Two important events on the future of the textile and clothing industry in Europe
TextileFuture presents you in today’s Newsletter to important events, the first is titled “Financial success through Industry 4.0: Digital Capability Centre opens in Aachen, Germany” and is based upon a partnership with McKinsey, ITA RWTH Aachen, and PTC. The second event is the Textile & Fashion Forum by STF Schweizerische Textilfachschule (Swiss Textile College) in Zurich, Switzerland covering some important sectors of the textile industry and its innovations, among also clothing by 3 D Printing and is entitled “Future Craft 2.0 – Digital meets Craft”
FIRST EVENT
Financial success through Industry 4.0: Digital Capability Center opens in Aachen, Germany
McKinsey partners with ITA RWTH Aachen and PTC: digital transformation learning factory provides hands-on experience of cutting-edge technologies’ value and use
Aachen has once again reaffirmed its position as a leading research hub. Last Friday saw the doors open on the Digital Capability Center (DCC) – a new kind of learning factory focusing on Industry 4.0. Manufacturing specialists and managers as well as future engineers can explore this realistic factory environment and offers them the tools they need to drive their own company’s digital transformation. The motto: Explore – Try – Apply. The DCC is a joint venture between top management consultancy McKinsey & Company, the Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University, and leading technology companies including software provider PTC. The DCC Aachen is the first of its kind in the world – McKinsey will be launching other DCCs this year in Singapore, Chicago, Beijing, and Venice.
Hands-on workshops at the DCC help companies take a systematic and targeted approach to discovering Industry 4.0. They learn where and how to deploy the latest technologies along the entire value chain – from initial customer inquiry through development, production and delivery, to follow-up service. It also addresses challenges faced by management and those relating to empowering employees, as well as general acceptance of the changes brought about by a transformation. Workshop participants develop specific solutions to tackle challenges they face in their own businesses and gain insights into key digital solutions and technologies, such as real-time diagnostic tools and big data analytics, predictive maintenance, digital performance management, 3D printing, and collaborative robots.
Industry 4.0 – both an opportunity and a challenge
“Many companies have already started thinking about Industry 4.0 but get stuck when it comes to implementation. What the DCC has to offer helps companies realize the concrete value add of digitized production,” said McKinsey Senior Partner Christoph Schmitz to journalists on Friday. Not only that, but Industry 4.0 is representing both a major challenge to and an opportunity for the economy. McKinsey founded the global DCC network in response to the question of what Industry 4.0 means for companies in practice and how a digital transformation can be successfully realized. Christoph Schmitz: “Companies that start using Industry 4.0 technologies can see maintenance costs and machine downtimes drop by up to 50 %, while boosting productivity by up to 55 %.” For the most part, these technologies are already available. “What usually happens in practice is that the multi- faceted, interdisciplinary skills are lacking to select the relevant technologies and deploy them in a targeted way. The organizational transformation is the biggest challenge.”
DCC Aachen revolves around the production of a smart wristband that can be individually customized by the workshop participants (key phrase: lot size of 1). The production line itself maps a typical brownfield scenario comprising a mix of older and modern machines, each with different controls and interfaces. The insights gained can be very easily translated to almost any practical application in a wide range of industries.
McKinsey’s partner in Aachen is the Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University. “Through this textiles learning factory we’re making a vital contribution to the digitization of production in Germany. We’re empowering companies and their employees to successfully realize networked production. This will help German companies remain global leaders,” said ITA Director Prof Thomas Gries.
The DCC is designed to help workshop attendees explore and learn how to use the latest digital technologies and increase productivity by applying them. To that end, international software company PTC has contributed its considerable expertise in the Internet of Things (IoT) and augmented reality. “PTC technology enables companies to bridge the physical and digital world,” said Kathleen Milford, Executive Vice President at PTC. “The DCC provides the perfect setting for companies to begin their own digital transformation.”
DCC Aachen lets you solve real-life production challenges and try out new digital technologies and solutions on the spot.
