#Research & Development

2020-07-16

Halocline is a new partner

The Halocline GmbH & Co. KG and the Digital Capability Center Aachen (DCC) announce a cooperation between the worldwide leading management consultancy McKinsey & Company, the ITA Academy GmbH in cooperation with the RWTH Aachen University and other leading technology companies.

DCC welcomes Halocline as a new partner in the DCC network: Visitors of DCC Aachen can now experience and test the products of the Embodied Engineering Suite.

Embodied Engineering stands for the simplified planning of production processes that can be experienced with the body - with the help of Virtual Reality (VR). The Halocline software package has been on the market since January 2019 and offers new solutions for the manufacturing industry.

One of these VR software solutions is "Boxplan". It offers an environment for layout and workplace design for assembly planning. Boxplan enables the design, testing and optimisation of planning results in virtual reality. The planning of workstations and assembly processes up to the whole factory hall is continuously evaluated by direct experience. The comparison of different concepts, for example by means of the visualisation of movement data, ensures a high quality of results, avoids expensive planning errors and takes efficiency and ergonomics already in the conception into account.

Boxplan complements the technology portfolio and fits the DCC's motto "Explore - Try - Apply".

The DCC is a learning factory with a focus on Industry 4.0 manufacturing. Visitors are invited to explore this realistic factory environment to learn first-hand about solutions that companies can use to drive digital transformation, and how such solutions can be used along the entire value chain - from the initial customer inquiry to development, production, delivery and service. In hands-on workshops, participants will discover a systematic and targeted approach to unlock value from Industry 4.0.

The insights gained can be easily applied to a variety of practical applications in a wide range of industries. The DCC is designed to teach workshop participants how to use the latest digital technologies and how to increase productivity by applying them.

Textilfabrik 7.0 launched: Mönchengladbach becomes a real-world lab for sustainable textile production

With the official kick-off event of the Textilfabrik 7.0 (T7), a major transformation project for the German textile and apparel industry has been launched in the Monforts Quarter in Mönchengladbach. At the “Textile Roundtable,” an event format organized by the Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier, representatives from industry, research, politics, and the regional economy came together to jointly lay the foundation for CO₂-neutral, circular, and economically viable textile production in Germany.

Pellet press enables thermomechanical textile recycling on a pilot scale at ITA

Since the end of 2025, the technical centre of the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University has been equipped with a pellet press from the manufacturer Amandus Kahl GmbH & Co. KG, Reinbek, Germany. This press can efficiently compact shredded synthetic textiles at a throughput of up to 25 kg/h and process them into pellets with a diameter of 4 mm.

Solid Air Dynamics wins second place at RWTH Innovation Award

On 30 January, RWTH spin-off Solid Air Dynamics was awarded second place in the RWTH Innovation Awards for its research in the field of aerogel fibres. Manufactured from renewable raw materials, aerogel fibres offer outstanding thermal insulation, are extremely lightweight and completely biodegradable, and can consist of over 90 per cent air.

Fraunhofer IAP paves the way for "Green" carbon fibers

A new pilot plant in Guben is set to enable the production of bio-based carbon fibers. The plant is part of the Carbon Lab Factory Lausitz and will make an important contribution to the transformation of the Lausitz region—from a traditionally raw material- and basic industry-oriented region to a hub for innovative high-performance materials. The German federal government and the state of Brandenburg are providing the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP with 53.3 million euros for this purpose.

Hof University develops sustainable textile coating for the fashion of tomorrow from mushrooms

Clothing is often treated as disposable: T-shirts for events, general merchandise, or short-term campaigns frequently end up in the trash after only a few uses. This is particularly problematic given that their production still largely relies on fossil-based materials. This is precisely where a new research project at Hof University of Applied Sciences comes in.

STFI presents concepts for the textile circular economy and solutions for a healthy and safe life at Techtextil

Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (STFI) has been supporting companies in developing marketable innovations for over 30 years. With a clear focus on sustainability, the environment, health and protection, the STFI offers future-oriented research, textile testing for tailor-made solutions and certification of per- sonal protective equipment. At Techtextil 2026, the institute will present ideas for the textile circular econ- omy and showcase solutions for healthy and safe living.

VANDEWIELE Group at Techtextil 2026 – Textile innovations together

The VANDEWIELEGroup will showcase its latest technologies for technical textiles at Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt from April 21–24 (Hall 12.0, Stand C21). As a global leader in textile machinery, the group brings together specialised brands to support the evolving demands of high-performance textile applications. Visitors will discover solutions in laboratory testing, yarn joining, yarn feeding and thread tension monitoring, designed to create measurable value across the textile value chain.

LineONE – Smart performance, smart investment at Techtextil 2026

At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt (April 21–24, Hall 12, Booth C79), AUTEFA Solutions will present its LineONE concepts for cost-efficient nonwoven production. As a full-line supplier for nonwoven production lines, AUTEFA Solutions covers the entire process chain – from fibre opening through to web bonding. With its LineONE line concepts, the company combines proven technologies into well-balanced, cost-efficient turnkey solutions. These concepts are designed for capacity expansions, modernisation projects and new production lines, offering robust design and high flexibility for applications such as filtration, geotextiles and automotive.