This paper reports an experimental study on the damage evaluation of quartz woven fabrics during needle punching process under different needle punching densities. The straight fiber bundles begin appearing in Z direction at 50 punches · cm−2 and the “U-shaped” fiber bundles begin being observed at 210 punches · cm−2. The retention ratio of mean breaking force (RRMF) of the needle-punched quarts woven fabrics in warp direction decreases from 100% to 49.4% with an increase in needle punching density from 0 to 10 punches · cm−2, and that in weft direction decreases from 100% to 50.21% with the same increments in needle punching density, but the RRMF in warp direction decreases from 49.4% to 0.35% when the needle punching density increases from 10 to 245 punches · cm−2 and that in weft direction decreases from 50.21% to 0.19% with the same increments in needle punching density; obviously, the initial needle punching density increments (0 to 10 punches · cm−2) seem to have weakened tensile property more significantly compared with needle punching density increments from 10 to 245 punches · cm−2. The retention ratios in warp and weft directions are 0.61% and 0.34%, respectively, at 210 punches · cm−2, which are roughly equal with those at 245 punches · cm−2. Therefore, it could be concluded that the tensile property has reached the minimized at 245 punches · cm−2. In addition, there is an obvious paired similarity existing in the macro damage morphologies, the load–displacement curve trend at the adjacent needle punching density from 70 to 245 punches · cm−2 in 35 punches · cm−2 increments, also such similarity exists when the needle punching density is at 10 to 60 punches · cm−2.
Investigations on the Formability of Incremental Punching Process