Glossary of Awning Terms
| Glossary of Awning Terms |
| Awning An architectural fabric projection that provides weather protection, identity or decoration and is wholly supported by the building to which it is attached. An awning is comprised of a lightweight frame structure over which a cover is attached. Canopy An architectural projection that provides weather protection, identity or decoration and is supported by the building to which it is attached and at the outer end by not less than one stanchion. A canopy is comprised of a lightweight frame structure over which a cover is attached. Retractable Awning A moveable awning that rolls or folds against a building or other structure by which it is entirely supported. STANDARD AWNING DESIGNS
Abrasion Resistance Capacity of material to withstand wear due to friction, rubbing, or scraping. Acceleration Stress Additional stress placed on rope due to increasing the velocity of load. Acrylic Generic term for manufactured fiber in which the fiber- forming substance is any long – chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85% by weight of acrylonitrile units. Made in both filament and staple forms. Adhesive/Apoxy anchors Attachment for installations onto masonry (including brick, marble, stone, stucco, etc.) or concrete. Ideal for use in anchoring to a variety of base materials ranging from soft common brick to hard marble or granite Aluminum Pipe Manufactured with the same dimensions as steel pipe, it weighs only one-third as much. Aluminum Tubing This is available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and tempers, with an array of advantages and disadvantages in comparison to steel. Tubing measurements are described with outside dimension. Anchorage This involves the location, style and strength of connections from the awning or canopy to the building or to its foundations. Anodizing A process used to improve corrosion resistance of aluminum and it’s alloys. The material is cleaned, then immersed in a bath of acids. The metal is the positive pole, or anode, in the acid bath. A current is applied and oxidation occurs. After this process is complete and the item rinsed, a second step or sealing treatment is applied. It is during this step that a chromate is applied, and various colors can be realized. This entire operation is also known as "two step anodizing." Applique Motif or design made separately, then sewn or affixed on a cloth or garment Awning Cord Small diameter cord used for attaching awning covers to a frame or structure; most commonly a cotton, polyester or nylon with stretch resistant fiber core. Backlit Awning (see Illuminated Awning) Basket Weave Plain weave with two or more warp and filing threads interlaced to resemble a plaited basket. Has flat look, porosity, and looseness or "give". Can be very heavy or lightweight and made of any fiber. Bolt-through Attachment for installations mounted to a wall, or some other structure, where a bolt extends from one end of the wall or structure through the other side and securely fastened with a nut. Braid A narrow fabric, usually between 1/2" – 1" wide, used as a trim. Common use is on the edge of a valance to finish the cut edge of the fabric. Breaking Strength The measured load required to break a fabric or rope under tension; also called tensile strength. Cadmium Plating An electro plating process which protects iron and steel. Salt spray tests indicate cadium is superior to zinc in corrosion resistance. Calendering A process of passing cloth between rollers ( or"calendars"), usually under carefully controlled heat and pressure, to produce a variety of surface textures or effects in fabric. Canvas Cotton, linen, or synthetic in heavy weights with an even firm weave, for sails and many industrial purposes. Awning stripe canvas has printed or woven stripes. Coated Fabrics that are coated are usually done so with a liquid or semi liquid product. Coatings can be urethanes, acrylics, PVC, neoprene’s, and many other types of substances. Knife over roll: the material rolls past a knife that acts to spread a liquid substance across the width of the fabric. Extrusion: dry chemical mixes are heated and mixed through an extruder and then passed through a roller or die to flatten and spread the substance across the width of the fabric. Coated Fabric A fabric where a liquid or semi-liquid polymer has been applied in firmly adhering layers to provide certain properties. Examples of commonly used polymers are urethanes, acrylics and PVC. Many other polymers can be used to design fabrics for a specific end use. Convex An awning configuration characterized by a series of parallel bows in the shape of a convex curve. It produces a radius shape with flat ends. Cordage The general term that covers all rope, cord, lines, and string. Count
This describes the condition of scratch marks on the surface of fabrics. These can occur as a result of abrasion or folding. It is usually a topical condition and does not affect the fabric’s performance except from an aesthetic point of view. Crimp To bend, kink, curl or wave a fiber to give it more loft. Crocking Rubbing off of color as a result of improper dye, poor penetration, or fixation. Cut-out lettering Lettering or graphic elements that are cut out of a fabric and replaced from behind with letters or graphics of another material. Delamination This describes the separation of the individual plies in a laminate. Laminates are typically made of two or more plies that are fused together under combinations of heat, pressure and adhesive. When a lamination comes apart, delamination has occurred. Denier Unit of weight indicating size of a fiber filament based on weight in grams of a standard strand of 9,000 meters. The higher the denier number, the heavier the yarn. Used in connection with silk, rayon, acetate, and most man – made fibers. Die Casting The forming of parts by forcing molten metal into metal molds. Castings made with this process can be made to very exacting tolerance. Zinc and aluminum are most commonly used. Di – Electric Welding "The terms " RF (radio frequency) welding" or "RF heat sealing" are often used interchangeably with HF (High Frequency) or di-electric heat sealing or welding. When a Di-electric material comes into contact with an electromagnetic field, some portion of the electromagnetic energy will go though a change of state and be dissipated as heat with the Di-electric. The degree to which this conversion of energy will occur is dependent on the atomic and molecular structure of the material the frequency of the electromagnetic field and the field strength." The term Di-electric heating correctly describes this phenomenon at any frequency while RF or HF heating describes this process over the limited frequency range (1 to 200 megahertz).
