Perfectly needled nonwoven
What do diapers, wiping cloths, wall panelling, sticking plasters and Ultrasuede covers for upholstered furniture have in common? All these products are made of nonwovens. There is hardly any other fabric that is as versatile. Last summer the operators of the Zugspitze railroad even used sheets of nonwovens to prevent the snow melting away on Germany's highest mountain. The quality of this textile, however, varies considerably. It is generally true to say that the firmer, the smoother and the freer of marks the nonwoven is, the higher the quality. In the search for the perfect nonwoven, the Austrian needling machine manufacturer Oerlikon Neumag Austria asked the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM in Kaiserslautern for help...