Simulating innovative textiles
Traditionally, textile manufacturers have had difficulty predicting the characteristics of a given textile before they physically produce it. They have used trial and error to adjust production processes and achieve what their designers envisioned. This has been costly in terms of time and money. An EU-funded research project, MODSIMTEX, developed a virtual simulation system for the physical–mechanical properties of textile structures. Their solution can model new technical textiles and predict their properties before they are produced. The project team included experts from five European textile institutes and looked at the main products in textile manufacturing: yarns, woven fabrics, knitwear and needle-punch non-wovens. They combined two simulation systems — one finite elements and one artificial intelligence system — that complement each other and ensure all situations are covered in a highly precise approach. Crucially, the software solution includes machine settings as an input, which optimises their setup before machines start running. The team estimates that this will reduce the cost of developing new products by 30 %. MODSIMTEX researchers also developed user interfaces so that their system is ready to use by industry, and tested it on real-world manufacturing lines. The results of the project will have a dramatic effect by improving the competitiveness of a major industry and enabling the development of innovative new products.
