Developing Manufacturing Processes for Next Generation Wearable Fiber Devices
For part of my masters program, I participated in a 24.5 million dollar multi-institution New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) grant aimed at developing assistive smart textile technology for individuals with impaired mobility. In this project, I led the design, construction and characterization of a thermal draw tower.
The thermal draw tower is a laboratory-scale fiber manufacturing system that transforms additively manufactured multimaterial preforms into continuous microstructured fibers with preserved cross-sectional geometry. It enables the rapid development of highly complex fibers with functional elements that allow for sensing, actuation, data transmission, etc.
This project involved extensive hardware and electronics prototyping, software development and integration, control systems development and process characterization.
By combining functional materials such as liquid metals, shape memory polymers, and elastomers, prototype fiber actuators and stretchable conductors were fabricated. Here, a shape memory fiber with a liquid metal core has been integrated into a shirt cuff. When a small electrical current is passed through the fiber, the sleeve contracts.
Another demonstration of thermally drawn shape memory polymer fiber actuators lifting a 200g weight.
A demonstration of a stretchable liquid metal wire. The SEBS fiber with a liquid metal core can stretch multiple times its own length while maintaining current in the circuit and keeping the LED on the left lit.
Thermal draw tower controller unit
Early sketch of control electronics enclosure concept design
PETG Preform being drawn into fiber
Multi-color PETG preform with Canadian flag cross-section, drawn to sub 200 micron fibers
Spool of thermally drawn 7 channel PA6 Nylon
7-channel PA 6 Nylon fiber woven into a textile swatch (courtesy of Myant corporation)
Impact lab logo drawn down to sub-millimeter scale in PLA
7-channel hollow PETG filament filled with liquid metal
Early sketch of draw tower concept development