The Digital Capability Centres provide a great setting for adult learning – interactive, experiential, and offering freedom to experiment without risk. You get the chance to test drive many different digital applications and learn how they can benefit your company.
The centre features an end-to-end value chain – from order to delivery – for the manufacture of a smart, customized wristband. To support our experiential capability building approach, the line can be converted from “current state” to “future state”.
The current state process serves as a realistic model of good practices and is used to train participants in applying and optimizing the methods and tools required to realize a digital transformation. The future state process is used to showcase the potential of state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 applications.
For more information about the Digital Capability Center, visit www.dcc-aachen.com
SECOND EVENT
Future Craft 2.0 – Digital meets Craft
On March 23-24, 2017 the Swiss Textile College (STF Schweizerische Textilfachschule) presented the Textile & Fashion Forum in Zurich, Switzerland, this under the motto Future Craft 2.0 – Digital meets Craft.
The first Forum entailed “Transparent, conductive fabric as electrodesubstrate for lighting and solar cells”, a presentation by Swiss SEFAR AG. Another subject was “Virtual Reality – the next big Thing” by Swiss Responsive AG. A highlight was the presentation by Israeli 3D-Fashion Designer Danit Peleg entitled “The first 3D printed Fashion Collection, printed entirely at home”.
The second Forum started with a presentation “Bally 1851 – The path of a Swiss Traditional Brand forming a global innovative luxury brand” (Bally International footwear and accessories). Lantal Textiles AG, Langenthal and USA, the worldwide specialist and partner of around 800 Airlines in the area of textile aircraft cabin outfits, the presentation was entitled “B2B Marketing – digital trends – best practise”. Last but not least German Think Tank 2bAHEAD presented “Textile customers 2026”, based upon a study executed.
Also a “Job Bar” was available on the site of the college.
Following was a Fashion Show with creations of Fashion College Students for the project “Future Craft 2.0” with labels LITTLE BLACK DRESS, BALSECA WEBER and DANIT PELEG – 3D printed Fashion.
Future Craft 2.0 – Digital meets Craft can be defined as follows: The Generation Y changes and marks the world in view to optic and dealing with design aspects. Fashion and clothing of the future is not about if/or, but it presents a new image of multiple options. Opposites and hybrid combination of traditional crafting and new technologies are the key to success in the 21st Century.
Transparent, conductive fabric as eletrodesubstrate for lithting and solar cells by SEFAR
The presentation was given by Dr Roland Steim from the highly innovative and specialised SEFAR. The company has turnover of CHF 282 million (2015) and employs around 2200 persons in 26 countries and on all continents. Screen Printing contributes around 23 %, filter components around 32 %, Process Filtration 44 % and Architecture around 1 %. The company is the world’s leading monofil precision fabric manufacturer, these sectors contributed CHF 247 million turnover (2015).
The materials used are PET, PP, PA, PVDF, PEEK and in thicknesses of 0.019 mm to 2.00 mm (14 µ – 2000 µ per 310 cm). Produced are Mono- and Multifilaments, prints, Tinsel, Stripes, etc., further non-trans-conductive fabrics and transparent conductive electrodes. Customers are the opto/electronic industries and the lighting industry. The most important character of the fabrics is a low sheet resistance. A specialty are conductive foils brought on fabrics at a temperature of 120° C with a polymer coating. Another highlight are electroluminescent fabrics with large surface for signage applications made of ITO (an oxide), but also fabrics requiring conductivity, slip resistance, injection fabrics (roll to roll), OLEDS, roughness, etc., etc.
The company entertains also a collaboration with German Fraunhofer Institute to develop new types of fabric applications. Such new types find application in power sense (surveillance of functions), also corrosion resistant fabric, touch screen sensors, and many more fabric applicationsSefar is a worldclass company for screen printing, filtration & architectural solutions. It offers filter fabric, filter media, filtration media, screen printing, screen printing mesh, leading manufacturer of precision fabrics for customer-tailored solutions.
