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From idea to transfer

Center of Excellence in Nonwovens

Technical Equipment

Our technical equipment, which is installed in three different technical centers, range from small-scale with working width of 60 cm, 100 cm up to semi-industrial 240 cm working width and offer tailor-made developments from orientation testing to small series. The complexity of these technical centers and the perfect areal concentration also allow for diverse and sometimes exceptional technology combinations.

 

Any questions?

Your contact

Patrick Engel, M. Sc.
Manager Center of Excellence in Nonwovens

Phone: +49 371 5274-209

 

 

  • Fine fibre nonwovens using the meltblown process
ConfigurationPolymer storage, extruder, spinning bar, transport belt, calander, winder
Processable feedstockPP, PBT, PE, PC, TPU, biopolymers
Material throughput5 - 90 kg/h
Working width600 mm
Working speed2 - 120 m/min
Basis weight3 - 300 gsm

 

  • Filament nonwovens according to spunmelt processing with different type of bonding
ConfigurationOne beam line, bi-component, calander, hydro-entanglement needle-punching, chemical finishing, drier, winder
Processable feedstockPET, PP, PE, PA6, PC, TPU, biopolymers
Bicomponent typesside by side, core-sheath, segmented pie
Number of filaments6827/m, 4982/m, 2634/m
Material throughput150 - 500 kg/h
Working width1000 mm
Working speed10 - 400 m/min
Basis weightPP/PE 8 - 500 gsm
PET/PA 18 - 700 gsm

 

Setup of the spunbond line Reicofil® 4.5
Setup of the spunbond line Reicofil® 4.5
  •  Needle punched and stitch-bonded nonwovens made of staple fibres
ConfigurationsCarding willow, feeding chute, carding machine, cross-lapper, needle punching machine OD II
Carding willow, feeding chute, carding machine, cross-lapper, needle punching machine OUG II
Carding willow, feeding chute, carding machine, lap winder drum
Fibre fineness1 to 28 dtex
Working width600 mm
Working speedmax. 4 m/min
Basis weight range50 - 600 gsm
Processing of primary fibres, secondary fibres and selected plant fibres
  •  Needle punched and stitch-bonded nonwovens made of staple fibres
ConfigurationFibre opening, blending box, feeding chute, carding machine, cross lapper, needle punching machine OD II, alternatively stitch-bonding machines Malivlies or Kunit
Fibre fineness1 to 28 dtex
Working width1000 to 2400 mm
Working speedmax. 10 m/min
Basis weight range50 - 1500 gsm
Processing of primary fibres and selected plant fibres

 


ConfigurationFibre preparation, randomizing card, hydroentanglement unit with two drums, double drum suction dryer, winder
Fibre fineness0,7 to 7 dtex
Working widthup to 1000 mm
Working speedmax. 80 m/min
Working medium pressuremax. 42 MPa
Nozzle bar (1st drum)4
Nozzle bar (2nd drum)2
Basis weight range25 - 100 gsm (in line web formation)
25 - 500 gsm (spunlace process without web formation)

  •  Randomized nonwovens from longer fibers and recyclates, thermally bonded
ConfigurationFibre opening, feeding chute, web forming unit, delivery belt, air through oven
Working width1100 mm
Basis weight range500 - 3000 gsm
Processing of primary fibres, reclaimed fibres, plant fibres, non-fibrous textile recyclates
  •  Randomized nonwovens from short fibres, thermally bonded
ConfigurationFibre metering, web forming unit, delivery belt, air through oven
Working width1100 mm
Basis weight range30 - 800 gsm
Processing of primary fibres, secondary fibres, plant fibres, fluff pulp, metal and ceramic short fibres

  •  Three-dimensional stitch-bonded nonwovens made of staple fibres
ConfigurationTwo-stage machine system with direct feed of lengthwise orientated fibre web from nonwoven line 1 or2
Fibre fineness1 to 10 dtex
Working width600 und 1600 mm
Working speedmax. 2 m/min
Basis weight range120 - 600 gsm
  •  Stitch bonded fibre nonwovens, bonded by fibre meshing
ConfigurationDirect feed from cross lapper Nonwoven line 2
Machine gaugeF18
Fibre fineness1 to 10 dtex
Working width1000 to 2000 mm
Working speedmax. 3 m/min
Basis weight range80 - 500 gsm

 

  •  Stitch bonded fibre nonwovens, bonded by overstitching with thread system
ConfigurationStand-alone machine with web feeding from roll
Machine gaugeF1 to F18
Fibre fineness1 to 10 dtex
Working widthup to 2000 mm
Working speedmax. 4 m/min
Basis weight range80 - 500 gsm

  • Needle-punched spacer nonwovens from prefabricated nonwovens with possible central filling
ConfigurationStand-alone machine with web feeding from roll and partial needling
Working widthup to 1000 mm
Working speedmax. 3 m/min
Distance between websup to 25 mm
Possible fillingsParticles, tubes, profiles, films, etc.

 


 

 

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)

 

Contact

Patrick Engel, M. Sc.
+49 371 5274-209
Email

show more content 2

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

Schematic representation of the electron array (Source: Evonta)
Schematic representation of the electron array (Source: Evonta)

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

 

Contact

Dr.-Ing. Barbara Schimanz
+49 371 5274-202
Email

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Completed Projects

Title

Duration

Editor

Design und Prozessverhalten von
Vliesstoff-Gewebe-Verbunden für
die Fest-Flüssig-Filtration

11/2019–10/2022

B. Schimanz

Sustainable Sleeping – vliesstoffbasiertes
Isolationsmaterial

04/2020–09/2022

P. Engel

ReFiPro

12/2019–05/2022

R. Taubner

Lintingarme Spinnvliesstoffe

01/2019–10/2021

U. Heye

FibreScan

01/2019–07/2021

I. Sigmund

Hanf-Lyocell

04/2019–06/2021

I. Sigmund

Cooperations & Networks


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