IFAI Expo 2017 Announces Expanded Advanced Textiles Program

ROSEVILLE, Minn. — March 14, 2017 — The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has announced an expanded Advanced Textiles (AT) program for its annual Expo, scheduled for September 26-29, 2017, in New Orleans.

The program will feature additions to the annual Advanced Textiles Conference as well as programming bonuses and a new Smart Fabrics Program.

“The Advanced Textiles industry is vitally important to the future of the textile industry as a whole,” IFAI President/CEO Mary Hennessy said. “Our emphasis on Advanced Textiles at IFAI Expo is growing and will continue growing for the foreseeable future.”

Here’s an outline of anticipated 2017 programming:

Advanced Textiles Conference — Beginning on September 26, the Advanced Textiles Conference will offer four tracks. This year, tracks in military, medical, testing and smart fabrics are planned, with the latter two tracks being part of their own programs.

Smart Fabrics Program (IFAIexpo.com/Smart) — This new program is designed to channel the excitement around smart fabrics into new product development while also:

  • Giving attendees access to experts, materials and education
  • Facilitating new partnerships, discussions and ideas
  • Showcasing innovative suppliers to the e-textiles market
  • Creating common understandings among industry segments

This will be accomplished through the Advanced Textiles Conference’s Smart Fabrics Track, which explores all types of technology in the industry, and the E-Textiles Workshop located on the Expo show floor. This workshop will be a central meeting and networking area for participants to gather and learn about mutual needs.

E-Textiles Workshop — This new addition to the Expo AT lineup includes several new elements including Beginners’ Kits, which will allow those new to the field to assemble simple e-textiles devices with expert guidance right in the workshop; a Hackathon/Design Challenge for more advanced participants, plus the following:

30-minute, expert-facilitated market discussions, specific to e-textiles markets, during show floor hours (topics to include apparel, bio/medical, health/fitness, military, aerospace, automotive, packaging, virtual reality, and home)

“Ask the Experts” — scheduled on Wednesday, September 27, this two-hour question-and-answer session will feature experts in electronics, materials, testing and product development fielding questions in a live audience setting.

Testing Program (IFAIexpo.com/Testing) — Once again in 2017, IFAI Expo will offer a Testing Program, in cooperation with the North Carolina State University College of Textiles, this year supported by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC). It will feature two certificate options plus demonstrations and Q&As for new market segments. The program includes:

The Testing Demo Zone — Will be open to all participants during show floor hours. Lab and equipment experts will help participants learn to choose the right testing methods, interpret results, ask the right questions, and learn where to find additional resources. This includes testing Q&A sessions devoted to special topics including home, medical, military, aerospace, automotive, antimicrobials and nonwovens.

Testing Track — Also part of the Advanced Textiles Conference, this Tuesday-Wednesday event features presentations from NCSU and industry experts, to help improve attendees’ decision-making based on textile properties and better understanding of standard test procedures. Completing this track and lab requirement earns the participant the NCSU Textile Testing Essentials Certificate – which can be used as credit toward NCSU’s Textile Technology Certificate Program.

Intro to Testing Seminar  – A free course for all participants, offered Wednesday and Thursday in the Testing Demo Zone, teaching the basics of textile testing. Completed course work and lab time will earn the attendee a Certificate of Participation from NCSU and AATCC.

Mentor Meetings (IFAIexpo.com/Mentor) — IFAI Expo 2017 will also feature new Mentor Meetings, dedicated to connecting attendees with independent experts. Mentors in product development, intellectual property, knitting, environmental law, nonwovens, supply chain, e-textiles, advanced textile development, design, wet processing, comfort, protection, fire retardancy and other sectors will be available for 30-minute meetings to answer questions and give confidential advice about how to proceed in today’s market. These meetings are open to any participant or exhibitor at IFAI Expo 2017.

Posted March 14, 2017

Source: IFAI

Manufacturers Value Lectra’s Fabric Cutting Room: 3,000 Vector® Sold In 10 years

PARIS — March 14, 2017 — Lectra has announced the recent sale of its 3,000th Vector in 10 years The Vector range has revolutionized the automatic cutting room for fabric, enjoying immediate success with fashion, automotive and furniture manufacturers. Today, Vector is the undisputed reference for the fabric cutting room, reflected by the 15-percent rise in sales for Vector in 2016.

