720656Novel Suture Prototype - Project to develop and deliver an innovative late stage prototype process to produce very high strength absorbable coated materials, for use in advanced medical sutures, with potential spin off uses in other medical and non-medicaClosedGRD Development of PrototypeInnovate UKInternational customers using FET equipment tell us that they are seeking improvements in product and process for synthetic absorbable sutures. We now see an opportunity to address their concerns and to potentially deliver mutual benefits to both FET and its customers. The traditional textile processes used in the production of surgical sutures are slow, labour and energy intensive and have other disadvantages which are compounded when the suture is made from absorbable polymers, which are notoriously expensive and difficult to handle . A recent POC project carried out by FET explored ideas for a novel method of manufacture of new synthetic absorbable sutures made from multifilament precursor yarns designed to simplify the manufacturing process, reducing costs and the risks of in-process degradation. The outcome of the POC allows us to establish a basis for further development work towards commercialization. We now have the necessary data to design this project, with the aim of defining, specifying and building a pre-production prototype of a technologically innovative process. The developed know-how and the prototype will allow us to demonstrate our capability to achieve performance leaps to our customers to help them to differentiate their product ranges and for FET to achieve sales by providing technology and custom built equipment. We see additional potential benefits from spin off uses for the technology in non - medical areas and as an experimental tool for small scale evaluation of difficult-to-process / expensive raw materials.