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Jon Rust

Professor Emeritus

Textiles Complex NA

Bio

Dr. Jon P. Rust is a Professor of Textile Engineering in the Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS) Department in the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. The Wilson College of Textiles is the leading institution of its type in the world and produces over half of the doctorates in its field in the United States. The TECS Department comprises three undergraduate programs and two masters programs. The Bachelor of Science degree programs are in Polymer and Color Chemistry, Textile Engineering, and Textile Technology. The Master of Science degree programs are in Textile Chemistry and Textile Engineering.Dr. Rust received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University in 1982 and his M.S. degree in Fiber Science from Clemson University in 1985. In August of 1990, he received a Ph.D. in Fiber and Polymer Science from North Carolina State University and was promoted to Assistant Professor. Prior to being named Department Head in 2008, he served as Associate Head and Director of Undergraduate Programs from 2000 to 2008, Program Director for the Textile Engineering Program from 1998 to 2000, and as a faculty member in the Wilson College of Textiles since 1985. He also served as Interim Associate Dean for General Education Implementation during the 2008 – 2009 academic year.As a faculty member, Dr. Rust has taught courses in many aspects of Textile Engineering but primarily in fiber and polymer science, fiber to yarn conversion, and senior design. His teaching awards include the Gertrude Cox Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching and Learning with Technology, the NCSU Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Award, and he is a three-time Wilson College of Textiles Board of Governors Award nominee.

Dr. Rust has co-authored more than thirty published peer-reviewed research articles and is a co-inventor on eight patents and one pending patent application. Prior to being named Department Head, from 1992 through 2008, Dr. Rust worked in the textile industry for a diverse group of textile companies during the summer leading teams of students on process improvement projects. He is currently a member of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists and the American Society for Engineering Education.

Research

Dr. Rust’s research interests include the broad area of short staple yarn manufacturing. Past successful research projects have dealt with: process controls in drawframe autolevelling, novel sensing and control in carding, HVI cotton fiber property measurement and significance, roller-drafting and autoleveling at carding (includes 4 patents with Dr. T. Clapp), moisture control in staple spinning, ginning technology development, and novel fiber instrumentation.

His current and projected future projects will be related t further development of roller-drafting and autoleveling technology at carding, continued carding development in control and improved sliver quality, development of novel ginning technology, further development of novel fiber instrumentation for measuring several important cotton fiber properties, and in-plant cleaning and moisture control.

Teaching

  • TE 201L – Textile Engineering Science
  • TMS 211L – Introduction to Fiber Science
  • TE 301 – Engineering Textile Structures I: Linear Assemblies
  • TT 402 – Textile Engineering Design II

Education

B.S. Mechanical Engineering Clemson University 1982

M.S. Fiber Science Clemson University 1985

PhD. Fiber and Polymer Science North Carolina State University 1990

Area(s) of Expertise

Fiber Science
Polymer Science
Polymer/Fiber/Textile Processing

Publications

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Grants

Date: 08/01/16 - 9/06/18
Amount: $70,000.00
Funding Agencies: US Dept. of Energy (DOE) - Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)

This research is focused on assisting the University of California, San Diego team with fabric test services, analysis and interpretion of the test data, consultation in perfecting the fabric design and identifying alternative methods and/or materials. He will lead the NC State team in developing best methods for testing of the fabrics created by UC San Diego including the Q-test Constant Rate of Tensile Test machine, air permeability test apparatus, the Martindale Pilling and Abrasion Tester, the Sweating Hot plate and the Kawabata Evaluation System.

Date: 07/20/16 - 6/30/17
Amount: $50,000.00
Funding Agencies: Welspun India Ltd.

This Fabrication Service will focus on the following laboratories. 1. Nonwovens Fiber Science Laboratory, 2. TECS Forensic Textile Analytical Laboratory 3. Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE) laboratories including: spinning, weaving, knitting and dyeing and finishing laboratories. Fabrications services will include creating novel filament through the Nonwovens Institute and subsequently texturing and cutting the fiber. The staple will then be blended and the fiber blends converted to spun yarn. The yarns will subsequently be sized and woven into fabric on the CCI sample loom in the ZTE Weaving Laboratory. Other fabrication services may include knitting the yarns. Testing services may include the TECS Forensic Textile Analytical Laboratory as well as the ZTE Physical Testing Laboratory.

Date: 06/01/14 - 12/23/14
Amount: $49,565.00
Funding Agencies: All-American Hose, LLC

The objectives of this project are to: 1. Develop a portable pneumatic splicing system for heavy denier continuous filament yarns 2. Optimize the pneumatic splice configuration that provide the least structure changes of woven fabric 

Date: 07/01/08 - 9/30/08
Amount: $17,250.00
Funding Agencies: Thaler Consumer Products, LLC

In order to move forward with this idea to the best of our ability, we need to accomplish the following tasks that we shall refer to as Phase I: 1. Complete a thorough review of the patent literature and technology. This would include utilizing University resources in terms of patent attorneys and professionals along with our own expertise and experience in searching the literature for prior art. 2. Spend significant time establishing a clear set of criteria and constraints including all expected long-term and short-term system deliverables. 3. Build a small-scale apparatus that would allow field testing to analyze: where is the field strongest; what is the range of field strengths for various transformer sizes, shapes and power usage; and what is the potential opportunity in terms of watts.


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