Face weight
The total weight of the face (above the backing) yarns
in the carpet.
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Fadeometer
A standard laboratory testing machine, which uses gas,
light or ozone to conduct fading tests.
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Fading
Loss of colour caused by sunlight or artificial light,
atmospheric gases including ozone, nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen sulphide,
cleaning and bleaching chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite, and
other household and industrial products. Commercial installations
in areas where such exposures occur require care in selection of colourfast
carpet.
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Fading tests
Laboratory tests designed to predict the
likelihood of carpet fading under actual use conditions. Fading is usually
caused either by ultraviolet light or by exposure to ozone or nitrogen
oxide gas. Carpet can be tested in laboratory fadeometers for results
against fading agents. Dye stuff, hue or fibre can affect fading. A
specific carpet being considered for a critical installation should
be tested prior to final selection.
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Fibre
A unit of matter, either natural or man-made,
which forms the basic element of fabrics. The term refers to units which
can be spun into a yarn or felting and can be processed by weaving,
tufting, knitting or fusion bonding. Important properties include elasticity,
fineness, uniformity, durability, soil resistance, luster, and denier.
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Fibre engineering
Refers to improvements to the fibre including:
- Polymer characteristics.
- Polymer additives (delusterant or solution dye pigments).
- Cross section design.
- Fibre finishes (low surface energy fluorochemical coatings for
soil release).
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Fibre shape
Refers to the cross section and size of
individual filaments. Fibre shape impacts soil hiding and soil release
(cleanability). (See "Cross section"
and "Extrusion.")
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Fibre size
Refers to the denier per filament (dpf)
or thickness of a filament. Fibre size impacts soil-trapping and soil-releasing
capabilities.
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Filament
Fibre which has been extruded and is then
converted into yarn fibre, staple, or tow.
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Filament count
The number of individual filaments that
make up an extruded yarn fibre, staple or tow.
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Finishing
Processing of carpets after tufting (weaving)
and dyeing is called finishing. Processes include application of secondary
backing, application of attached foam cushion, application of soil-resistant
treatment, shearing, brushing, dying, printing and others.
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Flame Resistance Tests
(also known as Flammability tests.) Procedures that have been developed
for assessing the flame resistance of carpets. The most commonly accepted
are:
Methenamine Pill Test
A carpet flammability test described in federal regulations CPSC 1-70
and CPSC 2-70. It measures the size of burn hole produced by an ignited
methenamine tablet. Also used on the back of carpet. All carpet sold
in the U.S. must pass the CPSC 1-70 flammability test.
Radiant Panel Test
A test for the flammability of carpets or rugs in which the specimen
is mounted on the floor of the test chamber and exposed to intense
radiant heat from above. The rate of flame spread is assessed. (ASTM-E-648
Class I .45 watts/cm; Class II .22 watts/cm.)
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Flame-resistant
A term used to describe a material that
burns slowly or is self-extinguishing after removal of an external source
of ignition. A fabric or yarn can be flame resistant because of the
innate properties of the fibre, the twist level of the yarn, the fabric
construction, or the presence of flame retardants, or because of a combination
of these factors.
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Fluorine analysis
A measurement of the amount of soil resistance
chemical (fluorochemical) applied to the fibre during the carpet manufacturing
process. This can be performed for the initial application of the fluorochemical
as well as for the durability of the chemical to remain after hot water
extraction cleaning.
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Fluorochemical
Low surface energy technology used as a
soil-resistance treatment for carpet. The DuraTech® treatment by INVISTA
is used on all carpets made of Antron® Nylon. DuraTech® attaches to
the chemical structure of the fibre after being heated during the finishing
step to protect the carpet from soiling.
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Foot Traffic Units
One foot traffic unit is described as a pedestrian walking across
a measured section of carpet, one time. Foot traffic is classified
as follows:
- Light: less than 100/day
- Moderate: 100-1,000/day
- Heavy: 1,000-10,000/day
- Extra Heavy: more than 10,000/day
(See individual traffic rating for details.)
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Frames
Racks at back of a Wilton loom that hold
spools from which yarns are fed into the loom. Each frame holds separate
colours, i.e., a three-frame Wilton has three colours in the design.
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Frieze
A yarn which has been very tightly twisted
to give a rough, nubby appearance to the finished carpet pile.
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Fusion bonding
Fabrication of carpet for a 6-foot-wide
or modular tile. It uses a thermoplastic process that implants yarn
in a liquid vinyl compound to two backing materials in a sandwich configuration.
A knife splits the sandwich to create two carpets simultaneously. Spun
yarn is used in this process, and only cut pile carpets are produced.
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Fuzzing
A hairy effect on the carpet surface caused
by fibres working loose under foot traffic or by slack yarn twist. This
can be caused by poor latex penetration, poor yarn spinning, poor twisting
and heatsetting, or improper maintenance. Not to be confused with initial
shedding, a normal phenomenon associated with spun cut pile construction.
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