JEC Innovation Report - jeccomposites.com

JEC Europe 2013

1 jec composites magazine / No79 March 2013

Raw materials

JEC Innovation Report

New system for composite automotive mass productionHuntsman will highlight innovative solutions to support the growing demand for structural carbon composites in auto-

motive. Such demand is driven by the need to reduce CO2 emissions and by the automotive OEM requirement to lower manufacturing costs through reduced cycle times, which will make carbon composites cost-competitive for mass production.

As the first qualified supplier of resin systems for the first real composite application for a mass production car, Huntsman will showcase its new Araldite® system designed for the high-pressure RTM process, allowing a 5-minute “part-to-part” production cy-cle, which corresponds to more than 30% time saving in compar-ison to the first-generation HP-RTM commercial system. The company will also highlight very fast solutions for the compres-sion moulding process, enabling part-to-part production cycles of less than 3 minutes. Proven solutions for the filament winding process, e.g. pressure vessel applications, and expandable epoxy systems (EES), e.g. indoor panel applications, complete Hunts-man’s offer for the development of composites in automotive. www.huntsman.com/advanced_materials

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ive > Booth G65 AkzoNobel to extend cobalt-free

range of acceleratorsAt the 2013 JEC Composites show in Paris, AkzoNobel will launch its second-generation Nouryact TM accelerators, thereby extending its portfo-

lio of cobalt-free curing solutions.Driven by the recent reclassification of cobalt-2-ethylhexanoate as reprotoxic CMR cat. 2, and anticipating further pressure on cobalt substances, the company has further extended its range of cobalt alternatives. The new eco-premium accelerators are based on BluCure TM technology, and

100% cobalt-free. Primarily based on iron, the new Nouryact TM accelera-tors work in all temperature ranges and have a lower colour impact on the end products. They are a smooth and easy-to-use replacement for existing cobalt-based accelerators and in some cases even outperform cobalt, enabling a curing behaviour that cannot be achieved with conventional systems. End users can now select from six different Nouryact TM accelerators that can be combined with a full range of peroxide curing agents, offering a cobalt-free curing system for virtually every application. For resin producers and formulators, AkzoNobel offers innovative raw materials, such as Borchi® OXY Cure, and access to the BluCure TM technology. This enables them to formulate cobalt-free resins for the composite industry. More information on the new developments will be presented during AkzoNobel’s lecture at the JEC on Wednesday March 13 at 2:30 pm in the Agora room. www.nouryact.com

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Green additives for compositesWith the new air release additive BYK-A 505 and the new styrene suppressant additive BYK-S 760, BYK

contributes to sustainable composites. BYK-A 505 is 100% based on green renewable raw materials. The performance of BYK-A 505 is comparable to petroleum-based products widely used in the composite industry. BYK-S 760 is not only based on renewable raw materials, it also complies with the EU regulation 10/2011 (PIM). www.byk.com

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«Z plus» unidirectional dry fibre preformShikibo has been concentrating on the development of dry preforms for composite components for about 20 years, now offering the “Z

plus” unique dry preform. This preform is made using an original tech-nology. Unlike NCF (Non Crimp Fabric) preforms, “Z plus” has no fibre intersections and resin-rich areas. It can also be adapted to frame compo-nents for the airplane and aerospace sectors, or other general industries. The use of near-net-shape preforms is an important parameter in the manufacture of high-performance composites. “Z plus” is made using simple processes which can produce the requested shape from long fibres. No intermediate materials like NCF, woven or braided fabrics are used.The “Z plus” preform is produced layer by layer to get the final shape, and each layer is arranged according to the design. Shikibo can customize the “Z plus” preform to the customer’s requirements. www.shikibo.co.jp/research/center/index.html

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No79 March 2013 / jec composites magazine 2

Unidirectional fibre-reinforced thermoplastic prepregsFibre film technology allows the cost-efficient manufacture of Ce-Preg® continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic materials with

excellent mechanical properties. These high-performance prepregs are created by application and mel-ting of thermoplastic films on both sides of the unidirectional spread web feed. The developed machinery forms the unidirectional reinforcing fibre layer with completely stretched

fibres and a defined weight per unit area. The fibres are impregnated to create a pre-consolidated thermoplastic tape with a defined fibre volume content. The properties of the semi-finished parts can be varied by compounding the matrix materials.

The protected, fixed fibre bonding results in good handling qualities with a greatly reduced risk of filamentation during further processing. Currently, PP, PA 6 and PA 6.6 with film thicknesses between 40 and 100 μm are used as matrix material. Carbon, glass and basalt fibres are incorporated as reinforcing fibres. www.cetex.de

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r > Booth T66 Structural composite bondersAraldite® composite bonders maximize the potential of high-end composite structures: - Adhesive bonding facilitates the equal distribution of strain and stress across a joint, which makes it an

ideal technique for joining composite-material structures.; - Epoxy adhesives combining high toughness with lap shear strengths greater than 35 MPa on composite parts are now available and have already been successful in numerous challenging applications.; - Araldite® AW 4858 / hardener HW 4858 shows high strength properties. It is ideal for bonding composites to composites or to dissimilar materials, and also exhibits high toughness and long-term durability, maintain-ing high bond strength even under harsh environmental conditions; - Araldite® AW 4859 / hardener HW 4859, which also shows high strength and toughness, is ideal to bond structures for use in environ-ments exposed to temperatures far higher than 80°C during their work-life, for example in applications for racing cars, aerospace or transportation in general.

Huntsman also highlights fast-curing methacrylate-based adhesives Araldite® 2047-1 and Araldite® 2048 designed respectively for com-posite bonding with limited surface preparation and for the creation of flexible joints (90% elongation at break). These most recent additions are already proving their value in helping customers to find an efficient way of joining dissimilar materials, while their fast cure creates cost sav-ings. www.huntsman.com/advanced_materials

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Online hybrid yarns for advanced thermoplastic composites

Thermoplastic composites offer the advantages of short pro-duction cycle capabilities which make them feasible for high-

volume production. In contrast to thermosetting composites, they exhibit better impact resistance, recyclability and in the case of PLA, even biodeg-radability. However, fibre impregnation is more complex than for thermo-sets, due to the high melt viscosity of the ther-

moplastic matrix. Different impregnation techniques have been proposed and put into practice. The most promising routine is provided by online hybrid yarns that are based on the principle of homogeneously mixing matrix and reinforcing fibres during melt spinning. In contrast to other techniques, such as air jet texturing, the reinforcement fibres are not damaged during commingling. The IPF provides a pilot spinning plant for tailored online hybrid yarn manufacturing. Upon request, the following parameters can be easily modified:- Range of glass fibre diameters: 9-17 µm- Varying fibre volume content: 35-65 vol%- Applicable for different polymeric matrices: PP, PA, PBT or PLA - Customized sizing development and sizing applicationOnline hybrid yarns can be used for textile fabrics (weaves, warp-knits, braids, weft-knits), UD tapes or long fibre reinforced ther-moplastics (LFT). www.ipfdd.de/Composite-Materials

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New Epikote™ Binder System 620Momentive Specialty Chemicals introduces the new Epikote Binder System 620, developed for hot-melt preforming pro-cesses and enabling mass production of automotive composite parts. This one-component cross-linkable powder binder can be

conveniently applied to carbon or glass fibres and fabrics as a powder using a hot-melt coating process. In the softening temperature range between 80-90°C, the binder system exhibits excellent application behaviour and provides the fabric with very good workability and drapeability. Once the desired shape of preform is achieved, a short cure cycle above 120°C will initiate internal cross-linking of the binder. This higher-temperature fixation gives the preform the right stiffness for easy handling. This also ensures that the preform retains its dimen-sional stability even in demanding processes such as high-pressure RTM, typical of automotive mass production of composite parts. The Epikote Binder System 620 is fully compatible and complemen-tary with the innovative fast-cure Epikote/Epikure™ binder systems Momentive Specialty Chemicals has introduced for the automotive composite market. Given the additional preform integrity provided by the cross-linkable binder, it is expected that process developers may be able to increase flow/mould fill rates or the complexity of preforms, further reducing the time needed for the RTM injection step. www.momentive.com

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One-minute curing time for Loctite MAX 2 matrix resin Henkel has made a further breakthrough in the development of composite matrix resins for the manufacture of lightweight components in the automotive industry: cutting back the curing time of the Loctite MAX 2 composite matrix resin down to one minute. This polyure-thane-based composite matrix resin cures significantly faster than the epoxy products usually

employed for the resin transfer moulding process (RTM). Moreover, due to its low viscosity, Loctite MAX 2 penetrates and impregnates the fibre material significantly more easily and less harshly than competitor solutions, enabling very short injection times to be applied. This revolutionary fast-cu-ring composite matrix resin is the result of a collaboration between Henkel and KraussMaffei, one of the world’s leading makers of manufacturing and processing machinery for plastics, that aims at achieving further reductions in the manufacturing cycle times for a broad range of composite components. With its rather extensive adhesives portfolio, Henkel is thus able to offer a complete and coherent system for the manufacture and integration of composite components in the automotive sector. www.henkel.com

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ThermHex Waben introduces additional core thicknessesThermHex Waben GmbH, a daughter company of EconCore, offers lightweight polypropylene honeycomb core products

with tremendous mechanical performance. Until now, the com-pany’s standard core thicknesses included 8, 10, 15, 20 and 28 mm, but the ThermHex product range is constantly growing and will very soon include 22 and 23 mm thick-

nesses. Cores for many more applications will then be available. These new thicknesses open up many new opportunities as they are especially interesting for the construction industry and the truck & trailer industry. www.thermhex.de

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New primerless high-performance structural adhesives Acralock adhesives by Engineered Bonding Solutions, LLC, are advanced two-component primerless methacrylate struc-

tural adhesives, designed to bond chemically to most surfaces, providing a permanently locked or integrated assembly of steel, aluminium, engineered plastics, high-performance composites and other materials. Acralock adhesives are capable of bonding a wide range of these materials either to themselves or cross -bonded to a dissimilar substrate.

The patent-pending formulations are designed to provide very tough and durable bonds with high shear strength and elongation proper-ties. This makes Acralock adhesives the best choice for applications that need to withstand harsh environmental and shock load condi-tions. The rapid cure of these adhesives at room temperature sub-stantially decreases the assembly process time. www.acralock.com

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Low-twist flax composite used in turbine blade application A new application of the TEX 400 low-twist long flax fibre roving developed by Safilin has been found. A 300gsm UD and a 600gsm +/- 45° biaxial were produced and used in the manufacture of a 3.5-metre wind turbine blade. The flax/polyester vacuum-infused blade was produced and successfully tested by the University of Nottingham.

Fatigue tests on the flax composite turned out better compared to the corresponding E-glass material. Weight was reduced by 10% and environmental impact was lower thanks to the lack of synthetic fibres. The blade passed the IEC/British standard 61400 test. The University of Nottingham tested other fibres, including competitors flax fibres, leading to the same conclusions. Flax gave the best results and the fibres produced by Safilin were the best among other flax fibres. www.safilin.fr

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Saertex develops lightweight structural core Based on low-density PUR foam reinforced with a 3D glass structure, SAERfoam is ideal for many projects.

