covering, also state from which level of pile the tuft elements were removed. 19.8.2 Report the average tuft length for each character of  tuft separately. 19.9  Precision and Bias : 19.9.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft length is being established. 19.9.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining tuft length has no known bias and may be used as a referee method.

NOTE  18—The groove is of appropriate size if the bend in the middle of  the tuft element is substantially removed when the cover plate is placed over the yarn in the groove (the groove is then small enough). The groove is too small if the fibers of the tuft element spread beyond the edge of the groove and hold the cover plate above the holder surface. A deflection of  the tuft element from straightness of as much as 1 mm (0.04 in.) will not significantly affect the measured tuft length.

20. Pile Yarn Length per Unit Length of Floor Covering 20.1  Summary of Test Method : 20.1.1 The lengths of pile yarns removed from a measured length of floor covering are measured under a tension proportional to the yarn number. The pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering is the average yarn specimen length divided by the measured floor covering test specimen length. 20.2   Apparatus:

19.6.2 Place the extended tuft element in the groove. 19.6.2.1 If a clear graduated scale is used, cover the groove with the graduations directly over the yarn in the groove. 19.6.2.2 If a transparent scale is used, place the scale along one edge of the groove and the clear cover plate above the groove abutting the scale. 18

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 20.2.1  Scale or Tape , metal, graduated in 1 mm (0.05 in.), at least 10 % longer than the extended yarn specimen being measured. 20.2.2   Stationary Clamp, to hold one end of the yarn. 20.2.3  Means for Applying a Known Tension   to the yarn.

 R

= pile yarn length per unit length for the floor covering specimen, mm/mm (in./in.), Y  = average of the five yarn specimen lengths for the floor covering specimen, mm (in.), and  L = average length of the floor covering specimen. 20.7.3 Calculate the average pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering,  R , to the nearest 0.01 mm/mm (in./in.) from the values of  R   obtained as directed in   19.1   for all test specimens in the test sample. 20.8   Report : 20.8.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering. Describe the material samples and the method of sampling used. 20.8.2 Report the average pile yarn length per unit length of  floor covering. 20.9  Precision and Bias : 20.9.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Method D 418 for determining pile yarn length of floor covering is being established. 20.9.2   Bias—The procedure in Method D 418 for testing pile yarn length per unit length of floor covering has no known bias and may be used for referee purposes. 20.10   Keywords: 20.10.1 construction; floor covering; pile yarn; tuft length

NOTE  19—Various means for applying a known tension are available with the yarn in either a vertical or horizontal orientation. Typical laboratory load-elongation yarn testing machines may be used or the tension may be applied with a combination of weights or a spring “fish” scale having a range of 1250 to 7000 mN (125 to 700 gf). Small spring binder clamps weighing 3 to 4 g can be used to attach the weights to the specimen. The symbol gf denotes gram-force. One gram force is the force exerted by a mass of 1 g under the pull of the earth’s gravity. An mN is one thousandth of a newton, the SI1 metric unit of force. 1 gf = 9.807 mN.

20.3   Test Specimens: 20.3.1 Cut floor covering test specimens and measure in the lengthwise direction as directed in Section 5. 20.3.2 From each floor covering test specimen remove five pile yarns. Take care not to overstretch the yarn. Discard and replace any pile yarn which hangs up or catches during removal. 20.4   Procedure: 20.4.1 Insert one end of a pile yarn in the stationary clamp. The clamp should be within 6 mm ( 1 ⁄ 4  in.) of the end of the yarn. 20.4.2 Clamp the other end of the yarn to the tensioning means, also within 6 mm (1 ⁄ 4  in.) of the yarn end. 20.4.3 Apply 9.0  6  0.5 mN/tex (0.9  6  0.05 gf/tex) tension to the yarn. Typical tensions required are given in  Table 1. 20.4.4 If the yarn number is not known, apply a tension just sufficient to remove any yarn crimp from the first yarn. Measure the length in millimetres as directed in  20.5, and weigh the yarn to the nearest 0.01 g. Calculate an estimate of  the yarn number using Eq 22. t  5  1000m / q

 

