Rapidly changing life preserver cover designs aim to enhance user wearability by addressing typical complaints about styles and materials. Newer coated fabrics are lighter, softer, and more flexible than traditional stiff, heavy materials like coated vinyl. Fabric technology has advanced from early TPU generations to lighter membranes and softer polymers in newer versions. Continued innovation will require navigating UL testing standards for incremental and disruptive changes to components and materials.

1. Rapid changing cover designs
enhance user wearability
Wednesday May 4th, Chris Semonelli - Wayne Walters-Daniel
Lantermari

2. Typical complaints –styles and covers
• Typical complaints / covers
- uncomfortable
- hot to wear
- not maneuverable
- not fashionable
- Too ugly

3. King George VI-Kapok-Mae West-Cork-Vinyl
Dipped

8. Coated fabric complaints and
product transition’s
• Typical life preserver coated fabric complaints and product
transition’s
- too stiff
- too crunchy
- too heavy
• Fabric Development
- TPU-1001 T - 1st generation
- TPU-1001 S - 2nd generation
- TPU-1001 S – light
- TPU xxxx- 100 denier version

9. Coated Fabric Technology has advanced into
Lighter membranes and softer Polymers
• Polymer of Coating
• Tenacity of base Fabric
• Denier of Base Fabric
• Add on weight of technical Textiles

10. UL development and Potential Issues of
Innovation and new Components
- Incremental Change-UL 1191
- TPU-1001 T - 1st generation
- TPU-1001 S - 2nd generation
- TPU-1001 S – light
• Disruptive Change-UL process for future development, UL future development 1242 new
part five
• TPU xxxx- 100 denier version

11. Glowspot U 1001

12. Thank You!