Using vacuum infusion or RTM, this reinforced core provides a structural sandwich laminate. By cre-ating the correct density of “bridges” in both direc-tions of the sheet, one can optimise the mechanical

properties of the structure to achieve the best performance-to-weight ratio, offering a very cost-effective solution. Cus-tom finishing, for instance supplying the core with grooves or as a kit, is also possible. With 45°reinforcement in two directions, the SAERfoam O grade creates ideal properties for multi-directional loads. This core easily replaces any existing material currently on the market, such as PVC, PET, etc. The high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ra-tios make SAERfoam O ideal for marine applications such as decks, hulls, and floors in transportation applications. The material has been certified by Bureau Veritas and is under-going testing by Germanischer Lloyd, due for completion in 2013. The X grade is ideal for highly oriented structures, such as bridge decks in civil engineering. Due to its 3D glass structure, the high rigidity of SAERfoam provides excellent stiffness and buckling resistance. Main applications cur-rently include industrial vehicle bodies and civil engineering fittings. SAERfoam can be used with most available resins, such as epoxy, vinylester, etc. with the added benefit of ex-cellent fatigue properties compared to existing foam cores. www.saertex.com

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JEC Europe 2013



Building blocks to increase thermal resistance

Nap Core – adjustable lightweight core material

Unique high-temperature foams by Zotefoams

Benzoxazine resins for composite materials

Increasing thermal resistance or maintaining thermal resistance while providing additional benefits has always

been one of the main focuses of Huntsman associates, from scientists designing new molecules to production specialists bringing concepts to real molecules. At JEC, Huntsman will showcase unique epoxy resins, harde-

ners and accelerators that help formulators to be successful in this domain. Tactix® 742 and Tactix® 556 are two excep-tional epoxy resins that respectively provide the highest glass transition temperature and the lowest water absorp-tion among all commercial epoxy resins. Araldite® MY 9721 and Araldite® MY 0610 are epoxy resins that allow combi-ning high thermal resistance and high modulus with easier processing conditions, thanks to their low viscosity. Aral-dite® MY 0816 possesses a unique structure, which allows this liquid bi-functional epoxy resin to decrease cross-lin-king density while retaining very good thermal resistance. Hardeners and accelerators such as latent Aradur® 3123 or Aradur® 1167 and recently developed DDS-modified curing agents will provide formulators with new tools to adapt the curing kinetics of their systems, while still providing high thermal resistance.

www.huntsman.com/advanced_materials

Nap Core is a light and open-cell three-dimensional core material with multi-adjustable properties. It consists of an impregnated knitted fabric moulded into a three-di-

mensional nap structure. Many of its properties, such as volume weight, mechanical characteristics and fire, smoke & toxicity performance, can be adjusted by varying nap geometry, yarn material, type of knitted fabric or resin system. InnoMat GmbH developed the Nap Core materials driven by the need for innovative core materials and the specifications of potential customers or project partners. Its current research ac-

tivities are focused on aerospace applications, but Nap Core can also meet the demands of automotive, marine, sports equipment or e-mobility applications. The core material is characterised by an open-cell structure that provides very good drainability. The geometrically-separated naps allow high drapability of the core material, so cylindrical parts with quite small radiuses can be moulded easily. Enough free space between the naps enables easy integration of cables and wires. Additionally, the nap structure provides good sound-absorbing properties. www.innomat-gmbh.de

Zotefoams plc, a manufacturer of cross-linked block foams for markets such as automotive, aero, sports, packaging, healthcare,

building, marine & military, offers a range of lightweight, closed cell foams based on engineering thermoplastic polyamide: Zotek N. The benefits of polyamide are its thermal (over 200°C) and chemical resistance. Polyamide is particularly resistant to swelling by hydrocar-bons such as oils.These materials can be used to manufacture complex shapes economi-cally by well-known thermoforming or vacuum forming methods. The resulting products can be used in a variety of applications to provide lightweight, insulating and impact-resistant components. The key properties of Zotek N products allow their use as lightweight cores in innovative sandwich composite solutions in both traditional and future solutions. Their small cellular structure means low resin uptake and high heat resistance, allowing for shorter and economic autoclave cycling.Zotek F is a range of lightweight, closed-cell foams based on the fluo-ropolymer Kynar® PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride). It is a remarkable material that offers a unique balance of properties including tempera-ture, UV and chemical resistance combined with excellent flammabi-lity performance. www.zotefoams.com

Developed specifically for the aerospace industry, benzoxazine resin technology offers a comprehensive

solution over commonly used epoxies, phenolics, and bismaleimides (BMIs). Benefits are seen in weight savings, pro-duct performance, storage, processing, and health and safety.Under the Loctite® brand, Henkel has developed benzoxazine resins for com-posite processes that provide benefits at every stage of the value chain. Major advantages compared to other technolo-gies are their higher service temperature, lower cure shrinkage, reduced micro-cracking, improved toughness and lower total manufacturing costs. The performance improvements enable further weight reduction in aircraft structures compared to the current generation of composites. These benzoxazine resins can be stored at room temperature, which simplifies processing and substantially reduces the amount of waste due to expired products. Since refrigerated storage is no longer neces-sary, energy consumption during shipping and storage is significantly reduced. And these are not the only benefits of the new generation of resins and composites. Loctite benzoxazine resins have the advantage of lower exothermic reactions. This means that the processing is more consistent for large and small components, which facilitates the sche-duling of autoclaves. The resins are available in a variety of composite product forms, including prepregs and infusion resins. www.henkel.com

> Booth G65

> Booth D 66

> Booth C14

> Booth R45

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Thermoplastic honeycomb cores based on PMMA, PVC and nylon

Prototyping with pDCPD for faster time-to-market

New gelcoats and CMR-free fire-resistant system

Intelligent release liners for prepreg composites

Continuing the exploration of ThermHex technology – the cost-effective lightweight panel pro-duction process whereby continuous honeycomb core production is directly followed by sand-wich skins lamination – EconCore has developed honeycombs based on new materials: PMMA, PVC and nylon. These new honeycomb types extend the material scope of the technology.

Similarly to the 100% polycarbonate ThermHex panel set-up, the PMMA honeycombs will typi-cally be laminated with transparent skins (PMMA) to produce rigid, light transmitting panels with high thermal insulation capability, e.g. for transparent roofing applications. PVC honeycombs, usually laminated with PVC skins, were developed primarily to match the needs of the building industry but could also be seen in some furniture applications. PVC ThermHex panels are stiffer and more isotropic compared to traditional multiwall PVC cladding panels while the weight of the PVC used for the honeycomb assembly itself is lower. Toray, one of EconCore’s partners, developed the Nanoalloy® PA honeycomb structure using ThermHex process technology. This honeycomb structure shows a unique impact absorbing behaviour in addition to the lightweight sandwich potential, thanks to its very specific morphology controlled by Toray’s polymer alloy technologies. The scope of applications for this sandwich core includes impact-sensitive applications, particularly in automotive parts. www.econcore.com

The new family of high-performance DCPD for-mulated resins recently introduced to the market by Telene SAS has proven to be highly successful,

enabling moulders to demonstrate the advances of Telene by presenting proto-type parts to OEMs.

The Telene® 1800 series consists of 2-component sys-tems. The resin sys-

tems incorporate the same monomers as the Telene 1600 and 1700 grades used in RIM processes, but are based on a different catalyst, overcoming sensitivity to oxygen or water and making it possible to work with relatively low-cost mould materials.

Prototypes with mechanical and thermal properties of the final polymer similar to those of traditional RIM grades have been produced. The first two commercially available grades, Telene 1811 and 1810, respectively allow for simple hand pouring and low-pressure machine casting. The Telene 1800 series gives the possibility to either mould accurate geometries or to cast near-net shapes that are machined/finished afterwards. Prototypes weighing more than 15 kg have been produced.Prototypes prove to be very helpful in proposing new concepts, in design optimizations and in the actual field testing. The result is a much shorter time-to-market at significantly lower cost.

In addition to their use in prototype production, Telene 1800 formulations are currently being evaluated in seve-ral new markets including offshore, E&E applications and structural composites. www.telene.com

Using its expertise in the composites market, Polyprocess deve-loped the following products to meet the needs expressed by its customers:

- New XPI series gelcoat especially designed for swimming pool builders, combining low viscosity, high durability and high brightness, without porosity.- New SAN series gelcoat for sanitary builders, offering excellent resis-tance to thermal shock and abrasion (according to EN14688).- New M1F0 fire-resistant system without CMRs, halogen and anti-mony, composed of the PO FR10 unsaturated polyester resin and the GCIG FR10 Iso NPG gelcoat. www.polyprocess.fr

With a strong technical expertise in silicone coating, Gascogne Laminates positions itself as the preferred partner for the compo-

site market by innovating and developing a comprehensive range of intelligent release solutions specifically designed for the manufacturing of prepregs. While most manufacturers give a technical description of their products, Gascogne Laminates considers release liners for composites differently and provides dedicated product ranges by end-use markets, focusing on satisfying specific aerospace, wind energy, sports & leisure and automotive requirements. Their innovative approach is based on a screening and ranking exercise of multiple criteria and performance levels expected from handling, processing and non-contamination of release liners to optimally satisfy all end-use market requirements. In line with their vision to “become the preferred partner for the composite market”, Gascogne Laminates invested more than €10 million in 2012, acquiring a state-of-the-art silicone coating machine. This new machine’s automa-ted silicone formulation preparation associated with in-line continuous control systems (silicone coating weight, humidity rate, web tempera-ture…) ensures the ultimate release consistency and reliability available on the market. Headquartered in France, Gascogne Laminates is a member of the Gas-cogne group, with operations across 70 countries, 20 production plants and a sales network of approximately 2,300 employees. www.gascognelaminates.com

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> Booth W18

> Booth D61 > Booth B26

> Booth W85

JEC Europe 2013


Pioneering glass technology for structural thermoplastic compositesJohns Manville, a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products, will present

its new, pioneering engineered reactive glass fibres developed for improved performance in structural thermoplastic compos-ites. Innovative products, such as StarRov® RXN 886, will be intro-

duced for the in-mould caprolactam polymerization process. The new product maximizes glass-matrix bonding, resulting in improved strength, multi-axial impact, ageing performance, and dimensional stability of polyamide-6 based structural composites. The product can be used in a variety of processes, including TP-RTM, TP-RIM, TP-pultrusion, and TP-filament winding. Johns Manville will also present new applications where ThermoFlow® chopped strands are used in polyamides and polypropylene. Additionally, automotive applications using MultiStar® 272 roving for SMC and StarRov® LFTPlus 490 contributing to lower odour LFT applications will be displayed. For the building and construction segment, high struc-tural profiles using StarRov® 908 roving will be presented. www.jm.com

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r > Booth G46 Oxeon celebrate 10 years in the composites industryFounded in 2003, Oxeon has quickly established itself as a market leader in spread tow rein-

forcements with its products marketed under the brand name TeXtreme®. The company has had tremendous growth since the start, only ten years ago, and the constantly increas-ing interest for the unique benefits of TeXtreme Spread Tow carbon reinforcements shows that it is positioned to become a leading player in the composites industry. Oxeon celebrates 10 years in business at JEC Paris 2013 and invites everyone to the stand party held during the show at stand P25.

TeXtreme Spread Tow reinforcements are the ultimate choice for making ultra-light composites. TeXtreme Technology is flexible and tow-size independent which enables the develop-ment of optimized reinforcement solutions tailor-made for specific application needs. Utilization of TeXtreme Spread Tow carbon fabrics and carbon UD tapes by manufacturers of advanced aerospace, industrial and sports products confirms that 20-30% lighter composite parts can be produced with im-proved mechanical properties and superior surface smooth-ness. www.textreme.com

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Wood-fibre reinforcement for polymersWoodForce® is an engineered diced pellet that delivers excep-tional polymer reinforcement to polyolefin compounds. This new patented technology offers many advantages including both

weight and cost savings with design opportunities unrivalled in the natural fibre sector. WoodForce is neither a by-product nor a residue, instead it is an industrially engineered wood-based product that of-fers natural strength for plastics. As a dynamic wood-based product capable of acting as a mechanical reinforcer for thermoplastic poly-mers, WoodForce dramatically improves the targeted properties of plastic resin. www.woodforce.com

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Soybeans: a promising raw material for composites Increasing concerns about the price volatility of petrochemi-cals, growing regulation surrounding the use of petrochemi-

cals, and escalating petroleum prices are concerns that worldwide manufacturers have in producing composites. Adding to that are public concerns about environmental issues, such as human health and global warming. As a result, manufacturers are turning to raw materials based on renewable resources. One that offers a number of advantages is soy. Current industrial uses of soy in the composites and automotive markets will be introduced at JEC Europe 2013. Technology that is currently under development or in the early stages of commercialization by the United Soybean Board, a United States farmer organization, will be showcased. This development of soybeans as a raw material is funded by the United Soybean Board (USB) in the market areas of plastics, fibres, adhesives, coatings, inks, solvents, paper, rubber and com-modity chemicals. www.soynewuses.org

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LCI data now available for Reichhold’s resinsReichhold has acquired in-house capabilities to perform cradle-to-gate LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) studies for a variety of resin systems in order to support customers’

efforts to manufacture more sustainable products. The level of emission and environmental impacts of Reichhold’s resins for which LCA and LCI (Life Cycle Inventory) studies have been made are considerably lower than the LCIs of a “generic” polyester resin in the most widely available LCA software and database. This is due to better process efficien-cy, optimized raw material sourcing and optimized manage-ment of energy requirements.

