JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #137 - November/December 2020 - 26

MANUFACTURlNG recycling
Main advantages
- Recycling both thermoplastic
matrix and fibre (i.e. full material);
- Double-digit cost reduction;
- Substantial weight reduction;
- Fast out-of-autoclave process:
cycle times of minutes;
- Net-shape manufacturing of
complex geometries.
Partners
The project covers the total value chain, from
size reduction to the OEM, as shown in figure
3. Nido Recyclingtechnologie (Nijverdal,
The Netherlands) is in charge of studying the
size reduction of the post-industrial waste.
Toray Advanced Composites (Nijverdal,
The Netherlands) supplies the thermoplastic
composite materials and material knowledge.
Challenges, solutions and knowledge regarding the processing of TPC materials are
exchanged with Cato Composites (Rheden,
The Netherlands) and Dutch Thermoplastic
Components (Almere, The Netherlands).
The ThermoPlastic composites Application
Center (TPAC, Enschede, The Netherlands)
is leading the development of the recycling
route and manufactured the panel together
with the project partners. The ThermoPlastic
composites Research Center (TPRC,
Enschede, The Netherlands) was involved
in more fundamental research related to the

Fig. 3: The project partners

About TPAC

The ThermoPlastic composites Application Center, TPAC, works closely together with SMEs on cost-effective processing, automation, and recycling of
thermoplastic composites. TPAC is an independent innovation, research and
development centre that aims at understanding thermoplastic composites
and their manufacturing processes on an applied research level. The centre is
focused on the application of thermoplastic composites and related technology
by developing proofs of concept for SMEs. It provides a breeding ground for
regional and national companies who want to innovate with thermoplastic
composites by offering access to expertise and manufacturing facilities.
Being directly connected to Saxion University of Applied Sciences, TPAC is
also actively involved in education and thereby provides the market with young
professionals with state-of-the-art know-how on thermoplastic composites.
recycling route and the composite solution.
Researchers and students of Saxion UAS
and various other universities are involved to
educate and train the next generation of TPC
professionals. The project is facilitated with
the financial support of Regieorgaan SIA, part
of The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific
Research (NWO). GKN Aerospace designed
and tested the access panel.
In the rotorcraft programme, GKN is responsible for the design and manufacture of
the V-tail, in which TPC components have

COMPOSITE

PROCESS
M AT E R I A L S

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More information:
f.w.j.vanhattum@saxion.nl

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also been demonstrated. The access panels
were created from actual production waste of
these thermoplastic empennage components
(closed-loop reuse).
"The current project underlines the role of applied
research involving the total value chain in driving
innovations from first idea to an industrially-viable and tested product in record time", says Ferrie
van Hattum, TPAC's scientific director.

jec composites magazine / N°137 November - December 2020

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #137 - November/December 2020

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