Textile research can make fabric for spacecraft: Isro director

AHMEDABAD: First conceived by the Ahmedabad Millowners' Association (AMA) in 1944, Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA) has, time and again, re-invented itself to adapt to changing times. But its aim has always been to help the textile industry improve its technical and financial performance at the unit as well as sectoral-levels.
The institute is now making its presence felt globally with its world-class centres of excellence (CoEs). This was evident at its two-day international conference on composites that began on February 7 and in which its collaborators from abroad and industries from across India are taking part.
"Composites have wide application in aerospace, such as in the manufacture of satellite panels. ATIRA can come up with appropriate material that can withstand high pressure in space," said Isro director A S Kiran Kumar, chief guest at the conference.
In 2010-11, the Central government had recognized ATIRA as a CoE for composites, and sanctioned Rs 25 crore for creation of testing and certification facilities, as also for development of prototypes.
The state government has also committed financial assistance and, as a result, the institute has set up an incubation centre with a state-of the-art facility for weaving high value textiles. Nearly 35 industries have so far used this facility that works round the clock for incubation of new ideas and product development.
The CoE has been established with international knowledge partners like Fraunhofer ICT, Germany; Northwest Composite Centre, UK; Instut fur Textiltechnik-RWTH Aachen (ITA), Aachen Germany; and FIDAMC, Spain.
The purpose of ATIRA'S centre is to upgrade technologies used by composite industries and also to promote the 'lightweight' concept in the mobility, housing and construction sectors, among others.
The Ahmedabad institute's effort to enter into the advanced composite segment is being supported by German machinery manufacturers like Dieffenbacher and Krauss Maffie for establishment of a world-class composite centre with total investment of nearly Rs 250 crore.