Click here for TTNA's complete list of training


Forthcoming Training
See below for forthcoming training on Controlling Fibre Orientation in Nonwoven Technology and the TTNA's Nonwovovens Basics and Product Development Workshop.


Nonwovens Basics & Nonwovens Product Development Workshop (NWB & PDW)- 2008 - 12-15 May 2008
The TTNA is working with the International Fibre Centre and CSIRO Textile and Fibre Centre to further develop and deliver the NW Basics and PDW from 12 to 15 May 2008. These two units are designed to educate nonwoven industry personnel and supply chain partners on nonwoven technologies and end use applications. In small teams, participants will develop a new product from design to product testing. They will learn to select the correct fibre and process combination to achieve the desired results.

This program will further develop and augment the nonwovens program that was developed and subsequently delivered by CSIRO TFT in Belmont in July 2006. Due to the success of that program, demand to deliver it on a regular basis has been considerable. Further development is also as a result of CSIRO TFT having a greater understanding of the specialised nonwoven equipment and its capabilities in addition to its investment in bicomponent fibres, the knowledge and commercial usage of which is in demand from industry.
The NW Basics Course is a comprehensive one-day training course covering NW technologies and markets. It is aimed at personnel who have an interest in nonwovens; who purchase, use, or specify nonwovens; or those who are considering nonwovens applications. Topics will include
* raw material for NW
* web forming & bonding technologies
* web conversion & finishing technologies
* INDA & EDANA test methods
* NW products & applications
* Environmental issues - waste management
Register here.

The NW Product Development Workshop is a three-day intensive workshop with a combination of class work, lectures and invaluable "hands on" practice that covers the entire NW product development process. In small teams, participants develop a new product from design to product testing. They will learn to select the correct fibre and process combination to achieve the desired results. Participants will learn about and consider all factors in fabric design for the medical, filtration, home furnishings, consumer and wipes markets including:
* idea conception
* market needs
* product design
* material selection
* prototype generation
* fabric production
* finishing
* cost & performance testing
The NWPDW incorporates and expands upon the curriculum of the NW Basics and is aimed at personnel who work directly with or intend to work directly with NW manufacturing. Register here.

Trainers' Details
All trainers are from CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology. The team is lead by Dr Niall Finn.

Dr Niall Finn - Theme Leader, Advanced Fibrous Materials - click here for Niall's background.

Mr Raymon Wood - Senior Nonwovens Technician
Ray has spent 19 years at CSIRO TFT as a textile technologist, now managing the nonwovens plant in the CSIRO Centre of Excellence for Technical Textiles. Ray is directly involved in the R&D and commission processing on behalf of Australian nonwovens companies. He attended the INDA/NCRC's Nonwoven Product Development Workshop in 2005 and transferred that learning into this course in 2006 when the TTNA and CSIRO first delivered it.

Dr Mickey Huson - Principle Researach Scientist - click here for Mickey's background

Mr Ken Atkinson - Stream Leader, Electro-active Materials - click here for Ken's background

Mr Andrew Abbott - Engineer
Andrew attended the 2004 specialised INDA/NCRC Product Development Workshop which provided useful experience for his training role in the 2006 course.

Dr Roger Holmes-Brown - General Manager Manufacturing, Geofabrics Australasia Pty Ltd
Dr Holmes-Brown is well qualified with technical and management experience in the textiles and plastics industries. He attended the specialised INDA/NCRC Product Development Workshop in 2004 which enabled him to effectively lead his team in their development program over the following few years. Roger also was a trainer in the 2006 course.


Controlling the Fibre Orientation in Nonwoven Technology - 26-27 February 2008
The TTNA, in collaboration with the International Fibre Centre and Ramsay McDonald Pty Ltd developed and delivered training on fibre orientation in nonwovens on 26-27 February. RMIT School of Fashion & Textiles in Brunswick (VIC) provided the venue as their contribution to industry. The following experts from leading nonwoven organisations in Europe visited Melbourne specifically for this course:

* Mr Paul Verbeke - Technical Director, Bekaert Carding Solutions, France - click here for bio details
* Ing. Giacomo Meucci, Regional Sales Director for Nonwoven Technology Oerlikon Neumag Italy S.p.A
- click here for for Giacomo's bio details

* Mr Bernd Roedig, Sales Manager Felting Needles, Groz-Beckert KG - click here for Bernd's bio details

The course outlined the options, characterisation and obtainable properties from fibres that have been orientated in a preferred direction by flows arising during processing. The topics covered included
* fibre alignment and matrials rheology;
* materials characterization and mechanical properties;
* modelling of processes and materials properties;
* needle designs and their effect on the needled nonwoven
* why needles break.