As a result, the LCA study for the final composite products incorporating the company’s resins will often show lower environmental impacts which will provide customers with sound, data-based and convincing arguments while promo-ting their products versus competitive materials (T-Plastics, aluminium and steel, wood, concrete) and when implemen-ting eco-labelling schemes, making environmental claims or developing Environmental Product Declarations. LCA and LCI studies have already been made for a wide range of Rei-chhold’s products and the LCA model is being systematically expanded to include all of the company’s products. Interested customers may receive LCI data for selected resin systems either in EcoSpold format (resulting processes) or collection of input/ output data as an Excel file. www.Reichhold.com

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ArmaFORM PET – a full lightweight product rangeMeeting the growing demand for weight-sensitive, fire-retardant and sustainable products for the composite industry, Armacell extends its struc-tural core foams with a new low-density range (60 kg/m³). The new lightweight range combines low density with the outstanding properties of the ArmaFORM PET AC, PET FR and PET GR product families. ArmaFORM PET AC60 is the standard for the requirements of modern compos-ite materials: low weight and high mechanical strength in conjunction with residual flexibility and maximum service life. ArmaFORM PET FR60

offers best-in-class fire properties (NF F16-101; DIN 5510) for weight-sensitive applications with stringent flame, smoke and toxicity requirements. ArmaFORM PET GR60 is lightweight and made 100% of recycled PET packaging waste – the ideal combination for highly sustainable requirements. Like all ArmaFORM PET foams, the new 60 kg/m³ density range shows excellent damage tolerance; outstanding fatigue resistance; very long-term thermal stability; limited density variation (<5%); superior processing temperature of 150°C (short-term up to 180°C); very good thermal insulation properties; fine and closed cell structure for limited water and resin absorption, excellent mechanical properties; thermoformability; high chemical resistance, no corrosion or degradation; superior fire resistance; enhanced ecological footprint. www.armacell-core-foams.com

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XTEND 19RSS improves release and reduces build-upAXEL’s new solvent-based semi-permanent release, XTEND 19RSS, resolves two of the biggest problems encountered in closed moulding applications, including LFI and light RTM:

inadequate release and build-up on mould surfaces. Faced with poor or difficult release, manufacturers resort to more frequent ap-plication of release coatings, often compounding the problem, with more build-up. XTEND 19RSS employs new chemistry to address these issues, delivering a highly cross-linked coating that is more resistant to abrasion and impervious to the embedment of residue that is so common in closed moulding. Customer moulding tractor and transportation parts in LFI and light RTM operations have demonstrated that the new release provided twice as many de-mouldings before requiring re-application. In addition, moulds ran cleaner for far longer, significantly increasing production. The product is suitable for a broad range of mould types and resins and is especially recommended for polyurethane, DCPD and other chemically-aggressive resin systems. It can be used at both ambient and elevated temperature, and applied by hand wiping or HVLP spray. www.axelplastics.com

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r > Booth P52 Cure with the power of lightSince the mid-1970s, ultraviolet (UV) energy has successfully cured inks and coatings. The general benefits of UV technology include:Almost instantaneous curing; Low to no volatile organic compound (VOC) or hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions; 1K formulations

with a long pot life. UV cure technology is emerging in composite manu-facturing, particularly in cured-in-place pipes, pultrusion and filament winding. Increased productivity and regulatory compliance are two major reasons why composite manufacturers are adopting UV technology. In filament winding, the high reactivity of UV systems enables process speed gains and quicker mandrel re-use. In pultrusion, it results in higher line speeds and parts with excellent dimensional tolerance, while the longer pot life reduces waste. Cytec Coating Resins’ line of UV-curable specialty epoxy acrylates is well suited to the composites industry. EBECRYL® 3720 delivers high Tg, high modulus, fast reactivity and excellent chemical resistance. For ease of handling, the products can be supplied as dilutions in various monomers, e.g. HDDA. To improve toughness, modified epoxy acrylates such as EBECRYL® 3708 can be blended in. Reactive diluting acrylates are also available to adjust the viscosity of the resin system and in-fluence the physical properties of the cured resin. Cytec’s IBOA is an excel-lent choice where flexibility, toughness and high Tg are required. HDDA enables good properties with low volatility. www.cytec.com

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JEC Europe 2013


HexPly® M79 prepreg for wind turbine bladesThe new HexPly® M79 prepreg from Hexcel is a potential game-changer in the wind blade industry - offering a real option for those who currently manufacture blades by infusion to move to prepreg technology and benefit from superior mechanical performance. HexPly M79 has been developed by Hexcel’s R&T chemists and engineers to respond to the industry requirements for a lower temperature curing prepreg that cures more quickly than products currently on the market. A number of cure cycle options are possible, providing great versatility. For a

very low temperature cure, a cycle of 10 hours at just 70°C is recommended. This enables lower cost tooling and associated materials to be used and results in energy savings, creating a highly competitive cost environment. If a more rapid cure cycle is required, then the prepreg can cure in 8 hours at 75°C and in only 4-6 hours at 80°C. This is a significant time-saving on established industry prepregs where a typical cure cycle for an 80°C curing resin matrix is 10 hours. With HexPly M79, there is also much less risk of an exothermic reaction (a 60% reduction on Hexcel’s standard M9G prepregs) yet the prepreg is based on the standard epoxy chemistry that has over 20 years of proven performance for wind blade manufac-ture. An additional benefit is that the new prepreg has a very long outlife at room temperature of at least 2 months, which is unusual for such a low temperature curing product. The low cure temperature of HexPly M79 gives the added benefit that the system is totally compatible with any liquid epoxy resin used for infusion processing. This means that the prepreg and infusion processes can be combined in the same blade, combining the twin advantages of stronger laminates and cost-effective processing. The ultimate performance for wind blades is achieved when HexPly M79 is reinforced with carbon fibre to provide exceptionally strong laminates that are lighter than those made with glass fibre. HexPly M79 with carbon fibre reinforcements is an enabling technology for the increasingly larger wind blades that are being manufactured – now approaching 100m in length. For these super-size blades, Hexcel’s innovative and patented carbon UD materials utilizing Grid-Technology allow very thick carbon UD laminates to be manufactured using vacuum bag technology, resulting in excellent void-free laminate quality. The technology assists in removing air during the vacuum bag process and ensures that the void content in the final unidirectional carbon laminate is very low, giving superior mechanical performance by translating carbon fibre properties into laminate properties. Hexcel’s HexPly carbon fibre UD prepregs with grid technology have been certified by Germanischer Lloyd for use in wind energy applications. www. hexcel.fr

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> Booth G57

HiTape® advanced reinforcements for OOA-processed aircraft primary structuresAt JEC Europe 2013, Hexcel will be launching the HiTape® high-per-formance unidirectional reinforcements, based on Hexcel’s HexTow® carbon fibre and designed to meet the requirements for aircraft primary structures made by cost-effective out of autoclave (OOA) vacuum

infusion or injection technology.

This new material allows dry preforms to be manufactured in a fully auto-mated lay-up process, similar to the AFP and ATL processes widely used for UD prepregs. The tight width tolerance of HiTape gives total control of the automated dry preform process – and it is a waste-free operation, even for complex structures, as the materials are placed exactly where required. There is no need to apply pressure to consolidate the preform and remove air as this occurs later when vacuum is applied. Aircraft structures made with HiTape demonstrate mechanical properties that are as high as those found in parts made with the latest generation primary structure prepregs. HiTape gives particularly high com-pression after impact (CAI) performance. HiTape has been used to great effect by Aerocomposit for wing prototype components.

Spirit AeroSystems has also successfully used it to form the skin of the outer fan cowl for an engine nacelle. Parts from both cus-tomers will be on display at the Hexcel stand at JEC. Videos filmed at Coriolis and M Torres will also be screened, demonstrating the speed and efficiency of the HiTape lay-up process. Hexcel supplies HiTape together with HexFlow® epoxy resins for optimum mechanical performance and infusion/injection process parameters. Customer evaluations have demonstrated that significant cost-savings are achievable with HiTape and the associated vacuum infusion process.

The materials allow the part design to be optimised and can include the integration of functions. The automated preform process is simplified, without any material splicing or the removal of polythene film – and very high preform lay-up outputs are achieved. Another cost-saving benefit is that no refrigerator storage is required due to the dry nature of the reinforcements. www.hexcel.fr

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LEO – Low weight and extreme opportunitiesLEO® is the next evaluation step of composites, combining low weight with the fulfilment of strict fire requirements in combination with the infusion process. At the same time,

it provides structural efficiency. As a result, monolithic and sandwich constructions with the highest fire restricting properties can be built. LEO® is built up with structural layers and an added protective layer. All types of E-glass or carbon multiaxial fabrics can be used to achieve the required mechanical stiffness of the final part. Despite the special treatment, the fabrics show no significant drop in mechanical properties or drapability. It is therefore possible to handle them as usual and to calculate the performance of the part upfront. A vinyl-ester matrix is used as non-filled infusion resin, offering benefits such as adjustable, fast curing cycles at moderate temperature, as well as low viscosity for the infusion process itself. A protective layer system can be applied, such as a topcoat or gelcoat. Finally, it combines high fire resistance, aesthetic properties and wear & tear resistance.The product passed the following FST tests:- Marine: IMO Res. A 653(16) / MSC Code 61(67) Annex 1 Part 2 and Part 5- Marine: IMO Res. A 754(18)- Railway: BS 6853 cat. 1b and cat 2- Railway: DIN 5510 - S4 / SR2 / ST2 + Tox acc. ISO5659-2- Construction: EN ISO 13501 - B / S2 / doLEO® is provided by SAERTEX as a system with all components. www.saertex.com

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> Booth M19


Rubber-based applicator aprons for glass fibre formingOerlikon Textile Components has more than 40 years’ experience in producing applicator aprons for the glass fibre industry. The

business, started under Dayco, is now integrated into the Accotex® product range. Customers all over the world benefit from the tough-ness, durability and excellent wetting properties of the Accotex® 946 apron product family. Modern production facilities in Muenster, Germany, ensure the constant quality of the apron from the mixing of the rubber compound up to the final product.

In close cooperation with customers, Oerlikon Textile Components expanded the product range with the Accotex® 946 FG3 apron, which is designed to meet the demands of super fine filaments such as BC (4 µm), C (4.5 µm) or D (5 µm). The basic function of a glass forming apron is to transport the sizing towards the glass fibre strands to ensure the complete, uniform coating of each individual fibre with the sizing. The quality of the binder pick-up is influenced by two major factors: chemical composition of the rubber apron and surface roughness. The Accotex® 946 FG3 apron combines both: perfect wetting character-istics due to a unique rubber composition along with a very smooth surface finish. www.components.oerlikontextile.com

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Roughness Ra*

Type

Yarn type

946

2–3 µm

coarse

946

1–2 µm

medium

946 FG

<1.0 µm

fine

946 FG3

<0.85 µm

super fine

Accotex® product range:

* Typical values

SlNGAPORE JUNE 25,26,27,20l3SUNTEC Singapore

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Simulation


Non-linear analysis of composite panels and cylindersFor accurate analyses of flat and curved composite panels and cylinders – including stiffened ones – the ESAComp

4.4 version released in December 2012 introduces a geo-metrically non-linear analysis. Composite panels may carry considerably higher loads than indicated by typical linear analy-ses, which are accurate only in the small-deflection regime. The ESAComp analysis allows taking loads up to the buckling and post-buckling region, which may reveal considerably differ-ent results than a linear buckling analysis. Structures may be sensitive to even small imperfections in their shape, which is accounted for by applying large factors of safety when using the linear buckling analysis.

