For this Issue: Six New Papers Call for Papers Author's Guidelines TATM Faculty Members Graduate Program

Mission Statement To establish a high quality forum relevant to the needs of global industry and higher education that will provide leadership in the timely dissemination of information dealing with all aspects of textile and apparel, technology and management.

Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management

CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON ADVANCED FIBROUS STRUCTURES

First Organizational Meeting of CRAFS, Raleigh, NC, February 7, 2001

Center to focus on fundamental research on technical / functional fibrous products .

The first organizational meeting of the Center for Research on Advanced Fibrous Structures (CRAFS) was held on January 30 and 31 at the College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. The Center is dedicated to focus on research, education, and technology transfer issues related to advanced fiber-based products.

The charter of the CRAFS is to serve the related industries through its programs of generic research, as well as through relevant, graduate and undergraduate education, in addition toactive technology transfer. The Center is to provide member companies with fundamental and technical support, which, on an individual basis, might otherwise require considerable investment.

The CRAFS is dedicated to become a premier research center, partnering with key industries, universities, and research organizations.

The meeting on January 30 and 31 was attended by more than fifty participants including representatives of 31 companies. In his keynote address in the evening of January 30, Mr. John Pullo, Vice-president and General Manager of Fabricated Products Group, Gentex Corporation, underlined the need for inter-disciplinary research in new materials and technology related to fiber-based products of the future. On the following daytwo eminent speakers, Dr. Michael Helmus of Boston Scientific, Inc. and Dr. John Effenberger of Chemfab Saint-Gobin spoke on fiber-based medical devices and architectural structures, respectively. In the plenary session in the afternoon, the participants discussed various organizational as well as scientific and technological issues.

Advanced Fibrous Structures

Fibers are often used in products primarily designed, engineered, and manufactured to stringent specifications for performance and function. In contrast to consumer apparel and home furnishings these products can be called Advanced Fibrous Structures (AFS). Notable examples of these are cords, ropes and braids, fabrics used in rubber reinforcement (e.g. tire cords), fabrics or fiber-webs used in automobiles and transportation, storage, packaging, geotechnical engineering, filtration, papermaking, and functional apparels (protective, athletic), reinforced composites and implantable medical devices (e.g. knee ligament prosthesis, etc.)

Research Programs

The CRAFS will focus programs in a number of research areas as it grows: the thrust areas for core research of the Center are; (1) development of new materials and structures, (2) modeling and analysis of fibrous structures, (3) studies leading to better understanding of emerging technologies, (4) development of advanced instrumentation and test methods. Specific research problems in these areas will be chosen jointly by the Center faculty/staff and the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB), representing the member companies. In general, the core research programs will strive to expand useful analytical as well as empirical knowledge, to enable better product and process/technology development.

In addition to core research, the Center will be available to undertake non-core research for members companies on a one-on-one basis. Non-core research programs will focus on the need of an individual member company or a group of collaborating companies. This type of sponsored research may be proprietary and involve studies related to new product or process development. As a result, the findings will only be made public only with prior permission of the sponsoring company(ies) and under appropriate University guidelines.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Prof. Tushar K. Ghosh Director,
CRAFS Phone (919) 515-6568
tghosh@unity.ncsu.edu

Or,

Prof. Martin King, Associate Director
CRAFS Phone (919) 515-1011
martin_king@ncsu.edu