Research Focus: 3D Printing on protective clothing to ward off knife attacks

In recent years, the threat level facing emergency services such as the police, the fire service and the ambulance service has risen sharply. In particular, according to the 2023 crime statistics, the number of violent incidents against police officers rose to over 46,000 cases, affecting more than 105,000 people. Of particular concern is the marked rise in knife attacks, which have increased by over 20 % in some regions [1]. This underlines the need to further develop personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly for flexible areas of the body that have previously been inadequately protected, such as joints, the neck or the groin. Whilst conventional stab-protection systems offer protection for central areas of the body, they are often heavy, inflexible and only of limited effectiveness against targeted attacks, such as those involving needles [2]. The aim of the project is therefore to develop an innovative, lightweight and flexible stab protection system that is applied additively to semi-finished textile products using Fused Layer Modelling (FLM). Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is used as the substrate material; it is characterised by high strength, abrasion resistance and cut protection.