PPE fabrics from INVENTEX® in laser test

Laser cutting of INVENTEX® protective textiles

INVENTEX^® Spezialtextilwerk Funke specializes in the production of protective textiles. INVENTEX^® materials are used, for example, by the fire department and police, in extreme sports, but also as work protection in industry. The challenge in processing extremely robust technical textiles is to cut the stab-, cut-, and often flame-resistant material in the first place. At the same time, the high protective performance should continue after processing. In our laser test, we tested the materials for cutting with our laser cutter.

Properties of INVENTEX® material:

Abrasion resistant
Puncture resistant
Flame resistant
Weatherproof
Antibacterial
Chemical repellent
Dirt repellent

Water repellent
Antistatic
Breathable
Soft
Elastic
Lightweight

The goal of the laser test

Automated processing of robust PPE fabrics directly from the roll

We tested a selection of different INVENTEX^® variants based on Kevlar^®, Nomex^®, Twaron^® and Panox^® fabrics for processing with our laser cutters. In consultation with INVENTEX^®, attention was paid to the following requirements:

Directly sealed, tear-resistant cut edges
Clean processing procedure without smoke residue on the material
Distortion-free cutting even with filigree contours

Automated processing directly from the roll
Engraving as a permanent marking option

The test setup: 3XL-3200 Conveyor system with 400 Watt

Table concept: Conveyor system
Increased efficiency through automatic material feeding.

Laser source: 400 watts
For optimum cutting results on robust materials.

Test result:

10 out of 14 materials show excellent results

In our extensive processing tests, we took a closer look at the 14 variants of INVENTEX^®. For ten materials, we can award the rating "excellently suitable" without any restrictions. The cutting edges are of outstanding quality, without any smoke residue and could be directly sealed. Two variants can be rated "very well suited". Here, there are slight smoke traces on the aramide layer that cannot be removed. The other two materials are "well suited" for laser processing. Here, post-processing steps for edge sealing are necessary in some cases.

Additional benefits of cutting INVENTEX® materials with eurolaser systems:

Completely non-contact machining process without fabric distortion
Optimal cut quality even with protective coating
No downtimes thanks to eliminated tool changes

Optional: Nesting for material savings
Optional: Camera recognition for contour-accurate cutting
Optional: Marking modules for labeling and inscription