March 28, 2019
A team at MIT has developed a robotic gripper that uses a 3D-printed origami structure reported to be able to lift 100 times its own weight. The origami-inspired gripper consists of a 3D-printed 16-piece silicone rubber skeleton encased in an airtight skin. A vacuum collapses the gripper, which conforms around a multitude of shapes without losing strength, …
March 25, 2019
American bicycle manufacturer Trek has launched a new helmet design that replaces EPS foam with Wavecel technology. The honeycomb-style layers of cells are designed to mimic the brain’s own protective fluid that can absorb rotational energy to better protect the wearer. Trek and Bontrager Co. have partnered with WaveCel to create the helmet technology, said to disrupt years of accepted …
More women than ever now own textile companies, and IFAI’s recent Women in Textiles Summit brought together many of these business leaders to share their unique expertise within a highly specialized industry. This year’s inaugural summit, held March 6–8 in Savannah, Ga., facilitated what IFAI President and CEO Steve Schiffman calls an “investment in the …
IPC, a global trade association serving the printed board and electronics assembly industries, their customers and suppliers, has issued a call for participation in IPC E-TEXTILES 2019. Innovators, technologists, materials suppliers, electrical engineers and academicians are invited to submit technical conference abstracts and educational course proposals for the conferences, which will take place in Philadelphia, …
Textile manufacturer 1888 Mills has announced a new line of home textiles featuring DuPont INTELLIFRESH odor protection technology. DuPont INTELLIFRESH is a built-in odor protection treatment that prevents and minimizes odor-causing bacteria from forming on treated fabric surfaces, a recent DuPont release says. The protection is enabled by Silvadur technology, which is reported to absorb …
Infrastructure and construction textiles grow in importance and focus on more sustainable alternatives. Infrastructure textiles are an important, but often overlooked, category within advanced textiles, but these functional fibrous structures are gaining importance. The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) reports that construction textiles are a growth area. In its 2018 State of the Industry …
A team of University of Manchester researchers, led by Dr. Nazmul Karim and Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov, has developed a method for scaling production of graphene-based yarn, according to a report in www.phys.org. Lead author Dr. Shaila Afroj said, “To introduce a new, exciting material such as graphene to a very traditional and well-established textile …
March 22, 2019
Sandra L. Johnson is the 2018 recipient of the Harold C. Chapin Award for her service to the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC). She is recognized for being a strong advocate of education, as an active speaker and participant in local and national conferences, workshops and symposia. Johnson has served as president of …
March 21, 2019
Devan Chemicals is participating in a new consortium consisting of 17 European partners representing all links in the value chain: research and innovation, design, manufacturing and nongovernmental organizations, an article in Innovation in Textiles reports. The consortium’s DECOAT initiative will explore methods of separating coatings from base materials. Devan’s role will be to develop …
March 20, 2019
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) reports that 2018 figures show an increase of 14.6 percent in facilities certified in the organics supply chain. A total of 5,760 certified facilities employ more than 2 million workers. Certified facilities are now located in 64 countries. GOTS certification covers the processing of certified organic fibers along the entire …