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“Virtual Reality – the next big Thing” by Swiss Responsive AG
The agency wants to be responsive and that is already shown in the name of the firm. It is the first company in Switzerland focussing to tailor made, highly involving promotions and End Virtual Reality.
In his presentation co-founder Patrik Marty stated that this goal goes with 100 % heard blood, passion, stylish design and love for details. Another quality is 100 % Swissmade. In the company name Responsive means
Marty stated that with HEVR High End Virtual Reality dreams become true. He also underlined what the technology is capable of. And, he gave a live demonstration of the possibilities: A college design professor demonstrated that with a series of tools to choose there is an endless design process possible. The prof created a live design on a bust within minutes and in bright colours, practically transforming her creative spirit into reality. That was really impressive!
HEVR allows the viewer completely new perspectives into the future, as well as into the past. And the focus is entirely on what the viewer wants to see. Distances can be overcome. Scaling is endless and there is no restriction as to the number of participants or objects. It is possible to integrate as many persons independent from their locations. Interaction with all participants is also available. The applicants are totally involved emotionally with all of their senses. The only limitation is that HEVR has to be group targeted. There is no need for education or introduction and it is applicable in the age bracket of 5 – 100 years.
HEVR applications are possible B2C and B2B as well as for internal company presentations.
Responsive has realised a pioneer architectural project already back in 2015.
In 2016 it presented a touristic project of the canton of Ticino at the Verkehrshaus (Museum) in Lucerne.
In 2017 it realised another project for an industrial company
For the Textile & Fashion Forum, Responsive reflected on HEVR applications in the textile and clothing business along the textile value chain, and in the textile machinery business.
As a result an application in raw materials (artificial visit of a cotton plantation), recycling, upcycling, etc. can become a new reality. In the sector spinning, weaving, knitting HEVR could be used for fast prototyping, with a minimisation of costs and material input, thus no wrong planning. It could be applied also for tests and ergonomics, including educational aspects. With process simulation errors become quickly evident and process ameliorations can be made quickly.
Other applications are presentation and sale of machinery in real size at exhibitions, in showrooms, at the customers’ site and with all functionalities present. Playful learning also of production aspects (instructions) to the very little detail and in reality size.
Also possible are decentralised maintenance working instructions and education. The same goes for the planning of manufacturing sites, including a virtual visit at the halls before the first spat is taken.
With the latest hard and software also blatant materials can be visualised in photo-realistic manner.
In addition pre-tests with fabrics can be made (e.g. physicality, structures, light effects, colours, folds).
Marketing material can be prepared already during the product development process (digital prototypes, reduction time to campaign). Further elimination of expensive photo shooting at distant sites, elaborate objects, production of prototypes, for instance seat covers. Product alterations are made quickly and easily.
Other advantages: Reuse of 3D environments at re-design process, no new shooting setup necessary. Not only presentations of the design are possible but as well the specific technology (explosive presentation). It is possible to present new insights and show functional aspects (such as membrane application). Further the presentation of the future, the past and convergence is possible.
It is clear, that practically every aspect of the textile value chain offers multiple possibility to simplify textile processes. There is practically no limit to apply HEVR, the technology gets ever more sophisticated and allows additional textile applications. Let your internal eye imagine what HEVR is and what can be reached with its applications.
At the STF event, the firm installed a Future Room where personal experience in HEVR could be made.
The first 3D printed Fashion Collection “homemade”
Danit Peleg is a talented young Israeli Fashion Designer. After her studies she experiments intensively with 3D printer to finally find a way to have a “mass” production. Her actual aim is right now to achieve the number 100 with the “mass” production of her designs. She has quite an impressive dedication to reach this aim. In a short video she showed how big the 3D printer was originally at the University. Then she had series of home 3D printers, experimented with different materials in order that her collection becomes more lightly wearable. She could be called an expert to make the designs on commercial home printers and with ever thinner materials to achieve her goal.