Electro Galvanized or Electro Plated FABRIC ATTACHMENTS
Grab Tensile This is a property of fabrics where a machine will try to pull the fabric apart in opposite direction in both the filling and warp directions. The resulting effort to do this is measured in pounds. Hand Painting A process whereby graphics are hand-painted directly on an awning Heat Color-Transfer A graphic process that utilizes heat and a vacuum applicator to adhere color to the fabric. Any number of colors can be applied simultaneously, as pigments and resins are embedded into the fabric. Hot Dip Galvanized This refers to a finish that is the result of metal being dipped into a hot solution of zinc to add a protective, coating to the metal. Awning iron and some malleable fittings have typically been hot dip galvanized. Hydrostat Pressure The ability of a fabric to resist water under pressure and is expressed in inches of water column. Illuminated Awning A lighting system placed behind the fabric structure causing the fabric to be illuminated. Jacquard Weave The type of weave to be seen in damasks, brocades, tapestries, and other complicated cloths. Made n a Jacquard loom which provides mechanisms to control the action of each warp yarn individually, if necessary. Knitted Fabric It is different from weaving in that it uses a tying stitch to hold the other yarns together. Knitted fabrics typically stretch more than woven fabrics. Many of the substrates used in laminates are knitted because knitting is usually faster and, and therefore, less expensive than woven fabrics. Lacing This is the most traditional technique of attaching a fabric cover to an awning frame. Grommets are placed along the edge of the fabric cover. The cover is tied to the frame by lacing thin rope through the grommets. Lag screws Screws which are tapered to a point and do not utilize nuts. Their strength is proportional to the hardness of the wood in which they are embedded. In many awning applications that require fastening to wood framing wood lag screws may be the best available option. Laminate Combine the above two definitions to read: Laminated fabrics are made of two or more plies fused together under a combination of heat, pressure and adhesives. They are normally constructed of a plastic top and bottom layer and an intermediate scrim layer. Lateral Arm Awning – also see Retractable Definition These awnings resemble typical traditional triangular structures except they rarely have end fabric panels and they include a manual or electric cranking system that allows the awning to be rolled up or retracted against the wall Load A load is anything that causes force to be exerted on a structural member.
Any fabric, knitted or woven, with an open texture, fine or coarse. Mildewproof It is unlikely that any fabric can be rendered permanently mildew proof under all conditions "Mildew Resistant" is a more proper term. Usually refers to a treatment on a cloth with various non- toxic chemical compounds that poison or discourage the growth of mold and fungi. Effectiveness is directly proportional to the type of fungicide and the quantity of fungicide contained in the finished cloth (to the point of maximum potency). The treatment may be durable or non-durable. Modacrylic Generic name established by the Federal Trade Commission for "a manufactured fiber in which the fiber - forming substance is any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of less than 85% but at least 35% by weight of acrylonitrile units, except when it qualifies as rubber". Modulus This is a measure that tries to explain how a fabric reacts when it tensioned and relaxed. It is used to explain things like snow and wind loads, elasticity, memory, stretch and shrinkage. Monofilament A single filament of manmade fiber, used as yarn. Natural Fiber Any organic fiber such as cotton, jute, manila, sisal, etc. Non-Woven Neither woven, knitted, nor spun. A material made of fibers in a web or mat held together by bonding agent. Nylon Any of a family of high strength, resilient synthetic materials, the long-chain molecule of which contains the recurring amide group CONH. Painted Cloth Cloths which have been finished by painting in solid colors or in assorted stripes. The paint is generally applied to the surface of the cloth from fonts as the rolls of cloth pass under them. Used for awnings, outdoor furniture, umbrellas. Pigmenting The process of applying color to fiber stock, yarn or fabric. Plain Weave One of the three basic weaves. In plain weave, each filling yarn passes successively over and under each warp yarn with each row alternating. Polyester A synthetic fiber used for it's strength and resistance to ultraviolet deterioration. It does not have the stretch and elasticity of nylon and, as a result, will often last longer. Polymer |