Principle objective of the AVALON project is the cross-sectoral development of novel hybrid textile structures integrating multifunctional Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) and the related processing techniques as well as design, simulation and organisational methodologies. They will enable the integration of such textile structures into novel high performance products in the fields of smart wearable systems and textile reinforcements for technical applications. The broader aim is to create new market perspectives in the textile sector by introducing emerging and highly promising non-textile technologies.

Accordingly, cross-sectoral industrial networking for high value added products and services is the emerging paradigm answering to the growing complexity of today's rapidly changing market requirements. Members of such networks combine their complementary core competencies and share highly specialised knowledge about new materials, their properties and new processing procedures.

Towards sustainable development and competitiveness, textile SMEs need to cross other, non-textile sectors and to target at non-textile markets. They become pro-active network partners for the co-operative development, manufacturing, marketing and recycling of high value added products and (integrated) services.

The use of new holistic concepts for the full product life cycle with the aim to create knowledge-based and knowledge-driven networks will enable textile SME networks to virtually integrate concurrent enterprising activities and to integrate supply network planning and monitoring, of textiles for medical and protective intelligent clothes as well as of reinforced composites for civil, automotive and aerospace.

Within this overall conception, the following measurable key S&T objectives need to be achieved in the two relevant research fields, meaning Materials and Processes Research as well as Applied Management Research. For better understanding, they have been further classified according to research areas as outnumbered in the following lists.

Creation of new knowledge on SMAs and related processing

• To enhance understanding on Shape Memory Nickel-Titanium based binary or ternary alloys and on the relationships which occur between composition, phase transformation, micromechanical behaviour, macroscopic stress-strain-temperature behaviour in order to develop accurate knowledge-based control strategies of material processing.
• To develop a processing technology that allows to obtain a filament with diameter up to 2 qm with controlled technical features.
• To develop acoustic methods for quantitative evaluation of martensite phase in mechanically thermally treated hybrid textile structures that sets the basis for further development of an in-line NDE technique and for its implementation within the novel manufacturing chain.

Development of enabling manufacturing processes

• To analyse textile manufacturing process in order to identify critic activities capable of producing process-induced variations in the material due to thermomechanical loads which occur on the filament or on the fabric and to proceed to machine/process adaptation, accordingly.
• To investigate the effect of alternative dry finishing technologies as plasma on the hybrid textile structure.
• To investigate recycling aspects in order to define methodologies for SMA recovery and recycling.

Development of constitutive models

• To develop a three-dimensional constitutive model that describes the response under complex multi-axial loading/unloading experienced by the SMA filament during knitting/weaving cycles.
• To develop fabric unit cell structure models to predict fabrics’ tension and flexure characteristics and elastic properties of various complex textile architectures.
• To integrate SMA constitutive model and unit cell structure models into representative SMA hybrid textile unit cell models to be exploited for the development of Virtual Prototyping tools.
• To develop a knowledge-based manufacturing analysis tool that allows to monitor the phase transformations occurring within the material during filament as well as fabric processing along the whole manufacturing chain.

In parallel and in close correlation to the material and process innovations envisaged, the required conceptions, methods and tools in order to enable SME collaboration as Smart Organisations are to be developed, as they communicate the content (properties and parameters) for identifying and instantiating organisational requirements leading towards innovative network structures.

Knowledge Management towards the Smart Organisation

• To introduce networking between SMA wire producers and processors, textiles integrators as well as final product manufacturers
• To interconnect organisations belonging to different industrial sectors with the aim of introducing appropriate organisational structures for cooperation.
• To describe new approaches towards conceptualized knowledge modeling in Smart Textile Networks.
• To describe new ways of networking methodologies, in particular trust, chance and risk management.

Integration of Cooperative NPD by a Virtual Innovation Centre

• To specify requirements for virtually integrated concurrent engineering and enterprising, in particular for quality, environment and added value aspects and health sector applications, throughout the life cycle.
• To anticipate exceptions with respect to characteristics of involved raw materials through cross-sectoral Virtual Prototyping.
• To enable Virtual Integration of an inter-organisational development team, that makes the seamless and instantaneous collaboration of highly specialized members feasible via CSCW applications.

Supply Net Integration

• To develop advanced supply network integration concepts, methodologies and technologies for collaborative manufacturing and capacity planning which allow to reduce impacts on the supply chain.
• To develop a net management platform.