TETFAIR STORIES TEAM 11: Introduction
In Nigeria, the growth of small and medium-scale textile cottage industries is stifled by archaic drying and curing methods, resulting in inefficient production, inconsistent quality, and escalated costs. The absence of suitable automated textile printing dryers, capable of thriving under local conditions and erratic power supply, compounds these issues. The urgency to develop an automated drying solution, enhancing production speed, quality, and energy efficiency while accommodating industry-specific constraints, has emerged as a pivotal challenge. Collaborative efforts among the Government, Academia, Industry Stakeholders and technology experts are pivotal in empowering Nigerian textile cottage industries for competitive and streamlined mass production.
TETFAIR STORIES: TEAM 11
Responding to this challenge at the TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) is TEAM 11, developing an Automatic Textile Printing Dryer. Comprising academics from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, including Uchechukwu Ezeemo, Dr. Chika Chudi-Duru, Ogboso Ogboso Emea, and Ilo Ugochukwu Victor, with expertise in surface textile printing, textile technology, and mechanical/materials and metrological technology.
Market Validation
During the Market Validation phase, TEAM 11 engaged potential buyers and users through personalized interactions, yielding insightful financial estimates ranging from 150,000 Naira to 300,000 Naira. Progressing to the second Bootcamp, the Textile Printing Dryer metamorphosed into a field-tested prototype, exhibiting an impressive 60% efficiency enhancement compared to conventional drying methods while printing. However, this journey was not without its hurdles. TEAM 11 returned to the Advanced Prototype Development Bootcamp at TETFAIR to refine components like heaters, blowers, size optimization, and machine mobility.
Envisioning the culmination of the TETFAIR Advanced Prototype Development Bootcamp, TEAM 11 aspires to unveil an automatic textile printing dryer that not only expedites drying time but also catalyzes ink adhesion, propelling mass production in the printing domain.
Conclusion
TEAM 11 has been unwavering in their determination to develop an Automatic Textile Dryer that can contend with global benchmarks, despite the challenges they have faced along the way. As TETFAIR provides the fertile ground for innovation, Nigerian textile cottage industries stand on the cusp of a transformative revolution.