Medical Textiles

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

ITA Partner in medical technologies

Latest developments in medical textile products

Classification into the research groups of the ITA

Textile fabric production

Technical textiles

Medical textiles

Man-made fibres

Staple fibre processing

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

Experience and expertise

Drapeable

High specific surfaces

Biocompatible materials

Material combinations

Why textile implants ?

Material

2D- and 3D-structures

Environment-adapted mechanicalcharacteristics

Adjustable macroscopic structur

Directed surface design

Controllable degradation

StructureSource: ACTO

Source: Physiologie

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

Materials

MedicineChemistrySpinning Yarn

modificationTextileproduction Finishing

Joiningtechnology

Testing techniques

Spinning of absorbable and not-absorbable polymers

Spinning of mono- und multifilaments

Processing of minimum quantities of polymers

Spinning of bicomponent fibres

Spinning of modified polymers

Monofilament fibre

Multifilament fibre

Spinning nozzle

MedicineChemisrySpinning Yarn


Testing techniques

Drawing

Texturing

Twirling

Plying

Staple fibre production

Joiningtechnology

Staple fibre production

Plying Texturing

Twirling



Testing techniques

Nonwoven

Braiding

Knitting

Weaving

Joiningtechnology



Testing techniques

Coating

Activation

Drug Delivery

Joiningtechnology

Silicone coating

Micro capsule on knitted fabric


modificationTextileprodction Finishing

Joiningtechnology

Testing techniques

Sewing technology

Embroidery technology

Sewing machine



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

Joiningtechnology

“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 & RegenerattiveMedicine” (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 Zellträgerstrukturen (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 für medizinische Textilien“ (Stiftung Industrieforschung)

Selected projects

Netzwerke

Aachen Polymer Chain

A Survey of ITA

Locations of ITA in Aachen

1 Head of department

1 Head engineer

1 Lecturer

26 Assistant employees

18 Technical employees

5 Office workers

4 Trainees

56 Student employees

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

Laboratories / Workshops:

Testing laboratory: M. Steffens

Microscopy: M. Rohs

Electrical laboratory: M. v. Thenen

Construction: D. Mergl

Software: Dipl.-Ing. C. Kozik

Research groups:

• Medical textiles: Dr.-Ing. D. Aibibu

• Technical textiles: Dipl.-Ing. A. Roye

• Man-made fibre technology: Dr.-Ing. B. Schmenk

• Staple fibre processing: Dipl.-Ing. A. Chennoth

• Textile fabric production: Dipl.-Ing. M. Strauf Amabile

Tel. : ++49 (0) 241 / 80 956 21 Fax : ++49 (0) 241 / 80 921 49 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.ita.rwth-aachen.de

Up-dated versions are available as downloads on our homepage

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

Piston spinning machine

Piston spinning machinewith spin bath

Scheme of the piston spinning machine with quench duct

Minimum throughput:30 g or 34 ccm

Piston throughput0,2-1,3 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)



Testing techniques

Joiningtechnology

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 μm)

Titer range (Monofilament):Ca. 30 – 133 dtex (ca. 200 – 430 μm)

Laboratory melt-spinning system

Scheme of the bicomponent-melt spinning system



Testing techniques

Joiningtechnology

Bicomponent fibre types:

Side-by-Side

Sheath/CoreSource: Hills

Island-in-the-Sea

Segmented Pie-TypeSource: Neumag



Testing techniques

Joiningtechnology



Testing techniques

Modified Air-jet texturing machine (E. Erdmann GmbH) ATC-Prozess: Air-jet texturing & covering

Joiningtechnology

Textu rin gn o zzle

S lo th eater

PO YElastan

D rawzo n e

W in d er

Aero dynamical non-woven manufacturing (non-orientated non-woven) and carding lab Scale (orientated non-woven)

Optimal material / volume ratio

Adjustable porosity

Manufacturing of suitable surface structure

Incorporation of bioactive agents (e.g. micro spheres)

Guidance structure for function-oriented cell growth

Multi-layer construction and manufacturing of designed non-wovens

Manufacturing in medical standard



Testing techniques

Aero dynamical non-woven manufacturing

Needle Punching Machine

Non-woven manufacturing

Lab Carding Machine

Joiningtechnology

Product examples



Testing techniques

Scaffolds for tissue engineering

• Gingival replacement

• Urether

• Stem cells

• Adipose cells

• Mucous membrane

• Bone replacement

Non-wovens from PGA

Joiningtechnology

Microspheres in a non-woven fabric(Source: ITA-RWTH)

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

(Diameter 10 to 300 µm)



Testing techniques

Warp knitting

Double Raschel warp knitting machine

Joiningtechnology

Vascular graftsArtificial corneaMeniscus prothesisHernia netHeart valveWound dressingsStents


modificationTextilproduction Finishing

Testing techniques

Product examples

Artificial corneaHernia net

Meniscus prothesis

Nitinol-StentHeart valve

Joiningtechnology

Compact structure

High strength

Small elongation

Variable fineness

3D-braid with continuous change of geometry

Incorporation of functional components



Testing techniques

Braiding

3D-Rotation-braiding machine

Joiningtechnology

Alloplastic cruciate ligament

3D-Braid

1 mmProduct examples

ligament

Drug-Delivery-System

Stents



Testing techniques

Nitinol-Stent

Joiningtechnology

Laboratory and industry weaving machine

Processing of smallest material quantities

Adjustable porosity

Low elasticity



Testing techniques

Weaving

Band weaving machine

Joiningtechnology

Nitinol woven fabric



Testing techniques

Hernia net

Blood filter

Product examples

Hernia nets

Joiningtechnology

Use of external systems

Finishing of textile structureswith bioactive substances

Incorporation of unstablethermal active substances

Formation of biofilms isprevented

Improvement of the celladhesion

Surface structuring



Testing techniques

Plasma coating(Source: iplas GmbH)

Cell cultivation in bioreactor(Source: ACT-Lab)

Joiningtechnology

Fibroblasts on PVDF(Quelle: ACTO)

Sewing and embroidering technologies

Various materials and material combinations

Variable fineness

Tailoring of textile structures

Production of composites

Reinforcements

Free selection of geometries

Well-directed accumulation of material



Testing techniques

Reinforcement of artificial cornea

Stitching of Nitinol

Joiningtechnology

Documents

Medical Textiles