Guide for smart practices to support innovation in smart textiles

Smart Textiles for STEM training (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math’s) is an Erasmus+ project aiming to bridge Textile Companies with the Education sector via Smart Textiles Innovation and Training. Industries have been surveyed to analyze the needs for new jobs and skills in Smart textiles, contributing to improve the links with VET Schools training and closing the gap between industry and education. During the project a number of smart textiles examples and prototypes are worked to be transferred to Schools and used by students and teachers, aiming to foster STEM training. This paper presents the results of the survey applied to selected textile companies on Technical and Smart Textiles, based on data collected from 63 textile enterprises in Romania, Belgium, Slovenia, Portugal and Czech Republic. The survey identifies existing opportunities for producing smart textiles in enterprises and forecasting expected occupations and work profiles for young trainees. The guide for smart practices presents the results of this survey and aims to transfer smart practices from enterprises to Vocational Education and Training (VET) schools and young students. Providing real life prototypes and multi-disciplinary working activities on smart textiles will make textile occupations more attractive to young students, and will improve knowledge, skills and employability of VET students in STEM related fields

Smart education for smart textiles

The aim of this paper is to present the main objectives and achievements of the Skills4Smartex project, according to its declared goals. The Erasmus+ project "Smart textiles for STEM training" is funded with support from the European Commission and it is a Strategic partnership - KA2 / Vocational Education and Training (VET), in the field of transfer of innovation from research providers towards textile enterprises & VET schools. The students within technical education acquire basic disciplines, such as mathematics, physics, technical drawing, chemistry, biology, mechanics, but the horizon of the end applications and usefulness of such basic disciplines is often not touchable. In correlation with these facts, the Skills4Smartex project is centred on improving knowledge, skills and employability of VET students in the STEM related fields, by providing the adequate training instruments to understand multidisciplinary working

Smart textiles to promote multidisciplinary stem training

Smart textiles consist of multi-disciplinary knowledge. Disciplines such as physics, mathematics, material science or electrics is needed in order to be able to design and manufacture a smart textiles product. This is why knowledge in smart textiles may be used to showcase high school and university students in basic years of preparation some applications of technical disciplines they are learning. The Erasmus+ project “Smart textiles for STEM training – Skills4Smartex” is a strategic partnership project for Vocational Education and Training aiming to promote additional knowledge and skills for trainees in technical fields, for a broader understanding of interconnections and application of STEM, via smart textiles. Skills4Smartex is an ongoing project within the period Oct. 2018-Sept. 2020, with a partnership of six research providers in textiles www.skills4smartex.eu. The project has three intellectual outputs: the Guide for smart practices (O1), the Course in smart textiles (O2) and the Dedicated e-learning Instrument (O3). The Guide for smart practices consists in the analysis of a survey with 63 textile companies on partnership level and interviews with 18 companies. Main aim of O1 is to transfer from source site to target sites technical and smart textile best practices and the profile of workforce needed for the future textile industry. The needs analysis achieved within O1will serve to conceive the Course for smart textiles with 42 modules (O2), to be accessed via the Dedicated e-learning Instrument (O3). All outputs are available with free access on the e-learning platform: www.adva2tex.eu/portal

Design-based learning in textiles for higher education

Jobs in design and development of textiles require high end software and techniques, and higher education has problems providing adequate training for this, as the possibilities are large, and institutions don’t have experts on hand for all options. Distributed design-based learning (DBL) can aid in this, as the experts can come from a larger group, and the focus is on the output, not the specific software used. Design-based learning (DBL) is a modern concept of education for technical disciplines. The learner starts the educational process using end-user applications, and gains understanding of the theory by conceiving projects and solving real-life situations. We present a tool developed for textiles, OptimTex, where 5 modules have been worked out in which textile design software tools are used: weaving, knitting, virtual prototyping of clothing, embroidery and experimental design. Each module tackles 4 to 5 cases, each divided in a four element structure: example, theory behind the example, software, and quiz. Each module was developed by a different group of experts, and follow up of students is done distributed by each group