21. Number of Binding Sites per Unit Length or Width of Pile Floor Covering 21.1   Scope—This method covers the determination of the number of binding sites per unit length or width of machinemade, woven, knitted and tufted pile yarn covering both before and after adhesive backing, which bonds the pile yarn to the backing fabric. 21.1.1 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard for all measurements except mass. The SI (metric) values for all measurements except mass are provided for information only. 21.2   Referenced Documents : 21.2.1   ASTM Standards : D 123 Terminology Relating to TextilesD 1233 D 1909 Table of Commercial Moisture Regains for Textile FibersD 19093 E 122 Recommended Practice for Choice of Sample Size to Estimate the Average Quality of a Lot ProcessE 1225 21.3   Definitions: 21.3.1   back coating, n. —in textiles, an adhesive-type substance applied to the back of a fabric for such purposes as locking pile yarn tufts into a carpet backing, bonding a secondary backing to a primary backing, or increasing fabric body or stiffness. 21.3.2  backing, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, all materials in a pile yarn floor covering other than pile yarn. 21.3.3  backing fabric, n. —in textiles, (1) a fabric into which pile yarn is inserted, or (2) a reinforcing layer adhered to the reverse side of a fabric. 21.3.3.1   Discussion—In woven and knitted pile yarn floor coverings the backing fabric is created at the same time the pile yarn is bound to the backing fabric but in tufted pile yarn floor

(22)

where: = tex yarn number, t  = mass of yarn specimen, g, and m q = length of yarn specimen, mm. 20.4.5 If the tension applied to this yarn falls within the range given in  Table 1 for the tex yarn number obtained, the length obtained on this yarn specimen is a valid measurement. Otherwise, the length of another yarn must be measured under the tension specified in   Table 2   for the tex yarn number obtained. 20.5 Measure the length, Y , of the yarn, including the portions in the clamps, with the graduated scale or tape, to the nearest 1 mm (0.05 in.). 20.6 Repeat 20.4-20.5  for all yarns selected. 20.7   Calculation: 20.7.1 Average the pile yarn lengths from each test specimen to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.), Y . 20.7.2 For each floor covering test specimen, calculate the pile yarn length per unit length to the nearest 0.01 mm/mm (in./in.) using Eq 23.  R  5  Y  /  L

 

(23)

where:

19

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 coverings the backing fabric is made prior to the operation in which the pile yarn is fastened to the backing fabric. 21.3.4  primary backing, n. —for tufted pile yarn floor covering, the fabric through which the pile yarn is carried by needles to form tufts: the backing fabric. 21.3.5   secondary backing, n. —for pile yarn floor covering, a material adhered to the backing fabric side of a pile yarn floor covering. 21.3.5.1   Discussion—The secondary backing may be a textile layer, a solid plastic layer, a rubber sponge, or an elastomeric foam. 21.3.6   binding site, n. —for pile yarn floor covering, a place at which the pile yarn is, or can be, bound to the backing fabric. See Fig. 1. 21.3.6.1   Discussion—In any machine-made pile yarn floor covering the binding sites occur in an orderly and repetitive array at uniform intervals in both the lengthwise and widthwise directions of the floor covering. The nature of the binding site differs among woven, knitted and tufted floor coverings. For example, the binding site of a woven floor covering consists of  one or more filling shots under which the face yarn passes, while the binding site of a tufted floor covering consists of the section of backing fabric between two adjacent needle holes in the lengthwise direction. The number of pile yarn strands that can be fastened at one binding site can vary from one to several, according to design. 21.3.7   buried pile yarn, n.—for coated pile yarn floor covering, that portion of the pile tuft elements which remains after the tuft legs have been removed by shearing. 21.3.7.1   Discussion—The buried pile yarn is composed of  the pile yarn in the backing and a short stubble of yarn projecting above the backing. 21.3.8   carpet, n.—all textile floor coverings not designated as rugs. 21.3.9   components, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, the individual yarn or fabric elements into which a pile yarn floor covering can be dissected. 21.3.9.1   Discussion—The major components of uncoated pile yarn covering are the pile yarn and the backing fabric. For woven and knitted floor covering, the backing fabric may be further dissected into component yarns. 21.3.10   course, n.—in knitted fabrics the series of successive loops lying crosswise of a knitted fabric, that is, lying at right angles to a line passing through the open throat to the closed end of the loops. 21.3.11   cut pile, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, pile in which the legs of any one tuft element are not connected to the legs of any other tuft element. 21.3.12   dents per unit width, n.—for woven pile yarn floor covering, the number of binding sites per unit width; dents being the reed spaces through which the warp yarns pass in the loom or the metal strips in the reed which form these spaces. 21.3.13   floor covering, n.—an essentially planar material, having a relatively small thickness in comparison to its length or width, which is laid on a floor to enhance the beauty, comfort, and utility of the floor. 21.3.13.1   Discussion—It is customary to distinguish between hard or resilient floor coverings and soft or textile floor

