#Research & Development

2021-02-04

Leading technology for high-level research

Textile reinforcements in concrete do not require any corrosion-related covering and thus make building cheaper, more environmentally friendly and more versatile. Completely new architectural solutions can be implemented through the slender construction forms of textile concrete. The Institute for Textile Technology (ITA) at the RWTH Aachen University is investigating what is actually possible. Already between 1999 and 2011, the Construction Composites Research Group developed textile reinforcement structures for concrete structures as part of the Collaborative Research Centre 532.

KARL MAYER’s new BIAXTRONIC® CO at the RWTH Aachen University for innovative semi-finished fibre products

The work was carried out on a KARL MAYER Malimo machine, and then continued at the ITA after 2011. Recent textile projects placed high demands on machine technology and required new investments. Once again, the ITA opted for a model from KARL MAYER. “The Malimo was already a great machine. Unfortunately, it was just getting on a bit,” says Martin Scheurer from the Department of Textile Machinery and ITA, when explaining their choice. He and his colleagues also valued KARL MAYER as a competent partner when it came to questions and service. They are now excited about the newcomer: a BIAXTRONIC® CO was delivered to Aachen at the end of 2020. It had been completely assembled and functionally tested in advance at KARL MAYER Technische Textilien in Chemnitz, since it is a tailor-made model. The high-performance warp knitting machine with course-oriented weft-insertion was equipped with novel functions that will open up new research paths for the ITA and its research partners.

Martin Scheurer, employee at the Department of Textile Machinery and Institute of Textile Technology at the RWTH Aachen University is looking for the research work on the BIAXTRONIC® CO © 2021 KARL MAYER

A made-to-measure model

BIAXTRONIC® CO is predestined for the production of biaxial non-crimp fabrics and composite structures, and was equipped with specific features for its use at the ITA. One of these is KAMCOS® 2. The latest generation of KARL MAYER’s Command System offers an ethernet interface for integrating the machine into an existing network. This enables participation in future-oriented research topics such as Industry 4.0, inline quality control, sociology and process chain networking.

“We are planning to transmit the data from the producing machine via ethernet to the Internet of Production Excellence Cluster at RWTH Aachen University. The cluster deals with production research in high-wage countries,” explains Martin Scheurer. The BIAXTRONIC® CO for the research facility was also equipped with an EL pattern drive. Electronic guide bar control and the ability to vary process parameters inline contribute to the production of locally adapted, tailor-made textiles.

What’s more, the product quality can also be significantly improved. For example, Martin Scheurer wants to use the EL drive to investigate the influence of the warp knitting thread in different lapping variants on the geometry of the roving used and thus on the behaviour of the finished grid structure. Other details that favoured the BIAXTRONIC® CO are a working width that meets standard industrial practices and the possibility of feeding basic substrates such as nonwovens in a standard process.

Research- and practice-based projects

With BIAXTRONIC® CO, ITA researchers want to further develop and produce reinforcement structures for concrete matrices in particular. Functional models and prototypes for other areas of application are also to be produced on the machine. Martin Scheurer and his team want to produce reinforcements for wound dressings and hybrid warp knitted fabrics on a nonwoven substrate, for example. The combination of grid structures with other materials facilitates fundamental research into geotextile applications. Projects for filtration technology can also be implemented. The production of unidirectional (UD) non-crimp fabrics for fibre composites and of flat warp knitted fabrics for heating textiles, which can be used in the mobility sector, are also conceivable. In addition to research and development work, the ITA has its sights set on production practice using the BIAXTRONIC® CO. Users of weft-insertion machines can use the capacities and expertise in Aachen to optimise their production processes, produce prototypes of new textile structures or even test the processing of new materials.

Save the date: discovery awaits

Interested parties can find out what can be done with the BIAXTRONIC® CO on 19 April 2021. To kick off the new year, the ITA invites you to discover the new machine as part of a one-day industrial event. “We look forward to exchanging information with industry and research partners from all over the world,” says Martin Scheurer. He is looking forward to stimulating discussions on the needs and future developments relating to companies in the manufacturing sector in particular.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

TERNAfil wins first place at PitchMiUp Night 2026 in Minden

The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.

Carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre proves its worth – NRW Minister for Science Mona Neubaur congratulates ITA start-up TERNAfil

MAXCarbon technology, a novel carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre developed by ITA spin-off TERNAfil, secured third place at the HIGH-TECH.NRW Demo Day on the TÜV NORD campus in Essen. The technology combines the strength of carbon fibres with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. Mona Neubaur, Minister for Science in North Rhine-Westphalia, congratulated the team on their success and on winning prize money of 4,000 euros.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

DTF vs DTG Printing - The technologies shaping today’s custom merchandise market

From sportswear to branded tote bags, custom merchandise continues to grow in popularity across sectors, driving print shops to cater to short runs, personalisation, and rapid turnaround. As print providers look to this market, two printing technologies often stand out: Direct‑to‑Film (DTF) and Direct‑to‑Garment (DTG). Each offers its own benefits, and understanding these differences helps determine the most suitable production method for print service providers.

Towards pragmatic and harmonised labelling in the EU

EDANA, alongside 14 European associations, urges the European Commission and Member States to adopt a pragmatic approach for the future harmonised packaging labels, in line with the EU’s agenda for the EU Single Market, simplification and competitiveness. The system should rely on text-free pictograms, available in achromatic or monochromatic versions matching the packaging palette, with the possibility of using digital labelling as a core element. Our associations represent manufacturers of consumer goods across Europe.