Automatic Structure Analysis and Objective Evaluation of Woven Fabric Using Image Analysis

Abstract

An automatic fabric evaluation system has been developed to automatically analyze the structure of woven fabric and objectively evaluate fabric quality. Fabric images are captured by a CCD camera and preprocessed by Gaussian filtering and histogram equalization. Fabric construction parameters such as count, cloth cover, yarn crimp, fabric thickness, and weight per unit area are measured automatically from planar and cross-sectional images of woven fabric with image processing and image analysis. Results obtained with the system show good correspondence with experimental values. In order to evaluate the quality of woven fabric, defects such as slubs or missing picks are detected successfully from defect images, and the uniformity of yarn spacing and orthogonality of the yarn intersecting angle are determined from normal fabric images. The coefficients of variation of yarn spacing and the yarn intersecting angle are measured quantitatively so that quality can be compared using these values.