Yarn Textile

Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine

modification production
Testing techniques

ITA – Partner in medical technologies

Latest developments in medical textile products

Head of Department: Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Thomas Gries

 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

ITA – Partner in medical technologie

Latest developments in medical textile products

 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

ITA as Partner
for research and development of textiles for applications in medical technology
Î Development of new manufacturing processes
Î Design and construction of new components, devices, machines and production systems
Î Development and production of medical textiles and functional elements
Î Development of testing techniques and devices
Î Testing of medical textile products and allostatic samples
Î Joint development of operating techniques

for cooperation with interdisciplinary research partners:

 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Selected projects
Î “Tissue Engineering – in vitro construction of small autologous vascular grafts by the use of an
autologous fibrin gel scaffold” (BIOMAT.)
Î “Analysis of the influence of textile scaffolds on adult human stemm cells” (NRW)
Î “Impact of growth factors on chondrocytes in 3-D matrices using micro spheres as a new
release system” (BIOMAT.)
Î “Preadipocytes in a new types of textile scaffolds” (Holste Stiftung)
Î “Co-polyester-amide with controllable degradable comportment as replacement for textile
implant materials based on lactic respectively lactic-co-glycolid” (AiF-ZuTech)
Î “Degradable drainage implant for minimally invasive Glaucomasurgery” (BIOMAT.)
Î “Study of the processing properties of Nitinol for the production of textile structures”
(AiF-Zutech)
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Why textile implants?

Î Biocompatible materials
Î Material combinations
Î 2D- and 3D-structures
Î Mechanical characteristic adapted to the
environment
Î Adjustable macroscopic structure
Î Specific surface design
Î Controllable degradation

(Source: ITMC)
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Î At present access to external

machines, pilot spinning facilities
under construction
Î Blending with additives
PVDF monofilament (∅ 60 µm) Î Processing of resorbable and non-
resorbable polymers
Î Production of mono- and multi-
filaments

Spinneret Î Different fineness

Î Production of specific surfaces
PVDF multifilament
Î Adjustments of the mechanical and
(filament ∅ 17 µm, 30 filaments)
chemical properties
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Î Various machine technologies

Î Material combinations
1 mm
Î Subsequent treatment of the spun
filaments
Plied yarn
Î Filament structuring
Ply twister
Î Production of specific yarn
0,1 mm structures

Air-jet textured yarn Î Adjustment of the mechanical and

chemical characteristics
Î Transfer into suitable form for
0,1 mm
processing
False twist textured yarn
Î Coatings

Air jet texturing machine

 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Warp knitting
Î Especially designed raschel warp
knitting machine
Î Various materials and material
combinations
Î Processing of smallest quantities
Vascular grafts
Î Production of flat fabrics and
branched tubular structures with
various geometries
Î Varying yarn fineness (diameter
from 10 to 300 µm)
Raschel warp knitting machine
Î Adjustable elastic characteristics

Artificial cornea Î Material combinations

Î Surface structuring
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Braiding

Î Patented 3D-braiding machine

(3rd generation)
1 mm Î Various materials and material
combinations
3D-braids
Î Variable fineness
Î 3D-braiding with continuous
geometry modification
Î Adjustable elastic characteristics
Î Surface structuring
Quellenangabe: Arial 12
Bildunterschrift: Arial 16 Î Incorporation of functional
3D-braiding machine
substances
Alloplastic cruciate ligament
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Nonwovens manufacturing
Î Aerodynamic nonwovens production
Î Bonding by needling
Î Processing of various resorbable filaments
Î Optimised ratio of material and volume
Resorbable nonwovens
Î Structures for a guided tissue regeneration
Î Multi-layer structures
Î Production of nonwovens structures
Aerodynamic non-
wovens production with various shapes
Î Production of specific surface structures
Î Incorporation of bioactive substances
(e.g. micro spheres)
Micro spheres in nonwovens
Î Especially designed reinforcements
Needle loom
Î Small scale production
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Weaving

Î Laboratory scale and industrial

weaving machines
Î Various materials and material
combinations
Î Processing of smallest quantities
Î Production of fabrics with different
weaves
Î Surface structuring
Nitinol woven fabric
Narrow weaving machine
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Î Use of external systems

Î Finishing of textile structures
with bioactive substances
Plasma coating
(Source: iplas GmbH) Î Incorporation of unstable
thermal active substances
Î Formation of biofilms prevented
Î Improvement of the cell
adhesion
Î Surface structuring

Cell cultures Cell cultivation in Bioreactor

(Source: ITMC) (Source: ACT-Lab)
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Î Sewing and embroidering

technologies
Î Various materials and material
combinations
Î Variable fineness
CNC-embroidery machine
Î Tailoring of textile structures
Reinforcement of
artificial cornea Î Production of composites
Î Reinforcements
Î Free selection of geometries
Î Well-directed accumulation of
material

Stitching of Nitinol
CNC-sewing machine
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Î Textile testing laboratory at

ITA
Î Adaptation of available testing
Bladder testing device Friction testing device methods

Knee testing device Î Development of new testing

methods and equipment
Î Construction of new testing
devices
Î Testing of medical textile
products and allostatic
samples

Vascular graft testing device Test of cartilage

(IBMT)
 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

“The ITA: overall view“

Î 29 Scientific employees
Î 17 Technical employees
Î 5 Office workers
Î 4 Apprentices
Î 57 Graduate research assistants

ITA machine halls in Aachen

 Yarn Textile
Chemistry Spinning Finishing Tailoring Medicine
modification production
Testing techniques

Contact us!

Management / Head of Department: Research groups:

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Th. Gries • Medical textiles: Dipl.-Ing. F. Budillon
Dr.-Ing. K. Klopp (Head engineer) • Technical textiles: Dipl.-Ing. A. Kolkmann
Akad. Oberrat Dr.-Ing. D. Veit • Filament yarns: Dipl.-Ing. R. Ramakers
• Spinning: Dipl.-Ing. I. Mählmann
Laboratories / Workshops: • Weaving: Dipl.-Ing. H. Wilbrand-Ludwig
Testing laboratory: M. Steffens • Textile economics: N.N.
Microscopy: M. Rohs
Electrical laboratory: M. v. Thenen
Construction: D. Mergl
Software: Dipl.-Ing. C. Kozik

Tel. : ++49 (0) 241 / 80 956 21 Fax : ++49 (0) 241 / 80 921 49
E-mail: ita@ita.rwth-aachen.de http://www.ita.rwth-aachen.de
 Main Focus of the Research Groups

ITA-Presentation: Man-made Fibre Technology: Fibre Yarn Technology: Weaving Technology:

Filament-Yarn-Technology at the Institute of Textile Technology From Fibre to Yarn The ITA as a Partner in Weaving Technology
Textile Future Textile Future
starts with us! made in Aachen! Competence in Textile Technology
Innovation in Dialogue With The Industry and Mechanical Engineering

Head of Department: Head of Department: Head of Department: Head of Department:

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Thomas Gries Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Thomas Gries Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Thomas Gries Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Thomas Gries

Assembling/clothing
Technical Textiles: technology: Quality Control: Library:
From the Fibre to the finished Textile and
Composite Part The ITA as a Partner The ITA as a partner for special Das ITA als Partner bei der
Competence in Textile Technology in assembling/clothing technology
and Mechanical Engineering solutions in quality control and process analysis Informationsbeschaffung zu textilen Themen

Head of Department: Head of Department: Head of Department: Institutsdirektor:

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Thomas Gries Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Thomas Gries Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Thomas Gries Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Thomas Gries

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