Silver Bullet can make things like electronic clothing

With the development of a new silver ink, Xerox scientists have paved the way for commercialization and low-cost manufacturing of printable electronics. Printable electronics offers manufacturers a very low-cost way to add "intelligence" or computing power to a wide range of surfaces such as plastic or fabric. This development will aid the commercialization of new applications such as "smart" pill boxes that track how much medication a patient has taken or display screens that roll up to fit into a briefcase.

"For years, there's been a global race to find a low-cost way to manufacture plastic circuits," said Paul Smith, laboratory manager, Xerox Research Centre of Canada. "We've found the silver bullet that could make things like electronic clothing and inexpensive games a reality today. This breakthrough means the industry now has the capability to print electronics on a wider range of materials and at a lower cost."

Until now, bringing low-cost electronics to the masses has been hindered by the logistics and costs associated with silicon chip manufacturing; the breakthrough low-temperature silver ink overcomes the cost hurdle, printing reliably on a wide range of surfaces such as plastic or fabric. As part of its commercialization initiatives, Xerox plans to aggressively seek interested manufacturers and developers by providing sample materials to allow them to test and evaluate potential applications.

Integrated circuits are made up of three components - a semiconductor, a conductor and a dielectric element - and currently are manufactured in costly silicon chip fabricating factories. By creating a breakthrough silver ink to print the conductor, Xerox has developed all three of the materials necessary for printing plastic circuits.

Using Xerox's new technology, circuits can be printed just like a continuous feed document without the extensive clean room facilities required in current chip manufacturing. In addition, scientists have improved their previously developed semiconductor ink, increasing its reliability by formulating the ink so that the molecules precisely align themselves in the best configuration to conduct electricity.

The printed electronics materials, developed at the Xerox Research Centre of Canada, enable product manufacturers to put electronic circuits on plastics, film, and textiles. Printable circuits could be used in a broad range of products, including low-cost radio frequency identification tags, light and flexible e-readers and signage, sensors, solar cells and novelty applications including wearable electronics.

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'We offer excellent quality-price solutions' - Picanol

The Belgium based, Picanol NV develops, produces and markets high-tech weaving machines. Picanol weaving machines are a synthesis of technological know-how and experience built up over more than half a century. Today, about 2,600 weaving mills around the world use Picanol machinery, totaling to around 110,000 weaving machines.

Picanol recently presented its latest weaving solutions for technical textile fabrics at Techtextil in Mumbai, from 10-12 October 2009. In 1999 Picanol re-entered the specialty markets with a tire cord airjet weaving machine. This development came after a 10-year period of redefining Picanol's strategy based on two new technologies: airjet and fast rapier.

In an established market dominated by a small number of players, a new entrant has to formulate its own strategy. Picanol decided to use its proven strengths to be successful in the demanding field of technical textiles. Techtextil Mumbai proved to be a good opportunity for weavers to discover what Picanol has to offer specifically for this niche market.

Fibre2fashion spoke exclusively to Erwin Devloo, Marketing Communications Manager, Picanol NV, to share their experiences about Techtextil, who said, “Picanol participated for the second time in Techtextil. Our overall experience is very good when it comes to facilities and efficiencies.”

“The facilities are according to international standards and the price is also OK. We had a good mix of competitors, fellow OEM's customers and prospective customers having stalls at the exhibition. There cannot be a comparison with Techtextil in Frankfurt, but this Mumbai edition compares well with other initiatives in Shanghai or Atlanta”.

Commenting on the visitation and interest shown by industry towards the show, he said, “The major response came from India and some Turkish, Pakistan and Bangladesh visitors as well and the best day was Sunday, with a more than normal attendance and organising this event during the week-end is definitely to stay.”

Picanol, with 70 years of experience, is well established in traditional textiles market. How was the response from buyers from the emerging field technical textile products, was our next question, to which he replied by saying, “Picanol re-entered in to the business of Technical Textiles in 1999, after being absent for 20 years.”

“The main reason for this move was because of overwhelming demand from existing customers who are entering themselves into this field of application and also due to the fact that, our existing and prospective customers did not find the same excellent quality-price solutions they where used to with Picanol, when working with the existing suppliers in this emerging sector”.

To conclude the interview, we asked him about the current trends in technical textile machinery, to which he said, “When it comes to India, the following segments in woven technical textiles are gaining importance; Sunscreens, outdoor furniture, coated fabrics, geotextiles, packaging , tyre-reinforcement ( Tyrecord ) and conveyorbelts.”