coverings. Textile floor coverings are further subdivided into pile floor coverings and nonpile floor coverings such as braided rugs or flat nonwoven barb needlepunched felt. There are two types of pile floor coverings: pile yarn and pile fiber. Typical examples of pile fiber floor coverings are flocked floor covering and fork needlepunched non-woven floor covering. Textile floor coverings are also classified as carpets or rugs. 21.3.14   gage, n.—of tufted pile yarn floor covering, the average distance between adjacent binding sites in the widthwise direction. 21.3.15   gage, n. —of a tufting machine, the average centerline distance between the needles. 21.3.16  lengthwise direction, n.—in textiles, the direction in a machine-made fabric parallel to the direction of movement the fabric followed in the manufacturing machine. (Syn. machine direction and wrapwise.) 21.3.17   level pile, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, pile in which all tuft legs are of substantially the same length. 21.3.18   loop pile, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, pile in which, for each loop, a tuft leg of one element is connected to a tuft leg of another tuft element at another binding site so as to form a loop which projects above the backing fabric between the binding sites of the connected tuft elements. 21.3.19   multilevel pile, n.—for yarn floor covering, pile in which some tuft legs are substantially longer than others. 21.3.20 needles per unit width, n.—for tufted pile yarn floor covering, the number of binding sites per unit of floor covering width; needles being the means of inserting the pile yarn into the backing fabric. 21.3.21   pile, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, the texture surface composed of many tuft legs bound to a backing fabric in an orderly and repetitive array. 21.3.21.1   Discussion—A particular floor covering may be all cut pile, or all loop pile and in either case the pile may be of essentially one pile level or multilevel. A particular floor covering may also contain both cut pile areas and loop pile areas which may be of the same pile level or different pile levels. Areas of intermingled cut and loop pile or intermingled high and low level pile may also occur. 21.3.22   pile yarn floor covering, n.—a textile product in which yarn or yarn segments are attached intermittently to a backing fabric so as to project above the backing fabric to form a pile; the yarn entering the backing fabric substantially perpendicular to the plane of the backing fabric. 21.3.22.1   Discussion—Pile yarn floor covering is distinguished from flannel, fork needlepunched, and flocked products in that the latter have a nap or pile formed of individual fibers rather than of yarn. Pile yarn upholstery fabrics are sometimes distinguishable from pile yarn floor covering only in that they have backings that are not as stiff as for pile yarn floor covering. 21.3.23   pitch, n.—for woven pile yarn floor covering, the number of binding sites in 686 mm (27 in.) of width. 21.3.24   rug, n.—a textile floor covering of limited area which is complete in itself and is intended for use as a partial covering of a floor or another floor covering. 21.3.25  stitches, n.—in tufted pile floor covering, the number of pile tufts per inch in the lengthwise direction. 20

