As one of the world’s leading independent, accredited textile research and testing laboratories, Hohenstein offers a comprehensive range of testing, application-based research and development, consultancy and inspection for high technology and functional military textile articles and associated areas.
For more than 25 years Hohenstein has been officially recognised as an accredited testing/certification centre for Personal Protective Equipment – Notified Body 0555.
A team of 700 highly qualified and committed employees worldwide work in the best-equipped, state-of-the-art laboratories to provide our clients with reliable results and solutions. Test designs can be fully customised to explore the most diverse and specific challenges.
Military textile materials testing for performance and protection
A soldier’s survivability, mobility and stamina is closely linked with the wear, comfort and fit of their clothing. Our extensive experience, gained in many years of applied research into clothing physiology, smart textiles, ergonomic fit and other associated areas, as well as our interdisciplinary approach, helps our clients to stay one step ahead with cutting-edge clothing systems.
Hohenstein Institute
We provide materials testing, consulting and certification for textile safety, wear comfort, textile resistance, fit and design, textile UV protection, IR-measurements, acoustic measurements, flame-retardant finishing, industrial reprocessing of textile and many other technical features. Our range of services includes:
Product development and optimisation
Requirements analysis and elaboration of technical specifications (MIL-Specs etc.)
Elaboration of specifications (fit, design, size, workmanship, thermophysiological and hygiene properties, in addition to the durability of clothing systems)
Consulting on the selection and development of clothing systems
Tests for compliance with technical specifications / quality assurance
Cost-efficient military immersion suits testing to ISO 15027
Hohenstein is one of the few institutes worldwide that are in a position to test the thermal insulation and survival time in immersion suits with a thermal manikin according to ISO 15027 without the need for expensive real-life testing.
Thermo-physiological properties of seats in military vehicles
Troops shall not only arrive safely, but also arrive in the best condition! Seats often contain layers, which are easy to care, but are not able to absorb and transport humidity and heat away from the surface layer.
This causes heat and moisture accumulation, resulting in uncomfortable seat climate. It is scientifically proven that these issues lead to increased fatigue of drivers and thus risk of accidents.
To test and further develop different seating materials, the latest family member of sweating thermal manikins at Hohenstein named ‘Sherlock’ can also sit down; this means that in future it will be possible to test seating of all kinds, including office chairs, car seats and aircraft seats. Unlike the other thermal manikins on duty in Hohenstein Sherlock is able to "sweat". In the future, it will be possible to measure both thermal insulation and breathability of clothing, using one measuring system.
Another Hohenstein developed measuring device, the „sweating bottom" allows dynamic measurements, as it simulates driving movements and provides statements on moisture transport, water vapour resistance and buffering capacity of water vapour/vaporous sweat.
Thermo-physiological properties & thermal insulation of textile materials and ready-made goods
The body reacts to temperature changes with changes in energy use, leading to reduced performance of soldiers. Optimal clothing supports the soldier in maintaining the core body temperature and keeping saved energy ready for encountered challenges. To determine the thermo-physiological quality of textile materials, the Hohenstein skin model simulates the way the skin emits heat and moisture. The measurements supply precise data on thermal insulation and moisture transport resistance, perspiration transport, sweat buffering, and drying time, to name a few.
The thermal insulation of made-up goods, such as combat uniforms, immersion suits, cold protective clothing and sleeping bags can be measured with the help of the Hohenstein-developed thermal manikins, which can be electrically heated to characteristic temperature gradients at man’s body surface.Hohenstein can recreate the most varied of environments in its climate chambers for realistic testing.
About The Hohenstein Institute and customer service
Clothing systems, which are not functional and comfortable for their mission, can be irritating at best, but deadly at worst. We have worked closely and confidentially with public authorities worldwide on various projects to deliver the most advanced solutions. Talk to us. We will be pleased to work out an individual solution to your specific problem.
The overall comfort of combat uniforms for cold environments is not only due to the thermal insulation characteristics of the garments but also influenced strongly by the water vapour resistance ("breathability").
One of the most critical parts of the personal protection equipment of soldiers is still the helmet. Statistics show that in today's military operations, traumatic brain injury is the number one cause of death or disability of soldiers.
Cutting the number of fatalities due to sudden heart failure is the declared aim of a joint research project by the Hohenstein researchers and their colleagues at Metrax in Rottweil.
Scientists from the Hohenstein Institute in Bönnigheim have worked with the specialists in protective clothing at Tempex in Heidenheim to develop innovative solutions for cold protection clothing.
Nowadays, modern uniforms and military camouflage systems for objects and buildings can do more than just use camouflage prints that are specially made to blend in with the environment to prevent them from being seen.
In many industries such as steel and glass-making, or mining, working in a hot environment is just part of the job. In order to be able to approach the heat source without risking damaging their health, workers have to wear heatproof and non-flammable protective clothing.
The main purposes of functional clothing are to provide protection from climatic influences and to support the physiological functioning of the human body. This is particularly important for the uniforms of members of the armed forces; even at temperate latitudes, soldiers are exposed to widely v
Nowadays people mostly sleep at home, safely protected by the walls of a house and with a bed system providing sound sleep. Camping, however, has become an attractive way to spend the holidays, especially after the financial crisis. For a relaxing sleep in outdoor and camping surroundings tents,
Many jobs in the western world now demand a high degree of concentration. This is particularly the case where special clothing or even personal protection equipment has to be worn at work. While the main focus is often on physical protection for people or products, there has, until now, been no i
Sun protection of military equipment is literally a hot topic. Nowadays, army forces mostly operate in conflict areas with extreme climates, for example the deserts of Afghanistan. From a medical point of view, the right textiles offer a distinctly better protection from the harmful effects of th
In addition to providing training in the area of instrument-based colour and white measurements, the Hohenstein Institute in Bönnigheim has recently begun to offer visual colour analysis training for employees. These education training courses can make a 'visible' difference in quality control. B
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