KNITTED PREFORM EVOLUTIONd2hcx0y942a51n.cloudfront.net/Digital_Issue/2016/1216CW...closet, we have...

Dassault Falcon:

KNITTED PREFORM

EVOLUTION

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DECEMBER 2016

VOL 2 No- 12A property of Gardner Business Media

CAMX 2016 conference & exhibition comes to Anaheim, CA, US / 22

Natural fiber composite a top choice for automotive car roof / 28

CFRP maximizes pressure/impact safety in NASA space suit / 44

BETTER PARTSLOWER COSTLET US SHOW YOU HOW

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07106 AP Technologies.indd 1 6/8/16 11:11 AM

COLUMNS 4 From the Editor

6 Past, Present and Future

8 Perspectives & Provocations

10 Design & Testing

13 Gardner Business Index

28 Work In ProgressCW's managing editor - electronic products Heather Caliendo reports on a recently developed, water-borne, wet-application, emissions-free, crosslinkable acrylic resin that is enabling new opportunities in car interiors. Specifically, it infuses this high fiber-volume-fraction natural-fiber reinforcement frame for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sunroof.

» DEPARTMENTS 14 Trends38 Calendar39 Applications41 New Products42 Marketplace 43 Ad Index 43 Showcase

» ON THE COVER The interior of the Dassault Falcon 5X busi-

ness jet offers the most standing headroom in the passenger cabin of any aircraft in its class, can reach a top speed of Mach 0.9 and cover a range of 2,500 nautical miles. Its interior's designers and fabricators benefited from a breakthough 3D knitting technology that enabled production of complex composite low-pressure air ducts with unprecedented efficiency. See p. 32.

Source / Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

FOCUS ON DESIGN44 On Mars, Not Just Any

Suit Will Do NASA seeks impact resistance in next-generation spacesuit.By Jeff Sloan

CompositesWorld (ISSN 2376-5232) is published monthly and copyright © 2016 by Gardner Business Media Inc. 6915 Valley Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45244-3029. Telephone: (513) 527-8800. Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, OH and additional mailing offices. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CompositesWorld Magazine, 6915

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accurate. In applying recommendations, however, you should exercise care and normal precautions to prevent personal injury and damage to facilities or products. In no case can the authors or the publisher accept responsibility for personal injury or damages which may occur in working with methods and/or materials presented herein, nor can the publisher assume responsibility for the validity of claims or performance of items appearing in editorial presentations or advertisements in this publication. Contact information is provided to enable interested parties to conduct further inquiry into specific products or services.

FEATURES22 CAMX 2016 Show Report

In three short years, the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) has evolved into the largest composites trade event in North America, the composites industry’s largest market. The 3rd annual joint ACMA/SAMPE-sponsored conference and exhibition came to Anaheim with a program attractive to professionals across the composites world.

32 Inside Manufacturing: 3D Knitting Solves Preforming Cost, Time, Performance EquationFor decades, 3D preforms have promised efficiency in structural design and fabrication of composites. Those who make them could deliver to molders a tailored, net-shape reinforcement with fiber only where needed, oriented to most effectively bear in-service loads. But the tradeoff was inefficiency elsewhere — specifically, slow weaving speed and high cost. More recently, these drawbacks have been overcome somewhat by advances in looms and digitization of the preforming process. But this disruptive, digitized 3D knitting technology from RT2i represents a dramatic step-change in near-net preform production, demonstrated here in a Dassault Falcon business jet's interior air duct.By Ginger Gardiner

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DECEMBER 2016 / Vol: 2 No–: 12

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PUBLISHER Ryan Delahanty [email protected]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jeff Sloan [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR Mike Musselman [email protected]

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SENIOR EDITOR Ginger Gardiner [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR – Heather Caliendo ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS [email protected]

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Susan Kraus [email protected]

MARKETING MANAGER Kimberly A. Hoodin [email protected]

CW SALES GROUP

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2 DECEMBER 2016 CompositesWorld

1216 C.R. Onsrud.indd 1 11/9/16 12:50 PM

DECEMBER 20164 CompositesWorld

FROM THE EDITOR

» As long as I’ve known her, my wife has been a consummate

picture-taker. We have more than 66,000 digital photos, dating

back to 2004 when we got our first digital camera. In a basement

closet, we have 40 photo albums that date back to the late 1980s,

when she and I met. When

I look at those albums, I

marvel at the time, effort and

money we spent generating

photo prints. Such technology

evolution makes me wonder:

What taken-for-granted activity

that we perform today will be similarly transformed?

It could be driving. Most of us are licensed and quite attached

to our vehicles. But vehicle technology is rapidly changing on a

variety of fronts: Powertrain, fuel type, safety features, sensor tech-

nology, interior amenities and — near and dear to our composite

hearts — lightweighting. But the most radical change ahead could

be vehicle autonomy — the prospect that everyone in a car is a

passenger — no driver.

I suggested to my kids that their kids might grow up in a world

where driving is passé and asked them what they thought their

kids might think: This is the conversation we imagined between

me and a theoretical grandchild:

Me: “We didn’t used to ride in cars this way. We used to have to

drive it.”

Grandchild: “What do you mean you had to drive it?”

Me: “There was a driver — someone who controlled the car.”

Grandchild: “Wait. What? Controlled how?”

Me: “There was a steering wheel that came up in front of you

and that was used to turn the front wheels of the car to change

direction, and there were pedals on the floor that you actuated

with your feet to accelerate the car or apply the brakes.”

Grandchild: “Wait, so one person had responsibility for how the

car moved and where it went? And couldn’t read or take a nap or

watch a video? And everyone else in the car just sat there while the

driver did all of these things?”

Me: “Well, we could listen to the radio, or music. But otherwise,

yes.”

Grandchild: “That’s crazy.”

It is, of course, unknown if such a conversation will take place,

particularly given the logistical and legal hurdles autonomous

driving technology must clear. The lesson here is the ubiquity

of technological evolution — the idea that a commonly shared

experience can be radically altered by innovation. Today, this is

certainly likely in transportation, and for the composites industry,

aerospace and automotive top the list. When Boeing and Airbus

decided to apply carbon fiber composites to major structures on

the 787 and A350 XWB, respectively, they began an ongoing recon-

struction of the aerocomposite paradigm. Many of us saw BMW’s

work with carbon fiber on its i3 and i8 platforms as a similar

rebuilding of the autocomposite paradigm. It turns out, however,

that the i3 and the i8 are exceptions to a new multi-material

vehicle rule that applies carbon fiber in the body-in-white where

the cost-benefit is favorable. This sounds like bad news, but it’s not.

Although we heard, at CompositesWorld’s Carbon Fiber confer-

ence in November, estimates of carbon fiber use in vehicles that

varied, even conservative estimates are impressive: One speaker’s

suggestion that carbon fiber will penetrate 20% of the automo-

tive market with 2 kg of carbon fiber per vehicle means that,

with an annual global vehicle production of 100 million units

possible within 10 years (90 million today), that would demand

42,000 metric tonnes of carbon fiber per year by 2025. This is, by

some estimates, 40-50% of today’s total carbon fiber supply, and

would be four times the amount of carbon fiber consumed by the

commercial aerostructures market in 2025.

If you throw into the mix what’s being done with aluminum,

SMC and other materials in automotive, it’s not a stretch to say

that we are already in the midst of a paradigm reconstruction in

automotive materials. Which takes me back to my grandchild and

the end of our theoretical conversation:

Me: “You think that’s crazy . . . would you believe cars used to be

made almost entirely out of steel?”

Grandchild: “Now I know you’re kidding, grandpa.”

The effects of paradigm shifts in

shared experience.

JEFF SLOAN — Editor-In-Chief

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COMPOSITES: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

» More today than ever before, concerns for health, safety and the

environment (HSE) are top of mind not only for environmentalists,

regulators and community advocates but also for manufacturing

companies and their workers. Governing agencies across the globe

are dedicating more resources to tighter air emissions standards

for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), greenhouse gases (GHGs)

and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. As a result,

composites manufacturers are facing stronger enforcement efforts

to create cleaner processes.

With a nationwide initiative that began in 2004, the US Environ-

mental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Emissions Standards

for Hazardous

Air Pollut-

ants (NESHAP)

has focused on

reducing toxic air

emissions that are

known or suspected

to cause cancer, other

serious health risks or

negative environmental effects. In an effort to reduce HAPs, the

initiative will expand, with tighter compliance monitoring require-

ments beginning in 2017.