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 21.3.26   tuft, n.—in pile fabrics, those cut or uncut loops which are attached to the backing fabric at one binding site and which form part of the fabric face. 21.3.26.1   Discussion—A tuft may consist of one or more tuft elements. 21.3.27   tuft element, n.—for pile yarn floor covering, a segment of yarn bound to a backing fabric at a binding site so that two portions (legs) of the yarn project above the backing fabric, one portion on each side of the binding site. See  Fig. 1. 21.3.27.1   Discussion—In loop pile floor covering, the tuft element extends from the midpoint of the loop on one side of  the binding site to the midpoint of the loop on the other side of  the binding site. In most pile yarn floor coverings both legs of  the tuft element are immediately adjacent to the same binding site. In some pile yarn floor coverings the yarn segment extends from one leg past a number of binding sites before the second leg of the tuft element projects above the backing fabric. 21.3.28   wale, n.—in knitted fabrics, a column of loops in successive courses. The column is parallel with the loop axes. 21.3.29   widthwise direction, n.—in textiles, the direction in a machine-made fabric perpendicular to the direction of  movement the fabric followed in the manufacturing machine. (Syn. cross machine direction, weftwise, and filling wise.) 21.3.30  wires per unit length, n.—for woven pile yarn floor covering, the number of binding sites per unit of floor covering length; wires in the widthwise direction being the usual means of forming the pile. 21.3.31 For the definition of other textile terms used in these methods, refer to Terminology D 123D 123. 21.4  Significance and Use : 21.4.1 Test Methods D 418 for the determination of the number of binding sites per unit length or width of floor covering is useful in quality and cost control during the manufacture of pile yarn floor covering. Both appearance and performance can be affected by changes in this characteristic. 21.4.2 Although this test method is useful for acceptance testing of commercial shipments as the best available methods, between-laboratory precision has not yet been determined. If  there is a disagreement arising from differences in values reported by the purchaser and the supplier when using this method for acceptance testing, the statistical bias, if any, between the laboratory of the purchaser and the laboratory of  the supplier should be determined with each comparison of test results being based on adjacent test samples cut from one shipping roll of the floor covering. 21.5   Sampling Units and Test Specimens : 21.5.1   Sampling Units : 21.5.1.1   Uncoated Floor Covering—The basic sampling unit of uncoated floor covering is a production roll. 21.5.1.2  Coated Floor Covering —The basic sampling unit of coated floor covering is a shipping roll. The number of  shipping rolls obtained from each production roll ranges from one to over 10. 21.5.2 Take a lot sample as directed in Recommended Practice E 122E 122 when statistical knowledge of the product variability and test method precision is available, and a decision has been made on the maximum deviation that can be

tolerated between the estimate to be made from the sample and the result that would be obtained by measuring every sampling unit of the lot. Otherwise the number of sampling units in a lot sample and the use of the test results obtained from the individual test samples shall be in accordance with the manufacturer’s quality control program or with the specification agreed to by the purchaser and the supplier. 21.5.3 A test sample shall consist of a full width section of  floor covering cut from one end of each roll in the lot sample and shall be at least 100 mm (4 in.) longer than the specimens required for the tests being conducted. Do not cut a test sample of coated floor covering from a seam end of a production roll. 21.5.4 A test specimen is a designated area of a test sample that may be marked on or cut from the test sample as directed in a test method. For test samples 3050 mm (120 in.) wide or wider, three test specimens are required for a test method, one at each edge no nearer to the edge than 5 % of the total floor covering width and one in the middle portion of the test sample. For test samples at least 1525 mm (60 in.) wide but less 3050 mm (120 in.) two test specimens are required for a test method, one at each edge no nearer to the edge than 5 % of the total floor covering width. For test samples less than 1525 mm wide (60 in.), only one specimen, in the middle of the width, is required for a test method. 21.5.5 Where it is known that systematic variations in a floor covering characteristic may occur in bands 460 mm (18 in.) or more in width, as with modular pattern device having separate controls or adjustments for each module, take test specimens from the middle of each band. 21.5.6 When a full width test sample is not available, take a specimens as directed in 21.5.4 and state in the report the width available and the number of test specimens taken. 21.5.7 A test result is the average of the measurements made on a set of test specimens as described in  21.4, 21.5, or 21.6. In these methods, directions are given only for obtaining a test result from one test sample. The value representative of the lot being sampled will be the average of the test results for all the test samples in the lot sample. 21.6   Conditioning: 21.6.1 Condition the test specimens or the test sample in the standard atmosphere for testing textiles (21  6  1°C (70  6  2°F) at 65 6   2 % relative humidity) for 12 h or until the mass changes no more than 0.1 % in 2 h. 21.6.2 If the fiber in any layer of the backing has a commercial regain of over 5 %, the specimen must be conditioned before measuring. Commercial moisture regains for textile fibers are listed in Table D 1909D 1909. 21.7  Summary of Test Method : 21.7.1 A graduated scale or tape is placed on the floor covering and the length of floor covering required for 40 binding sites is measured in either the lengthwise or the widthwise direction as required. The number of binding sites per unit length is 40 divided by the measured length. 21.8   Apparatus: 21.8.1   Shear or Clipper , capable of shearing close enough to the backing so as to leave a stubble of no more than 1.3 mm (0.05 in.).7 21