The program provided 28 industry personnel with access to relevant and current skills, knowledge and technologies required to modify, transform and enhance synthetic and natural fibre orientation in nonwoven textiles in order to create functional properties and thus a competitive advantage for these products. Positive feedback was received for this course.

As RMIT's continuing contribution to industry, and valuable contribution to the TTNA, the RMIT Specialist Centre at the Brunswick campus was made available for this program. Download the registration form here.


Environmental Solutions for Sustainable Growth in the Textile and Fibre Industry
Proposers: International Fibre Centre, Infotech Research, CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology Division
Feb. 2007
Proposal: To develop a training and education package with application to the wider textile industries for business sustainability improvement through environmental management

The International Fibre Centre (IFC)
The IFC was established by the Victorian Government to support training and education in fibre and textile manufacturing industries.

The IFC has partnered textile companies and built up information as required by the industry to assist companies to address their development issues in an increasingly difficult and competitive market place.
Management of environmental issues and development of eco preferred textile products is both a challenge and a significant opportunity for the Australian industry. The companies that grasp these environmental opportunities are those that will lead a resurgence in Australian textile manufacturing.

The future of Australian textiles is in innovative “Clean/Green and Eco” products. These must be produced efficiently to reduce production costs and to meet key environmental performance standards demanded by the market.

Click here for further information on this proposed training. Click here for the training package details.

The TTNA, in conjunction with CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology, provided the following training in May/June 2007. This training was made possible with funding from the International Fibre Centre.

The Coatings and Laminates Program (includng the Mechanics of Adhesion)
2-4 May 2007
RMIT University - Brunswick Campus
Limited to 20 people. Once again, Mr Roy Conway from Web Processing, will travel to Melbourne specifically to deliver this course. Roy has a lifetime of experience in the design, supply, installation and commissioning of coating, laminating, flocking and prepreg machinery. WEB Processing (M/C) Ltd is located in Whaley Bridge, High Peak, UK. See their website - www.webprocessing.co.uk
Further information and registration details - click here

Workplace Training - Carding: Theory and Practice
May-June 2007 (choose a day convenient to your firm)
This course was successfully conducted at five separate workplaces under the instruction of specialist CSIRO specialists, Dr Niall Finn and Mr Raymon Wood. Niall has been with CSIRO for over 15 years. His earlier career involved him as a Research Fellow in plasma physics at Sydney University and before that he was a lecturer and research fellow at Essex University in the UK.
Further details - click here

See the TTN Industry Training Program by clicking here.

The Role TTNA Plays with Education & Training

The Technical Textiles and Nonwoven Association (TTNA) is a national industry association representing the collective interests of the Australian Technical Textiles and Nonwoven industry.

There is little doubt that education and training play a significant role in assisting the technical textiles and nonwoven industry to meet the challenges faced by manufacturing. The TTNA looks closely at emerging needs in order that management and workforce skills match these changes in business operations and systems. For the future, the industry requires a rising number of skilled workers who are able to cover broad areas of employment with the support of flexible training. A responsive educational and training system is crucial to all manufacturing industry sectors, as is ongoing dialogue between industry and training providers. To this end, the TTNA participates in the Manufacturing Skills Australia Industry Advisory Committee (MSA-IAC) in order to contribute to the VET system for the betterment of the Australian echnical textiles and nonwoven industry. In early 2006, a survey was undertaken of the TTN industry, as an example of the collaborative relationship between MSA and TTNA. Indeed, this survey has provided valuable knowledge of industry’s needs and hopefully, will be the impetus to fully utilise the VET system, including investigating ways by which prior knowledge and short courses can lead to accreditation so that workers can be adequately qualified.

Additionally, the TTNA has been able to provide training in areas that weren’t provided by the VET system by accessing support from the International Fibre Centre (IFC). The objective of the IFC is primarily to support and facilitate access to education and training programs relating to textile processing and manufacturing from fibre to fabric, for use by the ustralian fibre and textile industry and Australian tertiary educational institutions, and to design, introduce and manage funding programs in relation to such education and training.

In this spirit, support from the IFC has enabled the TTNA to deliver a number of relevant short courses on specific themes such as “coating and laminating” and “test methods”. Another example is the successful collaboration with both RMIT and the IFC to deliver the European Nonwovens & Disposables Association (EDANA) nonwoven course twice in Melbourne. All aspects of nonwoven technology and production were covered in this comprehensive three day training. This successful event was also the catalyst behind the International Fibre Centre investing in a “home-grown” version that was delivered at CSIRO during July 2006. Furthermore, IFC funding provided an opportunity for a number of industry personnel to train in product development at the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Centre at the University of North Carolina.

