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3D Weaving limited-edition collections. ProWeave is produced at for various end uses, from manufacturing fabric for
Texon’s plant in Prato, Italy, and at the company’s
parachutes, automotive airbags, surgical bandages,
newest manufacturing center in Vietnam, which
tents, flags, and various other military uses. The
company produced materials used in the parachute
opened in mid-2020. With the ability to mix different
The Future Weaving with a high tenacity, flame retardant, stretch, and TPU for the Mars Rover.
coated yarns to create hard-wearing materials, Texon
3D weaving: In 3-dimensional weaving, the goal is to
also sees significant opportunities for ProWeave in
industrial footwear and safety apparel applications.
create thickness by stacking multiple layers. On
wide range of applications WEAV3D: The WEAV3D process combines weaving
and composite consolidation into an automated,
continuous process that reduces waste, cycle times,
and material handling costs. WEAV3D is a company
Weaving is a method of textile production in which based in Norcross, Georgia. The company’s ‘Rebar
two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at for Plastics’ approach improves part stiffness and
right angles to form a fabric or cloth. With passing strength while minimizing weight, enabling
time, there has been a technological shift in weaving innovations in the automotive and construction
machines and patterns. markets at a fraction of the cost and cycle time
associated with traditional composite manufacturing.
ProWeave: Recently, Hong Kong-based company
Texon has introduced a patented jacquard weaving Conventional composite manufacturing methods also
technology called “ProWeave.” The new technology rely on energy-intensive curing processes, which
makes it possible to seamlessly integrate functional translate to high embodied energy, or energy per unit
and design weaves into a single sheet of material. It mass, and contribute to the overall CO2 footprint of
enables the production of continuous woven the finished part. WEAV3D was previously awarded a
substrates with the zonal features product designers $224,718 NSF SBIR Phase I grant to investigate
want and exactly where they want them, the alternative thermal consolidation methods to reduce
company says, allowing fabrics for the footwear, embodied energy by at least 60% relative to the
apparel, fashion, and luxury goods industries to be current infrared consolidation baseline. Of all the
completely reimagined. consolidation techniques evaluated, ultrasonic
welding showed the best combination of speed,
Reimagining fabrics for the footwear, apparel, efficiency, and weld quality.
fashion, and luxury goods industries, ProWeave
transforms how performance fabrics are made and Olympic uniforms: Alexander County mill weaves conventional weaving machines, the layering is
how they look, feel, and function. Creating different fabric for Olympic uniforms. Alexander County mill is achieved by dividing the warp into multiple, separate
elasticity, tenacity, and abrasion zones within the sets. On a given pass through the warp, the weft will
same weave, ProWeave can help brands bring new not intersect the warp threads that belong to a
creative concepts to life. The innovative technology different layer. Recently, there has been a surge in
effortlessly blends diverse yarn thicknesses, weights, using 3D weaving. Fabric producer Antich and Sons
and fabric references– creating intricately designed have achieved a step-change in its manufacturing
fabrics with distinctive gradient, rib, waffle, color, capability to produce finished 3D multi-layer woven
stretch, transparency, and 3D effects. preforms for advanced composites used in the
aerospace and automotive industries through a
Creating different elasticity, tenacity, and abrasion project at the University of Sheffield Advanced
zones within the same weave, ProWeave can help Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).
brands bring new creative concepts to life and the
technology diverse yarn thicknesses, weights, and The 3D weaving of carbon fiber is a cost-effective
fabric references to be effortlessly combined to method for producing high-quality, damage tolerant,
create a distinctive gradient, rib, waffle, color, stretch, weaving fabric to be used in the uniforms of large-scale, and high-thickness laminates for liquid
transparency, and 3D effects. American athletes competing at the 2022 Winter resin injection processes to make lightweight
Olympics in Beijing. Schneider Mills has already composite materials. However, to create composite
Texon can provide ProWeave for mass production finished about 30,000 yards of the 48,000 yards of preforms suitable for resin transfer molding, several
projects, with multiple designs for uppers, garments, woven fabric that will be used in the uniforms, said additional procedures are required to achieve
and accessories on one roll. The business can also Curt Parker, Schneider’s vice president of operations. widespread technology adoption. So, the future is 3D
offer ProWeave in small quantities for series or Schneider Mills is a weaver of synthetic fiber goods weaving for various applications.
April/May 2021 April/May 2021
