#Research & Development

2017-07-03

ITA-doctoral candidate wins the Hanns-Voith-Foundation Prize

ITA-Award winners in category “New materials” 2017 (Magdalena Kimm, first from left) and 2016 (Inga Noll, fourth from left) together with Prof. Dr Sigmar Wittig (second from left) and supervisor of the candidate 2017, Dr Markus Beckers (ITA, third from left), source: ITA

ITA-doctoral candidate Magdalena Kimm was awarded the Hanns-Voith-Foundation Prize 2017 for new materials in the amount of 5,000 EUR on 30 June 2017 in Heidenheim, Germany. Mrs. Kimm obtained the prize for her master thesis „Potential of polymer optical fibres for application in structural health monitoring of fiber reinforced composites“.

Within her thesis, Mrs. Kimm investigated how sensors made of polymer optical fibres can help to increase aircraft safety by simultaneously decreasing structural weight.

Fibre reinforced composites (FRC) have been used for several decades in aerospace (e.g. at Airbus A350, Boeing 787) and increasingly also in automotive. Nevertheless, damage control of FRC structures is still difficult and time-consuming: on the one hand this causes oversized FRC structures and on the other hand high it leads to downtime and maintenance costs. Reliable sensor systems which monitor the health of a structure online (Structural Health Monitoring) may reduce weight and costs significantly. Hence, long downtime of aircrafts for maintenance reasons would diminish and failure safety would rise.

Mrs. Kimm defined technological and economical requirements for sensors for Structural Health Monitoring. On this basis Mrs. Kimm analysed the suitability of polymer optical fibres by examining influence factors as costs, readiness for market and commercial availability. Additionally, she ran practical tests at ITA. Within the tests she produced a FRC structure with textile-integrated fibreoptic sensors. Therefore Mrs. Kimm proved completely automatable integrability of such sensors into the production process of FRC.

The Hanns-Voith-Foundation awards the Hanns-Voith-Foundation prizes for outstanding theses at universities for engineering, sciences and economics. In 2017, the jury chaired by Prof. Dr. Dr. e.h. Dr. h.c. mult. Sigmar Wittig awarded 6 prices for outstanding thesis papers.

The thesis has to bear topical reference to the group sector Voith Hydro, Voith Digital Solutions, Voith Paper and Voith Turbo and also to the functional areas economics or new materials. The universities entitled to a proposal assess the thesis as worthy for an award. The prizes shall highlight the responsibility of the Hanns Voith Foundation for the qualification of academic professionals and executives in public. Thereby, the Hanns-Voith-Foundation wants to make a contribution to research and education in Germany.

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.

New study shows low environmental impact by Cotton made in Africa Organic Cotton from Tanzania

Today, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is announcing the results of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) for cotton produced in Tanzania under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standard. The study emphasises the small ecological footprint of CmiA Organic verified cotton. This can largely be traced back to the absence of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and artificial irrigation. Consequently, CmiA Organic cotton can help the textile industry meet regulatory requirements as well as science-based targets. The results also show that the consequences of climate change threaten the livelihoods of these cotton farmers, even though the type of agriculture they practise barely contributes to climate change.

PERFORMANCE DAYS proves its relevance as the industry’s key meeting point

Held on March 18–19, 2026, PERFORMANCE DAYS once again confirmed its position as a leading international platform for functional textiles. A total of 3.366 trade visitors and around 560 exhibitors gathered in Munich, with the event already kicking off successfully on DAY 0, which received highly positive feedback for its interactive format. Despite challenging conditions caused by the public transport strike in Munich, the event saw strong attendance and a consistently high level of activity across both exhibition days.