Moving from regional to global impactThe United States is not the only country implementing compli-

ance changes meant to identify excessive toxic air emissions.

Evidence of a global effort can be seen in Europe, China and the

Asia-Pacific region, among others. More specifically, Europe’s

Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of

Chemicals (REACH) standards will include updated regulatory

lists; China is considering expanding the AirNOW international

environmental monitoring system in partnership with the EPA;

and even smaller countries in the region, such as Thailand, are

expected to increase compliance efforts.

These initiatives result in major emissions reductions, proven to

make a difference for hundreds of thousands of people. According

to the EPA, enforcement efforts in 2010 reduced cancer risk from

air pollution for more than 900,000 people.

No matter where the initiatives originated — NESHAP, REACH

or efforts in other countries — they have proven to reduce

exposure to HAPs and VOCs, and enhance air quality for manu-

facturers on the shop floor. Because of these findings, compos-

ites manufacturers are in a position to improve working condi-

tions while reducing environmental impacts, and it is a shift many

manufacturers are now embracing.

Solvent-free, HSE standard-compliant processing aids

perform, today, as well as solvent-based products.

Navigating tighter HSE standards for composites manufacturers worldwide

Preparing for tighter enforcementThere are consequences for violating emissions standards and

compliance requirements, and these can create many problems

for composites manufacturers. Depending on the region and

magnitude of the violation, manufacturers could face downtime,

lost productivity, cease-and-desist orders, fines and even closure.

The good news is all of these penalties are avoidable. The

methods listed below are proven to help manufacturers implement

strong HSE compliance practices.

Establish a team to monitor changes. Stay in front of ever-

changing emissions standards by creating a team to monitor and

manage regulations. If resources do not permit an in-house team,

consider working with an outside regulatory consultant who

specializes in compliance research and implementation. This is

especially important for manufacturers with a global footprint.

Outline and implement specific processes. Create checklists for

different regulatory areas, so there’s a process to follow and paper-

work to track compliance. To cover the basics, monitor product

changes, SDS, supplier practices, onsite VOC generation and shop

floor activity.

Partner with your suppliers. Most suppliers are likely to work in

a global business setting. Work with supplying partners to monitor

and review products used on the shop floor and to tailor products

to better suit your needs.

Encourage a safety culture. Employees are your greatest advo-

cates, as they work closely with your processes and products.

Provide training and materials to help focus attention on under-

standing and maintaining regulatory standards, and reward

behavior that helps meet HSE goals. Many companies develop

sustainability programs to help promote and implement an envi-

ronmental mindset.

Benefiting businesses and employeesBeyond a negative impact on the business side, manufacturers

also are considering risk factors for employees when working

conditions are unacceptable. Instead of implementing reactive

strategies, many manufacturers today are embracing compliance

monitoring to greatly reduce or even eliminate the use of harsh

chemicals in their processes and to establish better HSE standards

across the board.

There’s a need for composites manufacturers to create cleaner

and safer working conditions, which goes beyond improving the

existing state of operations and environmental impact for keeping

and attracting new talent. Chem-Trend has seen a far greater use of

water-based processing aids by manufacturers worldwide, which

illustrates a stronger commitment to employee health and welfare.

7CompositesWorld.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amanda Pugh is a global business development director for Chem-Trend (Howell, MI, US). She supports growth for the company’s mold release technologies in the rubber and composites industries, and previously managed its polyurethanes technology division. Pugh holds a BS in chemical engineering

from Wayne State University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Running out of time for processing aid complianceIn addition to compliance monitoring, manufacturing processing

aids also must be considered. Because HSE compliance efforts

are expected to expand on a global scale, many manufacturing

processing aids currently on the market, including sealers,

release agents and cleaners, will be unusable in the near future.

All products that contain chemicals from the EPA’s HAPs list —

and updated lists from other countries — will only cause bigger

problems down the road, making proactive compliance strategies

all the more important.

Although regulators, environmentalists and air emissions

advocates are pushing for solvent-free processing aids, it can

sometimes be a tough sell. Manufacturers are looking to improve

bottom lines, increase production and improve operational effi-

ciency, and the stigma surrounding performance from solvent-

free processing aids remains a hurdle for adoption.

Some manufacturers still believe that solvents offer better

performance than nonsolvents, despite advancements in tech-

nology that prove otherwise. Industry leaders have already devel-

oped high-performance processing aids that are solvent-free and

compliant with current EPA initiatives. In fact, Chem-Trend has

developed HAPs-free options that perform just as well as, if not

better than, some of the solvent-based options on the market

today.

When it comes to processing aids, manufacturers have more

options than ever before. Some existing HAPs-free formulations

offer benefits beyond improved HSE standards, including faster

application, more durability for multiple releases between appli-

cations and greater ease of use, enabling manufacturers to find the

best product solution for compliance, HSE goals and production

demands.

Considering carefully and starting earlyAs commitment to higher HSE standards increases on a global

scale, composites manufacturers will continue to see tighter

compliance efforts. The key to building strong practices, safer

working conditions and reduced environmental impact is to

dedicate a team to compliance research, considering all product

options and implementing a plan early.

CW-half-Revchem.indd 1 9/8/16 1:04 PM


PERSPECTIVES & PROVOCATIONS

» Last month, I articulated that composites technology is

advancing at an unprecedented rate, and this will have significant

impacts on future adoption. This year, some notable technolo-

gies have made advanced composites more affordable: increased

automation, reduced cycle times, and the introduction of a carbon

fiber made from textile PAN with the properties of industrial fibers

made with specialty PAN, which offers the potential for signifi-

cant reductions in the cost of raw carbon fibers and the resulting

composite structures they reinforce. As 2016 comes to an end,

I will hazard some predictions about what I think we will see

happen between now and the end of 2017.

I say “hazard” for good reason. As we all know, prediction is

risky business. Like the weather, things change, and uncertainty

can come into play, especially as events like contentious presiden-

tial elections

and potential

economic crises

(Brexit, anyone?) are added to the

mix. However,

based on what I see

happening in the

marketplace, I think we

will see even greater progress in 2017 than we saw in 2016, some

of which might be surprising and long awaited. Although I might

miss the mark, or maybe the timing, on some of these, we have to

remember that even great footballers like Lionel Messi and Cris-

tiano Ronaldo have less than a perfect record in penalty kicks.

Let’s start with commercial aerospace. I predict either Airbus or

Boeing will announce plans to develop a single-aisle replacement

(or maybe upgrade) for the A320neo or 737 MAX, featuring carbon

fiber wings. This is an extension of the success of the Boeing 777X,

which also replaced aluminum with carbon fiber in the wings, and

is driven in part by the commercialization of carbon wing tech-

nology in the new single-aisle offerings from Bombardier and

Irkut Corp. Although the first flight of such a new offering from the

“big boys” would still be a couple years away, it would nonetheless

spark a great deal of excitement in the industry.

In the automotive world, there has been a lot of speculation

that BMW would extend its Carbon Core philosophy used on the 7

Series to the redesigned 2017 version of the much larger volume 5

Series, which was publicly unveiled late in 2016. As of this writing,

it does not appear to incorporate carbon fiber. However, I feel that

we will see a high-performance (perhaps M Series) version incor-

porate some level of carbon fiber in 2017. While BMW is more or

less expected to do more in carbon fiber, I predict that at least one

other European and one major US carmaker will each unveil in

2017 plans for vehicles with a similar multi-material approach —

namely, strategic use of carbon fiber in stiffening elements for

the body structure, rather than cosmetic body panels. And one of

these platforms will be in excess of 100,000 vehicles per year. On

the technology side, we will see a major breakthrough in commer-

cial application of automated fiber/tape placement for automotive

structures, demonstrating material scrap rates of less than 5% for

complex structures.

In other industrial markets, the wind industry will see its biggest

year in history, as the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) harvested

from wind closes on that derived from fossil fuels, in some cases

besting coal and, in Europe, even natural gas. A record number

of composite infrastructure projects will be authorized, because

composites will be seen as a cost-effective approach to replace

failing bridges, especially in the US. Also, the economics of

recycled carbon fiber will be fully validated, with much of the fiber

finding its way into consumer products, such as tablet and laptop

cases, produced by the millions. Although much of the fiber will be

“repurposed scrap” (e.g., dry fiber cuttings from textiles), at least

some will be reclaimed from prepreg or cured parts.

