Understanding ISO 13937: The Core Standard for Textile Tear Properties
In the production, trade, and application of textiles, tear resistance stands as a crucial indicator of fabric durability. Whether it is clothing caught by sharp objects, outdoor tents exposed to strong winds, or industrial filter cloths under pressure, the ability to resist crack propagation directly determines the product’s service life. ISO 13937 series standards, developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), serve as authoritative technical specifications for textile tear resistance testing, providing a unified testing method and evaluation basis for the global textile industry. This article systematically interprets the core content, technical key points, and practical value of these standards.
SAYA. Standard Overview: Positioning and System Structure
ISO 13937 is not a single standard but a series of standards covering different tear testing methods. Its core positioning is “Determination of Tear Properties of Textile Fabrics,” aiming to accurately quantify the fabric’s ability to resist tearing through standardized testing procedures. First released in 2000, this series has been continuously improved through subsequent technical corrigenda (such as ISO 13937-1:2000/cor 1:2004 issued in 2004) and has now become a core reference widely adopted by textile enterprises, testing institutions, and trading parties worldwide.
In terms of system structure, ISO-nya 13937 series is divided into multiple parts based on differences in testing methods. Each part is independent yet complementary, covering the testing needs of various types of fabrics:
•ISO 13937-1: Impact Pendulum Method (Elmendorf Method), primarily used to determine the tear strength of fabrics under sudden impact forces;
•ISO 13937-2: Single Tongue Method, which uses a tensile testing machine to measure the tear properties of fabrics;
•ISO 13937-3: Wing Method, designed for tear testing of specific fabrics such as decorative fabrics and industrial fabrics;
•ISO 13937-4: Double Tongue Method, achieving accurate measurement of tear force through a special sample structure.
China has equivalently adopted this series of standards to develop the national standard GB/T 3917, among which GB/T 3917.1-2009 corresponds to ISO 13937-1:2000, ensuring the consistency between domestic test results and international standards.
II. Core Technical Interpretation: Testing Principles and Key Requirements
The core value of the ISO 13937 series lies in “method standardization.” Although different parts have distinct testing principles, they all focus on “accurately simulating tear scenarios in practical use.” The following section focuses on the most widely applied Parts 1 Dan 3, as well as general technical requirements.
1. Basic Terms and Definitions
The standard first clarifies the core terms of tear testing, laying the foundation for the unified interpretation of test results:
| Term | Definition | Explanation |
| Tear Force | The force required to propagate a tear under specific conditions | Classified into warp direction (warp yarn breakage) and weft direction (weft yarn breakage) based on the tear direction |
| Tear Length | The measured distance from the tear start point to the tear end point | Typically specified as 100±1mm in the standard to ensure unified testing conditions |
2. Key Testing Methods: Impact Pendulum Method and Wing Method
Different testing methods correspond to different application scenarios, with significant differences in their principles, equipment, and scope of application, making them the core technical content of the standard.
(1) ISO 13937-1: Impact Pendulum Method (Elmendorf Method)
This method simulates scenarios where fabrics are subjected to sudden impact forces (such as clothing being quickly caught by hooks) and is the preferred testing method for garment fabrics and home textile products.
•Testing Principle: Fix the sample between the fixed clamp and the movable clamp of the pendulum testing machine, and cut a 20±0.5mm notch in the middle of the sample. Release the pendulum at the maximum potential energy position; as the pendulum falls, it drives the movable clamp to tear the sample along the notch direction. The tear force value is calculated based on the energy change of the pendulum.
•Core Equipment: A ballistic pendulum testing machine that meets the requirements of ISO 10012-1, including a rigid frame, an adjustable pendulum, bidirectional clamps, and an electronic/mechanical dynamometer. The clamp spacing must be accurately controlled at 100±1mm to ensure stable tear length.
•Scope of Application: Mainly applicable to woven fabrics and nonwovens; not suitable for knitted fabrics, elastic fabrics, and loose fabrics with large differences between warp and weft directions, to avoid tear transfer during testing.
(2) ISO 13937-3: Wing Method
This method achieves uniform-speed tearing through a tensile testing machine and is more suitable for thick or high-strength fabrics such as decorative fabrics, tent fabrics, and industrial filter cloths.
•Testing Principle: Cut a rectangular sample into a “wing-shaped” structure and make a notch at the center of the short side. Clamp the two wings of the sample in the upper and lower clamps of the tensile testing machine respectively, stretch at a uniform speed of 100mm/min, and record the average force value when tearing to the specified length.
•Technical Difficulties and Solutions: The test needs to capture the peak data of single yarn breakage, so the equipment data acquisition rate is required to be no less than 2500 data points per second. The use of rubber-coated pneumatic flat-pushing clamps can prevent sample slipping or damage, improving test repeatability.
3. General Technical Requirements
Regardless of the testing method adopted, ISO 13937 puts forward unified requirements for sample preparation, environmental conditions, dll., to ensure the accuracy and comparability of test results:
•Environmental Conditions: Samples shall be pre-conditioned and conditioned in accordance with ISO 139. The test environment temperature shall be controlled at 20±2℃, and the relative humidity at 65±4% to avoid the impact of temperature and humidity on the mechanical properties of the fabric.
•Sample Preparation: Each group shall contain at least 5 samples, with half in the warp direction and half in the weft direction. The short side of the sample shall be parallel to the warp and weft directions of the fabric. Areas within 150mm of the fabric edge, as well as wrinkles and defects, shall be avoided to ensure the representativeness of the samples.