Manufacturers’ enthusiasm for Vector, in both developed countries and emerging economies, is due to a range of competitive advantages. Vector’s record machine availability — more than 98 percent — plus its overall performance minimizes the cost per piece, bringing profitability to operations for Lectra customers. In addition, Vector’s cutting precision and the capacity to produce pieces without spaces equates to significant gains in materials, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for manufacturers.

A series of decisive innovations for Vector have ensured that Lectra continues to help customers reach their increasingly ambitious objectives for operational excellence. Since 2007, Vector has made true technological leaps, pushing the boundaries for speed, quality and reliability. The new generation of Vector, launched in 2012, established new standards for productivity and controlling performance which remain unrivalled today. At the end of 2016, two new models joined the Vector family: Vector iQ, whose cutting device enables a 10% rise in productivity, and VectorAuto iX6, which specializes in synthetic fabric cutting for seats and car interiors.

Vector owes its reliability to the multiple sensors with which it is equipped. Launched with 120 sensors, today Vector has 180 sensors to implement preventive and predictive maintenance. Vectors installed across the world communicate in real time with Lectra’s five international call centers, where experts can immediately intervene remotely.

“A pioneering solution in the Internet of Things, Vector was the first cutting solution on the market connected to the Internet and which used a system of predictive maintenance. The Vector range fully answers Industry 4.0 concepts and its innovative services are a major asset for the cutting room of the future,” underlines Daniel Harari, Lectra CEO.

Posted March 14, 2017

Source: Lectra

IFAI Winter Events Attract Record Attendance

ROSEVILLE, Minn. — March 14, 2017 — The annual Marine Fabricators Conference and Tent Expo 2017 both drew record attendance figures, according to event organizers.

The Marine Fabricators Conference, sponsored by The Industrial Fabrics Association International’s (IFAI’s) Marine Fabricators Association, attracted 266 attendees and 34 exhibitors to the Marriott Hotel, Jacksonville, Fla., January 19-21, 2017.

Mike Erickson of Canvas Designers, Riviera Beach, Fla., received the MFA Hall of Fame Award; while David Huntington of River Custom Canvas, Clayton, N.Y., took home the Don Racine Award for winning the event’s annual “Tools, Tips and Tricks” competition for a marketing tag he places on his company’s work.

Attendees were treated to three days of events and education, as well as the annual Marine Fabricators Awards.

The next week, 627 attendees, including 53 exhibitors, gathered at the Renaissance Orlando (FL) Hotel at SeaWorld for the biennial Tent Expo 2017. The gathering was sponsored by IFAI’s Tent Rental Division.

At Tent Expo, attendees received education, tours of 22 different displays, equipment demonstrations and networking opportunities with fellow industry professionals.

“We’re very pleased with the turnout, as well as with the number of registered exhibitors, at our winter events,” said IFAI President/CEO Mary Hennessy. “The Marine Fabricators Association and the Tent Rental Division do a great job helping advance the industry in their respective sectors and we are proud of the job they do.”

The 2018 Marine Fabricators Conference is scheduled for January 25-27, 2018 at the Savannah (GA) Hyatt Regency Hotel, while Tent Conference 2018 will take place January 18-19, 2018, at the Sheraton Mesa Hotel in Mesa, AZ.

Posted March 14, 2017

Source: The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI)

New CTO for SSM — Schärer Schweiter Mettler AG

HORGEN, Switzerland — March 14, 2017 — In January 2017, Christian Muser was appointed CTO for SSM Schärer Schweiter Mettler AG. SSM is the brand and trend-setter that drives the global market in winding technology. Its competence lies in the handling of yarn during the winding and yarn processing operations, to obtain best package quality that combines all the necessary characteristics.

Muser holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering (FH) from the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW. In 2001 Muser joined SSM and has held several positions in the technical department. With Davide Maccabruni’s transfer to the CEO of SSM AG in April 2016, Muser started as ad interim head of this department and has now been appointed as a full member of the management team of SSM AG.