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PALLETMASTE, textile pallet assembly from WELKER

In case of dispatching textile goods with pallets, the assembly with bobbins represents a relatively difficult task. First, because the pallets with 13 or 14 rows are too high to be assembled on the floor, and second, because their structure without a wrapping film is quite unstable.

With the new PALLETMASTE, WELKER has designed an exclusive textile solution, amalgamating an assembly table with a wrapping machine that moves the platform adjusted to bobbin sizes.

The AUTOSTEP device adjusts the platform height safely step by step. PALLETMASTER can be equipped with integrated state- of the art weighing and ticketing systems, so that the pallet leaves the place completely assembled, identified and weighed.

Therefore, the equipment offer following functions:
- Assembly of pallets
- Wrap packing of pallets
- Weighing and ticketing

WELKER was founded in 1856. In 1941, the first and innovative vacuum steaming equipment was developed and successfully introduced to the market. Since then, WELKER became the most specialised company in the Textile Industry in the vacuum technology. Today, WELKER enjoys world wide reputation as manufacturer of reliable, safe, extremely robust and innovative machines. WELKER machines are manufactured in Germany.

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Roll of Technology in Fabric Design & Fashion Industry

Introduction

Technology has propelled the growth of human society in innumerable ways. From the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter to advanced robotics and health care, technology has rapidly assumed the status of an arguably indispensable and highly effective tool in the modern era. Clothing has always been both a necessity with regard to human civilization and a means of showcasing ones culture and interests. Social status, religious leanings, cultural diversity and professional status can all be amply reflected by ones clothes. A wide array of different styles of clothing is now possible, aided by powerful technological tools that supplement and shape the creative ideas of fabric designers.

Evolution of Fabric Design

In accordance with Darwinian principles, man is a remarkable example of adaptability. And a look at the way clothes have evolved only goes to illustrate this. In addition, the progress of mans concept of fashion has also transformed over the ages. Starting from merely covering ones body with natural fur to protect it from the vagaries of the natural elements in ancient periods of human existence to designing special suits and fabrics woven out of exotic materials to meet adverse environment requirements like space and desert surroundings, man has always shown ingenious capability to engineer requisite changes in the fabrics. The concept of fashion too has seen a marked shift with the variety of choices available in the present times. Of course, technology is a major driving force behind fashion trends.

The Role of Technology in Fabric Design and Fashion

One of the most significant outcomes of the famed Industrial Revolution was the mechanization of textile manufacture. The power loom and the mechanized cotton mill resulted in a huge increase in the quantum of production by shortening the time required for production manifold. In the more recent times, there has been a proliferation of novel materials designed, and this has enhanced both the quality and adaptability of fabrics. The so-called smart materials enable the production of clever fabrics, with high-end technology like atomic force microscopy and polymeric nanofibres going into the design, manufacturing and testing of these fabrics. Ranging from special applications like the design of suits for space travel, swimsuits and suits for military purposes to the usage of more durable and adaptable garments for daily use, these methods have proved to be extremely effective. Several research centres have sprung up to investigate these exciting possibilities. The role of computers is unarguably prominent in fashion technology. The visualization of the final design right at the conceptualization stage, down to the finest detail, making suitable modifications if so desired, automating several stages in the manufacturing process and, finally, executing quality control procedures - all of them involve computing at various levels of complexity. Be it creating an eye-catching design using CAD or running the computerized knitting and weaving machinery, automation is fast becoming the buzzword. Fashion courses nowadays invariably include a major technological thrust in the curriculum to enable prospective designers to be abreast with the latest trends.

Exciting Possibilities and Trends

How about having a single garment that one can use both in the summer and winter one that would change texture, colour and even shape in response to external environments? All these are gradually transcending from being mere fantasies to reality. Digital clothing that incorporates sensors in the very clothing that one wears and other fascinating possibilities lie in store - courtesy the largely interdisciplinary explorations into the field of fabric and fashion technology. At a more mundane level, one could most definitely be pleased by the thoughts of having clothes made to precise specifications at a much faster rate and with several times more durability. Technology is scaling tremendous heights and with it, so are all its applications. Textile and fashion design have in store lots of promises and continue to be a standing example of the prowess of technology. As Mark Twain puts it, the finest clothing ever made is a person's skin, but of course, society demands something more. So the quest for better clothing, better fabric and trendier garments continues unabated aided by technological advancements.

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