Dr Lindsey Waterton Taylor

Profile

I have 10 years industry experience within the technical textiles, and composite materials field, and held various academic posts (spanning 16 years) relating to weaving technologies, woven textile design-engineering for product ranging from technical textiles to composites, through to fashioning of apparel components.

Research projects and interests have evolved from the EPSRC scholarship Ph.D., specialising in 3D-Woven Structures for Advanced Textile Composites (2002-2005), University of Manchester. This led to a Senior Textiles Technologist position with one of the sponsoring companies of the EPSRC consortium partners in the technical textiles industry, to specialise in 2D-to-3D wovens using conventional weaving machines, and in the development of thermoplastic multilayer-multilevel 3D-woven fabrications for composite applications within the automotive sector, and other civil engineering applications. During this time, I joined a small consortium to undertake a DTI Global Watch Mission Report: HYBRIDMAT 4: Advances in the manufacture of 3-D preform reinforcement for advanced structural composites in aerospace – a mission to the USA. It was during this trip I got to see the engineering successes of true 3D-preform weaving technologies. Providing informative insight into isotropic, and anisotropic 3D-wovens to inform the multilayer-multilevel weave architectures (patterns / structures) that could be obtained.

Pushing the boundaries of conventional weaving technologies, weaving principles and operational production processes enables shaping during the weaving cycle (weaving production / manufacture). This shaping entails the translation of three-dimensional (3D) product geometries into a two-dimensional (2D) graph template to account for all warp and weft interlockings within the multilayer (warp) and multilevel (weft) notation. The successful forming of the 2D-woven on-loom (conventional weaving machine) state, whereby the integration of the multilayer-multilevel takes places during the production / manufacturing stages includes the required products 3D-geometries. The tailoring of the two directional yarns, warp and weft (0o/90o) in the preparatory stages in a multilayer multilevel cross-sectional weave architecture within CAD (and manually) allows the yarns to be tailored to achieve the 3D-to-2D-to-3D woven integral form. The conversion process of the 2D-woven on-loom, is, once removed from the constraints of the conventional weaving machine manually, or at times with small robotics manipulated and formed (consider opening, unfolding and cutting) into the required 3D-geomtries to produce the product using integral fully fashioned woven material.

Research interests

Research Areas
• Weaving technologies in the construction of complex multilayer-multilevel wovens for 2D-to-3D-woven product forms / preforms
• Robotic add-ons for 2D-to-3D-weaving
• Robotic add-ons for Multi Yarn Directional Entrapment and Trajectory (MYDET)
• 2D-to-3D-weaving for near-to and zero-waste manufacture
• Textile / material science and technology
• Surface characteristics amalgamating aesthetics with function (embedding design-engineering in technical textiles / composites
• AR / VR, alternative digital tools for textiles / material design-engineering
• Design for mobility

Research Projects

Primary Lead (PL) on Projects:
 UKRI Resource Efficiency for Material Manufacturing
(10064069/2023 (2023-2024, £80K))
Academic PL with Industry PL. Innovating near-zero waste 3D woven apparel components towards whole garment manufacturing. Project aimed to push the boundaries of weaving technology by engineering novel whole garment components using conventional weaving machines, with both shuttle and rapier weft insertion mechanisms.

 Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC ), and The Clothworkers Company (TCC)
(126238 (2024-2025, £98,826K))
Robotic add-ons for 2D-to-3D-weaving. Proof-of-concept. Included x1 PDRA. The project involved developing applicable electrical, and electronic engineering of control systems for add-on devices to conventional weaving machines for tailored contours, density, and variation of yarn pathway interlockings to advance the design-engineering of 2D-to-3D woven net- rather than near-to or zero-waste woven textile products using conventional technology know-how.

 Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC), and Future-Fashion-Factory (FFF)
(AH/S002812/1 (Total value: £6,149,573)) Digitally enabled design & manufacture of designer products for circular economies. The research focuses on developing new creative design processes, products, service and business models, linked to two key themes: 1. Digitally Connected and Sustainable Processes. 2. Digital Communication and Data Analytics.

(AH/S002812/1 (personally secured a combined total: £65K))
 FFF Follow on / Spin out Academic Research Project (1)
Add-on tools/technologies to advance existing conventional weaving machines for 2D-to-3D shaped-woven. Included x1 Research Associate.
 FFF Follow on / Spin-out Academic Research Project (2)
AR-VR communications for design-manufacture of 2D-to-3D-wovens. Included x1 Research Associate.

