Original Date: 08/08/1994
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

CSTA has implemented upgrades in fabric testing to automate the data collection and reporting of the mechanical properties of woven and knitted fabrics. The fabrics designed to camouflage and protect military vehicles are exposed to various environmental conditions prior to testing. The traditional methodology required the conversion of raw data captured on a strip chart recorder into useful technical results. To obtain the desired final information, numerous manual measurements were recorded in tabular form, converted to a conventional format for calculation purposes, and entered into computer tables for report generation. This process required many steps which created the opportunity for error in the final report.

Preliminary improvements included locating a computer adjacent to the test equipment for direct data input, conversion, and reporting. Additionally, the data could more readily be manipulated should further analysis be desired. CSTA has initiated action to fully automate the data collection process to reduce the possibility of error. An INSTRON Series 9 software package has been installed to directly feed the raw data from the fabric testing equipment into the computer for report generation and analysis.

These improvements have increased the execution and reporting efficiency by 30%-50%. An increase in accuracy has also been achieved by eliminating systematic and random errors associated with reading data from the strip chart recorder and also by eliminating the errors caused by transcription. Customer responsiveness has been enhanced by providing immediate feedback during testing, utilizing the computer's ability to sort and analyze data quickly, and allowing flexibility in reporting formats.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.