INVESTIGATION OF THE PHYSICAL AND THERMAL COMFORT CHARACTERISTICS OF KNITTED FABRICS USED FOR SHOE LININGS

WOS: 000359183300005The versatility of spacer fabrics includes the ability to knit two entirely different fabrics having different properties and connect them to form a unique structure. Their characteristics like excellent compression elasticity and cushioning, high breathability and air permeability, high thermal insulation and temperature regulation, surface resistance make them concept of study for footwear area. This paper aims to investigate the physical and thermal comfort attributes of flat knitted spacer and interlock fabrics designed for shoe linings. Cotton, Cotton/Bamboo, Cotton/Type A blended yarn and Cotton/Type B blended yarn (20/1 Nm) were used for the production of interlock and flat knitted spacer fabrics. In the production of spacer fabrics, polyamide (20/1 Nm) yarn was used as spacer yarn. Characteristics like fabric extensibility, friction coefficient, water vapour permeability, air permeability and thermal comfort properties of the fabrics were investigated, in order to select the most suitable materials and fabric structures for footwear linings.UEFISCDI; TUBITAKTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [600/2013]; bilateral Romanian - Turkish projectThe authors would like to acknowledge the support of bilateral Romanian - Turkish project, financed by UEFISCDI and TUBITAK, within contract no. 600/2013

Encapsulation of <i>Saccharomyces pastorianus</i> Residual Biomass in Calcium Alginate Matrix with Insights in Ethacridine Lactate Biosorption

Pharmaceuticals are recognized as emerging water microcontaminants that have been reported in several aquatic environments worldwide; therefore, the elimination of these pollutants is a global challenge. This study aimed to develop a biosorbent based on Saccharomyces pastorianus residual biomass encapsulated in a calcium alginate matrix and to evaluate its biosorption performance to remove Ethacridine Lactate (EL) from aqueous solutions. Firstly, the synthesis and characterization of biosorbent has been carried out. Then, the impact of main parameters on biosorption process were investigated by batch experiments. Finally, the kinetics behavior and equilibrium isotherms were evaluated. The resulted beads have an irregular and elongated shape with about 1.89 mm ± 0.13 mm in size with a homogeneous structure. The best removal efficiency for EL of over 85% was obtained at acidic pH 2 and 25 °C for 50 mg/L initial concentration and 2 g/L biosorbent dose. The pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion kinetics describe the biosorption process. The maximum calculated biosorption capacity was 21.39 mg/g similar to that recorded experimentally. The equilibrium biosorption data were a good fit for Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherms. Our findings reveal that the low cost and eco-friendly obtained biosorbent can be easily synthesized and suitable to remove Ethacridine Lactate from water matrices

Improving the textile\u27s enterprises knowledge matrix

The textile enterprises need adequate solutions to face the competition on the global market. Innovation leverages the enterprises competitiveness: however, improving innovation is a task of research providers in the field. The Knowledge Matrix for Innovation (KMI) represents an instrument for quantifying the intangible assets of a textile enterprise. Examples of intangible assets are: innovation strategy / culture, informational resources, training methodology, relationships portfolio, IP rights etc. By improving such factors of the KMI, the textile enterprises are going to improve their competitiveness. This main aim is tackled by the Erasmus Plus – VET Project “Matrix of knowledge for innovation and competitiveness in textile enterprises - TexMatrix” (2016-2018). The red line of the project follows the definition of the KMI, the adaptation of the Benchmarking questionnaire and its implementation on the e-learning Tool, the Benchmarking study by consulting of 50 textile enterprises at consortium level, supporting the Guide with new research and innovation management solutions for the enterprises and Blended courses for 95 young trainees, based on the Guide in e-learning format. The project also aims to counsel 100 decision-factors from textile enterprises on the new solutions comprised in the Guide, within 5 Workshops. The e-learning Tool has the URL address: www.advan2tex.eu/portal/