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High-tech Membranes
In the architectural segment, MEHLER TEXNOLOGIES ® multilayered composite materials have special densely woven low-wick yarns in the base fabric. The double thread woven fabric, commonly described as “Panama” weave, varies depending on the mechanical resistance requested by the customers. The different membrane materials are graded by weight, strength, lacquering system and translucency. There is a great MEHLER TEXNOLOGIES ® range, but especially in this segment it is crucial that selected product fits to the specific project needs and the particular defined use. A specific analysis of your needs and mechanical/static load properties is therefore recommended.
Textile Architecture Material Range
The textile industry is constantly improving the existing materials. Low & Bonar as a pioneer fabric producer, is continuously increasing and perfecting those materials in every aspect. For engineering tensile structures, the most common choices are PVC coated polyester cloth materials. High quality low-wick treated PVC polyester fabrics generally achieve a structural lifespan in excess of 20 years. In ordinary materials, the plasticizers in the PVC migrate towards the surface over a period of time making the surface harder to clean. The PVC coating contains additives that include UV stabilisers, fire retardants, colouring and fungicidal agents. MEHLER TEXNOLOGIES® quality known under the brand name VALMEX® MEHATOP F1 are a selection of protective PVDF (fluorinated polymer) lacquers that enhance the ability to clean the PVC membrane. To improve this and maintain translucency, we offers a range of products including PVDF lacquer on both material sides, which are perfectly weldable. The choice of a suitable material is dictated by many characteristics, ranging from technical and mechanical properties to the aesthetical appearance resulting from physical material properties.
Weldable PVDF Lacquering
MEHLER TEXNOLOGIES, a pioneer in PVC-PES coatings, introduced the weldable PVDF coated membrane more than 14 years ago. In our opinion, the textile industry should provide products to the market, which can perform without the need to be modified, ground or manipulated by the fabricator.
The industry should assume full responsibility of the material properties and not delegate it to additional substances, manipulation of the surface, uncontrolled machine operation capability or simply to human factors. It is wrongly assumed that the weldability of a PVDF coated material is determined by the percentage of PVDF included into the top coat.
Our PVDF coated fabrics incorporate a primer between the top coating lacquer and the PVC coating, including 5 components in the structure of the product (see schematic view of Valmex Mehatop F ). Other manufacturers use between 3 and a maximum of 4 components (base fabric, adhesion layer (some), coating and lacquer).
This is the reason why our fabric is weldable, easy to manufacture and stable (non-peeling).
MEHLER TEXNOLOGIES® is essentially ”pre-stressed” with different force grades in both directions. The warp direction (length of the material roll) has less stretch to stabilise elongation in this sense. The weft direction (the width side of the material roll) has more stretch in order to absorb the orthogonal tension more readily during the distensile installation process.
Professionals like to manouver the compensation ratio of the fabric material during the patterning process in order to generate ad-hoc geometries and unique smooth surfaces. This process is generally considered “top secret” to most of them and is also the key to the well qualified textile architecture engineer or specialized manufacturer.
This requires a certain kind of technical information generated by computer analysis, simulation and testing processes, generated case by case for each project. We can provide the customer with biaxial results for each produced batch of material. The tests are carried out upon client request by external accredited laboratories based on the MSAJ/M-02-95 procedure.