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 21.8.2   Scale or Tape , metal, graduated in 1 mm (0.05 in.), and at least 10 % longer than the distance being measured. 21.8.3   Location Markers , two, such as straight pins. 21.9   Test Specimens: 21.9.1 The number and location of the test specimens shall be as directed in Section 21.5. 21.9.2 The test specimens shall be large enough to include 44 binding sites in each direction. 21.9.3 The measurements of this test method may be made on the test specimens without cutting the test specimens from the test sample. 21.10   Procedure: 21.10.1 Place the test specimen face down on a flat surface if the binding sites are visible from the back. Otherwise, place the test specimen back down and shear the pile close to the backing so as to reveal the binding sites. Select a line of  binding sites in the direction to be counted.

21.10.5 Measure the length,  L , between the marked binding sites with the graduated scale or tape, reading to the nearest 1 mm (0.05 in.). 21.10.6 Make one measurement on each of the test specimens or specimen areas. 21.11   Calculation: 21.11.1 For each measurement calculate the number of  binding sites per unit length or width of floor covering to the nearest 1 mm (0.05 in.) using Eq 24.  N  5  40/  L

 

(24)

where:  N  = number of binding sites per unit length or width of  floor covering, and  L = length measured as directed in 10.5, mm (in.). 21.11.2 Calculate the average number of binding sites per unit length or width of floor covering to the nearest 4 sites/m (0.1 site/in.). 21.12   Report : 21.12.1 State the test sample was tested as directed in Test Methods D 418 for determining number of binding sites per unit length or width of floor covering. Describe the material or product sampled and the method of sampling used. 21.12.1.1 Report the average number of binding sites per unit length or width of floor covering as agreed between the purchaser and the seller. In the absence of such agreement report the number of binding sites per 25 mm (1 in.). 21.13  Precision and Bias : 21.13.1   Precision—The precision of the procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining the number of binding sites per unit length or width is being established. 21.13.2   Bias—The procedure in Test Methods D 418 for determining the number of binding sites per unit length or width has no known bias and may be used as a referee method. 21.14   Keywords: 21.14.1 binding sites; construction; floor covering; pile yarn

NOTE  20—Handle uncoated floor covering so as to avoid distorting the test specimen dimensions. Do not measure the number of binding sites of  coated floor covering after treating with reagents and removing the secondary backing.

21.10.2 Select a distinguishing feature found at each binding site. NOTE   21—It is not necessary to precisely define the boundaries of a binding site; only to use the same distinguishing feature in every binding site being counted in a particular specimen. For tufted floor covering a distinguishing feature is the needle hole separating two adjacent binding sites. See   Fig. 1.   For woven floor covering it may be a filling yarn appearing once on the back for every binding site.

21.10.3 Locate the zero point at this distinguishing feature of one binding site with a marker. 21.10.4 Count 40 complete binding sites from this marker and insert another marker at the distinguishing feature of the 40th site.

ANNEXES (Mandatory Information) A1. PREPARING SPECIMENS OF MEASURED AREA

A1.1 In five of the ten test methods in this standard, specimens of measured area are required for mass per unit area determinations. It is important to recognize that just as much care is needed in measuring the area of the specimen as in measuring its mass. The actual dimensions of a specimen are not critical as long as the area has been measured.

apparatus employed. The choice of procedure depends primarily on the cost of preparing specimens. Each procedure must be capable of producing specimens having straight sides and right angle corners, 1.57  6 0.03 rad (90 6 2°). The adequacy of  the cutting method chosen can be checked by measuring the two diagonals of a test specimen. On a 254-mm (10-in.) square test specimen the diagonals will differ no more than 12 mm (0.49 in.) when the angles are between 1.54 and 1.61 rad (88 and 92°). In general, the allowable difference is 0.0494 times the length of the side of the square. For a rectangular specimen, the difference between the squares of the diagonals shall be no greater than 0.14 times the product of the length and width of  the specimen. For the 64 by 254-mm (2.5 by 10-in.) strip

A1.2 Any procedure for obtaining a pile yarn floor covering specimen of measured area must also have the objective of  retaining with the specimen all tuft legs attached to binding sites included in the measured area. A1.3 Three procedures for obtaining specimens of measured area may be used. These are distinguished by the

