Capabilities

Extensive Coating & Lamination Technology

Fabric coatings and lamination techniques imbue their valuable functional and mechanical characteristics to knit, woven, and non-woven textiles. Fabrics undergo these treatments on one or both sides to create materials that perform to customer specifications. Coating technology and lamination provide such enhancements as:

• Improved durability
• Resistance to heat, flame, microbes, and other hazards
• Noise and vibration reduction
• Antistatic and waterproofing qualities
• Absorptivity and emissivity requirements

Polymer and rubber-based formulations are applied as solvent, aqueous, or solid coatings in our landfill-free coating facility. Custom coating techniques and advanced analytical resources complement our extensive capabilities. Popular applications for coated and laminated fabrics include:

• Aerospace heat shields
• Air and liquid holding materials
• Transmission belt material
• Gaskets
• Safety equipment
• Inflatable medical equipment
• SCUBA and marine gear and inflatables

Non-Woven Fabrics

Non-woven fabrics are produced in multiple thicknesses as webs or mats of fibers bonded by mechanical means, such as needle-punching, or through the application of heat or chemicals. Materials commonly used for non-wovens include:

• Meta-aramids and para-aramids, such as Nomex and Kevlar
• Oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) fiber
• Silica fibers
• Thermoplastics such as Panox, Torcon, and polypropylene
• Fluoropolymers such as Teflon
• Traditional materials, such as wool and nylon
• Numerous other synthetic, hybrid, and specialty fibers

Because non-woven fabrics do not involve weaving or knitting of yarns, their structures offer a multitude of improvements over more traditional materials, such as:

• Improved resistance to heat and flame
• Increased strength and durability
• Better absorbency
• Ability to create a sterile barrier
• Improved capability for repelling and filtering liquids

These characteristics make non-woven fabrics an ideal solution for an exceptional range of industries and applications, including:

• Fire-resistant materials such as thermal blankets and fire barriers
• Acoustic, battery, and thermal insulation
• Heat-tolerant uses, such as thermal protection for aerospace applications, high-temperature industrial filters, and welding protection
• Vehicle upholstery
• Wall and floor covering materials and underlayments
• Personal protective equipment and safety gear

Woven Fabrics

Combining traditional fabric manufacturing techniques with innovative, modern fibers produces woven fabrics that satisfy the needs of industries from common consumer goods to high-performance specialty applications. Many fluoropolymers, thermoplastics, and other organic and synthetic materials can be spun into yarns, enabling them to be woven in standard fashion, while specialized coatings can enhance their innate qualities. Industrial woven fabrics offer such advantages as:

• Excellent strength and durability
• Weather resistance and resilience
• Resistance to deformation
• Cost-effectiveness

Common applications for industrial woven textiles include:

• Gasket and filtration applications
• High-performance uniforms for occupations such as firefighting, safety, tactical, and military
• Filters and membranes

3D Weaving

The creation of 3D fabric structures incorporates weaving fibers between the thicknesses of the fabric (on the z-axis), providing increased strength and durability. Typical materials include fibers and yarns made from stainless steel, carbon, glass, aluminum, etc. Advantages of 3D wovens include:

• Improved structural integrity
• Superior strength with reduced weight over 2D materials
• No delamination

Typical applications for our specialty 3D woven textiles include:

• High-strength uses where reduced weight is needed, such as transportation and marine
• Braided filler rope for gaps in composite parts