Obertshausen - Warp knitters in the US are now able to carry out processing trials of smart textiles and other wearables after Karl Mayer expanded the availability of its Textile Makerspace program to its site in Greensboro.
Keen to tap into new trends across the textile industry, Karl Mayer's Textile Makerspace platform works to encourage exchange and offer customers and other interested parties the opportunity to test new technologies for their projects.
A key aspect of the platform is the emergence of the Textile Circuit program, which focuses on the promising topics of smart textiles and wearables. Innovators from various fields are investigating the possibilities offered by string bar technology to incorporate electrically conductive yarns directly on the machine. Initial results include comfortable arm cuffs for controlling robots, textile charging stations for inductively charging smartphones and a T-shirt that measures vital functions. Further projects with field-based partners are underway at the headquarters in Obertshausen.
Since the end of 2020, customers can now also develop and implement ideas for e-textiles at Karl Mayer North America with a modified standard machine and competent service technicians available at the Greensboro facility. Textile Technology Product Developer Sophia Krinner, who was in charge of setting up Textile Circuit, also provides support from head office.
A key factor behind this expansion was the company's success at the most recent IDTechEx in November 2019. At the event focusing on new technology, Karl Mayer successfully presented itself as a competent partner in the production of e-textiles and answered numerous specific project enquiries from innovative partners based in the USA.
As Sophia Krinner notes, with so much potential, the comapny is looking forward to a variety of new projects and challenges. "Customers can come to us with their ideas and work with us to try out different ways to make their ideas a reality," she said.
Web: www.textile-makerspace.com.
