OVERALL ACHIEVEMENTS IN R&D AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY

• Characterisation of Indian Wool

Though India is an important producer of coarse quality wool, there was no reliable data base of Indian wool and its classification. After establishment of WRA, it undertook a scientific study on “Evaluation of the characteristics, processing, performance and end-use suitability of various Indian Wools” under the sponsorship of US Dept. of Agricultural Science (PL-480). This helped in road mapping of over 30 well defined breeds of Indian Sheep for their location and gross-dimensional properties for the first time in the country. The study also included study of pure breeds alongwith related aspects like sheep population, production of wool, breeds rearing practices, marketing and grading of Indian wool etc. The R&D inputs on such characterization are still taken as authentic to form the basis of further action by various quarters on Indian wool.

• Carpet Wool

As a follow up to the above, WRA further carried out R&D projects sponsored by ICAR on “Canary coloration of Indian Wools” and “Physical, Mechano –chemical and Morphological characteristics of various Indian Carpet wools with a view to evaluate their performance characteristics”. The R&D inputs helped significantly the Indian Carpet industry.

• Computer Colour Matching

Ø Wool Research Association did the pioneering work for computer colour matching for textiles including wool, cotton, polyester, nylon, acrylic and blends.

Ø WRA developed software for dye house management is the inventory control, colour measurement batch pass/fail, quality control and process control and personnel.

Ø The services were given to the textile mills, members and non-members of WRA.

Ø It was observed that 15% saving was observed in the cost of the dyes and in the dyeing process in the textile industry.

Ø The technology was extended to paint Industry where all the leading paint manufacturers were covered for the services and training of the technology.

Ø 10% saving was observed for paints.

Ø UV stabilized film was produced in the project which could get the American patent and has been widely used all over the world

· Computer Aided Designing

Ø WRA was the first organization in India to initiate and to implement the technology of the Computer Aided Designing for textiles in the application of woven and printed designs.

Ø The software was further extended for printing designs for sarees, dress material, furnishing etc. and for jacquard designs.

Ø The technology was developed on Indian Computer and was given for marketing to the Indian Manufacturer of Computers.

Ø Courses were conducted for training and designers from various mills in this respect and the activities were continued for the students from different universities also.

· Areas in which research was carried out with achievement of result.

Industrial and fundamental research in the field of textiles in general, and Wool Technology in particular, to help the Indian Woollen Industry was carried out over the period. New product & process development was achieved as a result of R & D effort of the Association. Besides, research findings were of immense help to the decentralized sector, tiny units engaged in production of woollen textiles. Pashmina, Eri silk/wool blends, machinery development, evaluation etc. Some of the R & D achievement are as under.

1. Carpet washing – New method

2. Vegetable dyes – Development of carpet range shades for industry

3. Enzyme treatments & development – New process

4. Wool/Jute blankets – New Product

5. Technical Textiles – New Product

6. Furnishing fabric – New Product

7. SIRO Fast method of fabric quality assurance – New Technique

8. Pashmina Scouring and carding machinery – New Process

9. 40” Carding machine for Gadwala under MOT – New Product

10. Angora Card developers – New Product

11. Wool:Eri silk blend product and machinery for cocoon reeling

– New product

12. Carding machines for processing eri silk

13. Handlooms – New Technique

14. Development of Moth proofing agent from Neem – New process

• New products/process/methods/techniques developed

i. Filter Cartridges yarn

ii. Brake Liners

iii. FR automotive wool rich textiles

iv. Belting fabrics

v. Eri silk/Wool blended yarn & fabric

vi. WR carpet backing

vii. Thermal fabrics

viii. Feeding devise for metallic core in friction yarn

ix. Spinning and weaving of Deccani wool

x. Natural Dyes for carpet industry

xi. Carbonisation process (Eco friendly)

xii. New CAD design for plush fabrics

xiii. Elastomeric knitwears

xiv. New generation moth proofing chemicals

• Import substitution

Substitute product for Carcinogenic Asbestos products Fire Retardant Fabric for Technical Textiles used for Fire Fighting Moth proofing formulation for protection of Woollen textiles

• Products commercialized or implemented.

· Belt liner yarn -Khosla Profiles, Mumbai

· Filter Cartridges yarn - Zenith Fibres, Gujarat

· Ceramic heat- Shah Enterprises

· Resistant yarn - Gujarat

· Wool/Silk yarn (for Apparels) - Bangalore, Mumbai

· Waste mop fabric - For market trials

· Formulation of a dye-fixing agent cum dye bath buffering agent for pH in Wool Dyeing with special reference to chrome dyes – Sulphuric Acid.

· Natural dyes for wool – Carpet industry in Jaipur & Bhadoi

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO THE INDUSTRIES

A. Under UNDP project “R & D of bi/multi component & jute based friction spun yarns and development of value added products”. The technology transfer was to the under mentioned industries.

i. Bholanath Carpets, Badhoi,

- The technology of blending jute with wool & other synthetic fibres for manufacturing carpets.

ii. Chamdany Jute Industries, Calcutta,

- The technology of blending jute with wool & other synthetic fibres for manufacturing Dhurries.

iii. Sai Laxmi Woollen Mills, Baramati.

- For Jute blended blankets,

iv. Reviera Knitwears, Mumbai

- For knitting jute based knitwears.

Many workshops at Panipat & Mumbai were conducted by which many entrepreneurs from Panipat have been benefited.

B. Workshops on development of floor coverings & value added products were conducted at Yerwada Jail, Pune and at Wool Research Association, Thane to K.V.I.C. personnel and Sahakari Sangh in and around Thane. Through which they have continued to develop & market these products.

C. Under the project Jute based high tech friction spun yarns, the technology transfer has been made to the under mentioned industries.

i. Hindustan Ferrodo, Mumbai

- For the development of non asbestos brake liners and friction material

ii. To D.R.D.O, Bangalore

- Development of pilot suits out of friction spun yarns made of Kevlar

and F.R. viscose.

iii. To Britomatic, Mumbai

- Development of high tech & efficient filter cartridges & filter fabrics for water purifiers, filtrations of chemicals and hot gases/liquids.

iv. To Modern Apparels

- For Development of glass/Basofil based inner liner for fire fighter suits.

v. To Khosla Profiles, Mumbai

- Development of glass and polyester based friction yarns for filter fabrics.

vi. To Bholanath Industries, Badhoi

- Development of Jute based Dhurries and Jute/Polypropylene based secondary carpet backings.

vii. To Zenith Fibres, Baroda

- For the development of polypropylene filter cartridges for water /chemical filtration.

viii. To D.K. Clutches, Mumbai

- Development of non-asbestos brake liners, coalmine belts made of glass.carbon/kynol.

ix. Prakash Industries, Petlad, Gujarat

- Development of friction spun yarns.

x. Dinesh Woollen Mills, Baroda

- Development of paper maker felt yarns

D. Under the project Development of eri-silk/wool blended yarns and development of value added products, Indosilk, Bangalore, Raymond, Thane, Shatrunjay Dyeing, Bhiwandi, Jaisyntex, Thane were involved.

E. Under the UNDP Angora project “Technology of processing Angora fibre” was made to Shirva Weavers Co-Op. Society, Kullu.

F. Under the project “ Value addition to Decanni Wool” Karnataka Sheep & Wool Development Corpn. Is the main beneficiary?

G. Consultancy to BIC, Kanpur for modernization & revival package.