SSM congratulates Muser for his new challenge and wishes him great success and satisfaction.

Posted March 14, 2017

Source: SSM Schärer Schweiter Mettler AG

X-Rite Launches First Immersive 3-D Visualization Environment For Evaluating Material Appearance

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — March 14, 2017 — Today at the Autodesk Automotive Innovation Forum in Munich, Germany, X-Rite Inc., a global leader in color science and technology, and its subsidiary Pantone LLC, announced the industry’s first immersive Virtual Light Booth (VLB). The VLB allows designers, material suppliers and marketers to accurately and efficiently visualize and compare 3-D digital material renderings side-by-side with physical samples in an environment that controls all parameters influencing the perception of appearance. Part of the company’s Total Appearance Capture (TAC™) ecosystem, the VLB ensures a new level of consistency between digital prototypes and final physical products. This helps companies reduce approval cycles and accelerate time to market.

As companies transition to digital manufacturing processes, there is a growing need for physically precise virtual designs that represent the true appearance of the final product. To date, CAD and rendering software solutions have been limited in their ability to visualize physical appearance characteristics such as texture, gloss, transparency and opacity. The TAC ecosystem and VLB make it possible to capture and verify the true appearance of a material in a digital environment.

“We have incorporated more than sixty years of color and appearance science into our state-of-the-art Virtual Light Booth to provide an immersive and interactive experience that allows users to accurately evaluate material appearance in both a physical and virtual world,” says Dr. Francis Lamy, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, X-Rite. “For the first time, VLB allows product teams to compare digital and physical materials under the exact same perceptual conditions – from illumination to contextual to observational factors. With the VLB, design teams can easily vary these conditions to see changes in material performance. As a result, designers can make more informed material selections and reduce approval times and improve product quality.”

Turnkey Solution for Comparing Digital and Physical Material Samples

The Virtual Light Booth combines the X-Rite’s SpectraLight QC professional light booth technology with a high-resolution, color-calibrated LCD display and a real-time color management engine. A digital material rendering or product simulation is shown on the VLB’s display next to the physical sample. This enables users to view both the virtual and physical samples under controlled daylight conditions in a standardized visual observation environment. VLB offers users the flexibility of viewing samples under diffuse or spot light sources.

Combining embedded motion tracking sensors, spectrophotometers and colorimeters along with the synchronization of real-time rendering technology, the VLB delivers a 3D virtual experience that mimics real-life by adjusting the virtual representation as a person’s viewing angle changes. This is especially important when evaluating materials that use special-effect pigments, whose color and appearance change based on the viewing angle.

“We have taken the complex process of virtual evaluation and developed a turnkey solution that can be used across any design-to-production workflow. Customers do not need to worry about color calibration, lighting or viewing angles. We have incorporated all of this into the new VLB so that customers can quickly and accurately evaluate virtual and physical materials,” says Lamy.

The TAC Ecosystem

The VLB is part of the TAC ecosystem, an award-winning appearance solution that accurately and efficiently captures, communicates and visualizes complex physical materials, including special-effect pigments and synthetic fabrics. TAC brings product designs to life with digital material representations that have the same visual appearance characteristics as their physical counterparts. Using the TAC ecosystem, product designers, 3D artists, material specifiers and marketers can scan in physical material samples and create vendor-neutral Appearance Exchange Format (AxF™) files to digitally communicate and share consistent appearance-related data with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Computer-Aided Design (CAD), and state-of-the art rendering applications. This enables a new level of realism and efficiency in digital material capture and 3D design.

Posted March 14, 2017

Source: X-Rite

World Of Wipes Innovation Award® Finalists Are Changing The Face Of The Wipes Industry

CARY, N.C. — March 14, 2017 — Competition for the 2017 World of Wipes Innovation Award® has been narrowed to three finalists and attendees at the World of Wipes® International Conference June 12-15 in Nashville, Tenn., will have key deciding votes in selecting the winner.

