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| Issue date:01/04/2006 |
| ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel - Apr 2006 Issue |
| Source:Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel |
| by Geoff Fisher |
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| Global consumption of technical textiles and nonwovens in Mobiltech - textiles used in transportation - is forecast to reach 3.34 million tonnes by 2010. Already, such materials are estimated to account for 23% of the total technical textile market. In Europe alone, the production of automotive textiles is forecast to grow from 265,000 tonnes in 2003 valued at US$1.08 billion to 302,400 tonnes in 2008 valued at US$1.18 billion. |
The Mobiltech area ranges from hard-wearing, anti-static interior trim and passenger safety systems, such as airbags and seat belts, to material for balloon shells or for insulation against heat or cold in space flight. The biggest application is automotive textiles. Annual worldwide sales of motor vehicles (principally cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles) are forecast to increase from 62 million in 2005 to 73 million in 2010.
Textiles were originally used in the automotive field as covering materials for seats and floors. However, they also serve a more practical purpose, such as providing under-bonnet soundproofing and for lining the car boot area. Areas where textiles are used in motor vehicles include:
seat covers;
floorcoverings;
side panels;
headrests;
headliners;
door panels;
door pillars;
sun visors;
parcel shelves;
boot (trunk) linings;
dashboard trim;
insulation;
filtration (e.g. oil, fuel, cabin air);
tyre cord;
seat belts;
reinforcement fabrics for rubber hoses (fuel, cooling, power steering, etc.).
In recent years, car manufacturers have placed increasing importance on the interior of the car way beyond its functionality. As a result, the automotive textile sector has become one of the most buoyant within the entire textile industry and is an area for major innovation - and significant competition.
By changing certain materials and interior design, the same car model can be aimed at several target groups. With the majority of cars currently being manufactured to resemble a "wedge" shape, the use of interior textile fabrics has given auto manufacturers, particularly those in Europe, the opportunity to offer customers an individual and exclusive design.
Table 1: Textile usage in a typical mid-range car, 2002-2020
Source: Süchsisches Textilforschungsinsitut |
And with the increasing amount of time the driver spends inside the car, advances are being made into transforming the cabin into a "living room", where comfort and wellbeing are key features. To achieve this, new textile materials have been developed that offer improved characteristics and additional functions, such as temperature-dependent air permeability, antibacterial effects, reflectivity, luminosity, high heat capacity and microencapsulation effects.
Table 2: Automotive textiles according to current usage
Source: Süchsisches Textilforschungsinsitut |
As a result of increasing demand for comfort and improved safety, the total amount of textiles used in a typical mid-range vehicle is forecast to grow from 20 kg in 2000 to 35 kg in 2020 (Tables 1 and 2).
At the same time, the total weight of a comparably equipped motor vehicle is predicted to decline by 250 kg - 17% - on average by 2010, which will help in reducing transportation costs. This will largely be achieved by substituting conventional materials with fibrous materials, such as fiber-reinforced plastics made with carbon fibers, glass fibers and natural fibers other than wood and cotton.
Polyester (PET) has the largest fiber share of the automotive textile market by far, accounting for more than 41% of the market in 2002. However, this proportion is set to decline over the next few years as a result of higher demand for alternative fibers, such as polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), viscose (rayon) and aramid. For example, PA, which is used mainly in carpets and on a limited scale in upholstery fabrics, is also now being used in the growing airbag sector and for tyre reinforcement. PA is expected to increase its market share from 27% in 2002 to 29% in 2008.
Table 3: Global production of automotive textiles by manufacturing technology, 1985-2005
Source: DRA |
Meanwhile, competition between the various textile manufacturing technologies, such as weaving, knitting (weft and warp) and nonwovens, is extremely lively. Woven and knitted fabrics have a predominant share of the global market (1.21 million tonnes), followed by composites (976,000 tonnes), nonwovens (114,000 tonnes) and others (179,000 tonnes) (Table 3). In particular, the use of composite materials in automotive manufacturing has grown by more than 30% over the past five years.
One of the latest developments in circular knitting is the use of spacer fabrics in car seat coverings |
One of the latest developments in circular knitting is the use of spacer fabrics in car seat coverings. A three dimensional "sandwich" fabric is constructed of two layers of fabric with connecting yarns spaced at approximately 5-6 mm. Seating comfort and climate are closely correlated with the structure of the vehicle seat and the degree of air circulation. Tests using circular knitted spacer fabrics demonstrate that the air circulation afforded by this type of fabric is many times higher than that with laminated materials currently used.
Airbags
The last 10 years has seen a growing market for technical fibers in the manufacture of airbags. To date, PA 6.6 has dominated the market, experiencing an annual growth of 10%. However, this growth rate is expected to slow to around 3% by 2010 due to the high market penetration of airbags over recent years.
Test dummies during a test with dual airbags (Source: Autoliv) |
Although the airbag is a principal safety element of a motor vehicle and governed by strict regulations, lower costs are constantly demanded. As a result, researchers have been looking at making airbags from nonwoven fabrics, which are made in one process step, compared with weaving, for example, which requires the production of warp beams and the removal of finishing oils through washing. At present, PA and PET are the best materials for airbag applications. Initial tests using PP spunbond fabrics indicate that such materials do not yet qualify for safety restraining systems for use in passenger cars.
