The AFBW Competence Centers

AFBW identifies developments with high potential for innovation at an early stage, initiates Competence Centers for this and brings together the relevant suppliers within the textile chain according to the specific topic. And, even after the start, AFBW provides support and assists the group with successful marketing tools.

These groups have often come together in the alliance’s working groups. The emphasis is on close development collaboration between the parties involved with the aim of generating new products for different end users. By co-operating, those involved want to achieve more together. This may mean that these groups only work together for a brief period or they may work together for years. What is important, in general, is that care is taken when the group is finally assembled to ensure that no competition situations and overlaps are produced and that optimum mapping of the textile chain is achieved according to themes.

We can do everything at a distance!

The group on spacer fabrics was established in 2013 by AFBW and the Neckar-Alb technical textile cluster and has been supported since then. The slogan of this competency centre is “Mit Abstand können wir alles!” (We can do everything at a distance!) and in 2014 the two organisations joined forces to attend the Hanover Show. The aim of the co-operation was to raise the awareness of different sectors of industry for the potential offered by three-dimensional textile structures. This competence centre develops prototypes for different requirements. These are either alternative materials for existing applications or materials for completely new areas.

Over time, these clusters and networks have organised joint attendance at trade shows but also brochures and the web site www.abstandstextilien.de. 

The composite simulation Competence Center

The significance of composite materials in industrial applications has been growing for decades but at a much faster speed over the last few years. Fibre-composite materials form the most important group of composite materials and their use requires a completely changed development and production process, particularly in respect of simulation. New materials and manufacturing processes for the manufacture of composite materials today must, as part of modern development process chains, be extensively developed, tested and optimised virtually. Standard simulation products are not yet available industrially. The Composite Simulation Competence Center has taken up this topic and its aim is for existing prototypes of simulation tools to be developed further by the IT industry and research institutes.

As part of the Competence Center, AFBW has published, together with Virtual Dimension Center Fellbach w.V., a roadmap and an infographic on composite simulation.