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 Textile fabric production Staple fibre processing

Technical textiles Medical textiles

Experience and expertise

Product development (Filament, structure, scaffold, implant) Machine development (Modification of existing machines, construction of new machines as well as conceiving new product systems) Development of new testing sets and methods Quality management for the production of medical products Development of new surgical techniques and therapies

Why textile implants ?

Material
Drapeable High specific surfaces Biocompatible materials Material combinations
Source: ACTO

Structure
2D- and 3D-structures Environment-adapted mechanical characteristics Adjustable macroscopic structur Directed surface design

Source: Physiologie

Controllable degradation

Materials
Degradable polymers
Polyglycolid (PGA)

Polylactid (PLA) Polyester amide (PEA) Non-degradable polymers Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) Shape Memory Polymer (SMP) Metals and alloys Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)
Textile implants from PVDF

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Spinning of absorbable and not-absorbable polymers Spinning of mono- und multifilaments Processing of minimum quantities of polymers Spinning of bicomponent fibres Monofilament fibre Spinning of modified polymers Spinning nozzle

Multifilament fibre

Chemisry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Drawing Texturing

Plying

Twirling

Texturing

Plying

Staple fibre production Staple fibre production Twirling

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Nonwoven Knitting

Braiding Weaving

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Coating

Silicone coating

Activation

Drug Delivery Micro capsule on knitted fabric

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing prodction modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Sewing technology

Embroidery technology

Sewing machine

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

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
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) Herniennetz auf Glasfaserbasis (InnoNet) Reconstruction of Muscle from Myogenic and Pluripotent Stem Cells (NRW) Der Einsatz von humanen adulten Stammzellen auf einem resorbierbaren, osteoinduktiven, pH-neutralen Verbundwerkstoff aus Poly (D,L)- Laktid/Calciumphosphat und resorbierbaren textilen Zelltrgerstrukturen (BAK, PGA, PLA und PLLA) zur Rekonstruktion von Knochendefekten in der Mund-, Kiefer- und plastischen Gesichtschirurgie (Start) Development of a textile structure to position a synthetic mitral valve (BMBF) Untersuchung der Verarbeitungseigenschaften von Nitinol zur Herstellung textiler Strukturen (AiF-Zutech) Entwicklung von neuen Faserstrukturen fr medizinische Textilien (Stiftung Industrieforschung)

Netzwerke

Aachen Polymer Chain

A Survey of ITA

1 1 1 26 18 5 4 56

Head of department Head engineer Lecturer Assistant employees Technical employees Office workers Trainees Student employees

Locations of ITA in Aachen

Contact us!
Management / Head of Department: Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Th. Gries Dr.-Ing. R. Ramakers (Head engineer) Akad. Rat Dr.-Ing. D. Veit Research groups: Medical textiles: Technical textiles: Dr.-Ing. D. Aibibu Dipl.-Ing. A. Roye

Man-made fibre technology: Dr.-Ing. B. Schmenk Staple fibre processing: Dipl.-Ing. A. Chennoth Dipl.-Ing. M. Strauf Amabile

Laboratories / Workshops: Testing laboratory: Microscopy: Electrical laboratory: Construction: Software: M. Steffens M. Rohs M. v. Thenen D. Mergl Dipl.-Ing. C. Kozik

Textile fabric production:

Tel. : ++49 (0) 241 / 80 956 21 E-mail: ita@ita.rwth-aachen.de

Fax : ++49 (0) 241 / 80 921 49 http://www.ita.rwth-aachen.de

Main Focus of the Research Groups

ITA Presentation

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

Up-dated versions are available as downloads on our homepage

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

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

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

Piston spinning machine with spin bath

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Bicomponent spinning machine

Max. throughput of the 1. extruder: Ca. 3 kg/h (50 g/min) Max. throughput des 2. extruder: Ca. 1 kg/h (16,67 g/min) FDY draw winding machine: 400 bis 1800 m/min POY draw winding machine: 2500 bis 3500 m/min Titer range (Mulitfilament): Ca. 33 266 dtex (ca. 200 600 m) Titer range (Monofilament): Ca. 30 133 dtex (ca. 200 430 m)
Scheme of the bicomponentmelt spinning system Laboratory melt-spinning system

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Bicomponent fibre types:

Side-by-Side Island-in-the-Sea

Sheath/Core

Source: Hills

Segmented Pie-Type

Source: Neumag

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

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

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Non-woven manufacturing
Aero dynamical non-woven manufacturing (non-orientated non-woven) and carding lab Scale (orientated non-woven) Optimal material / volume ratio Lab Carding Machine Adjustable porosity Manufacturing of suitable surface structure Incorporation of bioactive agents (e.g. micro spheres) Aero dynamical non- Guidance structure for function-oriented cell growth woven manufacturing Multi-layer construction and manufacturing of designed non-wovens Needle Punching Machine Manufacturing in medical standard

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Product examples
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)

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Warp knitting
Processing of smallest material quantities Adjustable porosity Adjustable elastic characteristics Admission of cyclic loads Structuring of surface Material combinations Manufacturing of plane interlaced warp knitted structure and dendritic tube structures with different geometry Different yarn count Double Raschel warp knitting machine (Diameter 10 to 300 m)

Chemistry

Spinning

Textil Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Product examples
Vascular grafts Artificial cornea Meniscus prothesis Hernia net Heart valve Wound dressings Stents
Heart valve Nitinol-Stent Hernia net Artificial cornea

Meniscus prothesis

Chemistry

Spinning

Textil Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

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

3D-Rotation-braiding machine

Chemistry

Spinning

Textil Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Product examples
ligament Drug-Delivery-System Stents 3D-Braid

1 mm

Nitinol-Stent

Alloplastic cruciate ligament

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

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

Band weaving machine

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Product examples
Hernia net Blood filter

Nitinol woven fabric

Hernia nets

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Use of external systems Finishing of textile structures with bioactive substances Incorporation of unstable Plasma coating
(Source: iplas GmbH)

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

Fibroblasts on PVDF
(Quelle: ACTO)

Cell cultivation in bioreactor

(Source: ACT-Lab)

Chemistry

Spinning

Textile Yarn Finishing production modification Testing techniques

Joining technology

Medicine

Sewing and embroidering technologies Various materials and material combinations Variable fineness Reinforcement of artificial cornea Tailoring of textile structures Production of composites Reinforcements Free selection of geometries Well-directed accumulation of material Stitching of Nitinol