The geometri-cally non-linear analysis describes the buckling behaviour more accurately, thus giving better confidence on the performance of the design. The

new capability allows performing accurate non-linear analyses with little effort already in the preliminary design phases, thus leading to lighter and more robust designs. Further, when there is a need for performing analyses of the complete structure with general FE software, the ESAComp panel and cylinder analyses provide additional information as to whether geometric non-linearities should be considered in those analyses as well. www.esacomp.com

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r > Booth V8 Web Industries acquires CAD CutWeb Industries, Inc., a leader in custom manufacturing and development services for flexible materials, recently ac-

quired CAD Cut, Inc., the leading provider of fabric cutting and kitting services for the aerospace, medical, and industrial fabrics markets. Under the terms of this transaction, Web has purchased essentially all of the assets of CAD Cut, including the company name, and will continue to operate CAD Cut’s facilities in Middlesex, Vermont, and Denton, Texas.CAD Cut utilizes the latest in computer-controlled laser and knife cutting systems, supply chain management services and world-class quality systems. The company specializes in provid-ing composite ply kits to the aerospace, aviation, defence, and industrial markets and also manufactures multilayer insulation blankets for cryogenic applications in medical devices, as well as process aids for wind tunnel testing devices.The synergy between the two companies is especially strong in the aerospace sector, where Web is the recognized leader in pro-viding precision composite slit tape for automated manufactur-ing, and CAD Cut has a strong background in providing precut and kitted material for hand layup of advanced composite parts. The addition of CAD Cut’s capabilities to Web Industries’ exist-ing array of proprietary services will allow the company to offer a full range of advanced composite formatting solutions. www.webindustries.com

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r > Booth G56

VERICUT composite applicationsVERICUT Composite Programming (VCP) software reads CAD surfaces and ply boundary information and creates fibre-placement paths to add material according to user-specified manufacturing standards and requirements.

Composite lay-up paths are linked together to form specific sequences and are output as numerical control (NC) programs for the automated fibre placement (AFP) machine. VERICUT Composite Simulation (VCS) software reads CAD models and simulates the lay-up sequence directly from NC program files. The simulated material applied to the form can be measured and inspected to ensure the NC program follows manufacturing standards and requirements.

VERICUT Composite Paths for Engineers (VCPe) provides the same features as VCP but without being configured to program a specific AFP machine. VCPe will allow design and production engineers to develop manufacturing strategies for composite parts and test for manufacturability in a virtual envi-ronment. www.cgtech.com

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Streamlining decisions between designers and analystsIn today’s competitive environment, there is less time than ever to get innovative products to market. Due to the

complexity of designing composite products, organizations run the risk of failing to achieve first-to-market advantage. One of the most significant bottlenecks is the lack of communica-tion between the analyst and the designer. The exchange of information between these disciplines is critical to the successful development of a composite product, but currently this exchange is not possible due to lack of interoperability and incompatible data formats. The Fibersim 13 portfolio of software for compos-ites engineering from Siemens PLM Software introduces a new workflow that enables analysts and designers to communicate unambiguously to make smarter decisions and better products. The analysis representation can be brought directly into the CAD design environment, allowing the designer to visualize, under-stand and compare their composite definition to the analyst’s. The designer is able to implement both information and geom-etry directly ensuring that only those changes intended by the analyst are applied. In addition, analysts often define ply require-ments by elements or clusters of elements on a meshed surface, thus creating rough approximations of the boundaries. Fibersim 13 gives the designer the tools to refine the boundary definition as provided by the analyst to obtain ply boundaries that can be used for detailed design. www.siemens.com/plm/fibersim

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JEC Europe 2013


Lower costs in CFRP parts productionCannon announces the recent development and supply of a complete, automatic turnkey line for its innovative “Liquid Lay-down” process. This process is an up-coming alterna-

tive to RTM technology for carbon-fibre-reinforced automotive parts.

The optimization of the process, through the inte-gration of three anthropomorphic robots to obtain a fully-automatic line, was aimed to achieve a low part-to-part cycle

time. This, combined with its intrinsic requirement for a lower compression force in the part forming phase, which above all results in a reduced capital investment, positions this process as a very competitive substitute for traditional HP-RTM in the au-tomotive field, providing a lower part cost to the manufacturer.Several innovative Cannon technologies are wisely combined in this solution: from the high-pressure Estrim metering unit and mixing head, for proper dosing of the two-component epoxy resin, to a specifically designed air-less distribution die for uni-form distribution, with laminar flow, of the resin-hardener mix directly onto the reinforcement carbon fibre stack outside of the mould. Alongside these, a large size hot press with accurate parallelism control (for part forming), and a low-tonnage cold press (for controlled cooling of parts) have also been designed and supplied by Cannon.A stable process with high output and high quality has thus been developed and successfully installed. www.cannon.com

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Multifunctional parts made of thermoplastic hybrid yarnsThe Composites department of the Institute of Aircraft Design of the University of Stuttgart specialises in research topics related to the design and manufactur-ing of composite parts based on textile structures. Different projects focus on the whole process chain, from the manufacturing of textile preforms to injection

technology through to the finished component.

A recent project focuses on the processing and development of thermoplastic hybrid yarns (carbon/PA6, glass/PA6.6). An innovative design and process chain has been developed in cooperation with Weberit GmbH, IPF Dresden, University Siegen, Ta-jima GmbH and TIME GmbH. It has been proven and tested successfully, using the example of a torque supporter for compact cars. Multifunctional parts can be designed using the tailored fibre placement (TFP) technology in combination with a new grouting and overmoulding process. The grouting tool exactly displays the topography of the embroidered preforms. The tool topography is derived using a software tool called EDOPunch developed by IPF. Thus, a constant grouting pressure is guaranteed in every part of the preform and all the fibres stay in their defined positions. This ensures a maximum weight saving potential and repeatable quality. The production process is very fast due to the short curing time of the PA6/PA6.6 matrix and addresses medium- to high-volume production. There are also very low cut losses due to TFP near-net-shape production. www.ifb.uni-stuttgart.de

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High-performance recycled plastic lumber (RPL)The PROWASTE Project intends to promote an in-novative industrial process

for the manufacture of high-performance recycled plastic lumber for urban/outdoor furniture. The raw material is mixed plastics waste normally destined for landfill or energy recovery. The innovation con-sists in introducing reinforcing pultruded rods in the plastic matrix during the extrusion process, without any substan-tial modification of the exist-ing production plant used for plastic lumber moulding. Compared with unreinforced plastic lumber, flexural properties are increased by a factor of 3 while creep compliance is more than one order of magnitude lower than for unreinforced beams. At the moment, the modified production system is operated at the plant of Solteco Madera Plastica, one of the project partners. The PROWASTE solution is ready to enter into the market. Innovative reinforced plastic lumber can be used in new applications where mechanical properties are a fundamental issue, such as pallets or railroad ties. The increased flexural stiffness also makes it possible to re-duce the thickness of the lumber, which means lower costs and improved aesthetic characteristics. The main economic benefit for customers is linked to the lower maintenance and replace-ment costs with respect to traditional materials. Compared to wood, the cost saving of an RPL landscaping application, like a bench, ranges from 18% to 32%. www.prowaste.eu

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> Booth B02

Research & Development


Coriolis Composites and Coriolis SoftwareBased in France, Germany, Canada and the UK, Coriolis Composites provides robotic cells and software for fibre

placement applications. Its products are mainly supplied to the commercial aerospace, automotive and wind industries. More than 20 machines have been sold so far around the world and several projects are underway.

The Coriolis technology is essentially an au-tomated process for the manufac-ture of composite parts such as fuselages, fairings, doors and spars.

The process is based on the use of industrial robots, which makes it attractive and flexible. Two software versions are avail-able with the machine: CADFiber (standalone) and CATFiber (integrated in CATIA V5/V6). Both provide complete support for composites design, manufacturing and simulation. In 2011, a new entity was established within the Coriolis Group: Coriolis Software, that develops generic software solu-tions for automated manufacturing of composite parts (in addi-tion to Coriolis Composites AFP cells). It employs 11 people, mainly as software developers, but also as technical and sales support staff for the two different software versions. www.coriolis-composites.com

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Full service for the successful use of 2K materialsAt the JEC Europe 2013, Sulzer Mixpac will present a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for the proper use of multi-component materials. With the MixCoat™ device, Sulzer Mixpac sets a new standard

for hand-held application of 2-component coating materials required for maintenance and repair work on ship hulls, pipelines, steel constructions and various other applications. The MixCoat Spray and MixCoat Flex systems do not only simplify difficult repair jobs, but also create added value and real cost advantages to customers. Sulzer Mixpac already has comprehensive ex-perience in the protective coating market. In order to avoid problems when applying the material, it is inevitable to look into that ideal system for any 2K material. The company’s experts support their customers with outstanding

services for the best choice of the application system for a specific application. With computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and state-of-the-art methodologies for labo-ratory analysis, Sulzer Mixpac is globally the only provider in its markets for this compre-hensive expertise. It avoids time-consuming and hence expensive trial and error testing, resulting in a significantly reduced time to market. www.sulzer.com

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r > Booth J73 New resin infusion adapterThe new resin infu-sion adapter (RIA) is a practical tool which

can ensure the connec-tion between the resin inlet tube or vacuum line and all Airtech resin infusion connectors. The sharp-angled end of this new adapter will easily perforate the vacuum bag placed on the top of the connector without the need of scissors. The per-forating end perfectly fits inside the central hole of the RIC or VAC-RIC ½” connectors whereas the other end can be connected to the Airtech resin inlet or vacuum tubes whether in polyethylene or silicone. Due to the adapter’s specific internal shape, the cured resin can easily be ejected after the resin infusion process. This new adapter will perfectly fit with the new SIL-TUBE, a flexible heat and chemical resistant tube suitable for room- to high-temperature resin infusion applications where it can be used as a vacuum channel or as a resin inlet tube. SIL-TUBE will not be compressed during vacuum applications. www.airtech.lu

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r > Booth M64

New piston metering and mixing systemThe Hilger u. Kern/Dopag Group has developed two new product lines to process low to high viscosity and

even abrasive materials, Metadis and Metamix. These new products are the result of consistent research, develop-ment and engineering with the goal of finding a visionary concept, able to set new standards for the future in metering technology. The modular construction of Metadis and Metamix enables a wide range of uses. Both product lines are especially recommended if a material needs to be applied in a highly precise and repeatable way. The rotational movement of a servo-motor is converted into a linear movement by means of a spindle which drives the steel piston. Due to various constructional char-acteristics, the systems require minimal maintenance and reduced service intervals, leading to a longer product life. These modern metering systems can be used in industries such as automotive, electrical and electronics, renewable energy, aerospace, white goods and many more. Metadis is used to handle single-component materials. Only a suitable material supply and metering computer is required. The material can be processed by either shot dispensing or continuous flow. Metamix is used to handle multi-component materials. Due to its compatibility and modularity, two Metadis single-component piston metering systems, with different sizes if required, are used. www.hilger-kern.com

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Equipment

JEC Europe 2013


Helman expands composite machinery and design services Helman has been a leading supplier of extremely accurate tensioner systems to the filament winding industry since the mid 80’s. The company made a name for itself with

its bi-directional servo-controlled system that offers unparal-leled accuracy, control and reliability. Helman has expanded its

services and product line to offer everything needed in a filament winding manu-facturing cell. From winders and tensioners to ovens and testing equipment, the com-pany can design, build and provide everything needed to complete a winding cell.

