Extrusion International 2-2025

44 Extrusion International 2/2025 FIBER EXTRUSION, MATERIAL HANDLING – CASE STUDY Specialists for the Extrusion of Ultra-Thin Filaments A world without yarns, bers and nonwovens is simply unthinkable. However, in order to produce high-quality bers – which in turn are processed into high-quality textiles as well as numerous other products – precision technology is essential. After all, in addition to technical requirements, many legal standards must also be met. F ibre Extrusion Technology (FET), based in Leeds (UK), is a leading UK manufacturer and supplier of process technology and equipment for the chemical yarn and ber extrusion industry. Founded in 1998, the company designs and manufactures highly special- ized extrusion lines which it supplies, installs and main- tains for its customers worldwide. All FET systems can be tailored to the individual needs of the customer. FET supplies the extruders, including the necessary downstream equipment, both on a laboratory, pilot and turnkey production scale: • Melt spinning systems for mono laments and mul - ti laments • Meltblown and spunbond systems for nonwoven structures • Wet spinning systems for laments and bers In the ultra-modern ber development center with integrated test laboratory, developments are carried out, tested and customer trials also take place there. Ex- amples include: • Resorbable polymers for use in medical devices • New types of special bers made from exotic and dif cult-to-process polymers • Sustainable polymers such as biodegradable and compostable materials • Textiles for a wide range of composite materials • Functional textile materials as well as a wide variety of nonwovens The range of applications for yarns, bers or nonwo - vens produced with FET systems is extremely diverse and affects almost all areas of daily life. Obvious appli- cations are, of course, textiles, be it normal clothing or functional clothing. Other applications, depending on the type (yarn, bre, nonwoven), include diapers, mat - tresses, upholstery, but also the construction sector, which uses nonwovens for substrate stabilization, for example. Both absorbable and non-absorbable poly- mers are in demand in the medical sector, for example for surgical sutures or a wide variety of implants. In the case of medical products such as suture mate- rial, further processing (assembly, needling, packaging and sterilization) is carried out either by FET's customers themselves or by appropriately quali ed contractors. Sterilization is mainly carried out using ethylene oxide or gamma irradiation. Fiber development center However, FET's core competence lies not only in the manufacture of systems, but also in working with its technologically demanding customers. Following an extensive investment program, FET opened its Fiber Development Center (FDC) in 2023. The two-storey building offers a wide range of state-of-the-art ber extrusion systems. The purpose is to nd scienti c and production technology solutions for optimal ber pro - duction in close cooperation with customers, raw mate- rial manufacturers and research institutes. The trials, in- vestigations and tests at the Fiber Development Center cover almost all conceivable materials. Extruded yarns and bers for medical applications In 2012, an inquiry from a customer triggered a turn- ing point for FET. The customer - itself a market leader in its eld - was looking for a turnkey solution for pro - cessing materials such as resorbable polymers for use as surgical sutures and other medical products. In collaboration with Motan Colortronic LTD UK and the suppliers of synthetic resorbable polymers, FET de- cided to take on the development project. The rst step was to determine the product requirements, including: • Extremely low and uniform moisture content of the material • Additives must be dosed constantly and with an accuracy of 0.02%, even with different extruder throughputs • Product-speci c tensile strength and length elasticity Suture Yarns (©FET)