New system for digitally controlled laser powder coating on textiles at TITV Greiz
The new solution uses a vibration-controlled powder nozzle to apply a loose functional powder mixture onto the textile, which is then fixed by laser. It offers digital, reproducible and highly customisable conductive functionalisation of textile surfaces.
The result is electrically conductive tracks with good to very good conductivity values: the average surface resistance is about 1.5-0.05 Ω/m², depending on the functional pigment used and the powder mixture ratio, as well as the homogeneity of the applied tracks. The system positions the coating structures using a digital data set. This allows great flexibility in pattern design and thus usage in numerous applications. At the Textile Research Institute Thüringen-Vogtland (TITV) e.V. based in Greiz, Germany, a data interface between graphic programmes and the application unit was also developed to enable broad accessibility in the design area.
The functionalised textiles produced with the new laser powder system are highly flexible and have good buckling resistance. Possible applications include durable, textile-based sensors or heating elements, as well as custom contact points for electronic components or supply lines. At TITV Greiz, reasearchers are exploring to apply other functional pigments, including photoluminescent and photochromic pigments, and work on creating multilayer structures using this technology.A laser powder system purchased from the Bavarian Laser Centre has been integrated into the TITV Greiz development laboratory for the digital networking of textile manufacturing processes.
This technology will be presented by TITV Greiz at LOPEC, the International Exhibition and Conference for the Printed Electronics Industry, from 25-27 February 2025 in Munich, Germany.
Caption: A vibration-controlled powder nozzle applies loose functional powder mixture to the textile. (Image: TITV Greiz)
Source: TITV Greiz.
www.titv-greiz.de/en
This acticle was first published at Melliand International.