Helman now also offers a full line of composite design services through its parent company MasterWorks. MasterWorks Com-posite Solutions Division is a one-stop source for all composite manufacturing needs, providing everything from FEA analy-sis and COPV product design support to complete custom composite manufacturing cell layout. With over 20 years of composite engineering and design experience, they can use their know-how to provide professional solutions to nearly any composite challenge. www.helmantensioners.com

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> Booth E43b Radioscopy and 3D computer tomographyRX Solutions is an expert in non-destructive X-ray tech-nologies that offers tailored

services in digital radioscopy and high-resolution 3D tomography for metrology, healthcare and industrial applications such as aeronautics & aerospace, chemistry & metallurgy, energy, electronic, plastics injection moulding, military, telecommu-nications & broadcasting, etc. The company develops and markets complete equipment for X-ray imaging that uses X-ray generators with the latest generation of imagers to achieve resolutions of a micron or less.

From 2D or 3D views, RX Solutions provides:- internal and external dimensional measurements - 3D scanning, including the interior- search for defects or cracks- porosity or fibre analysis- thickness control- inspection of assemblies- STL exports- CAD comparisons www.rxsolutions.fr

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> Booth C23

Thermwood announces new high-performance 5-axis Model 77The Thermwood Model 77 series is a heavy duty, high-performance five-axis CNC router specifically developed for three-dimen-sional machining of non-ferrous metals, composites and other advanced materials. These applications range from machining pat-terns and moulds/plugs to trimming and machining production products for the aerospace, aviation, boating and military/defence industries.

This stationary table, high-wall machine starts with a complete working envelope of 5 x 10ft. (1524 x 3048mm) and can expand to larger sizes to fit the application concerned. The M77 was designed using advanced 3D software utilizing finite element analysis and is inspected and calibrated using a precision 3D volumetric laser system. All major welds, including the base and gantry, are stress relieved to provide long-term stability. Standard configuration for the moving gantry M77 is a 12Hp spindle, 3ft. (915mm) Z clearance, full working envelope, 10-position, automatic rotary tool changer and a patented impact-resistant head. Also standard is Thermwood’s QCore control which is a high-performance, easy to use controller that includes a huge 1 terabyte hard disk for program storage and is enclosed in a dust-pro-tected, air-conditioned cabinet. Additional options include the base table for moving in/out large fixtures, liquid-cooled spindle, continuous C axis and more.

www.thermwood.com

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New pressure-sensitive tape with excellent tackFlashbreaker® PS1 is a high-temperature, high tensile strength polyester film coated with a high-tack pressure-sensitive silicone adhesive for oven or autoclave cure up to 204°C. The red colour provides high visibility when placed on parts and moulds.

Flashbreaker® pressure-sensitive tapes bond to metal and composites for multi-purpose functions, such as holding down vacuum bagging materials, thermocouple wires, masking-off, chem-milling protection or in riveting shops. The tapes are removed easily after cure. Flashbreaker® PS1 is available in two widths: 1 inch (25.4 mm) or 2 inches (50.8 mm). Other sizes are available upon request. www.airtech.lu

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SMART deformation monitoring grids and heating pocket Tibtech is widening its offer of electro-heating yarns and grids for composites with the development of smart captor grids that can be used as surface captors to monitor structural deformation of composite parts.

The Tibtech flexible smart grid structure can be added on the surface or, better, inserted in between dif-ferent reinforcement layers of a composite. They allow direct integrated measurement of surface deforma-tion within the structure in functional conditions. The grid integrates a newly developed yarn deformation captor whose resistivity changes according to its elongation. Although Tibtech is not supplying directly the electronic device for signal processing, a second integration of the output signal could be very useful to monitor the periodic deformation within a composite part submitted to vibrations strain, in wind blades or a boat mast, for example. Long-term structural fatigue effects could also be monitored using this prom-ising technique. Tibtech will also present its new flexible heating pocket concept designed for composite processing without oven. Working tempera-ture conditions can range from 80°C to 160°C or even 180°C. The company has specially developed a vacuum heating pocket where heating can be associated to vacuum conditions. The high flexibility and versatility of the heating pockets make it possible to work with different composite part dimensions. Avoiding the use of an oven, this technique also saves a lot of space as the pockets can be folded after use. www.tibtech.com

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VAC-RIC HT & LT, new resin infusion connectorsAirtech’s new high- and low-temperature resin infusion connectors, VAC-RIC HT and VAC-RIC LT, provide inexpensive and efficient through-bag connection for vacuum manifold and resin feed lines for high temperature resin infusion applications. Their flat base was designed to be easily

placed on the top of the Resintrak or Vactrak tapes. They are also suitable for use with the Dahlpac MC79 vacuum breather pad. www.airtech.lu

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High-performance glass twisting machineOerlikon Saurer presents the Volkmann Glass Twister for the first time at JEC. Developed in Europe, the Twister was initially intro-

duced to the European and Chinese markets in 2005 as the universal VGT-10 model and its further evolution, the VGT-11.The VGT-9 model, with a narrower spindle gauge, is especially designed for finer yarn counts under 11 tex. Thanks to a vibration-free ring bank and a fine-tuned control of the yarn balloon tension, it can be operated at spindle speeds 25% superior to other available machines.All VGT models feature individually motor-driven, frequency inverter controlled feeding baskets or capstans and take-up spindles with perma-nent monitoring through an interactive, central IPC ensuring a constant yarn torsion.

The perfectly balanced, encoder-controlled ring bank with inte-grated spring weight compensa-tion allows accurate yarn guiding and winding. As a result, the take-up package can be set-up for optimum unwinding properties depending on the subsequent process.The unique modular design with pre-assembled sections ensures immediate, reliable operation

on the mill floor and short erection times. The Volkmann Glass Twister can be adapted either to single yarn up-twisting or multi-ply assembling and twisting, and can process all current glass fibre types as well as basalt fibres in a wide range of counts. www.oerlikon.com

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r > Booth S75A fully-automated RTM production line Further to the JEC 2011 show, Compose and its partners, Isojet and Pinette Emidecau, bid for a Ger-

man public tendering for an aerospace R&D project led by DLR. The customer wanted to prove the feasibility of manufacturing complex net-shape parts in high vol-ume using the RTM process. Compose and its partners submitted a bespoken design for a fully-automated RTM production line. The offer included a RTM mould, a hot-platen press, an injection system, a venting system, a robot, a preparing station and the transfer system.

This automated RTM produc-tion line allows increased pro-duction rates. In this case, the cus-tomer wants to reach a challeng-

ing goal of 100,000 parts/year. The production parame-ters are monitored, controlled and recorded for each part, therefore improving production quality, and production costs are reduced. The RTM production line has been set up in the DLR’s Centre for Lightweight Production Tech-nology in Stade. It could be a solution to broaden the use of composites in the industry, open up new markets and meet high-volume requirements (aerospace, automotive). www.compose-tools.com

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JEC Europe 2013


Leading-edge oxidation technology for carbon fibreHarper’s oxidation oven design brings well needed advancements to oxidation technology, incor-porating multiple improvements beyond what is available on the market today to serve the need for growing capacities and increase efficiency. For the customer, this technology equals faster oxi-dation, improved velocity uniformity and range, assurance of temperature uniformity at a variety

of flow rates, and optimal control of the reaction ultimately enhancing fibre quality. As demonstrated in industry presentations, Harper’s oxidation oven systems are capable of reduc-ing the energy consumption of the oxidation process by a factor of 2x-3x as compared to traditional oven design. This design utilizes a combination of mechanical design features and control systems to provide precision management of the energetic state within the oven. This innovation is an essential evolution towards the type of technology that will be necessary to meet the requirements for use of many emerging precursor materials. Harper’s systems are designed to help customers advance their carbon fibre production operations. They are maximized for reuse of energy available from waste gas abatement, offer instrumentation and control advances allowing for a high degree of process optimization, and incorporate end-seals that maximize the effective heated volume and drastically reduce room air ingress and the chimney effect. www.harperintl.com

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> Booth T51

Production

New vinylester spray tooling gelcoatScott Bader’s new vinyl ester (VE) spray tooling gelcoat is being launched at JEC

Europe 2013. Crystic Gelcoat 15PA is a VE spray tooling gelcoat with a unique base resin technology recently developed by Scott Bader. For GRP tooling, it offers superior gloss retention and resistance to print-through. This VE spray geIcoat is the latest addition to the Crystic Matched Tool-ing System, which offers mould-makers a brush tooling gelcoat if preferred, along with a VE skincoat and choice of standard or rapid back-up tooling resins. The gelcoat sprays easily with good coverage and offers superior gloss retention after multiple mould pulls. It is non-gassing, has a very low porosity surface, excellent fibre print-through resistance with Crystic Matched Tooling System and uses a standard MEKP catalyst.Its key benefits include a high-gloss polished mould finish, enhanced gloss retention, fast mould production, rapid cure even at low temperature and reduced labour time.Crystic Gelcoat 15PA has been successfully trialled by key customers and is now speci-fied. According to one customer, it sprays very easily and covers nicely with no sagging. The degassing is perfect and no pinholes were found even after sanding the gelcoat surface. But where it really outperforms the competi-tion is in achieving excellent resistance to print-through when vacuum bagging a 2x2 twill carbon fabric of 200 g/m² with epoxy resin. www.scottbader.com

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r > Booth V18 Cygnet Tex-Web unveils latest PAN precursor creelBritish-based creel specialist Cygnet Tex-Web will unveil its next-generation PAN precursor

creel at JEC Europe. Built to deliver excep-tional tension control, accuracy, and consistency of unwind into fibre carbonisation lines, the VHD machine uses a unique top box tension compensa-tor fitted with incremental controls to handle large PAN precursor packages of 350kg and over. The third-generation creel, which has already been installed at two carbon fibre production companies in Korea and China, was designed for fast and reliable installation. Cygnet Tex-Web uses a series of customised procedures to build, test and calibrate the machine in-house to ensure the unit’s base tension is set before it is delivered to a customer’s site. Once there, the machine can be quickly installed and commissioned with minimal ad-justments. This is possible because of the modular, fully self-contained design of the top box that relies on machined components for tighter, more reliable and stable controls. The machine also features its own purpose-built lifter-loader system to ensure creel change-overs are clean and efficient. Cygnet Tex-Web’s creel business has been devel-oping specialised creels for the international fibre and fabric processing industries for almost 40 years. In the last ten years, the company has installed over 40 of its first and second generation PAN precursor creels. www.cygnet-tw.com

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r > Booth F9

Innovative Airtech vacuum test unitThe Airtech vacuum test unit is used to test the vacuum integrity of all Airtech vacuum hoses and valves as well as the quick disconnect couplings attached to these hoses and valves.