Everyone’s hot topic, large-format polymer 3D printing, a subset

of additive manufacturing, will find its real value proposition in

2017 for the production of tooling for composites. On the low-

temperature end, 3D printing of preforming, trimming, drilling

and check fixtures will represent a great market opportunity for

tooling companies that are, today, machining these from metals

or tooling board. Rapid advances in printing of carbon fiber-rein-

forced, high-temperature polymers, such as PPS, will see such

tools deployed for serial production of autoclave-cured parts, and

for low-cost, rapid-prototype tooling for compression and injec-

tion molded components.

It all sounds perfectly rosy, right? Not quite. While most

composites markets are doing well in 2017, I think the going could

be difficult for composites in the defense, oil exploration and

marine sectors, and lukewarm in sporting goods. Of course, I’ll

be delighted if I am wrong about these markets. In this case, I’ll

happily be the weather forecaster that predicts that blizzard that

never comes.

Some predictions for 2017

We will see even greater progress in 2017 than we saw in 2016, some surprising, some long awaited.

Dale Brosius is the chief commercialization officer for the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, Knoxville, TN, US), a US Department of Energy (DoE)-sponsored public/private partnership targeting high-volume applications of composites in energy-related industries. He is

also head of his own consulting company and his career has included positions at US-based firms Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, MI), Fiberite (Tempe, AZ) and successor Cytec Industries Inc. (Woodland Park, NJ), and Bankstown Airport, NSW, Australia-based Quickstep Holdings. He also served as chair of the Society of Plastics Engineers Composites and Thermoset Divisions. Brosius has a BS in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA.

WATCH ON-DEMAND TODAY AT http://short.compositesworld.com/ESI126

WATCH ON-DEMAND TODAY

PRESENTER

PRESENTED BY

DAVID PRONO PAM-COMPOSITES Product Manager ESI Group

esi-group.com

Composite Thermoforming Simulation to Secure and Fasten Product Development—Focus on Manufacturing of Organo-Sheets Materials

EVENT DESCRIPTION: Because of their high recyclability and high-impact resistance, the trend is

for an increased usage of thermoplastic composite materials in the industry.

However, the industrial adoption of these materials highly depends on engi-

neers’ capability to simulate their behavior, starting by their thermoforming

manufacturing process.

During this webinar, the value of composite simulation software to predict

drapability of fiber reinforced composite materials will be presented and

demonstrated on an industrial part. We will see how the prediction of fiber

directions, layer thicknesses, stresses and strains, generated during the

forming process, help engineers to optimize process parameters and

part quality.

PRIMARY TOPICS:• Composite thermoforming simulation software • Prevention of composites manufacturing defects • Composite process and part optimization • Improved composite product quality

1116_CW_ESIWebinar.indd 1 11/16/2016 9:04:51 AM


DESIGN & TESTING

» Although the composites industry was still in its

infancy in the late 1960s, it was among the earliest

to recognize thermography’s potential in nonde-

structive testing (NDT), when the first commercial

infrared (IR) cameras became available. Thermog-

raphy offered the possibility of a fast, non-immer-

sive, noncontact inspection method that provided

a subsurface image of an entire area, rather than a

signal trace of a single point. Early adapters soon

realized that in many respects, composites and

thermography were an ideal match: Compared

to metals, most polymer composites have higher

infrared emissivities, resulting in higher signal

output, and lower thermal diffusivities, which means

that heat travels more slowly, so that changing

temperatures could be captured by the low frame

rates of early IR cameras.

Despite its early promise, it took several decades

for thermography to gain broad acceptance as a

first-line inspection method for composites. Among

the hurdles it had to overcome was the perception

that while it could provide a “pretty picture,” image

interpretation was subjective and the method was

suitable only for detection of large, near-surface defects. In the

past decade, that view has changed dramatically. Today, ther-

mography is routinely used in manufacturing quality assurance

and in-service inspection of composite structures, often replacing

tank- or squirter-based ultrasonic systems. Recent advances

in IR camera technology and the availability of small, powerful

computer platforms are enabling signal processing and excitation

methods that offer unprecedented range and sensitivity, fueling

another surge in thermography use.

Active thermography basicsIn active thermography, the surface of a part is thermally excited

and its response is observed with an infrared (IR) camera. As heat

flows from the part surface to its interior,

obstructions, such as voids or inclusions,

affect the cooling of the surface, causing

transient hot or cold regions that appear

in the IR image.

Simple systems use heat guns or

lamps for excitation, and depend on

an operator to visually evaluate the

IR cooling sequence captured by the

camera. Although these can be used to detect severe in-service

problems (e.g., delamination, impact damage, trapped water), they

lack the sensitivity or depth range to address many of the problems

Thermography: The Big Picture gets bigger

that occur during manufacturing — e.g., porosity or foreign object

debris (FOD). These also do not lend themselves to standardized

procedures and/or automated inspection. However, modern ther-

mography systems based on flash heating and advanced signal

processing have proven to be effective solutions for composite

quality assurance.

Beyond the image: Thermographic signal reconstructionA significant turning point for thermography occurred in 2001 with

the introduction of the Thermographic Signal Reconstruction (TSR)

method, as emphasis shifted from visual image evaluation to inde-

pendent analysis of the time history of each camera pixel.

TSR enables detection of small, deep

and subtle features (e.g., porosity, kissing

bonds) that cannot be detected by visual

evaluation of IR images. Instead, it uses

robust and repeatable signals that are appro-

priate for automated evaluation. Unlike conven-

tional thermography, which was based on flaw

identification in a host material, TSR-based

thermographic material characterization enables

measurement of the thermophysical properties of a flaw-free sample.

In a 2016 probability of detection (POD) study on flaw detection

in laminate structures conducted by the US Federal Aviation Admin.

FIG. 1 The Large Standoff Large Area (LASLAT) system automatically scans an 8-ft by 10-ft section of a V-22 aircraft in less than 10 minutes. Results are processed in real time using MOSAIQ software. The lower inset indicates a subsurface adhesive disbond between the skin and frame.

Source (all images) | Thermal Wave Imaging

Recent advances in IR camera technology are ... fueling another surge in thermography use.


(FAA) and Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM, US),

TSR-based thermography outperformed the ultrasound baseline

and other thermographic and visual imaging systems (lock-in and

scanning thermography and laser shearography) in all categories

(flaw detection, sizing and speed).

Thermography and composites: A perfect matchThermography normally operates in a single-side mode, does not

require immersion or contact with the part under test, and can

easily accommodate non-planar surfaces, allowing inspection of

closed structures, uncured prepreg or components with acoustic

holes that may not be appropriate for ultrasonic inspection. The

improved depth range and sensitivity gained through the use

of TSR has proved to be particularly significant for composites

inspection, because it enables detection of “weak” thermal flaws,

such as kissing bonds or porosity, which do not significantly

obstruct the flow of heat to generate localized surface hot spots

that are detectable using conventional thermography. However,

heat flowing through such flaws is slightly delayed, and the time

difference is measured by TSR to find conditions such as porosity

at levels of less than 1%.

LASLAT: The bigger pictureTypical thermography systems view an area of approximately 1 ft2

while positioned in close proximity to the test part. Inspection of

large structures, then, requires that the camera and the means of

excitation be moved from one position to another until the entire

surface has been covered. In this respect, thermography users have

faced the same problem they have encountered with ultrasound

and other NDT technologies: rapid coverage of an entire area

required that NDT equipment be mounted on a robot, gantry or

creeper. Although such systems are commonplace today, they are

large, complex and costly, and installations often require infra-

structure modifications. Further, the systems require reprogram-

ming to accommodate inspection of new parts.

Working under a Phase II SBIR with the NAVAIR Fleet Readi-

ness Center East in Cherry Point, NC, US, Thermal Wave Imaging

(Ferndale, MI, US) recently introduced Large Standoff Large Area

Thermography (LASLAT), a new approach to large-structure NDT

that does not require robot or gantry mounting and can be config-

ured to inspect a new part geometry in minutes. Combining the

sensitivity gained with TSR signal processing with a novel optical

projection system that excites the inspection surface from a

distance, LASLAT inspects an area on the order of 300 ft2 (27.9m2)

or 20 ft by 15 ft (6.1m by 4.6m) from a single, fixed position located

10-15 ft (3-4.6m) from the part, and it can easily be moved to

different locations within the factory or hangar. The system is fully

automated, so when a new scan pattern is defined, the inspection is

performed without user intervention.

