From idea to transfer
Center of Excellence in Nonwovens
Processes, Technologies, Products
The Center of Excellence in Nonwovens combines almost all nonwoven formation and solidification processes in the technology areas of nonwovens and extrusion fabrics. Comprehensive know-how and tailored pooling of excellence with other departments are important guarantees for successful processing of research and development work.
Any questions?
Your contact
Patrick Engel, M. Sc.
Manager Center of Excellence in Nonwovens
Phone: +49 371 5274-209
Fibre nonwovens (dry laid principle)
– Carding principle
– Randomised web formation Airlay principle (long fibres)
– Randomised web formation Airlaid principle (short fibres)
- Needlepunched nonwovens
- Stitch-bonded nonwoven type Maliwatt
- Stitch-bonded nonwoven type Malivlies, Kunit, Multiknit
- Randomised nonwovens Airlay, thermally bonded
- Randomised nonwovens Airlaid, thermally bonded
- Needle punched spacer nonwovens
- Nonwoven composites
- Processing of carbon and other high-performance fibres (aramid, glass, metal, basalt, ...)
- Processing of renewable raw materials (hemp, flax, nettle, sisal, coconut, jute, kenaf, kapok, ...)
Your contact
Patrick Engel, M. Sc. Dipl.-Ing./Dipl.-Wi.-Ing. | Dr.-Ing. Barbara Schimanz |
Spunbond Nonwovens
- Development of innovative nonwoven products
- Testing of new polymer materials for spunbond processing
- Development of biologically degradable spunbond nonwovens
- Process optimization for the production of micro and hollow filaments
Your contact
Tim Hühnerfürst Dipl.-WA Ralf Taubner |
Meltblown Nonwovens
- Development of innovative meltblown nonwovens
- Production of composite nonwovens type SMS, CMC and further process combinations
- Testing of new polymer materials
- Process development to use additives with adjusted rheology
Your contact
Dipl.-WA Ralf Taubner Dipl.-Ing. Chem. (FH) |
Hydroentangled nonwovens
- Process optimisation to reduce specific energy consumption
- Improvement of the service life of nozzle bars
- Testing of screen belts, pattern, structure and perforation stencils
- Production of functional composite structures
- Process water management
Your contact
Dipl.-WA Ralf Taubner Dipl.-Ing. Chem. (FH) |
Fibre preparation & yarn production
- Preparation of natural fibres, functionalised special fibres and recycled fibres
- Sliver and yarn development (short staple spinning)
- Quality assessment of fibres, intermediate and end products
Your contact
Dipl.-Ing./Dipl.-WI Ina Sigmund |
Textile recycling
- Cutting, cut-grinding and tearing of textile waste, also from special fibres, e.g. carbon, aramid, glass
- Material cycles and recycling-friendly construction
- Nonwovens and mats made from torn fibres and textile shreds
- Secondary recycling
- Recycling of smart textiles
Your contact
Johannes Leis, M. Sc. |
Fields of application
Research News
BioHyg – Sustainable and bio-based hygiene nonwovens
The main objective of the research project was the development of a functional, marketable hygiene textile based on nonwovens consisting of several layers with different property profiles. The nonwoven was supposed to be made of bio-based and ecologically safe materials ensuring wearing comfort as well as haptics and barrier safety.
The project started in October 2020 and was awarded with the Innovation Award at Techtextil 2022.
(Picture: Hygienic pad with layer structure TopSheet, ADL, absorbent core, BackSheet – from top to bottom)
Art and Technology
Project: Experiment Structure
"Nonwovens developed according to the pile fibre nonwoven knitting technology Kunit are used in industry to realise technical filters, acoustic structures as well as elements with a cushioning effect. The fact that nonwovens can also be very visually appealing and extraordinary when implemented in such a structure with an understanding of design was impressively demonstrated by the students in the project. The orientation of the fibres from the nonwoven surface into the third dimension without the need for an additional textile construction element makes this technology particularly exciting and versatile."
Patrick Engel, Manager Center of Excellence in Nonwovens at STFI
In the fashion project, the 1st semester students in the Design / Fashion Design course at the Schneeberg Faculty of Applied Arts at the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau experimented.
The project is a practical implementation with three-dimensional structures on the body. The basis are modified geometric shapes creating extraordinarily complex structures. The body becomes the carrier of the structure, shapes it and sets it in motion – an attempt to transfer three-dimensionally structured surfaces into sculptural clothing.
(Picture: Design by Lilian Fuchs – Project Experiment Structure 1st semester, 2021)
Further projects
Application of an electron beam process for desizing textile webs, fibres and 3D structures
When processing textile structures made of glass, carbon or carbon recycled fibres into fibre composites, sizings, coatings or impurities on the fibres can lead to disturbances of the fibre-matrix adhesion. In order to still achieve a composite strength, interfering layers (e.g. sizing) must be removed from the fibres.
The aim of the research project was to free textile reinforcement structures from the overlays using an adapted electron beam process. For this purpose, a method proven in medical technology was used, which works by means of accelerated electrons according to the principle of Braun's tube. Material-specific tests and microscopic observations of the fibre composite samples proved the suitability and effectiveness of the new desizing process.
Project duration: 09/2019–02/2022
Completed Projects
Title | Duration | Editor |
|---|---|---|
Design und Prozessverhalten von | 11/2019–10/2022 | B. Schimanz |
Sustainable Sleeping – vliesstoffbasiertes | 04/2020–09/2022 | P. Engel |
ReFiPro | 12/2019–05/2022 | R. Taubner |
01/2019–10/2021 | U. Heye | |
FibreScan | 01/2019–07/2021 | I. Sigmund |
Hanf-Lyocell | 04/2019–06/2021 | I. Sigmund |
Cooperations & Networks
