Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

ITA Partner in medical technologies

Latest developments in medical textile products

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

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

ITA Partner in medical technologie

Latest developments in medical textile products

Medicine

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

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

for cooperation with interdisciplinary research partners:

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

Selected projects
In vitro-generation of a multilayered stem cell derived ureteral graft (BIOMAT)
EU-BioSys: Intelligent Biomaterial Systems for Cardiovascular Tissue Repair (EU)

EU-3Gscaff: Third Generation Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering & Regenerattive Medicine (EU)

Elastic hernia mesh based on glass fibers (InnoNet)

Reconstruction of Muscle from Myogenic and Pluripotent Stem Cells (NRW)
Oral mucosa substitutes culturing autogenous keratinocytes on esterified hyaluronan membranes
Skingrafts made by Tissue Engineering: Use in acute and chronic wounds, for gene therapy and as
oral mucosa substitute (PVDF, BAK, PGA and PLLA) (AiF)
Development of a textile structure to position a synthetic mitral valve (BMBF)
Study of the processing properties of Nitinol for the production of textile structures
(AiF-Zutech)

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

Why textile implants?

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

(Source: ITMC)

Chemistry

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Spinning

Tailoring

Medicine

At present access to external

machines, own pilot spinning
facilities in summer 2006
Blending with additives
PVDF monofilament ( 60 m)
Spinneret

Processing of resorbable (PGA,

PLLA) and non-resorbable (PVDF)
polymers
Production of mono- and multifilaments
Different fineness
Production of specific surfaces

PVDF multifilament
(filament 17 m, 30 filaments)

Adjustments of the mechanical and

chemical properties

(Medical spinning machinery, Fourne)

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

Various machine technologies

Material combinations
Subsequent treatment of the spun

1 mm

filaments

Plied yarn

Filament structuring
Ply twister

Production of specific yarn

structures

0,1 mm

Adjustment of the mechanical and

Air-jet textured yarn

chemical characteristics
Transfer into suitable form for
0,1 mm

processing

False twist textured yarn

Coatings
Air jet texturing machine

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Warp knitting

Tailoring

Medicine

Especially designed raschel warp

knitting machine
Various materials and material
combinations
Processing of smallest quantities

Vascular grafts

Production of flat fabrics and

branched tubular structures with
various geometries
Varying yarn fineness (diameter
from 10 to 300 m)
Raschel warp knitting machine

Artificial cornea

Adjustable elastic characteristics

Material combinations
Surface structuring

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

Braiding
Patented 3D-braiding machine
(3rd generation)
Various materials and material

1 mm

combinations

3D-braids

Variable fineness
3D-braiding with continuous
geometry modification
Adjustable elastic characteristics
Surface structuring
Quellenangabe: Arial 12

Bildunterschrift: Arial 16
Alloplastic cruciate ligament

3D-braiding machine

Incorporation of functional
substances

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

Nonwovens manufacturing
Aerodynamic nonwovens production
Bonding by needling
Processing of various resorbable filaments
Optimised ratio of material and volume
Structures for a guided tissue regeneration

Carding Lab Scale

Multi-layer structures
Aerodynamic nonwovens production

Production of nonwovens structures

with various shapes
Production of specific surface structures
Incorporation of bioactive substances
(e.g. micro spheres)

Needle loom

Especially designed reinforcements

Small scale production

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

Weaving
Laboratory scale and industrial
weaving machines
Various materials and material
combinations
Processing of smallest quantities
Production of fabrics with different
weaves
Nitinol woven fabric

Surface structuring
Narrow weaving machine

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

Use of external systems

Finishing of textile structures
with bioactive substances
Plasma coating
(Source: iplas GmbH)

Incorporation of unstable
thermal active substances
Formation of biofilms prevented
Improvement of the cell
adhesion
Surface structuring

Cell cultures

Cell cultivation in Bioreactor

(Source: ITMC)

(Source: ACT-Lab)

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

Sewing and embroidering

technologies
Various materials and material
combinations
Variable fineness
CNC-embroidery machine
Reinforcement of
artificial cornea

Tailoring of textile structures

Production of composites
Reinforcements
Free selection of geometries
Well-directed accumulation of
material

Stitching of Nitinol
CNC-sewing machine

Spinning

Chemistry

Textile
Yarn
Finishing
production
modification
Testing techniques

Tailoring

Medicine

Textile testing laboratory at

ITA
Adaptation of available testing
Bladder testing device Friction testing device

methods
Development of new testing

Knee testing device

methods and equipment

Construction of new testing
devices
Testing of medical textile
products and allostatic
samples
Vascular graft testing device
(IBMT)

Test of cartilage

A Survey of ITA
1

Head of department

Head engineer

Lecturer

26

Assistant employees

18 Technical employees
5

Office workers

Trainees

56 Student employees

Locations of ITA in Aachen

Contact us!
Management / Head of Department:

Research groups:

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

Medical textiles:

Dr.-Ing. R. Ramakers (Head engineer)

Technical textiles: Dipl.-Ing. A. Roye

Dr.-Ing. D. Veit

Filament yarns:

Dr.-Ing. B. Schmenk

Spinning:

Dipl.-Ing. I. Reinbach

Laboratories / Workshops:

Weaving:

Dipl.-Ing. M. Strauf Amabile

Testing laboratory:

M. Steffens

Textile economics: N.N.

Microscopy:

M. Rohs

Electrical laboratory:

M. v. Thenen

Machine design:

D. Mergl

Software:

Dipl.-Ing. C. Kozik

Tel. : ++49 (0) 241 / 80 956 21

E-mail: ita@ita.rwth-aachen.de

Dr.-Ing. D. Aibibu

Fax : ++49 (0) 241 / 80 921 49

http://www.ita.rwth-aachen.de

Main Focus of the Research Groups

ITA-Presentation:
Textile Future
starts with us!

Textile Future
made in Aachen!

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

Technical Textiles:
From the Fibre to the finished Textile and
Composite Part
Competence in Textile Technology
and Mechanical Engineering

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

Filament Yarn Technology:

Filament-Yarn-Technology at the Institute of Textile Technology

Innovation in Dialogue With The Industry

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

Assembling/clothing
technology
The ITA as a Partner
in assembling/clothing technology

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

Fibre Yarn Technology:

From Fibre to Yarn

Weaving Technology:
The ITA as a Partner in Weaving Technology

Competence in Textile Technology

and Mechanical Engineering

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

Quality Control:
The ITA as a partner for special
solutions in quality control and process analysis

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

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

Library:
Das ITA als Partner bei der
Informationsbeschaffung zu textilen Themen

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

only available in German language!

up-dated versions are available as

downloads on our homepage
http://www.ita.rwth-aachen.de