Simply connect the Airtech vacuum test unit to a vacuum source and use the isolation valve and the vacuum gauges to perform a vacuum drop test on the attached components to be tested. The unit is a compact, lightweight and easy-to-use device which can be used to test in-service equipment or to check equipment which has undergone maintenance such as seal replacements on vacuum valves or end fitting replacements on vacuum hoses. www.airtech.lu

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r > Booth M64


“Clean” filament winding technologyA UK consortium has developed an environmentally-friendly filament winding technology for the production of high-performance composites. Using this new technology, a conventional resin bath is replaced by a custom-designed resin impregnation unit; resin and hardener are stored separately,

metered electronically and delivered on-demand to a static mixer connected to the impregnation unit, typically mounted on the traverse-arm of the filament winding machine, close to the mandrel. A precise volume of mixed resin is applied by the system to impregnate the fibre bundle, minimising over-impregna-tion. This new “clean” technology significantly reduces the volume of solvent required to clean equipment; up to an 80% reduction in solvent consumption has been achieved, along with an equivalent reduction of mixed resin waste. This environmentally-friendly production technique can be retro-fitted to existing filament winding machines. A variety of thermosets, including faster curing resins, have been successfully trialled with this new filament winding technology, which is adaptable for other manufacturing processes such as pre-pregging and pultrusion. The consortium members are the University of Birmingham, Pultrex, Mouldlife, Halyard Marine, Luxfer Gas Cylinders, PPG Industries, CTM and Bruker. Their aim is to market this technology under license globally. The project started in 2010 with funding from the Technology Strategy Board. www.pultrex.com

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r > Booth U39

Induction welding machine for thermoplastic compositesA new induction welding machine was developed by SINERGO and CETMA for continuous and automated welding of advanced thermoplastic composites for different

industrial sectors. This machine is provided with a fine control system (patent pending), which can simultaneously control different parameters, such as working power, compacting force, feed velocity and cooling rate. Thanks to this control system, the induction welding machine can weld all advanced ther-moplastic composites reinforced with both glass and carbon fibre, with high and constant properties. Moreover, the developed technology can be applied to components with complex shapes, also in the proximity to edges, and to thick laminates. The mechanical properties of the joints obtained with the new induction welding machine, optimized through an FEM analysis carried out with Comsol Multiphysics, were evaluated through a wide ex-perimental characterization that produced the following results:- Single-lap shear strength: 30 MPa; - T-joint strength (pull-out tests): 10 N/mm. www.cetma.it

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r > Booth B02 Maxtronic Multiaxial machine With the well-known Malitronic® Multiaxial and biaxial ma-chines, Karl Mayer Malimo has firmly positioned itself in the global glass and carbon fibre composite market over the past years. Contributing to this was also their recent development

of a fibre spreading line for the manufacture of dry UD tapes from carbon fibres, and in particular “heavy-tow” fibres.

The growth potential of the glass fibre composite market for wind power in Asia and its customers there have motivated the company to develop a new generation of Multiaxial machines – the Max-tronic® Multiaxial.This concept offers a multiaxial machine with an outstanding price-to-performance ratio. www.karlmayer.com

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r > Booth T66

Dow to present next-generation composite solutionsAt JEC 2013, The Dow Chemical Company will present its most recent developments of composite systems. Building on Dow’s leadership in material science, and combining polyurethane and epoxy chemistry, these solutions for stronger, lightweight and more durable composites enable efficient fabrication in several industrial sectors, such as construction, infrastructure, wind energy,

and automotive.Visitors can look forward to seeing new composite developments for established fabrication processes such as:- Pultrusion: VORAFORCE™ TP 1200 polyurethane system.- Long fibre injection: new 800 mm diameter, D 400 manhole cover made with VORAFORCE™ KN.- Vacuum infusion: enhanced AIRSTONE™ epoxy infusion system and an innovative adhesive technology addition for wind blade composites.- Rotational moulding: ROTAKOTE™ P – a new elastomer, designed particularly for the paper industry and steel manufacturing.- Resin transfer moulding: next-generation, fast-cure, VORAFORCE™ 5000 and 7000 series resin formulations, and BETAMATE™/BETAFORCE™ adhesives for automotive composites.- Carbon fibre: the joint venture between Dow and Aksa offers significant advantages to develop, manufacture and globally market car-bon fibre and derivatives to support the rapidly expanding carbon-fibre-based composites industry. www.dow.com

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r > Booth P14

JEC Europe 2013


Tools for special composite applicationsDue to their centre cutting end teeth, PROFILE CUT tools are specially designed for the profiling of complex honeycomb parts and structures where plunging operations are possible. These tools are also available with ball nose to facilitate a smooth radius. With their combination of radial and axial teeth, PROFILE CUTs are optimized for application on 3-axis machines which only allow a tilted spindle

head in one direction or not at all. They can also be used on 5-axis milling machines.All PROFILE CUT tools are made of high-quality solid carbide. If necessary, they can optionally be coated with Neuhauser’s patented PVD multilayer coating. The FOAM CUT tools are designed to ma-chine solid foams and foam-potted honeycombs. With their ball nose geometry, these tools are designed for machining on 5-axis machines. These high-performance cutters have an aggressive tooth geometry with high rake angles and wide flutes to facilitate chip flow and to meet all feed requirements. The unequal tooth pitch prevents vibrations and enables an excellent surface finish. All FOAM CUT tools are made of HSS cobalt powdered metal (PM). Additionally, performance and tool life are increased by using an appropriate coating: the patented multilayer PVD coating for wear protection, that also prevents sticking. www.neuhaeuser-controx.com

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r > Booth M69

Combined ATL and AFP machines Producers of advanced composite parts typically have a dilemma when purchasing a lay-up machine, being forced to either pick fibre place-ment or tape placement technology. Rarely both are offered, and when

they are, it is at a much higher cost and complexity in operation. Together with the lack of software to ease the complex programming, the producer struggles to make both technologies work, typically ending up with a single method for a part. Mikrosam AD has already delivered ATL and AFP ma-chines around the world, and is now combining both technologies in a single product, significantly easing the ability to program and lay-up parts. The company offers a new line of automated placement machines that are able to apply both technologies – ATL and AFP – on a single mandrel, without complex and timely head switching. This means there is no down-time to change from one placement method to another, since both lay-up heads work independently of each other. Together with its unique MikroPlace advanced composite programming software, the producer is able to pro-gram both technologies from a single PC, and run the program on a single machine interface. The machines are offered either in the robust, gantry-style dual lay-up head, or as a multi-robot lay-up platform for extra parallel processing. www.mikrosam.com

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r > Booth V80

FRP composite asset management reference manual

JMC Composites Ltd. has identified a lack of complete technical refer-ence documents for FRP asset operators. So, in early 2013, they will be launching a new FRP Composite Asset Management Reference Manual

which has never been produced before. The manual will be compiled by industry experts including eminent composite consulting engineers, James Quinn and Michael Garnish. The manual will consist of a suite of technical documents to assist the operator of FRP assets to specify, install, maintain, inspect and repair pipe systems, storage & process tanks and pultruded access structures. It will be specifically targeted at operators of power stations, water distribution, waste water treatment, chemical process plant, hydro-electric schemes, etc. It will also include a comprehensive introduction to FRP com-posites detailing materials, processes and properties of FRP. In addition, an extensive key supplier directory will outline the capabilities, skills and experi-ence of providers of materials, equipment, products and services. Interested suppliers are invited to include their details in the directory at very competi-tive rates. The book will be launched at JEC Europe 2013. www.jmccomposites.co.uk

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New ultra-low styrene content spray gelcoatAt JEC Europe 2013, Scott Bader is launching the new Crystic Ecogel S1PA, a unique technology ‘ultra-

low styrene content’ spray gelcoat developed for use in general moulding, transportation, wind energy and building applications. Independent laboratory tests have proven that Crystic Ecogel S1PA can cut total styrene emis-sions by over 55%, com-pared to using a standard technology polyester spray gelcoat when sprayed using extraction equipment with an air flow rate of 5000m3/hr. This new low-styrene gelcoat technology will be explained in a JEC open forum technical presentation at 3pm on March 13th. Key features: Very low VOC emissions in both dynamic (airless spray) and static (gelation) phases; spray ap-plication using the same techniques and equipment as standard gelcoats; cures with a standard MEKP cata-lyst; excellent adhesion to UP and VE resins; good UV resistance, suitable for external applications; and, high long-term gloss finish. Key customers have trialled Ecogel, including LM Wind Power, who now uses Scott Bader’s ultra-low styrene gelcoat product in its plants globally after it met their de-manding in-house HSE standards. LM saw major reduc-tions of more than 50% in styrene emissions during spray gelcoat application, without any loss of performance. Ac-cording to LM Wind Power, the ultra-low styrene Ecogel gelcoat has enabled them to greatly improve the environ-ment for their workers. www.scottbader.com

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r > Booth V18


New technology for long fibre-reinforced thermoplastics plantsDieffenbacher has developed a new line technology that allows the manufacture of components from long fibre-reinforced thermoplastics via direct compounding (known as LFT-D)

with additional reinforcement provided by unidirectional fibre tape (UD fibre placement). Body components are made from long fibre-reinforced thermoplastics featuring greater structural rigidity thanks to the addition of UD fibre tapes. With the development of tailored fibre placement LFT-D technology, it is now possible to discontinue inline, component-specific unidirectional fibre rein-forcement and integrate the reinforcements into the component structure itself.

In cooperation with their partner KraussMaffei and automation specialists Märtiens Robotec, Dieffenbacher has also developed a fully-automated production line for the manufacture production of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic components using the high-pressure resin transfer moulding process (HP-RTM). The production system covers the system units for preform production, the press process and the subsequent reworking of components. The HP-RTM line can be configured for use in both large- and small-scale production. Dieffenbacher delivers the production line ready for immediate use.

SMC Directline: just-in-time manufacturing of semi-finished parts The advanced D-SMC direct process opens up new potential appli-cations for thermosetting plastic composites as part of lightweight construction in the automotive industry. Mat-like semi-finished parts are traditionally transformed into moulded parts by means of a flow process. However, the process for maturing and storing semi-finished parts, as well as the related logistics, is both time-consuming and cost intensive. Dieffenbacher has developed a fully-automated production line for fibre-reinforced thermosetting plastics that helps avoid these costs. www.dieffenbacher. com

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r > Booth L31

Inserting a solar cell in a curved composite partA new fabrication process developed by ID Composite and the St Brieuc Institute of Technology makes it possi-ble to insert a solar cell in a composite material. Using this

process, it is no longer necessary to mount a solar panel on the part, thus eliminating extra weight, leaks risk and unsightly ap-pearance.

The cells are embedded in the infusion-moulded composite parts without overthickness or design restraints because they are flexible and can be fitted on curved surfaces.

These parts including solar cells are light and strong, fully in-tegrating the cell. Ready-to-connect wires are embedded in the composite. This process can be used for street furniture (bus shelters...), roofing or car body components. www.idcomposite.fr

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r > Booth V89

Atlas One – Forest-Liné’s newest tape-layerA double curvature tape-layer for the price of a flat tape-layer? This is now possible with the Atlas One.Forest-Liné has extended its range of composite machines and

proposes a brand new automated cutting and tape-laying machine for pre-impregnated carbon tows.

Its main specifications include:• 6-axis machine for more accuracy • Light structure to produce parts up to 4 m wide, no cutting machine required• Two-cutter machine for additional cutting capabilities • Optional high-performance trimming device www.forest-line.com

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r > Booth V56

Automated composite repair and reworkingManual repair and reworking of composite components are time-consuming and work-intensive. This is especially true of

scarfing performed as preparation for patch repair. With geometri-cally adaptive 5-axis milling, composite components of different shapes can be scarfed fully automatically. Automation solutions from BCT substantially reduce machining times while at the same time improving the quality of the repair preparations. With the OpenARMS-CompR (Composite Repair and Reworking) soft-ware solution, scarfing is performed automatically. The program comes with a convenient user environment for easy setup. Patch patterns and scarfed areas of all kinds can be milled. The geom-etry of the scarfed area is given by the master milling program; for example, 2.5-D pocket milling with 3 axes. CompR generates scarfed areas on “unknown” component geometries. The line scanner first captures the topology of the damaged area and then scans the 3D geometry with a high degree of accuracy. A 3D sur-face model reproducing the actual geometry of the damaged area is generated from the scanned points. The master milling program is then wrapped onto to the 3D surface geometry. The geometri-cally adapted milling programs have 5 axes and run parallel to the contours of the actual geometry of the damaged area.

5-axis milling of the scarfed area is then performed on the mobile or stationary NC machine. A wide variety of milling strategies and cutting tool geometries can be used here. www.bct-online.de

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r > Booth H64

JEC Europe 2013


Smarter adhesive solutions for dicyclopentadiene composites bonding

At JEC Europe 2013, SCIGRIP, the global leader in adhesive solutions, is launching

an enhanced product for bonding dicyclopen-tadiene (DCPD) composites. As a result of their developmental work with SG600, a me-thyl methacrylate (MMA) structural adhesive, SCIGRIP has produced an advanced product that is suitable for bonding many difficult substrates including grades of DCPD.

