SLTC 2001 Conference report
The 2001 SLTC conference (Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists) took place in mid-September. Regrettably, due to the effects on travel of the September 11 disaster, the Procter Memorial Lecture by Professor Cot on "Adding value to collagenic material" could not be given. It will, however, be published in the society’s bi-monthly journal.
The first paper was presented by Jan Davies entitled "Searching Databases for Business and Technical Information". Information available on the internet and databases is enormous, but the problem is knowing how to look or where to access. Online vendors have the expertise to do this quickly and efficiently. The output can be as an abstract or full printout article either electronically, or as hard copy.
Peter Laight (Image Tex) showed how colour-fast computer printed images could be applied to leathers, or to components for integration within articles, while Richard Turner (SATRA) illustrated safety testing that moved away from testing materials to ‘practical use conditions’ using a dressed manikin. The humanoid robot took nine months to manufacture, but could withstand heat which would endanger human volunteers. A further manikin is under construction for testing clothing under freezing conditions.
Hugh Gilmour (W J & W Lang) enlarged on "Hair-save in theory and practice" A process was described as a win-win situation where leather of excellent quality was produced without compromise and much reduced effluent costs. The saved hair was composted.
"A new mineral-free tannage" was the subject of M. Walker of Clariant. The principle of THPS tannage has been known for some years, but further work has now produced a commercial tannage. These changes include modifications to deliming, careful control of the pickling, a post-tanning oxidation stage for stabilisation and retannage.
S. Fey (Pfizer) showed that high-tech mathematical modeling has enabled the prediction of the rise and decline of the Foot and Mouth crisis in the UK. It is indicated that a quicker response would have reduced the crisis.
G. Paul (BLC Leathersellers Company) described "The measurement of enzymatic unhairing" by measuring the force required to remove a single hair from the pelt. Based on the removal of 1000 individual hairs and a computer; it was possible to determine the effectiveness of various enzymatic unhairing procedures.