Danit Peleg, 28, is a Fashion Designer based in Tel Aviv, Israel. In 2015, for her graduate collection at fashion school, Danit was the first to design and 3D print an entire ready-to-wear fashion collection – printed entirely at home. Her collection and the potential that printing clothes could have on the fashion industry has captivated the attention of millions globally. For the Rio 2016 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Danit used her 3D printing technique to design and print a dress for Amy Purdy, a double-leg amputee who performed a samba solo. Danit graduated from world-renowned Israeli Fashion School, Shenkar.
The development of her work so far:
– The first 3D-printed fashion collection printed entirely using home printers
– Made by me: Danit Peleg, 28, as part of my graduate collection for my Fashion Design degree at Shenkar College of Engineering and Design
– Used FilaFlex filament & Witbox home printers
– Took 9 months of research and development.
– It took more than 2000 hours to print, about 400 hours per outfit
– Was helped by the Tel-Aviv based 3D printing “makers” community: the 3D-printing lab TechFactoryPlus and the XLN community.
– The textile designs were inspired by Andreas Bastian’s Mesostructured Cellular Materials. By printing these structures with soft materials, Danit created new textiles that she could design fashion with
– This collection pushes the envelope and brings us even closer to the day we will all be printing our own clothes from home.
What she has already achieved in this respect has been shown during the catwalk performance and she was highly lauded by the audience.
Bally’s path from a Swiss traditional brand to a global innovative luxury brand
Erhard Schwendimann of Bally held an excellent presentation that was based on the Bally shoe library (better than 35000 shoe models) and posters that played an important role in Bally’s history. He gave also a breakdown of the company’s history of more than 160 years and the new digitized marketing tools of today. Many elements were already typical for the production of shoes and accessories by the founder. Bally was starting as a textile company (ribbon weaving). Colours, accessories and a refreshed B for Bally are still today in refined use.
Bally was the forerunner of many new types of shoes and always hand in hand with futuristic but down to earth marketing tools. There were over 100 posters launched up to the mid of the 20th Century created by well known artist in this sector.
Already in 1953 Bally created a near Videoclip featuring Sherpa Tenzing (Mt. Everest) to show the quality of Bally shoes.
Bally was early present abroad and also today it is a global enterprise operating own stores and franchise stores around the globe. It is truly in contact with the world. The company has six official languages and five different currencies accepted in its online stores.
Schwendimann stated that a study proved that a digital Bally customer spends 16 % more than the brick and mortar customer. 60 % of customers know the ranges offered online, but still go to the store to see and feel. In the stores, if one particular pair of shoes is not available, it is possible to find where there is still a pair in the desired size available and the customer can have it either sent to his home or pick it up in his preferred Bally shop. Today’s marketing entails also communication with bloggers and personalities and Schwendimann was convinced that the future will reveal many more digital marketing tools.
B2B Marketing – digital trends – best practise
Guido Gander of Lantal described the new and more digitalized marketing strategy of the company serving around 800 airline customers around the globe. Lantal has been passionately producing textiles for 130 years. The Lantal success story begins with the incorporation of a linen gauze weaving mill in 1886, and continues innovatively to this very day
Lantal is a Swiss company headquartered in Langenthal. Our hubs, sales offices, and representatives are at your disposal around the world.
But it not only furbishes airplanes interiors, but also other means of transportation such as trains, tramways, buses, and yachts. The company has experience over 60 years in such supplies, customised for the requirements of the customers it offers more and more entire systems, consisting of seats, flooring, antimacassar, cabin interior and more and more also the sky of an airplane (with lighting effects).
Its world is the spaces occupied by passengers. For us, this encompasses everything: we leave nothing unfinished in your hands. You can entrust us with everything that belongs to an interior: From the seat cover fabric and attractive class dividers to robust carpets as well as wall and ceiling coverings. Every single of eight steps leads to the all-in-one solution: Brand and design,Testing, Coordination, Production, Cut and sew, Accessories, Shipping and Support.
Every year, Lantal launches trailblazing design innovations. Our designers create nearly 1000 new customer-specific design proposals a year, for fabrics, velvet weaves, and carpets.
