JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - 2020 1st Quarter - Innovation report - 10

Multi-sector

Hexcel is supporting NaCa Systems, a Tier 1 specialist in
automotive interior parts that combine natural materials with
carbon fibre in composite parts, to produce a car seat back with
a hybrid wood fibre and carbon fibre construction. The part on
display at JEC World 2020 uses Hexcel's HexPly M77 prepreg
in a one-shot press moulding process with NaCa Systems' thermoset
wood fibre mats, derived from wood industry waste streams.
HexPly M77 is a fast-curing epoxy prepreg that enables automotive
components and sporting goods to be press-cured in two minutes at
150°C. HexPly woven carbon fibre is used as the outer surface of the
seat back, reinforcing the wood fibre structure and providing a stunning
aesthetic finish.
In addition, the new HexPly M901 offers improved long-term fatigue
performance in automotive suspension parts. Having supplied
heavyweight glass fibre prepregs for automotive leaf springs for more
than 15 years, Hexcel will also present its latest development in prepreg
technology at JEC World 2020. HexPly 901 has been optimized to
provide faster cure cycles and enhanced fatigue performance in these
critical suspension components. Taking a major step forwards from the
company's benchmark HexPly M9 system, HexPly M901 can be cured
in as little as 15 minutes and delivers a 15% mechanical performance
gain over standard prepregs. www.hexcel.com

W8SVR - NEOLAMINATES MADE
FROM THERMOPLASTIC UD TAPES

W8SVR neolaminates from HUESKER Synthetic are made from
thermoplastic UD tapes and have the potential to further improve
the weight/performance ratio of thermoplastic composites,
increase surface smoothness and reduce waste. In composite
materials, stiffness and tensile
strength are largely determined
by fibre length and orientation.
Optimum values can therefore
be achieved by using continuous
fibres that are completely stretched
and lie straight in the intended load
direction of the component, so that
tensile and compression forces can be absorbed as directly as possible by the fibre. Exactly these properties can be found in UD tapes: the
stretched continuous fibre is embedded in a thermoplastic matrix to
which it has good adhesion. Depending on the field of application and
the individual customer requirements, neolaminates can be produced
either by weaving or automatic tape placement of UD tapes.
They can theoretically have "any" fibre/matrix combination, but glass/
PP, glass/PA6, glass/PA66, or carbon/PP, C/PA6, C/PA66 or C/PA12,
C/PC, C/PPS are the most commonly used materials. Compared to
older generations, they have significantly improved mechanical properties at the same weight per unit, allowing for additional weight reduction
and/or cost benefits from material savings. Due to the lower material
input, the thermoplastic matrix can be heated and cooled even faster,
so that even better cycle times can be achieved than with conventional
organosheets. www.w8svr.com

Multi-sector

HEXCEL INNOVATIONS
FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS

CARBON NANOTUBES FOR INNOVATIVE
COMPOSITES AND ADHESIVES

Miralon products are a new generation of
ultra-long carbon nanotube-based materials.
Unlike standard carbon nanotubes, Miralon
is produced in the form of sheets or yarns and also available in
the form of tapes or pulp. While standard carbon nanotubes have
impressive properties at the nanoscale, their translation to the macroscale
has been challenging. Miralon materials improve this translation due to their
outstanding level of entanglement and superior length of individual tubes.
Thanks to unique mechanical, thermal and electrical conductivity properties,
Miralon sheets and tapes offer diversified opportunities such as composite
embedded heaters or ultra-lightweight fire barriers as well as heat-release
reduction or vibration damping applications. Miralon yarn can be used as a
stitching material in 3D structures or be included into composite structures
delivering increased toughness through its unique balance of modulus and
elongation. Demonstrated in conductive adhesive applications, the use of
a Miralon pulp dispersed in various matrices provides lightweight electrical
conductivity without compromising other thermo-mechanical properties.
With regard to EHS, Miralon sheets and yarns are classified as articles
by the EPA because they consist of long, bundled, interwoven carbon
nanotubes that are difficult to liberate as respirable particles. Conventional
industrial hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) are sufficient
for routine handling, storage and production. www.huntsman.com

Multi-sector

Automotive

INNOVATION REPORT

THERMOPLASTIC SANDWICH
PANEL TECHNOLOGY
Tri-Mack Plastics Manu-facturing Corporation conti-nues to
innovate with the development of thermoplastic sandwich panel
technology for aerospace and other weight-critical applications.

By combining UD thermoplastic
composite laminates with traditional
honeycomb materials such as
Nomex, aluminium, Kevlar and PEI,
the company's sandwich panels
provide lightweight stiffness without
the use of adhesives. PEEK, PAEK,
PEI, PPS and PA thermoplastic
composites can be processed more
cost-effectively than thermosets while providing improved performance,
especially in the area of impact resistance.Tri-Mack's automated
thermoplastic composite process uses automated tape laying (ATL)
to produce tailored blanks that are customized to best meet end-user
requirements.
The company plans to combine sandwich panel technology with injection
moulding to create hybrid assemblies, which reduce part count while
optimizing performance. Using its vertically-integrated capabilities, such
as multi-axis machining and bonding, Tri-Mack Plastics manufactures
finished sandwich panel components and assemblies for OEMs and Tier
suppliers to create a variety of stiff, lightweight structures and surfaces,
including access panels, blocker doors, floor panels and fairings.
Its latest thermoplastic composite innovations will be on display in the
US Pavilion, Booth R37b. www.trimack.com

jec composites magazine / January-February-March 2020

http://www.hexcel.com http://www.huntsman.com http://www.w8svr.com http://www.trimack.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - 2020 1st Quarter - Innovation report

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