TEXTILES.ORG
Thermetrics LLC’s latest custom thermal manikin has been announced: an 11-zone thermal manikin named “Baby Ruth.” The company designs and manufactures testing and measurement instrumentation systems for a variety of university, commercial and government clients worldwide.
The baby manikin is designed to be about the size of a nine-month old child. It’s constructed from a thermally conductive, carbon-epoxy shell with internal heater elements and temperature sensors. Spherical ball joints are used at the neck, shoulders, and hips, with single-flexure joints at the knees and elbows. Cable connections are at the eyes to minimize any interference with the garment being tested.
The manikin also includes Thermetrics’ sweating skin system, which utilizes a matrix of pores over the active surface of the manikin, coupled with computerized fluid delivery and a wicking fabric skin layer to distribute water over the surface of the manikin. This method allows for precise control of the sweating rate, selectable by manikin region.
According to the company, fitting all the technology into an instrument the size of a 9-month old child was challenging, and it required the development of new, miniaturized components and innovative bundling techniques to achieve a successful end product.
The baby manikin can be used to evaluate the thermal properties of clothing and baby gear; diapers; indoor environments; bedding; and baby carriers, including car seats and strollers. “Baby Ruth” is a complete turn-key package with manikin body form, control electronics, PC laptop computer and ThermDAC software.