The result of a LASLAT inspection is a TSR subsurface image of

the entire scanned area, automatically combined using MOSAIQ

software. The entire inspection process is significantly faster and

more efficient than conventional thermography, because the

operator can evaluate results while the scan is being performed.

NAVAIR is currently evaluating the system for inspection of

composite helicopter rotor blades. “Our inspection time for the

V-22 blade can go almost a shift and a half, so you’re looking at

10-14 hours to do one blade,” says Clint Salter, materials engineer

at the NAVAIR Fleet Readiness Center. “With the increased field of

view of LASLAT, as well as the improved data analysis software, we

should be able to cut that turnaround time down to five hours a

blade, if not less.”

Speeding up the process: Real-time inspection arrivesModern thermography systems that use signal processing to

enhance IR camera performance are based on a four-step

FIG. 2 Weak flaws, e.g., FOD or porosity, cause a delay in the TSR signal heat relative to the normal back wall.

FIG. 3 Unprocessed (left) and TSR-processed (right) images of Teflon foreign object debris (FOD) between plies 6 and 7 of a 12-ply CFRP panel. A hot spot due to flat bottom hole appears in the unprocessed image, but the FOD is only detectable after TSR processing.

0.000

-0.100

-0.200

-0.300

-0.400

-0.500

-0.600

Strongflaw

0.033 0.113 0.382 1.294 4.384 14.852

Normalwall

Weakflaw

time [sec]

TSR

first

der

ivat

ive

12 CompositesWorld

DESIGN & TESTING

DECEMBER 2016

excite-acquire-process-analyze inspection sequence. The camera

must be stationary during acquisition, and the duration of acqui-

sition depends on the part’s thickness and its thermal properties,

so there can be a considerable time interval between the start of

an area’s inspection and the availability of the processed image.

LASLAT

includes a new

real-time mode

in which data

is acquired and

instantly processed

during the excitation

period. This enables the

system operator to see

the resulting image and make an interpretation in real time,

and the operator can stop the inspection of an area if a defect is

identified.

Further, the real-time mode has been added to the handheld

VoyageIR system, enabling a quick “walkaround” inspection of

an aircraft, augmented by advanced signal processing to detect

and identify subsurface damage. In many respects, the poten-

tial for thermography that was first recognized in the 1960s has

finally come to be.

REFERENCES1 Shepard, S.M. and Frendberg, M., “Thermographic Detection and Characterization

of Flaws in Composite Materials,” Materials Evaluation 72(7):928-937, July 2014.2 Roach, D.M and Rice, T.M., “A Quantitative Assessment of Advanced

Nondestructive Inspection Techniques for Detecting Flaws in Composite Laminate Aircraft Structures,” DOT/FAA/TC-15/4, March 2016, http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/tc15-4.pdf

3 Shepard, S.M. “Flash thermography of aerospace composites.” IV Conferencia Panamericana de END Buenos Aires, Vol. 7, 2007.

Steve Shepard is the president of Thermal Wave Imaging Inc. (Ferndale, MI, US). He received his Ph.D in physics from Wayne State University, and then joined the US Army Tank-Automotive Command (TACOM), where he won the 1991 Army R&D Achievement Award for his work in IR imaging of engine combustion phenomena. In 1993, he founded Thermal Wave Imaging to develop and implement thermography solutions

for nondestructive testing (NDT). Shepard was awarded the ASNT 2014 Research Achievement Award for developing the Thermographic Signal Reconstruction (TSR) method, and the 2016 Mehl/Lester Award for “outstanding contributions to the science of nondestructive testing.” He holds more than 20 patents and has published, taught and lectured extensively in the field of thermographic NDT.

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13

GARDNER BUSINESS INDEX: COMPOSITES

Employment is up and composites in the US electronics industry continue a 2016 growth trend.

CompositesWorld.com

» With a reading of 49.7, the Gardner

Business Index, in October, showed that the

US composites industry had contracted, but

did so at a very slow rate. Further, this was the

first month the industry had shown contrac-

tion in the last half of 2016 since July.

The new orders subindex was just below

the 50 mark, indicating new orders contracted

in October after growing in the previous

three months. The production subindex,

however, increased for the third month in a

row. During the previous three months, the

production subindex had been at or near its

highest level since early 2015. Meanwhile, the

backlog subindex in October showed contrac-

tion again, as it had every month but one thus

far in 2016. Backlogs were the primary reason

that the overall index was not higher in 2016.

However, the backlog subindex seemed to

have bottomed out in August 2015. Employment increased for the

third month in a row. Exports were virtually flat for the second

time in four months. The export subindex, by October, had clearly

trended up since November 2015. And supplier deliveries short-

ened for the first time since July 2016 and for only the fourth time

since the GBI was first published in December 2011.

In October, material prices continued an upturn begun in

February. But rate of increase, which peaked in August, deceler-

ated in August and September. Prices received were unchanged

in October, after its subindex had trended upward since January.

The future business expectations subindex had been dropping the

previous two months, but the level of the subindex remained, in

October, about average for the year.

In terms of US markets served, the automotive industry

contracted at its fastest rate in October since January. Since

October 2015, the automotive subindex had been above 50 in only

one month. The aerospace industry, in October, contracted for

the second month in a row. September and October were the two

weakest months for the aerospace subindex since January. Mean-

while, the electronics industry grew at its fastest rate in at least

the previous 24 months. As October closed out, that subindex had

shown contraction in only one month during 2016.

Regionally, the Western US grew at the fastest rate in October.

The region had expanded two of the preceding three months as

its subindex improved substantially after bottoming in June. The

only other region to grow in October was the North Central-East,

which had grown for three consecutive months. The North Central-

West contracted slightly after growing in September. Also, the South-

east recorded a minimal contraction after several months of strong

growth. The subindex for the Northeast had trended down since

February, contracting in three of the previous four months. The

South Central had contracted most of the past year.

Moving on to the manufacturers, facilities with more than 250

employees were flat in October, although their subindex was notably

higher in the preceding three months. The subindex for plants with

100-249 employees was at its highest since December 2014, and had

grown in seven of the previous 10 months. Fabricators with 50-99

employees also had performed well recently, contracting only twice

since February. Smaller companies in 2016 had mostly contracted,

but conditions for them in October seemed to be improving.

October 2016 — 49.7

Steve Kline, Jr. is the director of market intelligence for Gardner Business Media Inc. (Cincinnati, OH, US), the publisher of CompositesWorld magazine. He began his career as a writing editor for another of the company’s magazines before moving into his current role. Kline holds a BS in civil engineering from

Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the University of Cincinnati. [email protected]

A GBI reading of >50.0 indicates expansion; values <50.0 indicate contraction.

60

50

40

Oct 1

5

Nov

15

Dec

15

Jan

16

Feb

16

Mar

16

Apr 1

6

May

16

June

16

Jul 1

6

Aug

16

Sep

16

Oct 1

6

49.7GBIOCTOBER 2016

Implications of a major acquisition in the autocomposites world, amibitous aspirations of a startup carbon fiber recycler, and more.

AUTOMOTIVE


TRENDS

Frank Macher, CEO and chairman of Continental Structural Plastics (CSP, Auburn Hills, MI, US), told CompositesWorld on Oct. 19 that transition activities have begun in the wake of Teijin Ltd.’s (Osaka, Japan) Sept. 13 announcement of plans to acquire CSP. CSP, he says, will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Teijin. Further, the entire CSP management

team has been asked to remain on board, the CSP name and brand will be retained by Teijin, and all of CSP North American, European and Asian facilities will be maintained, if not expanded.

Macher notes that the decision to retain the CSP name was a strategic one by Teijin, based on CSP’s well-estab-lished position and high profile in autocomposites. But in an official statement to CW, Teijin Advanced Composites America (Auburn Hills, MI, US) VP Eric Haiss said the new subsidiary’s long-term identity was still at issue: “At the moment, we are planning to keep the CSP name, but an official decision will be made in the near future.”

For his part, Macher, 75, who says he has “retired” from five jobs and sees his CSP role as the last of his career, expects to remain at the CSP helm to help guide transi-tion activities, but he then hopes to move into a part-time advisory role.

