You are postulating laboratory methods are used in industrial settings.
Laboratory scientists use methods that can be accomplished with existing equipment. They aren’t going to invest in costly specialized equipment that can achieve economies of scale. Spiber can. I don’t think one should project laboratory techniques into industrial factories.
When I read the paper, I noticed that the additional toughness was only observed after their fibers had experienced inelastic stretch. That doesn’t seem particularly useful. The mussel-based proteins were not gluing the short fibers together into a longer and stronger one. So I came away unimpressed with what I at first thought was a clever technique to help overcome some of the issues in goo-based production.
As you say, their fibers were not particularly tough. If that is the best Spiber can do, KBLB will have little to fear from them. Mundane silk is tougher than that. As for costs, Spiber certainly knows the price points that have to be reached to compete in this market. If they can’t, Spiber will probably sell off their plant to a pharmaceutical firm looking to expand their biologics production.
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