22

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 specimen, the allowable difference between the squares of the diagonals is 2260 mm2 (3.5 in.2) and the allowable difference between the diagonals is 4.3 mm (0.17 in.). A1.4 Before following any of the following procedures, remove all loose fiber and foreign matter from the face and back of the area of floor covering from which the specimen is to be cut. A1.5  Procedure No. 1: A1.5.1   Apparatus: A1.5.1.1  Scale or Tape , metal, graduated in 2 mm (0.01 in.), and at least 10 % longer than the test specimen dimensions. A1.5.1.2 Pen, felt tip. A1.5.1.3   Straight Edge, steel, 1.5 to 2.0 mm (0.06 to 0.08 in.) thick, at least 10 % longer than the test specimen dimensions, and having a row of pins projecting approximately 3.8 mm (0.15 in.) from one face at intervals of approximately 50 mm (2 in.) along its centerline. A1.5.1.4   Razor Knife, having a blade about 0.5 mm (0.02 in.) thick. A1.5.1.5   Scissors, sharp. A1.5.2   Test Specimen Cutting : A1.5.2.1 Place the test sample pile down on a flat surface. A1.5.2.2 Measure and mark the boundaries of the test specimens on the back using the scale, straight edge, and pen. A1.5.2.3 Cut just through the backing with the razor knife guided by the straight edge, following the ink markings. Hold the plane of the razor knife perpendicular to the back of the test sample. A1.5.2.4 Separate each test specimen from the test sample using scissors to cut any loops connected to the remainder of  the test sample. A1.5.3   Test Specimen Dimensions—Measure each dimension of each conditioned test specimen three times with the graduated metal scale or tape to the nearest 0.3 mm (0.01 in.); once approximately in the middle and once each about 25 mm (1 in.) from each side. Calculate areas to the nearest 65 mm2 (0.01 in.2).

FIG. A1.1 Template for 10 by 12.5-in. Specimen

FIG. A1.2 Template for 2.5 by 10-in. Specimen

A1.6.2.2 Place the template on the back of the test sample. A1.6.2.3 Cut just through the backing with the razor knife guided by the edges of the template. Hold the plane of the razor knife perpendicular to the back of the test sample. A1.6.2.4 Separate the test specimen from the test sample. Use scissors to cut any loops connecting the test specimen to the remainder of the test sample. A1.6.3  Calibration of Template—Periodically measure a set of three specimens as directed in A1.5.3. The areas computed from these dimensions should be within 1 % of the area specified in the test method. A1.7   Procedure No. 3 : A1.7.1   Apparatus : A1.7.1.1   Clicking Die, steel, having dimensions specified in test method. A1.7.1.2   Clicking Machine or Hand Mallet and Cutting  Block .

A1.6  Procedure No. 2: A1.6.1   Apparatus: A1.6.1.1   Template, steel, 1.5 to 2.0 mm (0.06 in. to 0.08 in.) thick, having dimensions 0.5 mm (0.02 in.) less than the test specimen dimensions specified in the test method, and having a pin projecting approximately 3.8 mm (0.15 in.) from one face in each corner about 6 mm (0.25 in.) in from the sides of the corner. Two such templates are illustrated in   Figs. A1.1 and A1.2.

NOTE   A1.2—A hand die may be used when the perimeter of the specimen is 762 mm (30 in.) or less.

A1.7.2  Calibration of Clicking Die —After each sharpening, die-cut a piece of cardboard and measure the dimensions of the specimen as directed in A1.5.3. The area computed from these dimensions should be within 1 % of the area specified in the test method. A1.7.3   Test Specimen Cutting: A1.7.3.1 Place the test sample pile up on the cutting block  of the clicking machine. A1.7.3.2 Brush pile surface by hand toward the middle of  area to be included in the specimen, or A1.7.3.3 When the floor covering exhibits a strong pile lay, brush the pile surface in the direction of the pile lay to make the surface more uniform.

NOTE  A1.1—For multilevel floor covering a standard size template or clicking die may be used if the pattern area is within 2 % of the standard area.

A1.6.1.2   Razor Knife, having a blade about 0.5 mm (0.02 in.) thick. A1.6.1.3   Scissors, sharp. A1.6.2   Test Specimen Cutting : A1.6.2.1 Place the conditioned test sample pile down on a flat surface. 23

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 A1.7.3.4 Place die on the face of the test sample with the longer sides parallel to the lengthwise direction of the floor covering unless otherwise specified in the test method. A1.7.3.5 Activate clicking machine, remove the test sample remnant from around the die. A1.7.3.6 If the brushing method of   A1.7.3.2   was used, remove the specimen from the die and discard any loose fiber.

