ITA Partner in medical technologies

Latest developments in medical textile products

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

Classification into the research groups of the ITA

Man-made fibres Technical textiles

Textile fabric production
Staple fibre processing Medical textiles
Experience and expertise

Î Product development (Filament, structure, scaffold, implant)

Î Machine development (Modification of existing machines, construction of new machines as well
as conceiving new product systems)
Î Development of new testing sets and methods
Î Quality management for the production of medical products
Î Development of new surgical techniques and therapies
Why textile implants ?

Material
Î Drapeable
Î High specific surfaces
Î Biocompatible materials
Î Material combinations

Source: ACTO
Structure
Î 2D- and 3D-structures
Î Environment-adapted mechanical
characteristics
Î Adjustable macroscopic structur
Î Directed surface design
Source: Physiologie Î Controllable degradation
Materials

Degradable polymers

Î Polyglycolid (PGA)

Î Polylactid (PLA)
Î Polyester amide (PEA)

Non-degradable polymers

Î Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

Î Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) Textile implants from PVDF
Î Shape Memory Polymer (SMP)

Metals and alloys

ÎShape Memory Alloy (SMA)

 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry modification production Finishing technology Medicine
Testing techniques

Spinning of absorbable and not-absorbable

polymers

Spinning of mono- und multifilaments Spinning nozzle

Processing of minimum quantities of polymers

Spinning of bicomponent fibres

Monofilament fibre
Spinning of modified polymers

Multifilament fibre
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemisry modification production Finishing technology Medicine
Testing techniques

Drawing

Texturing

Plying Twirling Texturing

Plying

Staple fibre production

Staple fibre production Twirling

 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry modification production Finishing technology Medicine
Testing techniques

Nonwoven

Knitting

Braiding

Weaving
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry modification production Finishing technology Medicine
Testing techniques

Coating

Silicone coating Activation

Drug Delivery

Micro capsule on
knitted fabric
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry modification prodction Finishing technology Medicine
Testing techniques

Sewing technology

Embroidery technology

Sewing machine
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry modification production Finishing technology Medicine
Testing techniques

Development and construction of new testing techniques

Adaptation of existing testing techniques

Realisation of tests for textile medical products as well

as alloplastic and allostatic samples
Selected projects

Î “In vitro-generation of a multilayered stem cell derived ureteral graft” (BIOMAT)

Î “EU-BioSys: Intelligent Biomaterial Systems for Cardiovascular Tissue Repair” (EU)
Î “EU-3GSCAFF: Third Generation Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering & Regenerattive
Medicine” (EU)
Î “Herniennetz auf Glasfaserbasis” (InnoNet)
Î “Reconstruction of Muscle from Myogenic and Pluripotent Stem Cells” (NRW)
Î “Der Einsatz von humanen adulten Stammzellen auf einem resorbierbaren, osteoinduktiven,
pH-neutralen Verbundwerkstoff aus Poly (D,L)- Laktid/Calciumphosphat und resorbierbaren
textilen Zellträgerstrukturen (BAK, PGA, PLA und PLLA) zur Rekonstruktion von
Knochendefekten in der Mund-, Kiefer- und plastischen Gesichtschirurgie” (Start)
Î “Development of a textile structure to position a synthetic mitral valve” (BMBF)
Î “Untersuchung der Verarbeitungseigenschaften von Nitinol zur Herstellung textiler
Strukturen” (AiF-Zutech)
Î „Entwicklung von neuen Faserstrukturen für medizinische Textilien“ (Stiftung
Industrieforschung)
Netzwerke

Aachen Polymer Chain

A Survey of ITA

1 Head of department

1 Head engineer

1 Lecturer

26 Assistant employees

18 Technical employees

5 Office workers

4 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. D. Aibibu
Dr.-Ing. R. Ramakers (Head engineer) • Technical textiles: Dipl.-Ing. A. Roye
Akad. Rat Dr.-Ing. D. Veit • Man-made fibre technology: Dr.-Ing. B. Schmenk
• Staple fibre processing: Dipl.-Ing. A. Chennoth
Laboratories / Workshops: • Textile fabric production: Dipl.-Ing. M. Strauf
Amabile
Testing laboratory: M. Steffens
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

Î ITA Presentation
Î Man-made Fibre Technology
Î Staple Fibre Processing
Î Textile Fabric Production
Î Technical Textiles
Î Quality Control and Process Analysis