Until then, there is a fair amount of transitioning to do, because CSP’s specialization in glass fiber/thermoset resin-based composites manufacturing — especially sheet molding compound (SMC) — for automotive, transportation and industrial applications complements Teijin’s thermo-plastic, carbon fiber and aramid fiber products. As a result, says Macher, expect to see CSP expand its composite materials portfolio to include combinations of glass, carbon, aramid, thermoset and thermoplastic systems. And don’t be surprised, he adds, to see thermoplastic/thermoset overmolding combinations, especially for auto applications.

Haiss confirmed this observation, saying, “We hope CSP can utilize Teijin’s existing composite technologies, such as Sereebo and PvP, to capture a broader market share in CFRP applications. In the future, we believe it will be neces-sary to develop mixed or hybrid materials, which use a variety of fibers and resins to make the most cost effective

solution for the customer.” Sereebo integrates nylon and chopped carbon fiber in

a compression molding process to produce parts that are expected to have utility in structural and semi-structural applications.

PvP (Part via Preform) uses Toho Tenax TENAX Binder Yarn to quickly fabricate carbon fiber preforms. The yarn can be processed via random fiber placement for isotro-pic behavior, or via aligned unidirectional fiber placement.

Looking at the acquisition more broadly, Macher believes the CSP/Teijin union is a marriage with a bright future in autocomposites. In particular, CSP’s position as a manufacturer of battery trays for electric drivetrains is especially promising. Automotive OEMs, he notes, are signaling that many of their future models will eventu-ally be available in an all-electric version. “We are seeing significant growth in that type of vehicle across the world,” he says, adding that “there has to be aggressive applica-tion of new technologies and materials to meet fuel-effi-ciency requirements.”

In addition, the company’s Ultra Lite SMC product is proving highly competitive with aluminum and steel in body panels and semi-structural parts. The award-winning SMC in-bed storage box for the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck is exhibit number one for the of this material. Along these lines, Macher says a CSP-developed carbon fiber SMC will soon be commercialized.

Asked about CSP’s end-market mix, Macher says to expect a transition there as well. Currently, about 37% of CSP’s business is in nonautomotive markets, “which is fairly high,” he says. Although nonautomotive business isn’t expected to decrease in whole numbers, it will shrink in comparison to planned growth in automotive. “We hope, within five years, to have 80% of our business in automotive,” he reports.

Finally, the CSP deal signals to the automotive and composites industries the seriousness of Teijin’s intentions.

“I think,” says Macher, “this deal shows that composites will work in automotive and that there are strategic partners who will invest.” As to the “fit” of the two companies, Macher is clear: “Their [Teijin’s] philosophy is the same as ours. We want to be a full-service supplier that develops the material and provides manufacturing solutions. We want to be fully integrated.”

Read a more detailed account of CW’s conversation with CSP’s Frank Macher online | short.compositesworld.com/Teijin-CSP

Teijin + Continental Structural Plastics: Going forward

Source | CSP


TRENDS

CW was on hand Oct. 6 at an Open House celebration of the recently inaugurated partnership between Vartega Carbon Fiber Recycling LLC (Golden, CO, US) and Golden-based Colorado School of Mines. Vartega, unique among startups in the fast-growing market for reclaimed carbon fiber, has developed a solvolysis (chemistry-based) alternative (pat. pend.) to the pyrolysis methods that currently predominate in efforts to reclaim scrap and expired prepregged carbon fiber. Vartega founder and president Andrew Maxey has been working with Mines asso-ciate professor and principal investigator Dr. Jason Porter.

The pair noted that testing conducted at an SGL Carbon SE facility in Evanston, WY, recently confirmed that prepregged carbon fibers reclaimed by Vartega’s solvoly-sis process retain virgin mechanical properties. Porter’s

Vartega Carbon Fiber Recycling unveils ambitious aspirations

experience in the application of optical hardware has been applied to visual verification of the solvolysis process’ capa-bility to produce a clean, residue-free fiber. The implications of these findings are significant, Maxey posited. First, solvol-ysis can be much less energy intensive, so the process, itself, can be less costly in terms of budget

Vartega president/CEO Andrew Maxey, second from left and senior process engineer Jordan Harris (far left) explain the history behind the company’s beta solvolysis process (photo at right) and reveal plans for its 100-ton-per year pilot plant.

Source (both photos) | CW / Photo | Mike Musselman

(Continued on p. 16)

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(Continued from p. 15)

and environmental impact. Second, the reclaimed fibers can be sold at a lower price than other recycled product, but because those fibers are of virgin quality, a customer will need a smaller fiber volume fraction of solvolysis-processed fibers to secure the same performance one might get with pyrolysis-processed fiber. Therefore, less fiber equals desired performance at even less cost. That layering of cost savings, says Maxey, is one of the most attractive features of the process. A third and key point in Maxey’s presenta-tion was that solvolysis has the potential for more than production of the milled, chopped and short-fiber product typical of current commercial recycling efforts. As Vartega’s process scales up, it can enable reclamation of entire rolls of expired prepregged fabric and tape, preserving the fabric structures, requiring only the reapplication of sizings, where appropriate, to make them available for reuse. Given that waste from cuttings and expired prepregs combined can result in scrap rates as high as 40%, Maxey believes a system that will permit reclamation and reuse of virgin-quality fabrics and tapes will meet a longstanding need.

Vartega’s process has matured to beta stage in a Mines laboratory, funded, in part, by a February Advanced Industry Accelerator (AIA) Proof-of-Concept (POC) grant of US$150,000 from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). But Maxey emphasized that an over-riding near-term goal is devel-opment of a pilot-scale process in 2017 capable of 100

tons reclaimed fiber output per annum. One key to that endeavor, Maxey noted, is Vartega’s recently acquired senior process engineer Jordan Harris. Experienced in the recycling of polyurethanes and familiar with lab-to-commercial scale up in the automotive environment, he is expected play a pivotal role in ensuring the process can be integrated into the automotive mass production supply chain. Maxey and Harris both praised the School of Mines’ openness to such partnerships, which enables startup enterprises open access to sophisticated (not to mention prohibitively expensive) instruments and equipment and technical assistance that would otherwise be out of reach. Another plus of the partnership is the School of Mines’ close relationships with the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL, Boulder, CO), and with the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, Knoxville, TN, US), the US$259 million public/private consortium designed to accelerate compos-ite materials and process development in key industries, including one of Vartega’s target markets, the auto industry.

Vartega is seeking additional funding for the pilot plant, and Maxey invited potential investors gathered for the tour to join him in taking seriously his company’s catchphrase:

“Let’s reduce our carbon footprint by increasing our carbon fiber footprint.”

Visit the Web site | www.vartega.comGet the full story on the Vartega Open House, Vartega’s management team and operations online |

short.compositesworld.com/VartegaOH

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NEWSUMaine MET Program

Students at the University of Maine’s (Orono, ME, US) Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) program have been investigating knitted fabrics for use in structural appli-cations, particularly for the arches of the UMaine-developed Composite Arch Bridge System, or Bridge-in-a-Backpack (see CW’s article about the latter and its applications | short.compositesworld.com/DwM3fIlT). The students included Carlton Allen, Ron Bouchard, Nial Craig, Caleb Drake, Tim Heno, Eric Marcotte, James Martin, and Nick Sluzenski, working under the guidance of David Erb, Jr., senior R&D program manager, Advanced Structures and Composites Center, University of Maine, and Brett Ellis, Ph.D, P.E., assistant professor in Mechanical Engineering Technology, University of Maine.

The students fabricated knitted sleeves on a Lawsom-Hemphill Fiber Analysis Knitter (FAK) circular knitting machine, using SIGRAFIL carbon fiber yarn supplied by SGL Carbon SE (Wiesbaden, Germany). Then the sleeves were cut and infused with DERAKANE vinyl ester resin supplied by Ashland Performance Materials (Columbus, OH, US), along with a braid supplied by A&P Technology Inc. (Cincinnati, OH, US) for comparison, and mechanically tested.

The commercial braid had the highest fiber-volume frac-tion and the highest overall axial tensile strength, and the knitted fabric samples had higher axial tensile strength than transverse tensile strength. The students continue to

investigate the reasons for the observed data and have concluded that knitted structural reinforcements have a place within high-performance applications, particularly for double-curved parts where the knits’ conformability is a real plus. Says Erb, knitting offers unique opportunities to vary the density and frequency of the looped structure.