Many grades of DCPD adhered successfully with SG600 with-out time-consuming preparation techniques such as flame treat-ment. SG600 is a cold curing solution that produces tough and fatigue-resistant bonds, and also features ratio adjustable cure times and rheology compatible with robotic application. SG600 has also performed well in trials bonding ABS, PVC and SMC as well as traditional PE, VE or epoxy composites. SCIGRIP will additionally be featuring their 10:1 MMA range, now in full EU and USA production. These include SG230HV, the high-gap-fill, low-exotherm MMA for large composite component assembly, and SG300, popular in many transport sectors for tough bond-ing of composites and metals without primer. www.scigrip.com

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r > Booth D43 New internal mould relaese additives for DICY-cured epoxy resin

Axel Plastics Research Laboratories announces two new internal mould release additives for DICY (dicyanamide)

-cured epoxy resin: MoldWiz®INT-1322 and INT-1329. By nature, DICY-cured epoxies are among the most tenacious in their bond-ing properties, prompting many in the industry to search for more effective ways to release DICY epoxy, resins, compounds, prepregs and laminates. In the past, many internal mould release formula-tions proved ineffective, often killing the cure of the DICY resin and leaving the polymer under-cured and tacky. AXEL’s new pro-prietary formulation MoldWiz® INT-1322 has been proven to have no impact on the cure kinetics of imidazole- or amine-accelerated DICY. For non-accelerated DICY-cured epoxy resin, AXEL offers INT-1329, which is formulated for the higher process temperatures associated with these DICY systems. Initial evaluations of these two new internal mould release additives indicate that they have a good pot life in resin mixes and provide good release from moulds and substrates, making them equally suitable for use in epoxy resin, epoxy compounds and prepregs. MoldWiz INT-1322 and INT-1329 are proprietary synergistic blends, comprised of organic fatty amine and acid derivatives with surface active agents. The products are 100% active and generally effective at addition levels of 0.5-4 % based on resin system weight and dependent on process, fillers, etc. www.axelplastics.com

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r > Booth P52

Laser micromachining of compositesFor several decades, composite materials have gradually replaced metals in many industrial applications. Thanks to

improved processes to shape and machine composites, production costs and time have significantly decreased, allowing use in many fields such as automotive, aeronautics, and other fields requiring light-weight constructions.

However, processing of composites remains a challenge: the specific stack structures of carbon fibres impregnated in a highly abrasive and heat-sensitive plastic matrix is a constraint for many machining schemes. In addition, traditional machining technolo-gies involve contact forces that can induce delamination between the finer layers.Alphanov has developed innovative laser processes for machin-ing composite materials with ultimate precision and quality. Laser processing is inherently non-contact, which drastically reduces the risk of delamination. The main challenge lies in managing the energy deposition to limit thermal degradation caused by the heat transferred along the carbon fibres. Based on its extensive laser fleet, Alphanov has developed a deep understanding of the light-matter interaction phenomena and recently studied the influ-ence of energy density on the extent of the heat affected zone, the ablation rate and the quality of machining. This helps choosing the right process parameters for the right material in order to fulfil the requirements with high-quality and fast processing times. www.alphanov.com

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r > Booth T20New independent FP programming software from Ingersoll Over the past year, Ingersoll M.T. introduced several new developments for its AFP line of equipment, including a

new stand-alone software package for the programming of automated fibre placement machines. Ingersoll partnered with Lockheed Martin for the development of CPS2, a successor to its current integrated composite programming software, iCPS. This development intends to provide more flexibility and ease-of-use throughout automated composite processing.CPS2 is independent of both the AFP machine and the soft-ware’s operating system and interfaces with any of the more commonly used CAD programs. Common, independent software offers more freedom from supplier-specific products and will provide the user with significant cost-savings over the life-time of multiple machines.

CPS2 is based on more than 20 years of experience in compos-ite automation software, but also offers new functionality in addition to improvements on existing features. More advanced path planning and collision avoidance are a part of the new soft-ware package. Machine program improvements, such as smooth motions based on NURBS and improved off-part motion/path optimization will be complemented by a total solution software bundle to support AFP throughout the entire process. Offering a single package with similar “look-and-feel” to assist with initial part design, simulation, machine motion optimization and final layup will reduce training and streamline the design and pro-duction process. www.camozzimachinetools.com

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r > Booth G44

UV technology for LPG composite cylinders and GFRP rodsWith unique process and machinery engineering, COIA supports optimization goals by implementing UV technology into the manufacturing process of composite products e.g. liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders (Type IV) and glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) rods or profiles, thus replacing conventional thermo-curing. Due to their low weight, explosion- and rust-proof properties, composite cylinders are on

their way to conquer the worldwide market and to replace the usual steel cylinders.The current production capacity for conventional thermo systems is approximately 2 million units/year. How-ever, the world’s yearly demand for LPG tanks is around 120 million units, with an annual growth of 3.7%. The challenge is therefore to maximize production capacity and simultaneously save raw materials and energy, reduce waste and eliminate hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). COIA offers innovative patent-pending fila-ment winding technology, UV systems and UV resins for the cost-effective and eco-friendly production of LPG composite cylinders. The advantages of COIA’s UV technology for composite applications have been evidenced for more than 25 years in the processing of GFRP rods for the cable industry, with the company’s high-speed UV pultrusion machines, UV resins with low environmental impact and the related resin impregnation and curing systems. COIA has just closed a deal with AL AMAN Gas Cylinders Manufacturing LLC in the UAE for a turn-key project to produce a total of 1 million cylinders/year. www.coia.de

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r > Booth F29

The ideal panel for refrigerated containersThe Thermoplastic EPP Foamed Panel (TEFP) is a revolutionary composite panel for the heat insulation sector. The surface skin is made of fibreglass reinforced PP, which is firmly laminated with expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam by thermoplastic weld-ing. TEFP can be used in any sector requiring high heat insulation. Whether used in chillers or refrigerated containers, recreation-

al vehicles or cold storage facilities, TEFP always shows excellent performance. Being environmentally friendly, 100% recyclable, lightweight, easy to assemble, with high strength, long operating life and superb thermal insulation properties, TEFP is the ideal panel for refrigerated facilities. www.holycore.cn

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r > Booth N50

Applications


Robotmaster V6Robotmaster® V6, the leading CAD/CAM programming system for robots, has been released. Robotmaster V6 offers many new features for machining with robots and includes many new features that optimize spray/coating, plasma/laser cutting, robot welding and other composites industry applications that require point-specific control. Using an interactive graphical tool, end-

users can easily and dynamically apply process-specific parameters (power settings, speeds, cut parameters, etc.) at any point. These new features eliminate the need to modify these points in the robot control. In addition to the new flexible point controls, the part setup process has also been significantly improved. The user can easily visualize the robot in the workspace environ-ment and perform quick visual and distance tests to determine the best position of the part in the robot workspace. Transitions between different paths can also be managed easily using the newly redesigned robot repositioning tool. Robotmaster will be demonstrated along with a

Kuka milling robot cell with the CNC controller at the company’s booth. Robotmaster functions within Mastercam®, one of the mar-ket’s leading CAD/CAM solutions. The powerful CAD/CAM functionalities in Robotmaster offer a multitude of solutions that allow robots to perform tasks that were once considered tedious, time consuming and often impossible. Robotmaster is a product of Jabez Technologies, distributed in Europe by Intercam SA. www.robotmaster.eu

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r > Booth D72

Self-monitoring composites: visualisation of impactsNon-destructive testing methods for fibre-reinforced composites with an epoxy matrix are very costly and require complex equip-ment. A bio-inspired sensitive composite layer based on a structural fabric containing microcapsules with a leuco dye, developer particles and a polymer matrix was developed for these substrate materials. Any mechanical action (indentation, impact, etc.) critical for the substrate material integrity causes mechanical overstrain of the microcapsules dispersed in the matrix, so that the

capsules break and release the dye. The dye comes into chemical contact with the colour developer via microcracks. Upon chemical transformation, the dye changes colour, highlighting the area subjected to overstrains. The composite layer gives a visual response in the form of a “bruise”, indicating a place of possible damage of the substrate material. The construction elements or finished goods incorporating the bruisable composite layer can be inspected continuously. For example, a safety helmet with glued strips of bruisable layer is represented in the picture. The dark bruise is the response of the layer to a 5-kg beam dropped from a height of 0.5m. Using this system, parts that have suffered critical mechanical action can be timely replaced or repaired. In some cases, this can reduce the necessary safety margin and save weight while improving the safety of existing structures. The use of a bruisable layer in structural health monitor-ing processes is a solution which will save time and money. www.pmi.lv

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r > Booth J8

One single testing machine for 115 different test standardsFibre-reinforced composites provide high strength and stiffness combined with low weight. They consist of thin fibres which are either directionally or randomly oriented and therefore

require different forms of materials testing according to the main fibre direction. Zwick offers an extremely efficient modular solution which covers 21 different types of tests and some 115 standards over a wide temperature range.

The properties of fibre-reinforced composites are strongly dependent on the alignment of the fibres, the fibre and matrix material and the fibre-matrix interface. Materials testing must there-fore employ a variety of tests in order to characterize all properties. These tests are described in international standards (ISO), national and regional standards (ASTM, EN, DIN) and compa-nies’ own standards (Airbus AITM, Boeing BSS).

In order to satisfy the varying requirements, companies and testing laboratories previously had to use a number of testing machine arrangements, some of which were very complex. Zwick’s highly efficient modular solution for test loads up to 100 and 250kN is based on a development of its Allround-Line testing machine. A single testing machine handles 21 different tests, which represent about 115 standards. A temperature chamber enables testing in a temperature range from -70 to +250°C. www.zwick.com

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r > Booth X44-1

Testing

JEC Europe 2013


Global real-time process monitoring and quality controlA global process monitoring system for complete real-time monitoring of composites processing will be presented for the first time this year. Resin cure (OPTIMOLD), resin flow (OPTIFLOW) and temperature are being monitored with the same software (OPTIVIEW) using a variety of durable and disposable sensors. Using special modules, it is possible to monitor in real-time the

resin’s Tg, degree of cure and viscosity or faulty conditions such as an incorrect mixing ratio or resin ageing in the mould cavity, in the die, at the feeding lines or in the resin pot/bath. For example, the industrial use of OPTIMOLD in a high-speed RTM production can reduce cure cycle time by 40%. Individually, OPTIMOLD and OPTIFLOW have been used successfully in RTM, Light RTM, vacuum infusion and pultrusion production and can be readily used in other processes such as autoclaves, filament winding and SMC. With systems already installed in aerospace, automotive, industrial and wind-energy applications at leading manufacturing com-panies, as well as world-class research centres and famous universities, the new global process

monitoring system aims to provide a total solution for process optimisation, quality control and real-time process control in high-end composite applications. www.synthesites.com

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r > Booth L84

Flax & hemp fibres, a solution for the composite industry

There is a growing awareness of environmental issues across the world. At the same time, changing lifestyles are increa-sing the need for greater and faster means of transport. Faced with this paradox, manufacturers in the transport sec-tor (such as the aerospace and automotive industries) are left with no choice but to reduce the weight of structures while improving their reliability. In this context, the use of compo-site materials is one of the key solutions that can be conside-red - In collaboration with CELC.

Biosourced panels for aircraft interiors

Flax as reinforcement for ecodesigned wind turbines

New, more environment-friendly materials for airplanes? A four-partner European consortium (Lineo, Invent GmbH, Boeing Research & Technology Europe and Aim-plas) aims to industrialize the production of biosourced panels for aircraft interiors. The consortium brings together different types of expertise such as the manufacture

of technical flax textiles or of composite parts for the transportation industry and R&D activities around aerospace materials or specific to thermoplastics and composites. The consortium, called Cayley, has been studying the industrialization of sandwich panels based on alternative matrices reinforced with natural fibres since 2011, focusing on develo-ping flame-retardant treatments and optimizing the dimensional stability. The systems stu-died in the Cayley project use mostly flax that is treated specially for fire retardancy, smoke toxicity and heat release. The flax reinforcements are used with geopolymer, thermoplas-tic or biopolymer matrices to form the outer layers of sandwich panels. Thermoplastic foams designed for optimum fire resistance are used as core material for the panels. These materials used in combination will help considerably to reduce the environmental impact of aircraft interior parts. Besides its advantages in terms of weight, cost and vibration reduction, and improved acoustic performance, flax helps in this instance to improve the environmental impact of composite materials, as a natural fibre with zero end-of-life waste production: a crucial factor in determining the recyclability of the sandwich panels. More specifically, the use of flax reduces weight even more than glass or carbon fibre, which will help to cut down on fuel consumption. While the performance of these biosourced panels is tailored for the requirements of the aerospace industry, it could also meet those of all types of transportation vehicles.

