The textile world at a glance: From innovation to individualization
100% glass: impossible with tufting machines?
Today, tufted floor coverings are used exclusively as a traditional carpet floor covering, in the automotive sector and for artificial lawns. To date there were no real tufted structures found in the field of technical textiles. This could be set to change, as part of the project "Functional and highly thermally resistant tufted fabrics for use in the field of technical textiles (high-performance tufted structures) IGF 19050 N", the TFI Institute for Floor Systems at the RWTH Aachen e.V., succeeded together with Groz-Beckert and other partners to make tufted fabrics from 100% glass.
Tufted floor coverings are made from flexible yarn. The use of low-stretch PP/PE-monofilaments in the manufacture of artificial lawns already pushes the technical possibilities for tufting to the limit. Practically stretch-free materials, such as glass, could previously not be processed. A challenge that the TFI Institute for Floor Systems at the RWTH Aachen e.V. is tackling in several research projects analyzing the yarn guidance within the tufting machine. The service provider for analysis, research and development is supported by various partners, including Groz-Beckert.In its analysis, the team at the institute identified basic problems with the yarn guidance: the continuous feed by the yarn feed rollers and the non-continuous yarn requirements within the tufting zone. To combat this, the TFI already developed an electronically controlled compensation element in a previous project – the electronic jerker (E-jerker).
The E-jerker – for modulated yarn guidance
The E-jerker from the TFI Institute for Floor Systems at the RWTH Aachen e.V.
The E-jerker continuously takes the yarn from the yarn feed rollers and passes it on in the direction of the tufting zone with a defined forwards and backwards motion. The E-jerker thus creates a balance between the yarn feed and yarn requirement.
Indispensable – the right tufting tools
Tufted glass "velour"
In addition to the E-jerker, which provides the desired yarn tension, suitable tufting tools are essential for processing technical yarns. The results of tests recently carried out in the technical center of the TFI with wear-resistant Groz-Beckert tufting tools showed that non-flexible yarns can be processed fault-free and with reproducible results with relatively small additional technical effort.
Brittle basalt yarns, metal fiber yarns and aramid fibers have already been processed in other projects. Their possible application fields range from high-temperature insulation and electrically conductive textiles, through to filter material or geotextiles for drainage systems, irrigations and embankment stabilization.
Do you have any questions relating to this topic? Then we look forward to hearing from you.
About the IGF project
The IGF project "Functional and highly thermally resistant tufted fabrics for use in the field of technical textiles (high-performance tufting textures) IGF 19050 N" was funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology via the AiF as part of the program for promoting the industrial collective research and development (IGF) based on a resolution of the German Federal Parliament.
TFI – Deutsches Forschungsinstitut für Bodensysteme e. V.
Charlottenburger Allee 41
52068 Aachen
www.tfi-online.de
ed.nehcaa-ift@ofni
DOMOTEX 2019 – Groz-Beckert represented 3 times
The Domotex will be held in three locations in 2019: Hanover, the new location in Atlanta, and Shanghai. Groz-Beckert will be present at all trade fairs for you.As in previous years, we would like to welcome you to the Groz-Beckert booth in Hanover and Shanghai:
- Hanover, Germany
11–14 January 2019; Hall 11, Booth E63 - Shanghai, China
26–28 March 2019
- Atlanta, USA
28 February – 02 March 2019; Booth 549