Roxana Ley, a doctoral student at the Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University, was awarded the Wilhelm Lorch Prize 2025 in the field of technology for her work on combining additive manufacturing and textile fiber placement. The jury paid particular tribute to the demonstrator developed in the form of customizable surgical goggles, which shows the potential to design personal protective equipment (PPE) that is both functional and sustainable.
At the heart of the award is the combination of two manufacturing technologies: Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP), a textile technology process for the precise positioning of reinforcing fibers, and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), an established thermoplastic 3D printing process. By integrating both processes, mechanical properties can be specifically controlled, while at the same time geometric freedom and adaptations to individual face shapes are possible.
The method developed in Ley’s master’s thesis makes it possible to optimize both material usage and production times. The aim is to produce PPE components that not only fit better but also conserve resources. The surgical goggles serve as a practical example of the potential application in medical contexts, where comfort, protection and reusability are equally important.
“Our graduates are regular winners of the Wilhelm Lorch Foundation Awards,” says ITA Director Prof. Dr. Thomas Gries enthusiastically. “We are very pleased about their potential and that the Wilhelm Lorch Foundation supports creative minds.”
The award, presented at the Textile Industry Forum in Frankfurt am Main, underlines the relevance of interdisciplinary research in the field of functionalized textiles and additive manufacturing. For Ley, the award is both confirmation and an incentive to continue researching the interface between textile technology and 3D printing.
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