FEG Textiltechnik (Germany)

Through textile recycling, resources can be saved, and landfilling can be avoided. However, determined input streams are needed for high-quality recycling processes. The aim of this study is to investigate the detection, prediction and sorting of polyester-containing textile waste using near-infrared spectroscopy. In experimental trials, polyester-containing textiles with different fibre blends are scanned, and the spectra are recorded. The results are evaluated in a linear regression model and transferred to an industrial-scale sorting plant. Due to the different peaks in the spectra of the investigated fibre types and a visible correlation of the absorption intensity between the blend ratios, the use of NIR spectroscopy is very promising for application in the sorting of polyester-containing textiles.

Textiles are not only used for clothing but also have found applications in many other areas. Textiles fulfilling functional or technical properties are called “technical textiles.” Incorporation of conductive components, sensors, or materials reacting to environmental influences convert those into so-called “smart textiles.” Common methods of applying conductive tracks to textiles are embroidery, which can cause damage to the textile, or printing of a low-conductivity paste that may include toxic chemicals. A new method of applying electrical conductors to textiles for contacting is laser welding. In this process, a thin metal foil is welded on locally with an absorber placed above the metal foil to ensure that sufficient energy is applied to partially melt the textile underneath the metal foil. One variant for welding conductive tracks is the use of a globo-optics and a diode laser system with a wavelength of 975 nm. With these optics, the glass sphere focuses the laser beam and serves as a mechanical pressure tool for achieving a zero gap between fabric and foil. Parameters that are varied are the processing speed and the laser power receiving different track widths, as well as the type of textile. In this work, their influence is evaluated by microscopy, electrical resistance measurements during Martindale tests for abrasion resistance, and tensile tests. The investigations clarify the durability and utility of welded conductive tracks on textiles. It is possible to produce conductive tracks out of beaten copper joined on textiles using laser radiation showing conductivity after 10,000 abrasion cycles. The tensile strength of textiles totally made of thermoplastics is more influenced by the heat input of the laser than blended textiles, but their abrasion resistance is worse. Furthermore, an outlook on the possibility of welding using a laser source with a wavelength of 450 nm (blue laser) and a scanner as optics will be given.

Virus Protective Masks In article 2300141, Uwe Rösler, Rainer Haag, and co-workers demonstrate that virus protective coating of masks filter textile is a suitable technique to minimize secondary transmission of virus in the pandemics. In this concept, nonwoven polyamide 6 (PA6) filter materials are functionalized with negatively charged linear polyglycerol sulfate (LPGS) as a virus binding functional group. LPGS coated nanofibers display efficient virus removal behavior in compare with uncoated PA6 nanofibers.

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Abstract Like all preceding transformations of the manufacturing industry, the large-scale usage of production data will reshape the role of humans within the sociotechnical production ecosystem. To ensure that this transformation creates work systems in which employees are empowered, productive, healthy, and motivated, the transformation must be guided by principles of and research on human-centered work design. Specifically, measures must be taken at all levels of work design, ranging from (1) the work tasks to (2) the working conditions to (3) the organizational level and (4) the supra-organizational level. We present selected research across all four levels that showcase the opportunities and requirements that surface when striving for human-centered work design for the Internet of Production (IoP). (1) On the work task level, we illustrate the user-centered design of human-robot collaboration (HRC) and process planning in the composite industry as well as user-centered design factors for cognitive assistance systems. (2) On the working conditions level, we present a newly developed framework for the classification of HRC workplaces. (3) Moving to the organizational level, we show how corporate data can be used to facilitate best practice sharing in production networks, and we discuss the implications of the IoP for new leadership models. Finally, (4) on the supra-organizational level, we examine overarching ethical dimensions, investigating, e.g., how the new work contexts affect our understanding of responsibility and normative values such as autonomy and privacy. Overall, these interdisciplinary research perspectives highlight the importance and necessary scope of considering the human factor in the IoP.