The companies in the running for the prestigious award presented annually by INDA are: Berry Plastics’ Chicopee® Microfiber Floor Care System, Elsner Engineering’s Glueless Tail Tie for rolled wipes and Kimberly-Clark Corp.’s Huggies® Natural Care Extra Sensitive Baby Wipes.

The products all address previously unanswered needs in the marketplace. They include Chicopee’s disposable microfiber mop that makes cleaning more hygienic, safer, and economical for facility managers; Elsner’s glueless rolled wipes production option that helps eliminates material compliance issues for wipes manufacturers; and Huggies wipes that address neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse concerns for the fragile, compromised skins of premature infants.

Attendees at WOW 2017 will have the opportunity to interact with and learn from the top companies who are changing the face of the wipes industry, and gain essential industry insights from an outstanding roster of speakers during the conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort.

The professionals who come to WOW hold an important one-third of the vote in their hands. The award finalists will make their presentations on June 13 and the winner will be announced on the morning of June 15, capping off the conference focused exclusively on wipes. Last year, more than 400 attendees from every area of the wipes sector were at WOW and INDA expects an equally strong turnout with the continued growth and evolution in this segment.

WOW 2017 promises to be a valuable, must-attend conference offering relevant and timely insights, information and statistics from industry leaders on consumer and industrial wipes, the threats to flushable wipes, regulatory issues, product safety and testing, developments in substrates, sustainability, and more. For the full program, visit http://www.inda.org/events/wow17.

Voting at WOW Counts

The World of Wipes Innovation Award recognizes the product that both expands the use of nonwovens and demonstrates creativity, novelty, uniqueness and technical sophistication. Nominated products come from within the entire nonwoven wipes value chain.

In addition to the live voting, the INDA Technical Advisory Board and the WOW Conference Planning Committee will have equal one-third votes to the attendees in determining the top company for the prize.

The product finalists selected from a broad group of international product nominations are:

Berry Plastics’ Chicopee Microfiber Floor Care System

Chicopee’s new short-term use disposable microfibre mops for cleaning provides a total disposable solution for Facility Management and Cleaning companies looking to improve hygiene or remove laundering of their cleaning materials.

The patent pending innovative Fluid Mopping System combines a light, ergonomically designed mopping tool with short-term use Microfiber Mops. The tool has a removable reservoir, which can hold up to 620ml of cleaning solution, and the user pulls the ergonomic trigger to release liquid as they clean.  Up to 80 percent less water is used and chemical consumption is reduced, bringing cost and environmental benefits.

The system combines the company’s unique APEX® technology with splittable microfibre technology to create unique 3D materials, according to the company. The product enables damp floor mopping as opposed to wet floor mopping, which is important to help reduce the risks of slipping on wet floors while mopping in commercial settings.

Elsner Engineering’s Glueless Tail Tie for Rolled Wipes

Seeing the need for a method of controlling the tail of the wipes rolls coming off the machine as they transfer to automatic canister loading, Elsner developed this unique solution that doesn’t use glue.

Due to compliance issues and other standards, many customers cannot add an ingredient such as glue to their products. With the use of ultrasonics, the tail of the nonwoven wipes is tied “closed” without an additive or any discoloration.

 

The patent-pending design uses the minimum possible bond strength to avoid having a mass of wipes as the last of the product is dispensed from the canister, thereby enhancing the end-user’s experience with the product.  With no mess, pre-heat time, or consumable to deal with, the converter’s efficiency, productivity, and ultimately, profitability is increased, according to the company.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s Huggies Natural Care Extra Sensitive Baby Wipes

Developed in partnership with NICU nurses, Huggies Natural Care Extra Sensitive Baby Wipes are the first and only baby wipe specifically developed for premature skin. These wipes address nurses’ concerns for the fragile, compromised skins of infants that the market previously did not address such as underdeveloped stratum corneum, acid mantle (which comprises the outer layer of skin), and the deficiency of structural proteins in the dermis layer of the skin.

Huggies Natural Care Extra Sensitive Wipes provide a gentle clean for babies’ skin. Intended for hospital use, the wipes gently glide across delicate newborn skin without leaving behind excessive wetness. Huggies Natural Care Extra Sensitive Wipes were created with a mild, water-based formula that is free of alcohol, fragrance, and dyes, according to the company.

