No, a melt flow indexer is not suitable for testing the extrudability of non-thermoplastic fabrics. Melt flow indexer is designed to measure the melt flow rate (MFR) and melt volume rate (MVR) of thermoplastic materials, which are materials that can be melted and re-solidified multiple times without significant degradation of their properties. Non-thermoplastic fabrics, such as natural fibers like cotton or silk, or non-thermoplastic synthetic fibers like aramid or glass fibers, do not melt and cannot be extruded using a melt flow indexer.
For non-thermoplastic fabrics, other testing methods may be used to evaluate their extrudability or processability. For example, the spinning performance of non-thermoplastic fibers can be evaluated using a spinning tester, which measures the tensile properties and other parameters of fibers as they are drawn and twisted into yarns. Similarly, the processing performance of non-thermoplastic fabrics can be evaluated using other specialized testing equipment, depending on the specific properties and applications of the fabrics.
In summary, a melt flow indexer is not suitable for testing the extrudability of non-thermoplastic fabrics, and other testing methods should be used to evaluate the processing performance of these materials.