The STFI was involved in the development of a DIN SPEC for determining the puncture behaviour using a cannula. The aim of DIN SPEC 91365 was to provide a test method with which materials and products can be examined with regard to their resistance to penetration by a cannula.

Perforation detection is realised via the contact of the cannula with an electrically conductive film after the test material has been completely perforated.

The ASTM F2878-10 can also be tested with this machine. The focus here is to test personal protective equipment, which should provide protection against occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens (e.g. HIV and hepatitis).

Additional to the health sector, the process is also recommended for products in the police, waste disposal companies or garbage sorting systems. Depending on the hazard potential, gloves, aprons, sleeves or entire suits are used here.

With the inclusion of the cutting test according to DIN EN ISO 13997 in the standard for protective gloves (DIN EN 388), the STFI expanded its testing options by purchasing a TOMODYNAMOMETER TDM-100. This is specially designed for testing the cut resistance of protective clothing. The test determines the resistance that a textile material offers when a blade is cut through. The blade is pulled once over the specimen under load until it is cut through. The aim of the procedure is to determine the load at which a cut with a length of 20 mm is created. The result can be classified according to DIN EN 388.

Because to their characteristics, carbon fibres require special test equipment. Due to the electrical conductivity of the fibres, the test devices must be encapsulated accordingly in order to exclude defects in the electronics of the devices themselves and the electrics in the entire laboratory. Special clamps are also required for carbon fibres, because of their extreme sensitivity to lateral forces in order to exclude incorrect measurements by fiber breakage caused by the clamps.

The FAVIMAT device system from TEXTECHNO for determining fiber fineness and strength meets these requirements. In addition, the integrated software offers a significantly expanded range of evaluation options for a wide variety of parameters. The tests can be carried out and evaluated according to different standards (DIN, EN, ISO, ASTM, ...).

The module FIMABOND is a novelty. With the FIMABOND, individual fibres can be precisely embedded in a drop matrix system. Almost all common thermosets and thermoplastics can be used as matrix systems, regardless of their shape (powder, granulate, foils; fibres ...).

The pull-out-force and pull-out-lengths are tested in the FAVIMAT.

The fibre-matrix-adhesion is an important parameter for the strength of the later fibre composite. This process is used particularly in the context of improving sizing systems.

The testing options for fibre composite materials are constantly being expanded at the STFI. A new parameter in the STFI test programme is the determination of the energy release rate G on composites. This parameter defines the energy that is necessary to further advance an existing crack in the laminate level.

Here, the legs of the test specimen created by the crack in the plane of the laminate are pulled further apart by means of glued-on hinges over the traverse path. A moving camera visually tracks the crack progress in the laminate. The camera recording is then synchronised with the recorded force-displacement curve and the energy release rate G is determined. The standard to be used for this is ISO 15024: 2001-12: Fibre-reinforced plastics – Determination of mode I, interlaminar fracture toughness, GIC, for unidirectionally reinforced materials.

Based on an inquiry about the biodegradability of textiles in an aqueous medium, a special method was developed by modifying the standard method DIN EN ISO 14851 "Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in an aqueous medium – Method by measuring the oxygen demand in a closed respirometer".

The challenge was that various investigations, including strength, were to be carried out after storage. Due to these follow-up tests, the standard procedure had to be modified. Among other things, it was necessary to increase the volume of the medium and thus significantly enlarge the experimental setup.

Activated sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant was used as the inoculum. The entire experiment was carried out on an interdisciplinary basis in close and constructive coordination between the client, biologists and test personnel. The method developed allows the influence of microbiological action on textile materials to be described very well by follow-up tests, especially with regard to the practical properties required.

Specifications and the requirements of the market demand the assurance of required qualities, the permanent preservation of protective functions and statements on service life. With the help of artificial weathering and the resulting findings regarding colour fastness, strength and functionality, products can be reliably evaluated, developed in an application-oriented manner and selected in a targeted manner.

The further development of testing technology in combination with the requirements ensures the mapping of the most important parameters such as light/irradiance, humidity/rain and temperature in the respective required combination and intensity. It is important that these parameters are recorded at the sample level, as is ensured in modern weathering devices with the aid of the corresponding sensor technology. The Xenotest Beta is used in order to determine colour changes or the change in textile physical parameters in products for outdoor applications.

Due to state-of-the-art exposure devices, the most important exposure parameters can be reproduced by several times shorter test times. By continuous irradiation with high irradiance, in combination with a temperature of up to 100 °C black standard (hot exposure) and additional control of the desired humidity, the most diverse conditions can be simulated. This leads to an enormous shortening of testing times in order to be able to make reliable statements about the durability of innovative products at an early stage, especially in research and development. The testing technology is used for example in the areas of interior sun protection, interior fittings for vehicles as well as for the development of special coating systems and functionalised systems.