All designs and weaves are visualized with specially developed software and readied for the production phase. Lantal’s three-dimensional views give customers realistic impressions of their future interiors.
For Lantal, design by far transcends the purely external form and colour facets of textiles. Lantal’s design service is underpinned with consulting competence, a customer-centric attitude, and a multitude of visualization options. To minimize costs, Lantal can adjust the colours and the design of the textiles with simulations or retouched scans. This allows the customer to judge very early on whether or not the design proposals correspond with expectations while eliminating the need to weave unnecessary samples.
To assess the effect of a product selection, it has to be presented in realistic surroundings. For this reason, Lantal visualizes the fabric and carpet images modified in simulations by using a 3D graphics programme.
The last step prior to production involves weaving a sample of the chosen design. The woven sample presents the final design with the defined colour and quality, delivering a realistic impression of the end product. On request by the customer, this presentation can be complemented with analyses and tests.
To line out the project, Lantal creates a booklet that provides a comprehensive overview of all steps and phases. It also contains all original materials from the scope of delivery.
Besides the possibility of creating customer-specific designs with the 3D graphics programme, Lantal also provides the Aircraft Configurator as a tool. An interior with predefined Lantal products can be configured with just a few mouse clicks. Once the passenger class has been selected, the Aircraft Configurator will visualize the custom interior within seconds. Customers can use the Configurator online or on their iPad.
It showcases the product selection in a three-dimensionally constructed interior space. Lantal has the ability to pre-visualize a new concept within merely 24 hours.
The passion for textiles flows through the entire Lantal organisation and inspires the extra mile for extra quality. Lantal’s staff members know that they are expected to make a decisive contribution to passenger well-being – and their passion helps them deliver.
Lantal doesn’t merely supply fabrics, velvets, carpets, and leathers. Its specialty is the ability to transform spaces that move into moving spaces. It’s easy to work with us. Because, no matter how vague or precise your ideas might be: we rapidly convert them into unique interior concepts.
Production planners register the orders for velvet and flat weaves as well as carpets and continually coordinate manufacturing and sourcing of all necessary textiles.
In this respect, Lantal relies on comprehensive foresight. On the one hand, this means considerable flexibility in accommodating scheduling changes; on the other, it supports circumspect planning with farsightedness and allows the early identification of crucial factors.
Lantal started serving the aircraft industry very early on: In 1954, our textile mill sold the first seat covers to KLM, the Dutch flagship carrier. Thanks to close collaboration with Boeing and Nasa, the company was able to accrue extensive know-how in the development of flame-retardant textiles.
Each year, our laboratory technicians perform over 8000 tests. This creates the assurance that our fabrics and carpets fulfil the industry’s strict safety requirements.
Lantal’s laboratory services encompass safety and quality tests with materials used in aircraft, bus, and train interiors. The in-house lab tests flammability, toxicity, and heat generation and issues test certificates that are recognized by EASA. This is a sought-after service – among external customers as well.
Since Lantal acquired Weberei Meister AG in 1956, we have also been weaving fabrics for the railway and bus industries. In these nearly 60 years, Lantal was able to accrue considerable experience in national and international projects that expanded our competence in these domains.
Lantal is the only textile company in the world that produces carpets, velvets, and flat weaves. Apart from its own weaving mills in Switzerland and the USA, Lantal also handles the remaining production processes in its own facilities.
The dyehouse in Melchnau is responsible for dyeing the bobbins and skeins that are used in the manufacture of Lantal textiles. The dyed skeins are forwarded to the winding department where they are twisted into monochrome or multi-coloured yarns.
In the warping phase that follows, we lay a further cornerstone that determines the quality of Lantal textiles: Precise calculations and threading uniformity result in flawless warp beams. Lantal’s weavers rely on them when they produce carpets, velvets, and flat weaves.
At Lantal, nothing is left to chance where textile quality is concerned. Accordingly, a mender checks every single piece and manually rectifies minor weaving flaws. To make them deployable in the transportation in