Deakin, Xefco, Proficiency Contracting partner for $3.4m IMCRC project
Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) is joining textile technology experts Xefco and engineering equipment specialists Proficiency Contracting on a new $3.4 million manufacturing R&D project co-funded by the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC).
The three-year project aims to scale newly-developed advanced coating technologies, which will result in better durability for textile coatings and reduced energy, water and chemical consumption during the manufacturing process.
IFM and Xefco researchers have developed a novel atmospheric plasma coating system that reduces the costs and complexities of existing coating equipment. The next stage of the project will be dedicated to adapting and moving the technology from lab scale to a commercially viable textile coating system.
By developing, testing and manufacturing the system in Australia, tapping into a local network of manufacturers, Xefco will establish an advanced manufacturing supply chain that provides local manufacturers new opportunities in the sector.
The partnership with the IMCRC, Deakin and Proficiency Contracting is a major step forward for the development of innovative technologies for the global textile industry. This project brings a broad spectrum of scientific and engineering expertise together with the required resources to rapidly elevate it to commercial readiness.