Page 80 - April-May-2018

80
New fabric technology for

airline seats

ACME Mills has joined forces with Quantum Materials to launch the newest level of fabric innovation
designed for aircraft seating applications – Comfort Zone powered by Quantum ZXT technology. This
B-surface fabric technology is designed to provide long-term enhanced comfort to passengers and
reduce or eliminate the need for foam commonly used in airline seating.

Comfort Zone is a 100% polyester-based fabric made with a combination of high performing elastomer-
ic monofilament and spun yarns. The Quantum ZXT technology provides the Comfort Zone fabric with
enhanced conformability, comfort and durability, according to the manufacturer.

Initial testing has shown that this new fabric can reduce weight by as much as 8 pounds per seat or a
total of 1,512 pounds. In addition to weight reduction, and depending upon the size of the plane, there
is the potential to add more than 10 seats without redesigning the interior cabin due to space savings.
The fabric can be engineered or treated with the various performance requirements needed to pass
standard FAA regulations.

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, a leading developer of
Kraig produces largest spider silk-based fibres, has successfully produced
the first recombinant spider silk cocoons from the
new line of hybrid transgenic silkworms recently
spider silk cocoons created at its Michigan production and research
facility.

This new hybrid line was created by combining one
of the company’s best performing recombinant
spider silk lines with a commercial strain, resulting in
the largest cocoons in the company’s history. The
first-generation cocoons from this hybrid cross have
exceeded the company’s expectations with some
cocoons nearly twice as large as the original spider
silk line cocoons.

These larger cocoons are said to reduce operating
and handling costs throughout the production
process and yield longer silk threads. Mechanical
performance testing of this new hybrid spider silk
line is expected to begin shortly.

April/May 2018