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Composites manufactured efficiently
January 1, 2023 | Swatches
At the Advanced Textiles Conference in October in Charlotte, N.C., Anil Kircalianli, head of automation for Orbital Composites (OC), discussed the important role of textiles as a driver for sustainability, particularly in footwear design. Kircalianli argued that the company’s use of 3D printing an…
Nothing to hide
January 1, 2023 | Markets
Empty shelves and rising prices are constant reminders of the many challenges and disruptions that continue to plague the complex supply chains that span the globe. But supply chain transparency is moving to the fore, with consumers and regulators paying ever more attention to where products are sou…
Keys to preventive maintenance
January 1, 2023 | Business
Don’t you hate it when things don’t work in the warehouse? You jump on the forklift, ready to unload a 40-foot trailer, and the battery is dead. As you are cursing your misfortune, you grab the pallet jack and the hydraulic pump is shot. The thoughts of creeks and paddles are now dancing through…
The challenge of innovating
January 1, 2023 | Advanced Textiles, Markets
Manufacturing to scale is arguably the most significant challenge facing the smart materials and wearable technology industries—and it’s not just desirable, but essential for growth and survival. Without full commercialization, the drive for new developments and research is in jeopardy. There is…
Surviving disasters
January 1, 2023 | Features
When Jeff Kleger got the call in February 2008 that the building housing his awning company was on fire, he was getting ready to head out of town with his wife and daughter for a weekend event. Instead, sending his family on without him, the president of 432 Design Inc. in Philadelphia, Penn., raced…
Weathering all seasons
January 1, 2023 | Features, Perspective
Sails have propelled Brydon Roe’s personal and professional paths for as long as he can remember. He and his brother grew up boating and windsurfing on the lakes of Ontario, Canada, before getting their first jobs at a windsurfing shop and eventually opening their own. Enticed by its sunny beaches…
Textile solutions for space missions
January 1, 2023 | Swatches
Drew Hoyle, an aerospace textile engineer at NASA says renewed interest in space exploration has resulted in the search for textiles that can resolve problems encountered on earlier lunar missions decades ago. Among the needs to be addressed for a new lunar mission are textiles for spacesuits that p…