“The knit reinforcement is highly dependent on the strength of the matrix, so properties like flexibility, energy absorp-tion and toughness can be designed in.” Knitting, a mature commercial technology, can be employed to rapidly manu-facture complex, net-shape part preforms. Check out this link for more information on UMaine’s student research on knitted reinforcements: short.compositesworld.com/UMaineKnit

UMaine students investigate knitted reinforcements

Source | UMiane

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TRENDS


Notes about newsworthy events recently covered on the CW website. For more information about an item, key its link into your browser. Up-to-the-minute news | www.compositesworld.com/news/list

MONTH IN REVIEW

Magellan Aerospace signs agreement with BAE to produce F-35 Lightning IIMagellan plans to produce more than 1,000 ship sets of horizontal tail assemblies over the life of the F-35 program.11/07/16 | short.compositesworld.com/MageF-35

CH-53K helicopter passes initial operational testingSikorsky’s composites-intensive CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter completed the week-long operational assessment on Oct. 21.11/07/16 | short.compositesworld.com/CH-53Ktest

First bridge made completely out of bio-composite materialThis 14m long ‘bio-bridge’ is made from a hemp and flax-fiber base.11/07/16 | short.compositesworld.com/1stNFBridg

Suzlon opens new rotor blade manufacturing facility in IndiaThe facility, spread across 19 acres, has an annual production capacity of 400 MW and will manufacture rotor blades for its latest S111 2.1 MW turbine.10/31/16 | short.compositesworld.com/SuzRotoInd

IACMI announces Bryan Dods as new CEODods joins IACMI from GE Power. Outgoing CEO Craig Blue will return to ORNL as its director of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. 10/31/16 | short.compositesworld.com/CCT-MITcar

Quickstep, Futuris Automotive to collaborate on composite seat backThis project will result in a lighter weight (up to 50% weight saving), fully func-tional composite seat back part that will be available from mid-2017.10/31/16 | short.compositesworld.com/QuickSeat

Orbital ATK’s Cygnus successfully berthed to ISSOnboard Cygnus were four Spire LEMUR-2 CubeSats, remote sensing satellites that provides global ship tracking and weather monitoring.10/31/16 | short.compositesworld.com/CygnusISS

Airbus and SIAEC incorporate Singapore MRO joint ventureThe new company will be named Heavy Maintenance Singapore Services Pte. Ltd. and will begin operation in December.10/31/16 | short.compositesworld.com/AirbusJV

LIFT, Materion project to develop cost-effective metal-matrix compositesOne component of the project will be the investigation of several product forms, including extrusions, 3D near-net-shape HIP, press and sinter parts and thin sheet.10/28/16 | short.compositesworld.com/LIFT-MMC

New Harper, ORNL project to focus on carbon fiber production equipmentThe project includes analysis of critical processing factors, such as temperature, gas flow and chemical reaction, in carbon fiber production equipment.10/28/16 | short.compositesworld.com/HarperORNL

CompositesWorld-halfpage.indd 1 3/7/16 10:35 AM


NEWSCOALINE Project

COALINE, a European Project launched in September 2013 with funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013, under Grant Agreement no. 609149), has achieved its goal of a pultruded composite profile coated inline and cured with microwave heating. Project participants are focused on making pultru-sion more efficient and cost-effective, with fewer volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. In a nutshell, the innovative process reduces the number of steps involved in pultrusion by integrating forming, coating and finishing processes in a single step. New processing technologies include inno-vative sensors, advanced mold design and inline coating application. Team participants say the proj-ect’s ultimate goal is to reduce the cost of coated pultruded profiles by up to 35%, while increasing output and maintaining quality.

The use of microwave curing has two main advantages: heating is volumetric and homogeneous, and cure time is reduced to seconds, so that VOC emissions also are reduced. The main microwave absorption mechanism in a polymer is the reorientation of dipoles in the imposed elec-tric field. This reorientation causes the polymer’s molecules to vibrate, thus heating the material. COALINE trials show

that microwave curing of polyester and vinyl ester resins achieves best results when microwave absorbents, called susceptors, are used (epoxy does not need susceptors). Examples of susceptors are metallic charges, organic dipo-lar additives and inorganic additives transparent to micro-waves. These susceptors reduce the polymerization time during microwave curing of resins and gel coats by 46-71%, compared to traditional pultrusion cure time. In addition, the application of susceptors to

Research aims to speed pultrusion for transportation, construction markets

(Continued on p. 20)

Source | Ecoinnova Termoestables SL

The fibers are pulled into the heated mold.

The resin and the gel coat are injected separately into the mold.

The microwaves cure the profile, reducing the cure time by more than 50%.

The whole process is monitored by sensors.

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improve microwave absorption and reduce polymerization time does not influence the mechanical properties of the resins, say the project participants. COALINE also is investigating methods for applying inline gel coats and primer coatings, to eliminate postcure sanding and painting operations.

COALINE´s target sectors are construction and transportation, where traditional materials include wood, aluminum, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), concrete and steel. Project participants believe that pultruded thermoset profiles made in a high-output, continuous process can be a “formidable” material choice. The project will extend through 2017. Visit the group’s Web site (www.coaline.eu) for more information and a complete listing of all consortium participants, including AIMPLAS, the Spanish plastics technology center (Valencia, Spain).

(Continued from p. 19)

BIZ BRIEF

Meggitt Polymers & Composites (MPC, Rockmont, GA, US), a business unit of Meggitt PLC, signed a lease to relocate to a single 9,290m2 facility on Top Gun St., less than a quarter mile from its current Heater Ct. operation in the Sorrento Valley/Mira Mesa area of San Diego, CA, which occupies two less-efficient buildings totaling 6,503m2. Construction commenced in November 2016, with phased occupancy to be completed by second quarter 2017. The relocation investment (~US$10 million) will result in more than 200 new jobs by 2020 for composite techni-cians, program managers and manufacturing and quality engineers. The new facility will become a Meggitt center of excellence in multi-axis, high-pressure compression molding as well as autoclave processing.

The move coincides with the ramp-up of production on the F-35 combat fighter aircraft program, for which Meggitt manufactures engine compo-nents and other structures, but the larger facility includes capacity for expansion into the high-growth market of composite components for the commercial transport aircraft market.

“Aircraft manufacturers are in a race to convert as much metal to composite as possible because the reduc-tion in weight saves fuel and production costs are much less.” Mike Louderback, MPC site leader, commented, explaining, “We now have amongst the widest range of composite processes in-house in our market segment, which means we are well-positioned to accommodate any geomet-ric challenge our customers put before us.”

AEROSPACE


NEWSHexcel, Airbus Amend Contracts

Hexcel/Airbus contract amendments/extensions to generate US$15 billion

Hexcel Corp. (Stamford, CT, US) announced on Oct. 13 that two of its key contracts to supply advanced composites to Airbus Group have been amended. Hexcel expects them, together, to generate total sales of US$15 billion for their duration.

One existing contract that relates to Hexcel products supplied for commercial aircraft, helicopters, space and military programs has been amended. Specific commercial programs covered include the A350 XWB secondary structures, the A380, the A320 and A330 family, and ATR commercial aircraft. The NH90, Tiger and EC135 helicopter programs also are included, as are the A400M mili-tary transporter and Ariane launch vehicle. Hexcel supplies a wide range of composite materials for these programs, including fabrics, resins, prepregs and adhesives.

The second contract, to supply trademarked HexPly M21E/IMA carbon fiber prepreg for the primary structures of the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft, has been extended through 2030. It covers the entire family of A350 XWB aircraft, including the A350-1000.

Hexcel chairman, CEO and presi-dent Nick Stanage says, “As an advanced composites industry leader, we are extremely proud to continue our long and rewarding

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BIZ BRIEF

Element Materials Technology (London, UK) has acquired DNV GL’s German materials testing laboratories. The DNV GL Laboratories in Germany comprise four ISO:17025/OHSAS:18001-accredited laboratories in Hamburg, Muelheim a.d.R., Herne and Stuttgart/Esslingen, Germany, specialized in materials test-ing, metallurgy and failure analysis. This latest acquisition expands Element’s current European footprint to 16 test-ing laboratories.


CAMX 2016 Show ReportThe 3rd annual joint ACMA/SAMPE-sponsored trade event comes to Anaheim with an exhibition and conference program attractive to professionals across the composites world.

