JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #33 - June 2007 - 17

Software tool for sandwich materials Honeycomb technology for car interior parts www.econcore.com Special JEC Composites Show 2007 Innovative dry impregnation technology Granta Design and EconCore are to cooperate in the development of a software tool for sandwich material selection and optimisation. The tool will enable users to explore the potential weight and cost savings offered by sandwich material combinations. Material combinations such as fibre-reinforced composites and sandwich constructions enable the optimal use of each material component. Sandwich construction combines the in-plane properties of a skin material with the out-of-plane properties of a core material, leading to a more effective use of both materials. Maximising performance per unit of cost can require designers to consider a complex balance of the different functions of, for example, the outer layers and centre material of a plate or shell, against variables such as cost and weight. These designers need an easy way to compare potential sandwich material combinations against each other and against monolithic materials, and to select the optimal combination. QUIKFORM is currently implemented in CATIA V5 Composites Design, which is Dassault Systèmes’ composite design module. Its purpose is to enable decision-making early in the design process, by eliminating bad design choices that would later lead to manufacturing problems. This new product will allow users to leverage CATIA V5 Composites Design to increase productivity. This is done by performing fibre simulations that are built directly upon the laminate definition in CATIA. This additional CAA V5 product complements the V5PLM composite portfolio and will strongly benefit PLM customers from the aerospace industry. PAM-QUIKFORM software is a simulation tool capable of predicting the deformation of the reinforcement of composite parts during manufacturing. It is based on geometrical methods and can tell, in a matter of seconds, if a selected material can be used to form a part without potential problems, e.g. wrinkling. The flat patterns of the laminate plies are computed simultaneously and can be used for nesting and cutting machines. PAM-QUIKFORM features a unique capability on the market that enables simulating unidirectional composite deformation during the draping process. Its algorithms capture the specific deformation mechanisms occurring in unidirectional draping, like intra-ply sliding or fibre spreading. www.esi-group.com Johann Borgers Ltd, a specialist in car interior parts, develops and produces acoustically effective textile construction parts made of natural or synthetic fibres, used for absorption and internal trim components in car manufacturing. One of the company’s big successes has been in honeycomb technology, with the development of compound parts made of paper honeycombs and polyurethane. Its range of products spans from spare tyre covers to boot floors and sliding roof covers, which are car interior parts that are often subjected to extreme stress. The clever honeycomb idea uses Elastogran’s Elastoflex® E and sandwich technology. On the inside is a honeycomb structure made of cardboard; on either side, a glass-fibre mat. This sandwich is then Software solution for the composites value chain www.elastogran.com sprayed with the Elastoflex® E PUR system and placed in a hot machine where the chemical reaction can take place to “mesh” the individual parts. The result is a very special type of component that is robust, durable and ideal for anywhere in the car where stress resistance and weight reduction matter. So that the technology doesn’t interfere with the style, every honeycomb part is coated with a surface material that matches the style of the car interior. Even a modest rear shelf can be made into an attractive part of the whole car. ESI Group presented PAMQUIKFORM for CATIA V5, developed under the CAA V5 Gold Software Partnership Agreement signed with Dassault Systèmes. PAM- No33 June 2007 / JEC Composites Magazine www.fibroline.com In-mould surfacing solution for blade manufacturers Fibroline has developed Fibroline®, an innovative dry impregnation process, and patented a new concept for obtaining a composite reinforced with extra-long fibres: FibroCompTM. This original composite solution uses powdered thermoplastic or thermoset resins to impregnate chopped rovings. Based on the application of an alternating electrical field, the Fibroline® dry impregnation process can be used to impregnate porous structures (such as non-woven material, fabric, foam, or paper) with all types of powdered materials. Different types of powders with different levels of conductivity can be used, providing a flexibility that allows a wide range of applications and fibrereinforcement/matrix combinations. Gurit presented SPRINT® IPT, an all-in-one, in-mould surfacing solution for the production of wind turbine blades. The technology is designed to significantly reduce manufacturing time, making prepreg blade production an increasingly cost-effective process. Many manufacturers of composite components currently use prepreg technology to produce composite blades, and Gurit supplies epoxy prepreg and gelcoat products to produce these high-quality parts.

http://www.econcore.com http://www.fibroline.com http://www.elastogran.com http://www.esi-group.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #33 - June 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #33 - June 2007