A1.7.3.7 If the brushing method of   A1.7.3.3   was used, carefully remove and retain for weighing with the specimen all loose yarn and fiber from around the inside perimeter of the die.

A2. TYPICAL CALCULATION FOR PILE YARN MASS PER UNIT AREA (Section  9) TABLE A2.2 Strip Specimen Data

A2.1   Equivalent Mass for s Strip Specimens and 1 %  Limiting Values—Three 18 by 18-in. test specimens were taken from one test sample. The total mass per unit area of each test specimen in oz/yd2 is given in   Table A2.1   along with the corresponding equivalent strip specimen masses and 1 % upper and lower limits for both one and two strip specimens per test specimen.

Strip Specimen 1 2 3 4 5 Selected Pairs Sum

A2.2   Selection of Strip Specimens for Analysis—While it may normally be unnecessary to cut 5 strip specimens from each test specimen, the masses of this number of strip specimens are shown in   Table A2.2.   Those marked with an asterisk (*) fall outside the single strip specimen 1 % limits given in   Table A2.1   and could not be used for analysis. As pairs, obviously, any of those within 1 % as individuals could be used together. In addition, some of those rejected as singles

Mass per unit area, oz/yd E i (one strip specimen), g E i (two strip specimens), g 1 % limits (one) Upper Lower 1 % Limits (two) Upper Lower

2

3

57.2 31.277 62.555

58.1 31.769 63.539

59.5 32.535 65.070

31.59 30.96

32.09 31.45

32.86 32.21

63.18 61.93

64.17 62.90

65.72 64.42

2

3

30.30* 31.28 31.63* 31.04 31.33 31.28 31.04 62.32

31.55 32.20* 31.20* 31.35* 31.65 31.55 31.65 63.20

31.90* 32.60 32.25 32.40 32.40 32.25 32.40 64.65

A2.3   Average Pile Yarn Mass per Unit Area—The total mass, M , of the selected strip specimen pairs was 190.17 g. The stubble specimen mass, S , was 116.20 g; the buried pile yarn, C , 11.53 g; and the coating residue mass, R, 0.050 g. The combined area of the 6 strip specimens was 301.2 in. 2 The average pile yarn mass per unit area is obtained by substituting these values in Eq 6.

Test Specimen Number (i ) 1

1

could be used in pairs. For this example there are seven acceptable pairs in each test specimen ranging in mass from 61.93 to 62.96 g for No. 1; 62.90 to 63.85 g for No. 2; and 64.50 to 65.5 g for No. 3. The masses of the pairs taken for further analysis are shown at the bottom of  Table A2.2.

TABLE A2.1 Test Specimen Data

2

Test Specimen Number (i )

P =   K(M – S + C – R)/A = [45.72 (190.17 – 116.20 + 11.53 – 0.050)]/301.2 (6) = 25.9 oz/yd2

A3. TYPICAL CALCULATION FOR PILE THICKNESS-MULTILEVEL PILE (Section  11)

A3.1 Strip Specimen Selection— In this example three test specimens were taken from one test sample. Table A3.1 shows the total masses per unit area for each test specimen and the corresponding upper and lower 1 % limits for two strip

specimens. See 9.8.2. Five strip specimens were cut from each test specimen and weighed. The masses obtained are shown in TABLE A3.2 Strip Specimen Selection Data Strip Specimen

TABLE A3.1 Test Specimen Data Test Specimen Number (i )

2

Mass per unit area, oz/yd E i (two strip specimens), g 1 % limits Upper Lower

1

2

3

71.14 77.81

66.36 72.58

65.59 71.74

78.59 77.03

73.31 71.85

72.46 71.02

1 2 3 4 5 Selected Pairs Sum

24

Test Specimen Number (i ) 1

2

3

39.47 39.52 40.07 39.03 37.03 39.52 39.03 78.55

35.70 36.92 37.09 36.67 36.58 36.67 36.58 73.25

36.70 36.49 35.61 36.19 36.18 36.19 36.18 72.37

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 Table A3.2.   Two strip specimens having a combined mass between the upper and lower 1 % limits were selected from each test specimen.

