Feather moisture test

We’re going to measure the moisture content of the feathers used in high quality comforters and outerwear.

The moisture content of feathers maintains its equilibrium.
In other words, depending on the humidity of the outside air, the moisture inside the feather is released and taken in.

Therefore, when buying and selling, it is traded on the basis of the mass of the standard moisture content.
If there is a difference in the standard moisture content, it means that water is being traded in spite of the high quality of the feather, which is a serious problem.

This means that moisture measurement is essential for the feather.

 

How it’s measured

We are going to measure the moisture content immediately.

This time, we will use Kett Electric’s standard model “FD-720” infrared moisture tester.

An optional sample dish with a mysid “FW-B130” and a separate “feather measurement net” are used for the feathers. Use. When using a sample dish with a mesh, you can’t use a handler, so you can use a “sample dish holder” and a It is also convenient to have an electronic scale.

Sample dish FW-B130″, “Feather net”, “Electric scales”, “Sample dish holder”.

 

First, the sample dish and the feather net are set in the moisture meter and the tare (zero point) is taken.

The feathers are filled into the feather measurement net. The feathers are very light and are scattered around, so it is necessary to pack them in the bag.

In this case, the weight was 1.4g, which is enough to make the net puff up. At least 0.5g is sufficient, but the more you pack, the more representative the specimen will be, the more you need to pack more than 1.0g. Sampling is a good idea.
Also, like many other samples, if you sample while measuring the mass of the specimen while it is placed on the moisture meter, it is recommended to pack it before placing it on the moisture meter because it will be difficult to work with the feathers flying around.

When the weight is stable and the stability mark appears, press the “Measure” key and start measuring.

After a while, the measurement is completed.

This time, we measured in AUTO mode (0.1%) at 70°C. The result was 13.31% moisture.

The result was 13.31% moisture, and the measurement time was 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Of course, the moisture content and measurement time may vary depending on the mass and condition of the sample, etc., so this is just a reference. You should look at it as.

Not only for feathers, the measurement of moisture content of light weight samples requires some tricks.
We will provide you with the know-how on measurement as well, so you may wonder how to measure such a thing. If you think you have a problem, please feel free to contact us here.

Writer: K.OKAWA