Subjective Property Characterization by "Quad" Analysis: An Efficient Method for Conducting Paired Comparisons

Abstract

Quad analysis is useful for analyzing subjective properties. This new approach provides an efficient route to conducting paired comparisons, the preferred method for quantifying such properties. A process study taken from the carpet manufacturing industry demon strates the usefulness of the approach: drawtexturing factors are manipulated to impact commercially important carpet properties like body, tuft endpoint. and wearability. Quad analysis provides process direction, whereas traditional sample-to-control contrasts fail to provide any useful process direction. An extension to quad analysis. quad folding of one quad design into another, is introduced as an efficient method to rank order the subjective properties of larger data sets. Its advantage is demonstrated for a series of nylon carpets inserted with a low-melt yam to improve their initial presentation and wearability.