Environmental issues
In January 2006, a new EC Directive (Directive 2000/53/EC) came into effect which means that 80% recyclability of materials must now be achieved throughout the EU with the EU Directive on End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV).
Several textiles in motor vehicles cannot be economically recycled because they are combined with metal or plastic; high costs are incurred in disassembling these composite materials from the textile. For example, the use of latex in the production of needlefelt automotive carpets has limited recyclability. As a result, a new replacement in the form of suitable fibers has to be found to meet the new requirements.
Currently, there is no market for most recycled textile products mainly due to age and contamination problems. However, this has not unduly inconvenienced car manufacturers or the recycling industry as the total amount of textiles used in a motor vehicle is no more than 3% of its mass. Yet more effort and focus is likely to be given to developing markets for products from recycled raw materials.
Similarly, further development is required on design solutions for textiles used in motor vehicles and the use of polymer structures in textile composite materials, as well as innovative methods of bonding and separating.
Meanwhile, the requirement for 100% recyclable seat covers in cars provided the impetus for the development of jacquard-patterned spacer fabrics by the automotive engineering industry some years ago. One of the major problems faced is the environmentally compatible disposal of sound-insulating composite and seat constructions due to the inadequate separation of material types. Spacer fabrics made of just one material type, such as 100% polyester fiber, may provide an economical alternative.
Another possibility is the substituting of polyurethane foam in upholstery components with polyester nonwovens. Current seat cover composites consist of three layers: the upper textile fabric (knitted or nonwoven), the foam layer and the underside knitted fabric. Newly developed composites have just two layers: an upper fabric that is laminated to a three-dimensional nonwoven multiknit. Tests have shown good results for both wear and tear. In addition, such composites exhibit environmentally friendly lamination, less fogging effects, good air and vapor permeability, and the possibility for easy recycling.
Table 4: Car production in Eastern Europe
Source: Wilkens Marketing |
Eastern Europe
The growing demand for motor vehicles in the rapidly developing region of Central and Eastern Europe and the evolution of the textile market there is expected to grow alongside the region's increasing disposable income. Already there are nine car producing countries in Eastern Europe led by Russia, which produces more than 1.2 million cars a year (Table 4). This figure is set to increase with the recent announcement by Russia's largest car manufacturer AvtoVaz, which says it will make large-scale investments in building new car plants in the coming years. The announcement could be significant for Estonian car safety-belts producer Norma, as AvtoVaz is its largest customer.
Meanwhile, the Czech producer of textiles for car interiors Fezko is also preparing to enter the Russian market and is looking for a suitable location to build a new plant. Last year, it set up Fezko Slovakia to supply its products to the Slovak plant of South Korean car maker Kia.
Toray Textiles Central Europe (TTCE) is also contributing to the increase of textile production in Central Europe by commencing trial production of textiles for airbags at its plant in Prostejov, Czech Republic. TTCE has invested US$4.4million in the project and is reportedly the first company in the Czech Republic to produce airbag fabrics.
Demand for motor vehicles is also increasing in Asia, Africa and Latin America as these regions become more industrialized. At the same time, the expectation for improved comfort and safety in North America, Japan and Europe is driving the development of new materials in automotive textiles.
Catalytic support mat from Asglawo, Germany (Source: Messe Frankfurt GmbH/Jean-Luc Valentin) |
Future directions
It is estimated that by 2010, 35-40% of the value of mid- and upper-range cars will be represented by electronic parts, of which textiles will contribute through insulation, attenuation and sheathing. Examples include a type of glass fiber nonwoven to bind battery acid (when there is damage to the battery casing, no leakage will occur) and optical fibres used in textile linings to illuminate door handles.
Other areas that are being developed include novel functions such as the implementation of systems on radio signals for materials in the car interior that show good shielding properties against electro-smog using conductive fiber materials.
Besides motor vehicles, composite fibers are widely used in other forms of transportation. For example, the share of composite fibers used in aircraft is forecast to increase to 65% by 2020. Apart from the use of textiles for seating upholstery, carpets and seat belts in the Airbus A380 aircraft, textile composites are utilized in the center wing box, wing ribs, rear pressure bulkhead, outer flaps, vertical tail plane, J-nose and horizontal tail plane.
In trains and boats, textile composites are used in seat components, covers and driveshafts. For example, the Eurosprinter ES64 train is built with knitted fabric-reinforced impact protection A-pillar. Meanwhile, motorcycle mudguards are being made of multilayer weft knitted fabric composites.
The number of new applications of textiles in the automotive sector will easily compensate for the current decline in other areas of the textile industry in developed countries. Undoubtedly, textiles will continue to be used in motor vehicles and their full potential is waiting to be exploited.
See also "China Focus: Widening application of car nonwovens in China".
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| Copyright © Adsale Publishing Limited. Any party needs to reprint any part of the content should get the written approval from Adsale Publishing Ltd and quote the source "ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel", Adsale Textile English Website - www.AdsaleATA.com. We reserve the right to take legal action against any party who reprints any part of this article without acknowledgement. For enquiry, please contact Editorial Department. |
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| Copyright © Adsale Publishing Limited. Any party needs to reprint any part of the content should get the written approval from Adsale Publishing Ltd and quote the source "ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel", Adsale Textile English Website - www.AdsaleATA.com. We reserve the right to take legal action against any party who reprints any part of this article without acknowledgement. For enquiry, please contact Editorial Department. |
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