•Result Determination: The tear force result is the average value of valid test values, with the unit of Newton (N). The test result of the pendulum method shall fall within the range of 15%-85% of the full scale of the measuring scale; jika tidak, the pendulum mass shall be replaced for re-testing.
AKU AKU AKU. Application Value of the Standard: Full-Chain Guarantee from Production to Trade
ISO 13937 series standards are not merely technical documents; they play a core guarantee role in the entire textile industry chain, specifically reflected in three aspects:
1. Production Quality Control: Targeted Optimization of Product Performance
Fabric tear strength is closely related to yarn characteristics and fabric structure—fabrics with yarns of higher breaking elongation and satin weave (compared to plain weave) have better tear strength. Through ISO 13937 pengujian, enterprises can accurately identify the key factors affecting tear performance: Misalnya, the sanding process will damage the fabric surface structure and reduce tear force, so the sanding intensity needs to be adjusted to optimize the process; industrial fabrics can improve tear strength by increasing yarn twist to meet application requirements.
2. Trade Settlement: Eliminating Technical Barriers
In international trade, tear resistance is one of the core assessment indicators for textiles. As ISO 13937 is a globally recognized standard, test results obtained in accordance with this standard are accepted by purchasers and testing institutions in different countries, effectively avoiding trade disputes caused by differences in testing methods. For instance, outdoor clothing exported from China to Europe must provide a tear strength report complying with ISO 13937-1 to enter the local market.
3. Consumer Protection: Matching Practical Application Needs
By accurately simulating application scenarios, the standard ensures that product performance matches consumer needs: outdoor tent fabrics need to pass the wing method test specified in ISO 13937-3 to ensure tear resistance under strong winds; infant clothing must pass the impact pendulum method test to prevent safety hazards caused by fiber shedding due to tearing.
IV. Implementation Key Points: Critical Details for Avoiding Test Errors
The test results of ISO 13937 are affected by multiple factors such as equipment and operation. The following critical details should be paid attention to in practice:
•Equipment Calibration: The pendulum testing machine shall be regularly calibrated in accordance with Appendix B of ISO 1974:1990 to ensure that parameters such as pendulum mass and clamp spacing meet the standard requirements. The clamp pressure of the tensile testing machine shall be adjusted according to the fabric thickness to avoid slipping due to loose clamping or sample damage due to excessive clamping.
•Method Selection: Test results obtained by different methods are not comparable, so the method shall be selected based on the product type—for lightweight garment fabrics, the impact pendulum method is preferred; for thick industrial fabrics, the wing method or trapezoid method (refer to ISO 9073-4) is preferred.
•Data Interpretation: Tear strength shall be judged in combination with application scenarios. Misalnya, outdoor equipment requires a warp tear force of no less than 50N, while the requirement for decorative fabrics can be relaxed to 20N. Product quality cannot be judged solely based on the numerical value.
V. Summary and Outlook
ISO 13937 series standards provide a “globally common language” for the evaluation of textile tear resistance through scientific testing methods and unified technical requirements, serving as a core technical bridge connecting production, pengujian, and trade. With textile materials developing towards functionality and lightweight (such as graphene composite fabrics and ultra-fine fiber fabrics), this standard may further expand its testing scope in the future to adapt to the characteristics of new materials. For enterprises, in-depth understanding and strict implementation of ISO 13937 are not only basic requirements for meeting market access but also important measures to enhance product competitiveness and ensure consumer safety.
Our product GA-4010 Elmendorf Fabric Tear Tester meets this standard.
GA-4010 Penguji Sobek Kain Elmendorf
Standar tes
Textiles: GB/T 3917.1 fabric tear – breaking performance 1 part of the impact pendulum method to break strong determination
ASTM D 1424, DARI 53862, EN ISO 13937-1, ISO 4674-2, ISO 9290, M&S P29, NEXT 17, NF g07-149
Paper sheet: GB/T 455, APPITA P 400, ASTM D 689, BS 4468, CSA D9, DARI 53128, DI DALAM 21974,
ISO 1974, JIS P 8116, PAPTAC D9, SCAN P11, SNV 198482, TAPPI T414, UNI 6444
Plastic material: GB/T 11999, ASTM D 1922, ISO 6383-2, JIS K 7128-2, NF T54 141
Non-woven fabrics: ASTM D 5734, WSP 100.1
Scope of application :
It can be used to measure the tearing strength of the fabric and the tearing strength of the paper, plastic sheeting, thin film, electrician, sheet metal etc.
Features of instrument:
1. This instrument adopts LCD screen, which is easy to understand and easy to understand.
2. This instrument USES microprocessor, automatic detection and analysis data;The instrument has the characteristics of high test precision, reliable performance and simple operation.
3. The performance indexes of this instrument conform to the relevant requirements of GB/t3917.1-2009.Suitable for the determination of the tensile strength of various woven fabrics.It can also be used for the determination of tensile strength of thick paper, plastic cloth and electrician tape.
Parameter teknik :
1. Test range of tear force: 0 ~ 16N (A hammer)
0 ~ 32N (B hammer)
0 ~ 64N (C hammer)
1. Akurasi tes: less than or less than 1%F·S
2. Tear length: 43mm
3. Length of incision: 20 + 0.2mm
4. Kekuatan: AC220V 50Hz 20W
5. Dimensi eksternal: 520 X 300 x 580mm
6. Berat instrumen: 32kg
Product link:
https://www.gonoava.com/product/ga-4010-elmendorf-fabric-tear-tester/
Contact:
Surel: arlenliu@gonoava.com
Ada apa: 0086 18670728798(We chat)
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