 AHRC’s Future-Fashion-Factory (FFF)
(AH/S002812/1 (secured with Industry project partner PL’s a combined total: £200K))
 Project 4, Proof-of-Market, Call 4.
Developing add-on tools / technologies to advance existing conventional weaving machines for shaped-wovens for composites (animated concepts and robotic motions-mechanisms). This solution enabled diversification of existing woven product lines with consideration to sustainable manufacturing and future proofing customisation through the operational principles and processes for 2D-weaving of a / the 3D-woven preform shape geometry.
Company Principal Investigator: S. Cooper, MD
Academic Principal Investigator: Dr. Lindsey Waterton Taylor, UoL, LITAC, 3DWIC
 Project 3, Proof-of-Concept, Call 4.
3D-woven manufacturing for near-to-zero-waste apparel: On-loom fashioning for off-loom 3D woven garments. In this project the focus was on developing the various components (belt loops, pockets, seams) within 3D-woven trousers, experimenting with different shapes, styles, materials and functional-design details.
Company Principal Investigator: G, Audren, MD
Academic Principal Investigator: Dr. Lindsey Waterton Taylor, UoL, LITAC, 3DWIC
 Project 2, Proof-of-Concept, Call 4.
Engineering 2D-to-3D woven fabric surfaces, for aerodynamic 2D-3D-wovens for sportswear / sporting industry applications and manufacture of. The focus was to provide in-house innovation using conventional weaving machines for aerodynamic wovens that aimed to be bespoke to each athlete, with consideration to their body shape, speed and event (texture, pattern, roughness, bi-directional stretch and recover, tuned per person), which in turn would reduce drag and create a significant performance advantage. Thus creating a substantial commercial advantage over European competitors.
Company Principal Investigator: R. Lewis, MD
Academic Principal Investigator: Dr. Lindsey Waterton Taylor, UoL, LITAC, 3DWIC
 Project 1, Proof-of-Market, Call 3.
Future design manufacture: Developing new models and systems for 3D-design to manufacture.
The project identified opportunities for the use of digital systems and thinking for 3D-design to manufacture within the UK. The work informed the development digital-tools-systems required within the industry to support future innovation through technology in the field of 3D (various approaches/technologies and user digital interfaces). This led to enabling designers, as well as suppliers and manufacturers to have access to digital-tools-system and capability as an engaging interface for exploratory product design (production / manufacturing) between fashion, and product design SMEs and manufacturers in the UK.
Company Principal Investigator: P. Jervis, MD
Academic Principal Investigator: Dr. S., Postlethwaite, Royal College of Art
Academic Co-Investigator: Dr. L, W., Taylor, UoL, LITAC, 3DWIC

Co-Writer (Co-W) on Projects:
 AHRC Renew and Upgrade Infrastructure for Creative Cultural Research
(AH/XO1021X/1/ 2022-2023 (Total overall, £969, 448))
The combination of the Institute's existing design and technology research expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and long-established industry partnerships provided an excellent foundation for successful innovation and translation of the new research findings into industrial strategy and commercialisation. The aim to have a significant impact on both the economic, and environmental, performance of the UK's creative and cultural sector. 3D-design and automated manufacturing of customised high value textile products from recycled textile materials & garment waste is a strategically important area of development in the industry and for practical implementation of viable circular economies in the UK. The application was submitted to ‘Strand One’ of this call to purchase key equipment to achieve this goal / aim.

As Academic Co-Writer, my contribution focused on: computer-aided 3D weaving of seamless fashion products and other high value textile products (including composites) with complex 3D shapes and geometries.

Personally secured £484,938 to purchase a second conventional weaving machine (jacquard, multishuttle, warp creel-system) for instalment in the 3DWIC, including additional ancillary, auxiliary parts, and training for up to four people.

 ERDF 3D Weaving Innovation Centre (3DWIC)
(20R16P00901 (2017- March 2020, £1.7 million))

Academic-Lead:
The nature of the project established the 3D Weaving Innovation Centre (3D WIC) at the School of Design, University of Leeds to provide Leeds City Region (LCR) SME’s with access to state of the art weaving technology, facilities and academic specialist in 2D, and 2D-to-3D weaving / wovens in providing technical expertise in support of these LCR SME’s to innovate and grow, through prototyping, proof-of concepts and provison of industry facing 2D-to-3D-weaving technology and design workshops. Strengthening the advanced manufacturing supply chain in the LCR with product applications across several strategically important sectors. Provinding succesful 50+ industry facing workshops on both 2D, and 2D-to-3D weaving / wovens.

Research Supervisor and Examinations (Internal and External):
• Internal and External Examiner for PGRs’ reading for the award of Ph.D.
• UG, PGT and PGR research project supervisor (a selection of current PGRs’ included below)

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Responsibilities
Co-Chair for the Leeds Accessibility Staff Network: https://equality.leeds.ac.uk/staff-networks/

Under the UoL’s Equality and Inclusion agenda in this role, I support fellow Co-Chairs (x2), and the UoL EDI senior management organisation through regular meetings with the DoEDI, and COO to support fellow colleagues across the UoL with various hidden, physical disabilities, neurodivergent (and many other health issues). Also, working with other UoL staff networks, their Co-Chairs towards defined synergies for supporting all members.

Senior research active member of the Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC) academic community (https://litac.leeds.ac.uk/our-people/) which brings opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange based on LITAC-FFF partnerships with 600+ companies.

Module Lead across all levels of the BSc Textiles Innovation and Sustainability programme.

Aurora Mentor: to those new students undertaking the programme January-July 2025, and January-July 2026 (https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/programmes-events/aurora/about-aurora)

Qualifications

• Ph.D.
• PGCHE

Professional memberships

• FHEA
• Auroran Graduate (2024)
• Committee Member: Weaving Group Committee-UKFT: https://ukft.org/tag/the-weaving-group/ A biannual conference and dinner, and annual dinner for those across the weaving sector, from weaving machine manufacturers, businesses and end users of woven textiles

Current postgraduate researchers

• Siyuan (Cyan) Zhao