Posted March 14, 2017

Source: INDA

Teijin Subsidiary DSC To Exhibit Pultruded Composites At JEC World 2017

TOKYO — March 13, 2017 — Diversified Structural Composites Inc. (DSC) — a Teijin Group subsidiary in Erlanger, Kentucky, in the United States that manufactures and sells pultruded composite materials — announced today that it would attend JEC World 2017, the world’s largest composites show, to exhibit a selection of pultruded composite profiles, commonly referred to as pultrusions, that can help to reduce automobile body and structure weight and raise the performance of industrial materials, while maintaining cost competitiveness.

Pultrusion is a method of forming long-length shapes for a wide range of general industrial purposes. A cost-effective manufacturing process, its many applications include increasing use in automotive linear-structure materials.

The exhibits will showcase relatively large samples of pultruded composites, such as those for automobiles and wind turbines.

DSC, which was established in 1978 and became a Teijin subsidiary in 2008, is a leader in pultruded composites and has been expanding its pultrusion business mainly in blade structures of wind turbines, profiles for　down-hole oil and gas operations, automotive, and aerospace composites. The company produces components to customized performance and cost specifications by designing cross-sectional shapes utilizing a selection of high-performance resins, which it then combines with reinforcement fibers, such as carbon, glass or aramid fibers.

Teijin continues to strengthen its capabilities as a tier 1 supplier that fully meets customer needs and specifications for enhanced-strength thermoplastic and thermosetting resins combined with carbon, glass and aramid fibers, with form molding technologies such as pressing, sheet molding compound, resin transfer molding (RTM) or pultrusions taking advantages of its efficient mechanical characteristics.

Posted March 13, 2017

Source: Diversified Structural Composites Inc. (DSC)

U.S. Alpaca Industry Teams up with U.S. Manufacturing

Phoenix — March 13, 2017 — U.S. Alpaca Fiber Council (USAFC) announced today the formation of their industry centric organization focusing on processing activities associated with U.S. produced alpaca fleece. Its mission is to assist U.S. manufacturers in production, promotion, profitability and marketability of U.S alpaca fiber.

Since the U.S. first commercially imported alpacas in 1984, the primary focus of the individual alpaca breeder has been to produce offspring with the finest, softest, most lustrous fleece. This concept has produced a national herd of superior fleece that is able to compete in the global market. Today, the alpaca industry is moving forward to produce products that will be commonly found in homes across the United States and abroad.
In an earlier meeting held in Washington, D.C. to discuss strategies to move alpaca fleece into the national supply chain, the U.S. Alpaca Fiber Council was formed to bridge the gap between the expectations of manufacturers and the needs of the alpaca community. The council consists of artisan and commercial mills, agricultural cooperatives and alpaca industry experts that are uniquely qualified to support manufacturers with their alpaca product initiatives.

“While the textile industry focuses on supply chain sustainability, re-shoring and authentic brands, we believe U.S. grown fiber and U.S. made alpaca textiles could not be a better fit.” said Chris Riley, owner NEAFP and founding organizer with USAFC.

The mission of USAFC is to build an efficient communication infrastructure bridging the gap between U.S. alpaca growers and U.S. manufacturers by educating growers on profitability, sustainability and harvest best practices.  Benefits to manufacturing will include, sourcing, pricing, quality assurance and market analysis. The council aims to create a focal point where U.S. growers and manufacturers can develop strategies to address technology, market access and quality.

“The founders understand the opportunity of being at the ground floor of this very exciting industry,” said Norm Johnson, Alpaca Owners Association (AOA), president. “They all agreed to work collaboratively on a sustainable and efficient U.S. alpaca supply chain.”
Organization founders of the council are Alpaca Coalition of America (ACOA), Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA), Alpaca Owners Association, Inc. (AOA), Artisan Mill Network, New England Alpaca Fiber Pool (NEAFP), Natural Fiber Producers (NFP), Sorting, Grading, Classing (SGC) and Suri Network.