» In three short years, the Composites and Advanced Mate-

rials Expo (CAMX) has evolved into the largest composites event

in North America, the composites industry’s largest market.

CAMX officially kicked off on Sept. 27 with a General Session that

featured three creative and visionary keynote speakers who have

applied composites in new and compelling ways that promise to

change how we think about communication, transportation and

architecture. About 1,700 showgoers filled the hall to hear testi-

mony of composites’ high utility as a problem-solving material.

Visionaries frame new futuresFirst up was Daniel Preston, CEO and CTO of Luminati Aero-

space (Calverton, NY, US), a new company dedicated to bringing

Internet connectivity to all areas of the world. He and his team

are developing, among many products and technologies, high-

altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned vehicles that will

harvest energy from wind and sun to stay aloft. These vehicles will

be constructed by automated layup methods, using carbon fiber

composites supplied by Hexcel (Stamford, CT, US).

Due to a scheduling conflict, Preston could not attend CAMX

in person, but appeared via video. He commented on his early

success as a student (college at age 12, graduated in his teens) and

in business (sold his first business and “retired” in his 20s), and

how that led, eventually, to the HALE effort, which was prompted

by a “large dot-com” that was seeking to provide Internet access

to underserved regions around the world. The result is the

V0-Substrata, a solar- and wind-powered, pilot-optional, composite

aircraft that, Luminati hopes, will be doing HALE-based work soon.

The third CAMX event takes flight

In Anaheim, CAMX became North America’s largest composites confer-ence and tradeshow, hosting more than 250 technical presentations. Almost 8,000 attendees walked the exhibit floor during the three-day event, where more than 540 exhibitors displayed the latest in materials, machinery, supplies and technical services. Pictured here is a unique vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) combination rotorcraft/fixed-wing flight aircraft, featured in the AC&A (Lake Forest, CA, US) exhibit.

Source (all photos) | CW / Photos | Jeff Sloan & Donna Dawson

CAMX 2016Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim, CA USSponsors: American Composites Manufacturers Assn. (ACMA, Arlington VA., US) and (The Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (Covina, CA, US) Attendance: 7,987 registrations from more than 50 countries. Exhibitors: 544Conference presentations: 254

Next up was Gregory Haye, general manager at Local Motors

(Knoxville, TN, US), who is overseeing his company’s development

of vehicles built from advanced materials via large-format additive

manufacturing methods, with a goal of reducing negative impact

on the environment.

Haye walked session attendees through the implications of

Local Motors’ “strive for less” mantra, the goal of which is to

rethink the motor vehicle design-and-development paradigm. Or,

as Haye put it, “The vehicle as we know it must die.” Haye empha-

sized Local Motors’ desire to condense the vehicle development

process with digital-based tools that enable fast toolmaking and

direct manufacturing — processes done via additive manufac-

turing technology; specifically, Cincinnati Inc.’s (Cincinnati, OH,

US) Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) machine, which

SHOW REPORT


uses a chopped carbon fiber-reinforced ABS. Haye also discussed

Local Motors’ work developing — in only three months — Olli,

a composites-intensive, multi-passenger, autonomous mini-bus

designed for urban mass-transit.

Wrapping up was Greg Lynn, owner of Greg Lynn FORM (Los

Angeles, CA, US). At the forefront of fresh, functional and unusual

structural design with composite materials, Lynn is one of the

10 most influential architects living today, according to Forbes

magazine (see photo and caption, p. 24).

Like Preston and Haye, Lynn is highly motivated to build new

paradigms, based on the application of composites. In architec-

ture, he noted, composites offer moldability and adaptability not

possible with steel and aluminum. As a result, curved weight-

bearing structures have become possible, bringing new dynamism

to home and building design. The challenge, he said, is that many

architects and designers are stuck in a paradigm that relies on

legacy materials, and they are trying to adapt composites to fit into

that mindset. “If you think about composite beams like you think

about steel beams, it’s a mistake,” he said, adding, “In fact, if you

think about composite beams at all, you’re lost.”

SAMPE distinguished serviceComposites industry veteran Scott Beckwith received SAMPE’s

inaugural Distinguished Service Award. The bequest came as a

“complete and total surprise” to Beckwith, who said that he was

overwhelmed by the honor.

Beckwith owns his own consulting firm, BTG Composites

(Taylorsville, UT, US), and has been SAMPE’s technical director

since 1998, making him the longest serving person on SAMPE’s

executive board.

He says he joined SAMPE in 1974 when he got a job at Hercules

in Salt Lake City, UT, US. Beckwith’s boss was a past-president of

SAMPE and suggested Beckwith get involved. “Membership was

just $26 a year, and I thought that was a pretty good deal,” he says.

“Before I knew it, I was writing papers and giving presentations.”

And he hasn’t looked back.

Looking to composites’ future, Beckwith is cautiously optimistic

about growth and technical development. What he hopes to see

more of, however, is technological cross-pollination, particu-

larly between aerospace and automotive, the latter of which has

substantial cycle time, quality and process-control problems to

solve: “I am hoping that, as they meet those challenges and find

solutions, the aerospace industry will adapt some of the same

technology.” He also points to workforce development — particu-

larly among high school and young college students — as vital to

the composites industry’s expansion and maturation, and he is

glad to see SAMPE and ACMA both heavily involved in education

and training.

CAMX AwardsThe winners of the annual Combined Strength, Unsurpassed

Innovation CAMX Awards were announced at the CAMX 2016

General Session, and the prize-winning products hail from the

CAMX Awards: Combined Strength

The top honors in this category went to the “Multi-Material Decklid Concept,” submitted by Continental Structural Plastics (CSP, Auburn Hills, MI, US). The decklid, featuring a trademarked TCA Ultra Lite sheet molding compound (SMC) outer and a carbon fiber resin transfer molded (RTM) inner, weighs only 5.5 kg, representing a 13% weight savings over a similar decklid made from aluminum.

CAMX 2016

ACE Awards: Infinite Possibility for Market Growth

The cargo compartment of the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck was the Awards for Composites Excellence winner at CAMX in this category. The compartment is made with sheet molding compound (SMC) supplied by Ashland Performance Materials (Columbus, OH, US).


tradition continued with the following announcements.

The winner in the Design category, Most Creative Applica-

tion, was “Pultruded FRP Replaces Aluminum for the Silver Flow,”

submitted by Strongwell (Bristol, VA, US), for an eye-catching car

show display created for Mercedes. In the Manufacturing category,

Material and Process Innovation, Oak Ridge National Labora-

tory (ORNL, Knoxville, TN, US) was selected for its “3D Printing of

High-Temperature Thermoplastic Molds.” Elsewhere in the same

category, T Plates Global LLC (Oceanside, CA, US) was a winner

for Most Creative Application for its customizable thermoplastic

sandwich core. Thermoplastic injection molded cells have an

open architecture with strength in compression and shear and are

welded (on one or both sides) to a 25-g/m2 nonwoven glass veil

with random chopped fibers, suitable for large-area applications,

such as wind turbine blades.

In the Manufacturing category, Equipment and Tooling Innova-

tion, “Innovative Robotized Preform Cell Providing 3D Stacking

and Control” was the winner, submitted by Composite Alliance

Corp. (Dallas, TX, US). And finally, in the Market Growth category,

Infinite Possibility for Market Growth, the winner is the “2017

Honda Ridgeline Weatherable SMC Truck Bed,” submitted by

Ashland Performance Materials (Columbus, OH, US).

OOA innovationIn manufacturing and processing technologies, two technical

presentations and a panel session featured out-of-autoclave (OOA)

innovations — a relatively new trend with potential for aerospace-

quality parts at lower cost. Demonstration of an inflatable, collaps-

ible pressure intensifier for out-of-autoclave composite processing

using BMI prepreg won an Outstanding Technical Paper Award.

Steven Scarborough of ILC Dover (Frederica, DE, US) was the

primary author and presenter; Steve Slaughter and Jason Varnum

of Scaled Composites (Mojave, CA, US) were co-authors.

ILC originally built the pressure intensifier for the US Depart-

ment of Homeland Security as a 5.18m-diameter inflatable

pressure tunnel for containing breathable air while sealed against

poisonous gasses. Slaughter said he sees it, instead, as a big oven

for curing composites. Scaled Composites has built all its aircraft

without an autoclave — including the all-composite Voyager,

fast-developing automotive and the architectural end-markets.

