JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - 2020 1st Quarter - Innovation report - 32

Multi-sector

INNOVATION REPORT
AUTOMATED SMART KITTING CELL

After the launch of its Smart Pick & Place cell (robotic preforming cell able to cut, pick, place and fold woven and UD
plies accurately and directly into 3D shapes) and in order to respond to an increased demand in terms of production line
optimization, TME presents its automated Smart Kitting cell associated with its quality control solution: Smart Control. The
exhibited cell is a demonstrator of an automated cell for prepreg pick & place (flat P&P for flat preform manufacturing or
kitting).
The cell uses a "universal" gripper capable of taking various ply sizes and shapes. The
demonstration is be done with prepreg plies without protective film corresponding to ribs.
In parallel, the cell uses the Smart Control system to drive the robot and control the process
(fibre orientation detection, FOD).
TME also provides custom-made Smart Kitting cells for thermoset or thermoplastic
applications.
www.tme-composites.com

Automotive

APPLICATIONS
COMPOSITE LEAF SPRINGS - A SLENDER ALTERNATIVE TO STEEL

CL RESTRAP CFRP TENSION MEMBER

CL RESTRAP is a flexible CFRP tension member made
of continuous unidirectional carbon tapes. The member
is manufactured using bespoke production processes
engineered by Carbo-Link, using tapes with a tightly controlled
width and thickness. Due to the thin individual tape thicknesses
and the subsequent build up in a continuous
loop, CL RESTRAP is highly flexible and
features all the well-known advantages of
CFRP tension members. Flexibility means it
can be wound and tensioned around various
structure shapes and sizes, much like a traditional ratchet strap. The
applications are limitless. For example, CL RESTRAP can be used
to reinforce concrete girders, increase load capacity and expand the
use of existing structures and/or for seismic strengthening in the civil
engineering sector. The advantages of CFRP in this application are
clear: no fatigue, no corrosion, no creep and no thermal expansion,
plus significantly higher pre-tension loads, combined with simplicity
of installation - low self-weight, no bonding required, minimal to no
heavy machinery. CL RESTRAP thus contributes to fast, efficient
and low-cost reinforcement solutions. Another significant advance
is service life: once installed the straps require minimal to no service.
This CFRP tension member's easy handling due to its low self-weight
and simple, cost-effective installation, combined with far superior
material properties, means CL RESTRAP is becoming the preferred
product for structural reinforcements. www.carbo-link.com

Sports & Leisure

Construction

Leaf springs made of fibre-reinforced plastics are taking over the automotive industry - they save space, reduce weight and do not corrode, even
if a lot of salt is present. In the Composite Leaf Spring project, KraussMaffei's Reaction Process Machinery business unit puts
its system expertise on full display. The experts in reaction technology brought it all together to develop a leaf spring for cars,
trucks and vans for the customer Hengrui. Manufactured with the HP-RTM process (high-pressure resin transfer moulding),
the leaf spring is 60% lighter than the previous steel product. Its strength can be specifically increased in sections where
this is required and the material's corrosion resistance offers further added value. A high-pressure metering machine with a mixing head and a mould
carrier with a pressing force of 800 metric tons are the most important system components in the production of the leaf spring. KraussMaffei is a RTM
leader in all sectors, with over 100 machines in the market and the largest pool of process-related expertise. The leaf spring prototype was developed
in the company's TechCenter, involving its large network of partners as appropriate: Engenuity developed the component, Huntsman supplied the
epoxy matrix system, Johns Manville supplied the glass fibres, Chomarat created the fabrics, Schmidt & Heinzmann manufactured the preforms, Alpex
designed the RTM mould and Hufschmied took charge of post-mould processing of the component. www.kraussmaffei.com

DRY CARBON TAPES IMPROVE
CROSS-COUNTRY RACING SKIES

Hexcel is collaborating with
Madshus, a leading innovator in
the world of cross-country skiing,
on the engineering of a range of
next-generation dry carbon fibre
tapes for cross-country racing
skies. Hexcel's new HiTape dry carbon tapes improve the performance,
manufacturing efficiency and surface finish of Madshus skis.
Hexcel was asked to deliver competitively-priced carbon fibre tape
products that would produce less fuzz in production as well as meeting
tight tolerances for areal weight and width. The company is now delivering
nearly 500,000lm of HiTape per year with strong customer demand
forecast to increase volumes in the very near future. Hexcel supplies
Madshus with three different HiTape dry carbon fibre UD tape products
based on the specific design parameters of different cross-country ski
types. The clean-cut edges and fuzz-free attributes of the precision-width
tapes have improved the efficiency of the automated high-pressure epoxy
RTM moulding process at Madshus.
HiTape materials represent the ultimate in dry carbon fibre UD tape
technology. They provide a cost and production rate optimized tape
solution, producing prepreg-like mechanical properties without an
autoclave. These products are well suited to automated production in
a wide range of winter sports, automotive, aerospace and industrial
applications.
www.hexcel.com

jec composites magazine / January-February-March 2020

http://www.tme-composites.com http://www.kraussmaffei.com http://www.carbo-link.com http://www.hexcel.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - 2020 1st Quarter - Innovation report

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