Optimized processes for thermosetting in textile technology are currently being developed within the scope of a cooperation project between the manufacturer of technical knits Acker Textilwerk GmbH, Seligenstadt/Germany, and the RWTH Aachen University, Aachen/Germany.
The research project explores new methods for thermosetting technical textiles using infrared radiation. Kristina Simonis and Isa Bettermann from the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University provide scientific support. Compared to classic gas heating, the advantage of this method is that thermosetting textiles is particularly safe. Up to now, the manufactured textiles have usually been treated on a 60-meter-long tensioning frame in a separate second process. The aim of the project is to integrate thermosetting in the actual production process of textiles. This will help to save time, space and energy. The prototype for a corresponding production system has already been developed and successfully tested.