and thickness values measured at each of four shearing levels: 25 %, 50 % , 75 %, and stubble. A3.4   Net Pile Masses and Thicknesses—The total strip specimen masses and average strip specimen thicknesses at the 0, 25 %, 50 % and 75 % shearing levels are given in   Table A3.4. The total mass of the stubble specimens, 163.88 g, is subtracted from each of the other total masses to obtain the net pile mass for each of these shearing levels. These net pile masses are then expressed as percentages of the 0 level net pile mass, 60.29 g. Likewise, the net average pile thickness at each shearing level is obtained by subtracting the average stubble specimen thickness, 0.141 in., from the average thicknesses at the other levels.

A3.2   Estimation of Shearing Levels —The total thickness of  each strip specimen was measured at three places. The results of these measurements are reported in Table A3.3 for Shearing Level 0. The average thickness,  T 0, obtained was 0.503 in. For this quality of floor covering the stubble specimen thickness,  h , measures approximately 0.14 in. Therefore,  z = 0.50 − 0.14 = 0.36 in. and t 25  = 0.75 z +  h  = 0.41, t 50 = 0.50 z  +  h  = 0.32 and t 75 = 0.25 z  +  h  = 0.23 in. A3.3   Mass and Thickness Measurements on Sheared  Specimens—The remainder of   Table A3.3   presents the mass

TABLE A3.3 Measured Masses and Thicknesses Shearing Level, k  0 (0 %)

1 (25 %)

2 (50 %)

3 (75 %)

4 (Stubble)

Thickness Measurement Number 1 2 3 Average 1 2 3 Average 1 2 3 Average 1 2 3 Average 1 2 3 Average

11

12

21

22

31

32

0.500 0.488 0.476 0.488 0.346 0.357 0.370 0.358 0.315 0.325 0.327 0.322 0.236 0.240 0.234 0.237 0.136 0.138 0.137 0.137

0.524 0.520 0.508 0.517 0.359 0.370 0.363 0.364 0.326 0.338 0.342 0.335 0.244 0.245 0.249 0.246 0.141 0.147 0.145 0.144

0.415 0.532 0.526 0.491 0.390 0.401 0.393 0.395 0.322 0.333 0.329 0.328 0.230 0.234 0.220 0.228 0.141 0.137 0.140 0.139

0.444 0.537 0.480 0.487 0.377 0.394 0.404 0.392 0.310 0.323 0.326 0.320 0.225 0.223 0.229 0.226 0.140 0.136 0.139 0.138

0.527 0.508 0.553 0.529 0.413 0.440 0.393 0.415 0.302 0.319 0.314 0.312 0.236 0.239 0.241 0.239 0.147 0.136 0.137 0.140

0.481 0.511 0.529 0.507 0.401 0.429 0.437 0.422 0.298 0.316 0.322 0.312 0.231 0.233 0.238 0.234 0.156 0.149 0.146 0.150

25

 

Average Thickness

Total Mass

0.503

224.17

0.391

210.60

0.322

201.19

0.235

184.71

0.141

163.88

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93 TABLE A3.4 Net Pile Masses and Thicknesses Shearing Level, k 

Total mass, g Net pile mass, g As % of 0 Level Average thickness Net pile thickness

0

1

2

3

224.17 60.29 100.0 0.503 0.362

210.60 46.72 77.5 0.391 0.250

201.19 37.31 61.9 0.322 0.181

184.71 20.83 34.5 0.235 0.094

A3.5   Average Pile Thickness—The net pile thicknesses reported in Table A3.4  were plotted against the net pile mass percentages and a smooth curve drawn through the 25 %, 50 %

and 75 % points,  Fig. A3.1. The thickness value read from the graph at  m  = 50.0 % is 0.141. The average pile thickness to be reported is twice this value or 0.282 in.

26

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93

FIG. A3.1 Plot of Net Pile Thickness Versus Net Pile Mass

APPENDIX (Nonmandatory Information) X1. DESCRIPTION OF BINDING SITE TYPES TABLE X1.1 Binding Site Types

X1.1 The following are the trade categories used to describe binding sites as shown in  Table X1.1:

Type of Floor Covering Woven

Tufted

Knitted

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Binding Site Nomenclature dents pitch wires gage needles stitch courses wales

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information. D 418 – 93

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