More information: www.cayley.eu/ Contact: Linéo, [email protected] – Booth M80

The design of composite wind turbine blades must not only meet quality assurance requirements, but also comply with environ-mental regulations, including end-of-life recycling. With that goal in mind, the University of Nottingham and Camira Energy worked together for two years to complete a research project for a flax-composite wind turbine blade that is compliant with British

standards (IEC/British 61400 standard). The blade prototype that was successfully tested is adapted for an 11kW turbine – enough to supply five households with electricity. A wind turbine’s power depends mainly on the surface swept by the rotating blades, so the challenge was to optimize blade size, strength, stability and vibration damping properties. Flax provided effective solutions for all these constraints, thanks to its good mecha-nical properties in terms of specific stiffness and strength. A vacuum infusion process was used to enhance the durability

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sustainability

sustainability


of the mechanical strength and optimize CO2 emissions in comparison to standard assembly processes. The flax composite used for the blade comprises a polyester matrix reinforced with TEX 400 flax roving developed by Safilin, along with 300g/m² UD and 600g/m² +/-45 biaxial fabrics, thereby cutting the weight of the fibre used to make the blade in half. This means more than 10% weight savings for the entire blade, which weighs in at 23 kg (9 kg for the polyure-thane foam core, 10 kg of resin, and 4 kg of flax fibre versus 8 kg of glass fibre). The fatigue tests have led to forecasts of a twenty-year lifespan for the ecodesigned blades. The overall end-of-life assessment for this new type of blade confirms the economic advantage of using flax compared to glass fibre: not only does flax produce zero final waste, but incinerating it also leads to energy recovery and carbon saving.

Contact: Safilin, [email protected] – Stand M80

Flaxpreg project Green surfing with Notox While the volume of flax and hemp composites used in the automotive industry is pretty much limited to thermoformed mats for interior trim

components like the trunk side trim, shelf and floor, the ability of these renewable-sourced reinforcements to compete is now confirmed. Flax and hemp have good mechanical properties compared to other natural fibres, but they stand out above all for their proces-sability – especially flax, which allows the use of very long fibres and leads to significantly attractive weight reductions for composite applications.

The Flaxpreg project that PSA is developing in partnership with Faurecia, Lineo, and the University of Reims targets structural trim components, with a threefold objective: 1) drastically reducing weight, 2) using renewable resources, and 3) achieving a composite process with cycle times and material costs that meet the requirements of automotive mass production. Aiming for Corporate Average Fuel Effi-ciency standards (CAFE China & Europe 2020), the project is studying a semi-structural sandwich made of long-flax-fibre (80 cm)/thermoset-resin mats (which replace Baypreg glass-fibre/polyurethane mats) in combination with a cardboard honeycomb spacer. To guarantee the best possible environmental perfor-mance, both polyamide thermoplastic and biosourced thermoset resin solutions are being researched. The medium-term target concerns applications to replace metal, in combination with glass and/or carbon fibre, particularly due to flax’s good damping properties.

Contacts: PSA: [email protected]

Faurecia: [email protected] Linéo: [email protected] – Stand M80

Notox is emerging as an international player in the surfing market. Its objective is to offer environmentally-minded surfers products that are in line with their values. Aiming as much for ultra-performance as for minimizing the environmental impact of surfboard manufacturing, this

innovative company opts for alternative solutions that are both technological and environment-friendly for the design and manufacture of its products. Its inclination towards ecodesign has led Notox to develop a composite technology based on the use of high-performance materials that are also environment friendly: its greenOne® technology combines technical flax reinforcements (twill-weave, UD and bi-axial) and recycled EPS foam cores for vacuum impregnation with 56% biosourced epoxy resin. From the performance point of view, these are ultra-light boards with astonishing vibration damping properties (especially in comparison with standard polyurethane/polyester and EPS/epoxy technologies) and optimized floatability and speed, as confirmed by users since 2011. As for R&D, Notox and Norafin are currently studying the possibility of using flax non-wovens in Notox’s new applications. Notox is also working with BT3, a company in Grenoble, to develop a structured monomaterial that is 100% cellulose (using flax). Notox’s global approach included not just the aspect of mate-rial performance, but also ecodesign, so the company drew up an in-house quality charter establishing its health and environmental commitments.

Manufacturing process in a controlled-atmosphere workshop (entirely rede-signed to improve health and safety conditions for the operators), upgrading and recycling of production waste, and dismantling of end-of-life products are components of a novel initiative that was submitted to the French eco-label platform “Expérimentation Nationale d’Affichage Environnemental”. Substantiating the practical success of the Notox initiative, 350 greenOne® boards were sold in 2012 (20% of which in the United Kingdom and Japan), and a marketing target of 2400 units was established for up through 2015. Notox is now working on the launch of a kiteboard (currently at the pre-pro-duction stage) that also uses flax composite performance characteristics. Contact: Notox, [email protected] – www.notox.fr Norafin, [email protected] – stand T66

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Gwalaz, the ecodesigned trimaran by Kairos

LINCORE® ML

At the initiative of Kairos, Roland Jourdain, a yachtsman concerned by the envi-ronment and sailing performance, got involved in the processing of biocomposite

materials as early as 2007. Seeking an alternative to glass fibre, the Kairos team was a pioneer in prototyping surfboards and paddleboards made of cellulose/biosourced epoxy biocomposites (56%) with polystyrene core. The infusion process used mini-mizes handling impacts, and the biocomposite itself provides an end-of-life solution that consists in incinerating the skins and recycling the core. These surfboard and paddleboard prototypes are in the process of being marketed. The Kairos team is now involved in a project for the first biocomposite trimaran design based on flax fibre, cellulose, balsa wood and biosourced resin, in partnership with the Tricat shipyard and the French oceanographic institute Ifremer in Brest. Gwalaz will be a 7.11-metre-long trimaran with a sandwich hull made of flax/30% biosourced polyester skins over a balsa core, using an infusion process: no change in process, but a material innovation that is technologically ground-breaking from the ecodesign point of view. The use of materials that are directly derived from biomass and the recycling streams is designed into the product. The boat is scheduled to be launched sometime in 2013. In situ ageing tests will wind up the successful mechanical tests that were carried out in a laboratory. Contact: Kairos, [email protected]

http://www.kairos-jourdain.com/fr

Developed by the Depestele group in collaboration with Ecotechnilin, the Lincore® ML laminate made of technical flax fabric with a non-woven core layer is available in the form of rolls or sheets. The new product has bonded layers, e.g. by needle-punch, and either is 100% natural or incorporates thermoplastic (PP, PLA, PA, etc.) filaments. Lincore® ML is a ready-for-use sandwich material that is suitable for standard techniques like RTM, infusion, hot calendering, stamping

and thermoforming. The post-processing thickness of the product can be controlled by changing the pressure that is applied to the laminate structure: the user can adjust the structure’s acoustic and thermal insulation properties, density and stiffness

as a function of the specific requirements. Due to its low density and mechani-cal properties, the laminate is suitable for applications in many industrial sec-tors, such as automotive, construction, railway, road transportation, yachting and sports & leisure. Lincore® ML’s key product advantage is its end-of-life optimization, since it is 100% natural: recyclability, biodegradability and/or compostability are competitive advantages for truck or boat interior panels, substrates for thermal and acoustic insulation, or vibration-damping systems for the construction sector.

Contact: Groupe Depestele: [email protected] – Stand M84

Contact: Ecotechnilin: [email protected] – Stand M80

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flaxcomposites@[email protected] TelTel :: ++3333 321661819321661819 FRANCEFRANCE WWWWWW..SAFILINSAFILIN..FRFR

LOW TWIST FLAX YARNS : TEX 34 to 105LOW TWIST FLAX ROVINGS : TEX 200 to 2000 LOW TWIST FLAX YARNS : TEX 34 to 105LOW TWIST FLAX ROVINGS : TEX 200 to 2000

SafilinSafilin FLAX LOW-TWIST ROVINGNew solutions ready for :

PULTRUSIONFILAMENT WINDINGUD & MULTIAXIAL WEAVINGWARP & WEFT WEAVING

MEET US AT

JECEUROPE

BOOTHM80

THE FLAX EXPERIENCE

sustainability


FlaxTape©

“Efficient use of flax and hemp fibres in composite manufacturing processes”, by CELC/Ku Leuven

JEC Conference: Biocomposites, Thursday 14 March 10.30 am - 1.00pm

LSM and Lineo have developed a line of products called FlaxTape©, a patented 2D reinforcement made of parallel flax fibres. The dry, 100% flax reinforcement can be used with all types of thermoset or ther-

moplastic resins, including biosourced ones. It can be converted using direct processes like hand lay-up, infusion or RTM. The products come in different areal weights – 70, 110 or 220 g/m² – and target a range of sectors where the tried-and-tested advantages of flax can be of use, e.g. vibration damping for sports & leisure, or weight reduction for mechanical and acoustic properties that are close to those of aramid for the transportation sector. This 100% natural material is also suitable for the sustainable development of composite wind turbines.

Contacts: PSA: [email protected]

Faurecia: [email protected] Linéo: [email protected]

Stand M80

For technical information on flax and hemp natural-fibre solutions in the composite industry, a book on the state of the art, assessment of the

mechanical performance of natural fibre reinforced composite materials, the different available flax and hemp preforms, and the multisectorial processes and applications: FLAX & HEMP FIBRES, A SOLUTION

FOR THE COMPOSITE INDUSTRY, a publication co-edited by CELC and JEC Group: http://www.jeccomposites.com/product/flax-and-

hemp-fibres-natural-solution-composite-industry

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Fibre ratio

Traction(ISO 527)

Flexion(ISO 14 125)

By weight

Tensile strength

Ultimate stress strength

By volume

Modulus

Modulus

Elongation

Elongation

50 %

240 MPa

214 MPa

44 %

30 GPa

31 GPa

0.9 %

1.28 g/cm³

0.9 %

Mechanical properties:Mechanical results for a composite made with 10 layers of FlaxTape UD 70 and an epoxy resin:

Theoretical density

In response to the industry sectors’ ecodesign initiative, the European Flax and Hemp confederation CELC’s Technical Section has been working in cooperation with its European Scientific Committee - CSE on the first

technical and scientific publication on renewable natural fibre based composite solutions, “Flax and Hemp, a natural solution for the composite industry”. Published with the JEC Group, which is a reference in the composite sector, this work is the result of well-supported R&D, a well-organised production chain, and thorough research. It emphasises the interest of an open innovation approach to meet industry needs.

CSE’s ten experts, including CSE President Ignaas Verpoest address twelve different topics in order to explain the intrinsic and mechanical properties of Flax and Hemp as used in polymer reinforcement and assess their environmental advantages.Joris Baets, Christophe Baley, Peter Davies, Moussa Gomina, Mark Hughes, Hans Lilholt, Jörg Müssig, Joris Van Acker, Ignaas Verpoest, Gerhard Ziegmann.

EAN : 9782952627610

Price: TTC €96,37 H.T €80,57ISBN : 978-2-9526276-1-0

www.jeccomposites.com

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FRP SYSTEMSPROPORTIONERS AND GUNS FOR GEL COAT APPLICATIONS

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Product

UD carbon

UD flax

UD glass

Damping ratio

0.18%

1.47%

0.15%

Damping properties: Low-frequency damping (flexion/Mode 2):

Documents

JEC Innovation Report - jeccomposites.com