Up-dated versions are available as

downloads on our homepage
http://www.ita.rwth-aachen.de
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Piston spinning machine

Î Minimum throughput:
ƒ 30 g or 34 ccm
Î Piston throughput
ƒ 0,2-1,3 g/min
Î Cooling with quench or spin bath
Î Movable draw frame:
ƒ 3 godets (Duo), draw bath, hot air
chamber Piston spinning machine
with spin bath
Î Winding speed:
ƒ Up to 140 m/min
Î Titer range (55 dtex – 208 dtex,
dep. on layout)

Scheme of the piston spinning machine with quench duct

 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Bicomponent spinning machine

ÎMax. throughput of the 1. extruder:
ƒ Ca. 3 kg/h (50 g/min)
ÎMax. throughput des 2. extruder:
ƒ Ca. 1 kg/h (16,67 g/min)
ÎFDY draw winding machine:
ƒ 400 bis 1800 m/min
ÎPOY draw winding machine:
ƒ 2500 bis 3500 m/min
ÎTiter range (Mulitfilament): Laboratory melt-spinning
system
ƒ Ca. 33 – 266 dtex (ca. 200 – 600 μm)
ÎTiter range (Monofilament):
ƒ Ca. 30 – 133 dtex (ca. 200 – 430 μm)
Scheme of the bicomponent-
melt spinning system
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Bicomponent fibre types:

ÎSide-by-Side ÎIsland-in-the-Sea

Source: Hills Source: Neumag

ÎSheath/Core ÎSegmented Pie-Type
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

E las tan
PO Y

D ra w
zo n e

Te xtu rin g
n o zzle

S lo t
h ea te r

W in d e r
Modified Air-jet texturing machine
(E. Erdmann GmbH) ATC-Prozess: Air-jet texturing & covering
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Non-woven manufacturing
Î Aero dynamical non-woven manufacturing
(non-orientated non-woven) and carding lab
Scale (orientated non-woven)
Î Optimal material / volume ratio
Î Adjustable porosity
Lab Carding Machine
Î Manufacturing of suitable surface structure
Î Incorporation of bioactive agents
(e.g. micro spheres)

Aero dynamical non- Î Guidance structure for function-oriented cell

woven manufacturing growth
Î Multi-layer construction and manufacturing of
designed non-wovens
Needle Punching Machine
Î Manufacturing in medical standard
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Product examples
Î Scaffolds for tissue engineering
• Gingival replacement
• Urether
• Stem cells
Non-wovens from PGA
• Adipose cells
• Mucous membrane
• Bone replacement

Microspheres in a non-woven fabric

(Source: ITA-RWTH)
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Warp knitting
Î Processing of smallest material
quantities
Î Adjustable porosity
Î Adjustable elastic characteristics
Î Admission of cyclic loads
Î Structuring of surface
Î Material combinations
Î Manufacturing of plane interlaced warp
knitted structure and dendritic tube
structures with different geometry
Î Different yarn count
Double Raschel warp knitting machine (Diameter 10 to 300 µm)
 Spinning Yarn Textil Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Product examples

Î Vascular grafts
Î Artificial cornea
Î Meniscus prothesis
Î Hernia net Hernia net Artificial cornea
Î Heart valve
Î Wound dressings
Î Stents

Heart valve Nitinol-Stent

Meniscus prothesis
 Spinning Yarn Textil Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Braiding
Î Compact structure
Î High strength
Î Small elongation
Î Variable fineness
Î 3D-braid with continuous change
of geometry
Î Incorporation of functional
components

3D-Rotation-braiding machine
 Spinning Yarn Textil Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

1 mm
Product examples
Î ligament
Î Drug-Delivery-System 3D-Braid
Î Stents

Nitinol-Stent
Alloplastic cruciate ligament
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Weaving
Î Laboratory and industry weaving
machine
Î Processing of smallest material
quantities
Î Adjustable porosity
Î Low elasticity

Band weaving machine

 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Product examples
Î Hernia net
Î Blood filter

Nitinol woven fabric

Hernia nets
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Î Use of external systems

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

Fibroblasts on PVDF Cell cultivation in bioreactor

(Quelle: ACTO) (Source: ACT-Lab)
 Spinning Yarn Textile Joining
Chemistry production Finishing technology Medicine
modification
Testing techniques

Î Sewing and embroidering

technologies
Î Various materials and material
combinations
Î Variable fineness
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