3D Weaving Innovation Centre
3D Weaving Innovation Centre
The School of Design has secured £1.762m to establish a new 3D Weaving Innovation Centre. This exciting development, supported by the European Regional Development Fund, will focus on helping SMEs in the Leeds City Region by enhancing their weaving expertise, identifying new commercial opportunities for 3D woven structures in traditional and high value manufacturing sectors and producing innovative 3D woven prototype materials. To deliver these objectives and provide the overarching technical infrastructure, the Centre will invest in a new state of the art multi-shuttle loom, new rapier loom and hand looms. This gradation in technologies will support training and technology transfer and ensure the School of Design can provide multi-level approach to weaving technology.
The Centre will be located in the School of Design’s Clothworkers' South Building which is currently being refurbished to create a dynamic design/technology interface environment. In addition to the 3D Weaving Innovation Centre the £4.4M investment will create a number of state of the art laboratories in digital printing, colour communication, textile chemistry, fibre technology and knitting.
