Equation Modelling of Automotive Textiles for Car Seat Covers in the Ghanaian Upholstery Industry
Richard Selase Gbadegbe1, Edem Kwami Buami2, Charles Kumah3, Bijou Asemsro4, Maxwell Selase Akple5
1Dr. Richard Selase Gbadegbe, Department of Industrial Art, Ho Technical University, Ho, Ghana.
2Edem Kwami Buami, Department of Industrial Art, Ho Technical University, Ho, Ghana.
3Charles Kumah, Department of Industrial Art, Ho Technical University, Ho, Ghana.
4Bijou Asemsro, Department of Fashion Design and Textile, Ho Technical University, Ho, Ghana.
5Prof.Maxwell Selase Akple, Department ofMechanical Engineering, Ho Technical University, Ho, Ghana.
Manuscript received on 19 October 2023 | Revised Manuscript received on 27 October 2023 | Manuscript Accepted on 15 November 2023 | Manuscript published on 30 November 2023 | PP: 15-24 | Volume-12 Issue-12, November 2023 | Retrieval Number: 100.1/ijitee.L975211121223 | DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.L9752.11121223
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Among the many materials utilized in the production of automotive components are textile materials. Long-term use of vehicle seats causes the textile material used to cover the seats to degrade. Because of this, drivers and vehicle owners critically inspect such deteriorated car seat covers before getting a new one. This study is aimed at identifying the various factors that influence drivers and vehicle owners’ decisions about the choice of seat covers. In addition, to determine the factors that influence customers’ perception of locally manufactured seat covers by upholstery artisans. Structured questionnaire and online google form were used to collect data from 1042 respondents across the 16 regions of Ghana. The five main factors that customers focused on were identified using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to predict the perception factors of local upholstery artisans and customers using the Smart PLS software. Textile resistance and accessibility, durability, quality, perception and aesthetics were the selection factors. The findings showed that consumers of automotive textile materials take into account the aforementioned aspects before making purchases, therefore manufacturers should pay attention to these factors to increase efficiency. The study concludes that local upholstery artisans need to concentrate on these factors in their operations.
Keywords: Ghana, Automotive Textiles, Car Seat, Factor Analysis, PLS-SEM
Scope of the Article: Textile Engineering