Silicone Print Test Methods and Acceptable Limits
Silicone Print is verified through screen printing plus curing. Knowing how the method works avoids rejecting fabric that actually meets the requirement.
Method overview
screen printing plus curing defines sample size, conditioning and calculation, so values are comparable only within the same revision. Working figures for Silicone Print normally sit around shore hardness selected by use in mainstream production. Note screen printing plus curing on the tech pack so nobody tests against an older revision.
Result interpretation
Read the value together with construction notes; shore hardness selected by use is only meaningful for similar fabrics. Record elastane content alongside Silicone Print, because blends shift the measured value. A result outside shore hardness selected by use usually points to process drift rather than to the fibre itself.
Typical limits
Buyers commonly write shore hardness selected by use with a stated tolerance, then verify against screen printing plus curing. Keeping reference values for Silicone Print lets suppliers quote without extra sampling rounds. Ask for conditioning details together with screen printing plus curing, since both affect the reading.
Sources of variation
Conditioning time, operator technique and shade all influence the result. Working figures for Silicone Print normally sit around shore hardness selected by use in mainstream production. Note screen printing plus curing on the tech pack so nobody tests against an older revision.
Documentation
Record the standard revision on every report, because older versions can differ from current practice. Record elastane content alongside Silicone Print, because blends shift the measured value. A result outside shore hardness selected by use usually points to process drift rather than to the fibre itself.