TTNA continues to work with the International Fibre Centre and the CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology to provide training and workshops. See the TTN Industry Training Program by clicking here.

Enquire here about any of the courses listed here or future courses – lorraine@ttna.com.au

Training in 2006 included:

    • The Nonwovens Basics Program :  a comprehensive two-day training program covering nonwovens technologies and markets.  It is aimed at personnel who purchase, use or specify nonwovens or those who are considering nonwovens applications.  Topics will include raw material for nonwovens, web forming and bonding technologies, conversion and finishing technologies, test methods, applications and environmental issues. Click to download the brochure
    • The Nonwovens Product Development Workshop :  a three-day intensive program with a combination of class work, lectures and hands on practice that covers the entire nonwoven product development process.  In small teams, participants will develop a new product from design to product testing.  They will learn to select the correct fibre and process combination to achieve the desired results.  Participants will learn about all factors in fabric design for the medical, filtration, home furnishings, consumer and wipes markets including market need, product design, material selection, finishing, cost, performance testing. These two units are designed to educate nonwoven industry personnel and supply chain partners on nonwoven technologies and end-use applications.  The second workshop expands upon the curriculum of the first and is aimed at personnel who work directly with nonwovens manufacturing. 

Fibre, Yarn, Textile and Apparel Tests Course – 6th & 7th March 2006

    We had a great response to this course with 23 registrations.  Attendees went away with a copy of all the presentations.  If you would like to receive a copy of the presentations, please contact Lorraine at the TTNA management office on (03) 9866 6434. Fibre, Yarn, Textile and Apparel Tests Course – 6th & 7th March 2006:  This was a two-day training course on the testing of fibre, yarns and textiles.  The course was aimed at all groups of the TCF sector, addressing all application areas of  technical, nonwoven and apparel textiles to provide attendees with the objective means to assess a product’s standard and quality.  Click here for further details of this course.  Mr Bob Lattie of SDL Atlas came to Melbourne specifically to lead this course.  Among Bob’s many titles, he is Chair of the International Test Methods Committee as well as President of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists.

    Bob was joined by the CSIRO TFT’s Manager of Consulting Services, Mr Dale Carroll.  Dale is equally qualified in the field of testing with a background in research and development of textiles at CSIRO, product development at Huyck and managing the technical side of AWTA. 

    We had a great response to this course with 35 registrations.  Attendees went away with a copy of all the presentations.  If you would like to receive a copy of the presentations, please contact Lorraine at the TTNA management office on (03) 9866 6434.

    INDA/NCRC Nonwoven Product Development Workshop: In early in 2005, the TTNA once again offered four industry personnel the opportunity to train in the product development and manufacturing processes associated with technical and nonwoven textile production. This advanced course will take place in June 2005 at the headquarters of the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), based in North Carolina, USA, and be delivered by both INDA and the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Centre (NCRC). Funding from the International Fibre Centre (IFC) covers most of the successful applicants’ air fares and course fees.INDA (www.inda.org) and the NCRC (http://www.tx.ncsu.edu/ncrc/) are two organisations that offer a high standard of education that is not currently available in Australia. It is anticipated that the provision of this training will add value to the Victorian technical and nonwoven textile industry by providing relevant information and skills which will contribute to the sustainability and profitability of the industry.The successful applicants presented their findings on the course at the August 2005 Members’ Briefing/Annual General Meeting

    Training in 2004
    During 2004, the International Fibre Centre generously supported a number of initiatives with development funds. The outcome was our ability to offer members the opportunity to participate in three programs during 2004 which were specifically developed for our industry:

    (a) The Nonwoven & Technical Textile Innovation and Technology program
    (b) The NCRC Nonwoven Product Development Workshop Program
    (c) The Textile Finishes & Coatings Course

    Bremen Student Placement Program
    During the years 2003 and 2004, the University of Applied Sciences in Bremen Germany undertook an employment placement program for German Mechanical/Industrial Engineering students. Over ten students were available for placements of up to five months per year. The cost of employing a student was around A$300-350 per week which helped to cover accommodation costs.This program presented members with an opportunity to solve complex technical problems for little outlay as the students’ areas of expertise included logistics, design/construction, maintenance, programming, trials, waste/yield optimization, product cost calculation, computer programming, hydromechanics, material sciences, manufacturing and systems technology.Anyone wishing further details of the Bremen Student Placement programs should contact Dr. Rainer Hoffmann on: dr.rainer.hoffmann@t-online.de
    Career Path Information
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