Most benefits of nanotechnology depend on the fact that it is possible to tailor the essential structures of

materials at the nanoscale to achieve specific properties, thus greatly extending the well-used toolkits of
materials science. Using nanotechnology, materials can effectively be made to be stronger, lighter, more
durable, more reactive, more sieve-like, or better electrical conductors, among many other traits.

Nanostructured ceramic coatings exhibit much greater toughness than conventional

wear-resistant coatings for machine parts. In 2000, the U.S. Navy qualified such a coating
for use on gears of air-conditioning units for its ships, saving $20 million in maintenance
costs over 10 years. Such coatings can extend the lifetimes of moving parts in
everything from power tools to industrial machinery.

Navy Develops Tougher, See-Through Ceramic Armor

Besides being transparent, the new armored windows would have a lower radar
signature than currently used materials.

Sep 9, 2014Stephen Mraz

http://www.nano.gov/you/nanotechnology-benefits
nanotechnology & you

Application of Nanotechnology in surface coating

Arc bond sputtering and super lattice technology are recent developments in the
field of surface coating technology. These techniques combine multiple nano-scale
layers of specific metals known to have excellent hardness properties and chemical
resistances, into consecutive films that give the coated material a new and
improved periodical structure. The application of these new coatings on industrial
products is designed to change their physical properties, thus improving an
individual products toughness, resistance, performance and durability. It offers so
many benefits to the metal-finishing industry that its growing number of
enthusiastic proponents predicts nothing short of a revolution of plating and
finishing technology.

Nanotechnology Application in Sewing Machine Components

One of the current developmental trends among sewing machine manufacturers is
reducing the number of moving mechanical parts, noise and oil usage.
Nanotechnology can help improve lubrication among moving machine parts that
have a large surface area per unit weight, thus creating better heat dissipation.
Even the nano crystal intervention may greatly improve lubricating oil properties.
Titanium nitride coated needles (Gebedeur, originally introduced by Groz Beckert in
1993) are already a phenomenon in the sewing manufacturing industry. Nearly all

Chinese manufacturers are now copying the technology to offer superior hardness
properties that can penetrate multiple layers of dense fabrics with ease and
withstand far more looper contacts without being worn out. Titanium nitride coated
needles are currently produced using Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technology,
which can produce very small grains in a coating. But a nano-plating process can
out perform the vapor deposition process and is applicable to a wider range of
working pieces.
Schmetzs Diamond Carboride, launched with lot of fanfare during IMB 2000, offered
competitive and promising 1 www.techexchange.com characteristics, but has yet to
become commercially popular. One of the serious impediments of Diamond
Carboride is the black color of the needle, creating low visibility, which seriously
affects the sewing process as well ease of needle threading by the operator. Once
again, nanotechnology may help by changing the color of the needle without
changing any performance properties. Similarly the steel color of the presser foot
also creates visibility problems with certain dark colored fabrics. A nano application
can create colorful presser feet without any change to surface characteristics.

Surface Friction in Sewn Products Manufacturing

Surface finish characteristics play a very important role in the entire garment
manufacturing process. Inter surface friction determines many functional as well as
aesthetic qualities of the processes. Be it fabric to fabric friction, fabric to metal
friction or metal to metal friction, all areas can be revolutionized by nanotechnology.
Fabric to fabric surface friction Using dress forms as opposed to a live model during
the garment fitting process can create compromises. The different surface
characteristics between the dress form and garment ultimately affects the drape of
the garment. Even though companies like Shapely Shadow and Tukatech are trying
to solve the problem through soft body forms, ideal simulation has not been
achieved. Revolutionary nanotechnology can give the sought-after surface finish to
the soft dress forms to emulate actual human skin.
Even during sewing, the sewing thread continues to rub against yarns in the fabric.
Nano finishes for sewing thread may open up a new vista.
Fabric to metal surface friction Ironing continues to be the most universal finishing
process for garments (the other two being pressing and form finishing). Surface
characteristics of the iron base plate and table cover play a very important role in
producing the required fabric textureespecially with modern light weight fabrics.
While the iron base should be slippery, the table cover should offer friction.
Currently iron base plates can be covered with Teflon to reduce friction, but there
is no solution available for the table cover. Revolutionary nanotechnology can give
the required optimum surface finish to both.
Sewing thread passes through several thread-guides and finally through a needle
eye rubbing 70 times before being stitched into the fabric. Improved surface
characteristics of specific metal parts as well as sewing thread may bring sought

after changes in sewing processes. The inside surface of attachments also can be
nano-plated for frictionless movement of fabric.
In single and low ply CNC cutting there has been an effort to improve technology
for drag free cutting of dimensionally unstable fabrics for both a static and dynamic
cutting base. Fabric plies are stuck to the porous cutter base through suction.
Surface characteristics of the material used in the cutter base can be altered using
nanotechnology for improved performance. The cutting blade edge of a straight and
round knife and CNC cutting machines can be nano-coated for improved
performance.
Metal to metal friction Apart from gear mesh and other moving parts inside the
machine there are various machine parts/consumables that touch or rub against
each other at very high speeds leading to wear and tear. Nano-plating of the throat
plate, undersurface of the presser foot, teeth of the feed dog, looper and hook
points, etc. may bring many unprecedented advantages and revolutionize the way
we sew fabrics.
In nano-coatings the size of the grains is much, much smaller, and their number is
increased exponentially. The result is impurities are super-diffused, which is called
homogenization by segregation. Such a coating is said to be stronger and more
resistant to stress and corrosion cracking. So when a sewing machine runs at 5000
stitches per minute, nanocoating technology in needle, needle hole in throat plate,
looper or hook points, under-surface of presser feet and feed dog can mean the
difference between extraordinary and ordinary, or success and failure, in other
words. Prabir Jana
Nanotechnology application in manufacturing processes
Buttons are probably the oldest means of fastening a garment. Zippers, Velcro,
snaps, buckles and other numerous ever-evolving fastening methods are becoming
popular for their functionality and non-compromised performance. The surface
characteristics of these components play a very important role. Nanotechnology
offers numerous possibilities by altering the surface characteristics to achieve
unprecedented benefits.
Similar to sewing machine components, the sharpness and durability of the cutting
knife may be improved by nano applications. Fraying of raw edges after being cut is
a tremendous problem during handling and requires additional seams to cover the
edges. Nano application of raw edges during cutting may eliminate the need for
additional seaming operations.
Nanotechnology applications for adhesive deposition fusible interlinings may
overcome many current limitations and revolutionize the suppleness, drape, fall and
comfort of fused components. In the future, nanotechnology may eliminate the
need for interlining applications. It may be possible to build into the fibre/fabric and
ultimately the garment components (cuff, collar etc.) properties like hand, air
permeability and bending rigidity.

Stain repellent nano coatings require the fabric to be treated, thus making the fabric
expensive. The removal of stains is another painful but important process in
garment manufacturing.
Future nano application may just camouflage the stain rather than the current
concept of stripping/removing the stain from the garment! - Prabir Jana
Static electricity causes major problems during cutting and sewing of synthetic
fibers, especially in a dry atmosphere. This also can be solved by a nanotechnology
application.
Nanotechnology in Apparel Manufacturing: The New Horizon By: Prabir
Jana