Posted March 13, 2017

Source: U.S. Alpaca Fiber Council (USAFC) 

DKNY Debuts Emily Ratajkowski For Spring/Summer 2017 Intimates, Hosiery And Sleepwear Campaign

NEW YORK CITY — March 13, 2017 — Today, DKNY launched the Spring/Summer 2017 intimates, hosiery and sleepwear campaign, titled #GoodMorningDKNY. Featuring actress and model Emily Ratajkowski, the campaign and film were shot by fashion photographer Sebastian Faena on location in DKNY’s native New York.

To complement the launch of the campaign, DKNY introduces a fashion film, set in a quintessential Manhattan apartment. In the film, Emily wakes, exiting her apartment to walk her dog, wearing nothing more than her DKNY bra and briefs. And — because anything can happen in New York — she steps onto the streets, greeting stunned neighbors, onlookers and viewers with, “Good Morning, New York.” The fashion film and campaign imagery, styled by Clare Richardson, will live online at DKNY.com and in iconic New York locations including The High Line, Times Square and in New York Subway stations. There will also be a comprehensive digital media plan across several fashion and lifestyle websites to support the launch.

“I have never been one to shy away from expressing my individuality — DKNY has always been about supporting strong, self-assured women and that is a message very important to me,” says Ratajkowski, “I’ve always been a fan of the brand and this intimates campaign and film are a natural fit.”

In the film, Emily embodies the attitude of a New Yorker — confident and not afraid to make a statement, her authentic charm feels inherent to DKNY’s DNA. Emily wears the black unlined demi bra and matching cheeky boyshort from the new classic lace collection. Additional styles worn throughout the campaign include Emily’s favorite sheer lace bralette and cheeky garter. The litewear collection appears as Emily lounges in bed wearing the ultra-smooth wirefree bralette and low rise bikini and with the mesh litewear bodysuit paired with the new fishnet thigh high in nude.

The DKNY intimates, hosiery and sleepwear spring collections, priced at $12-$62, are available at DKNY, Nordstrom, Lord + Taylor and Macy’s, both in stores and online, as well as select international retailers.

Posted March 13, 2017

Source: DKNY

ASTM International Calls For Nominations For New Emerging Professionals Program

WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — March 13, 2017—After two successful pilots, global standards organization ASTM International, is expanding its Emerging Professionals program. The program will provide free airfare and lodging this year for up to 24 participants to attend a leadership development workshop held during anASTM International conference — “committee week” — where technical experts in their industries create and revise standards.

D. Thomas Marsh, the organization’s board chairman for 2017, is championing the effort.

“It’s crucial that we empower young people who want to be more deeply engaged in creating standards that support everything from consumer product safety to airplane biofuels,” said Marsh, president and CEO of Centrotrade Minerals & Metals. “Society needs the best and the brightest to build tomorrow’s technical foundation for the many global industries housed in ASTM International.”

The program aims to identify candidates who have some familiarity with standards and who have strong potential to be future leaders in one or more of the organization’s 145 technical committees.

Winning applicants will receive roundtrip airfare to the committee-week location and two nights of accommodations.  During their stay, they will receive: a thorough introduction to standards development, mentoring from a seasoned standards professional in their industry, and a professionally-led leadership workshop on negotiation, consensus building, and problem solving.

The programs and affiliated industries are:

  • June 27 in Boston, Massachusetts (petroleum) with nominations due April 27;
  • October 10 in New Orleans, Louisiana (thermal insulation, air quality, performance of buildings, and more), with nominations due Aug. 10;
  • November 14 in Atlanta, Georgia (steel, plastics, consumer products, plastic piping systems, and more)with nominations due Sept. 14; and,
  • December 5 in New Orleans, Louisiana (road materials, cement, environmental assessment, and more)with nominations due Oct. 5.

ASTM International members and others are welcome to nominate individuals through www.astm.org/emergingprofessionals .  Both nominators and nominees with questions can contactkkoperna@astm.org.

This expansion comes as a result of two successful pilots which garnered positive reviews from participants, including Nima Shamsaei, a student at Auburn University. “This was a great experience to become familiar with the elements of standard development as well as to meet peers, ASTM management, and staff,” he said.

Posted March 13, 2017

Source: ASTM International

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