CTF provides platform for new innovative developments

The Centre for Textile Function (CTF) was initiated in the year 2007 as an integral part of the textile industry in Shirpur, Maharashtra. The main aim of this centre is to bridge the gap between industry and education by industry participation in education. The Institute adopted the concept “See and learn and work and learn” methodology, which is grooming its students to face the emerging challenges in the textile industry.

As CTF is started as an integral part of the Shirpur textile park, it has got entire textile manufacturing infrastructural facility from fiber to finished garment manufacturing. Also CTF got advance workshops and laboratories at MPSTME Shirpur Campus equipped with the latest machines and testing equipment to train students and make them relevant with the present industrial processes. Bosch Rexroth lab at MPTP campus is equipped with advance training equipment in pneumatics, hydraulic, mechatronics and electronic automation.

CTF signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with industries to develop industry institute interaction and bridge the gap between industry and education. The aspects of the MOU are “to impart basic knowledge to the technical graduates to work in present technology” “To develop curriculum and make students relevant to work in different profession viz R&D/production/planning/design and development/maintenance/marketing and servicing” to collaborate with machinery manufacturers; supply and delivery new technology along with Trained manpower.

CTF had conducted various industrial training programmes titles as, entrepreneur’s development programme on terry towel manufacturing. It was attended by more than 20 entrepreneurs from all over India. The entrepreneurs and manufacturers of terry towel from Solapur, Maharashtra are highly influenced by this programme and installed more than 1,000 modern terry towel manufacturing looms. One month textile graduate engineer trainee orientation programme on automation in man-made fibre production for employees of AYM Syntex Industries Limited, Silvassa. Productivity enhancement and supervisory skill development programme for industries in Shirpur textile park. CTF is promoting one month automation training programme in spinning, weaving, processing and garmenting for employees of industries.

CTF conducts all practical on industry shop floor as per curriculum. Industry experts were appointed as a mentor to clarify technical doubts provide hands on practices during practical session. The interaction with industry mentors inspire and promote students to do industry oriented project work. The current batch of Textile engineering students filed three patents based on their final year projects.

1) Sahas Bansal filed patent on ‘Glass Fibre Reinforced Poly-Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK) Composites using Carbon Nano Filler as Bearing Cage Material’

2) Harshal Patil filed patent on ‘Automatic rubbing fastness tester with pneumatic actuators for color fastness testing of dyed fabric’

3) Anupama Rajput ‘Low Cost Functional Eco-Friendly Cloth Medical Diaper with Natural Fibres’

CTF has developed innovative home textile products for electromagnetic shielding effect, this project is sponsored by Mohan Spintex India, Vijaywada. In the short span of six month CTF faculties succeed to achieve shielding efficiency of 75 per cent in the fabrics tested by BTRA Labs, Mumbai. These fabrics and textile products can be used for various health care products in hospitals for doctors, nurses and patients to avoid radiations and harmful effects of electronic gadgets in ICU, MRI and x-ray, etc. CTF student, Sahas Bansal of B. Text. Textile Technology, was nominated for Reiter Award-2017. A total of four students from all Textile Engineering colleges of India were nominated for this award. He is nominated for this prestigious award for his research work on “Characterisation of Glass Fibre Reinforced Poly-Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK) composites using Carbon Nano Filler as Bearing Cage Material for textile machinery”. In 2018, Ku. Gayatri Patil was also nominated for Reiter Award-2018. Gayatri Patil was nominated for her project work on optimisation of ring yarn manufacturing process parameters using statistical tools and techniques.

The uniqueness of CTF programme is conduction of all curriculum practical on production floor of the textile industry which gives exposure of present manufacturing technology. Most of the students did their final year projects experiments and trails during one month industrial training, such industry-oriented projects given exposure to industrial work practices and skills required to work in industry. The outcome of the industrial projects were published in conferences, national and international journals. More than 35 papers were published in journals and 20 papers were presented in conferences by first batch students in various technical events.