Dow Corning Expert Presenting New 'Intelligent' Impact Protection Technology at IFAI Expo 2006
MIDLAND, MICHIGAN, USA - Dow Corning Corporation, a leading supplier of silicone solutions for the textile industry, will present its new, patented impact protection technology - the Dow Corning® Active Protection System - at the Industrial Fabrics Association International Expo 2006 this fall in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Fernando Vazquez, Dow Corning's global technical leader for fabric finishing/senior applications engineer for textiles in North America, will present, "Using Silicon-based Technology to Provide 'Intelligent' Impact Protection to Textiles." The presentation is scheduled for 3:45 p.m., Nov. 1, during the 5th International Conference on Safety & Protective Fabrics portion of the conference.
"The newly developed Dow Corning Active Protection System offers superior defense and comfort using patented technology to create impact protection textiles that are particularly suitable for high-performance apparel," says Vazquez. "It is a highly effective system that is fully flexible and breathable while providing excellent protection from high-impact force."
The patented technology consists of multiple layers of spacer textile treated with a shear thickening dilatant silicone composition. The material, which remains soft and flexible under normal conditions, instantly becomes rigid under high-impact force to both absorb and distribute impact energy. When the force is removed, the fabric immediately returns to a flexible state.
Attendees will learn about the development of this technology, its key features and benefits, application opportunities and testing results.
"Comfort and convenience are important considerations for any protective device," says Vazquez. "Breathability can be vitally important, particularly for sportswear. The Dow Corning Active Protection System has all of these features, combined with proven superior protection against high-impact force - making it an effective, comfortable and versatile new protective textile suitable for virtually unlimited application possibilities."
To learn more about the Active Protection System, visit www.activeprotectionsystem.com. Dow Corning (www.dowcorning.com) provides performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in silicon-based technology and innovation that offers more than 7,000 products and services, Dow Corning is equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning's annual sales are outside the United States.
Fernando Vazquez is a global technical leader for Dow Corning fabric finishing and a senior applications engineer for textiles in North America. He received a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the National University of Mexico in Mexico City and a master of business administration from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., USA.
Vazquez has published several whitepapers including, "The Easy Care vs. Softness Challenge," Textile Technology International, 2005; "Trouble Free Performance in Finishing Conditions," Textile Technology International, 2004; and "Silicones: Beyond Softening in Garment Finishing" at AATCC Garment Symposium, 1999. He has been a member of the AATCC since 1999.
IFAI Expo 2006 will take place Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. It is a co-located event with Megatex, which is co-anchored by the American Textile Machinery Exhibition International 2006 (ATME-I® 2006) and AATCC's 2006 International Conference & Exhibition. For more information, visit www.ifaiexpo.com.