The winner in the Combined Strength category was the “Multi-

Material Decklid Concept,” submitted by Continental Structural

Plastics (CSP, Auburn Hills, MI, US). The decklid, featuring a trade-

marked TCA Ultra Lite sheet molding compound (SMC) outer and

a carbon fiber resin transfer molded (RTM) inner, weighs only 5.5

kg, representing a 13% weight savings over a similar aluminum

decklid. When he received the award, CSP’s R&D director Mike

Siwajek acknowledged that the material and process technologies

in the decklid are not, technically, new, but emphasized that they

have been combined in new ways to meet unique challenges. “By

marrying all these technologies and making something old new

again,” he contended, “we have a chance to really make an impact

in the automotive industry.”

In the Unsurpassed Innovation category, the CAMX Award

winner was “Fire-Resistant FRP Façade Cladding System for High-

Rise Building,” submitted by Kreysler & Associates (American

Canyon, CA, US). The cladding system, applied to the recent San

Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA, San Francisco,

CA) expansion, marks the largest architectural use of fiber-rein-

forced plastic (FRP), to date, in a US building project. It required

more than 700 panels, some as large as 1.5m wide by 9m long,

totaling 7804m2 on a contoured 10-story façade, and was the first

composite system to pass rigorous fire regulation testing for use

above the fourth story.

Company president Bill Kreysler accepted the award but was

quick to acknowledge his employees, who share the honor by

having helped make the SFMOMA façade a reality. Kreysler also

implored the audience to help accelerate composites development

and application by getting involved with either ACMA or SAMPE.

“You will make this organization stronger if you volunteer,” he said.

“I always felt like I got more than I gave.”

Awards for Composites ExcellenceACMA also made its ACE (Awards for Composites Excellence)

presentations in the pavilion by the same name on the CAMX

show floor. ACE has recognized outstanding achievement and

innovation in the categories of design, manufacturing and market

growth/product development for more than 20 years. That

CAMX Awards: Unsurpassed Innovation

Bill Kreysler, president Kreysler & Associates (American Canyon, CA, US) receiving the award in this category for his “Fire-Resistant FRP Façade Cladding System for High-Rise Building,” which was applied to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA, US) expansion — to date, the largest architectural use of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) in a US building project.

Vision casting for architectural composites

Architect Greg Lynn, owner of Greg Lynn FORM (Los Angeles, CA, US), speaks at the CAMX 2016 general session about the potential for increased use of composites in building and construction. The challenge, he said, is to create a new paradigm for composites use in architecture — one that breaks free from the assumptions of legacy materials.

SHOW REPORT


which flew around the world nonstop in 1984, and SpaceShipOne,

which won the Ansari XPRIZE in 2004.

Scaled fabricated 40.6-cm by 50.8-cm composite panels for

cure at 15 psig pressure inside the pressure intensifier, using

Toray T400-800 carbon fiber, with Solvay’s Cycom 5250-4HT BMI

prepreg and AGY 6781 S2 fiberglass, with 5250-4 BMI prepreg

systems. BMI resin was selected because it is more difficult to

process by OOA than epoxy. The project produced an aerospace-

grade laminate, i.e., <1% voids. Proposed applications include

in-field aircraft repair and manufacture of wind blades.

Kara Storage, Air Force Research Laboratory (Wright-Patterson

AFB, OH, US), moderated a Featured Session panel that consid-

ered OOA applications and their potential impact on growth.

Panelists were Jim Martin (Globe Machine Manufacturing,

Tacoma, WA, US); Randy Johnsen (Solvay, Tempe, AZ, US);

Doug Decker (Northrop Grumman, Falls Church, VA, US); Sean

Johnson (TenCate Advanced Composites, Morgan Hill, CA, US);

and Timotei Centea (M.C. Gill Composites Center, University of

Southern California, San Diego, CA, US). Panelists agreed that

new material systems need to be developed with good out-life

and stability for OOA, and suitable for nondestructive inspection.

Solvay and other suppliers are working on new resins and other

materials targeted for OOA. OOA processes are seen as enablers

for bonded structures, but some panelists suggested they might

not be ready for large-aircraft manufacture.

Pilar Lopez (Airbus, Toulouse, France) presented her work

in bonding primary and secondary structures on OOA bonded

repairs for the A350 XWB. With a goal of certified OOA structural

bonding repair solutions, she researched co-bonding possibilities

using either dedicated repair materials or original product mate-

rials, with repair work done in portable cleanrooms or portable

inflatable tent hangars. Two material grades have been qualified,

and tests have shown that bonded repairs can be successful.

Bio-resin market growingSicomin (Marseille, France) presented its range of epoxy resins

with a bio-based carbon content, ranging from 28-51%, which

can be used in hand lamination, infusion, pultrusion/filament

winding and HP-RTM processes. Sports equipment providers,

from skis to surfboards, are pushing for bio-based products, says

Sicomin’s export manager Marc Denjean. Sicomin’s bio-resin

GreenPoxy33, for example, is being used to mold French ski manu-

facturer ZAG’s extra-light touring skis. And while several European

companies have worked with the company to produce bio-friendly

products, Marc Denjean says Sicomin also is seeing demand for the

bio-resins in North American sports and leisure market.

Automotive crash analysisAltair (Troy, MI, US) emphasized its tools and expertise for

analyzing and optimizing composite structures. The company

provides impact analysis for high-momentum events — bird strikes,

crash impacts, drops and more — using its RADIOSS structural

analysis solver. RADIOSS’ applications include not only crash

safety, drop and blast, and hydrodynamic impact testing but also

terminal ballistic fluid structural interaction, forming and composite

mapping. Robert Yancey, Altair’s VP of aerospace, told CW that the

company is using its 20-plus years of aerospace experience to focus

on automotive crash analysis to improve crashworthiness, safety

and manufacturability of structural designs.

Polyamides for aircraft interiorsSolvay (Brussels, Belgium) announced at CAMX 2016 that its Ixef

BM-1524 polyarylamide (PARA) is now qualified to the Boeing BMS

8-270 standard governing polyamides for aircraft interiors. This

new listing expands opportunities for lightweighting through metal

replacement for designers of aircraft interior components, and offers

a more cost-effective, easily processed and structurally superior

alternative to conventional plastics, such as polyetherimide (PEI).

Armin Klesing, global business development manager for aero-

space at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers business unit, says the newly

listed product’s “unique mechanical and processing performance

offers broader design latitudes for a wide range of aircraft interior

components, which helped make its certification a priority for

Boeing. Today, Ixef PARA is well-positioned to become the material

of choice for commercial aircraft interior applications where cost-

effective light-weighting is a key driver in polymer specification.”

A 50% glass-fiber reinforced, semi-crystalline, semi-aromatic

polyamide, the natural-colored, halogen-free flame retardant

Continued emphasis on hands-on education

Composites One (Arlington Heights, IL, US) and its Closed Molding Alliance were at CAMX 2016, as they have been in previous years, demonstrating a variety of composites fabrication techniques, including infusion and resin transfer molding, in the manufacture of interior aerospace parts, a skateboard, a pipe flange and more.

CAMX 2016


(HFFR) polymer delivers metal-like strength and stiffness,

making it an option for lightweight fasteners, attachments and

brackets. Ixef BM-1524 PARA meets Federal Aviation Admin. (FAA)

60-second vertical burn requirements per 14 CFR 25.853 Appendix

F, as well as toxic gas emission requirements under BSS7239 and

ABD0031.

Reichhold + PolyntAs CAMX commenced, resins suppliers Reichhold (Research

Triangle Park, NC, US) and Polynt Composites (Carpentersville,

IL, US) were in the midst of consummating a 50/50 merger that

will, when complete, mark a substantial change in the composites

industry’s resin supply chain.

Dale M. MacDonald, VP commercial, North America, at Reich-

hold, told CW that the merger has been approved by American

regulatory authorities, but that European Union authorities were

still reviewing the deal. The hope, he said, is

that it would be approved by year’s end.

Until then, how the merged companies

might present themselves to the market

remains to be seen. MacDonald says it’s

undecided what will become of the

Reichhold and Polynt names post-

merger, but he did point out that the

former celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2017.

On the composites process side of the business, MacDonald

said it’s business as usual. He noted that Reichhold is working

right now, in cooperation with the Institute for Advanced

Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, Knoxville, TN,

US), to apply its Advalite vinyl hybrid monomer-free resin to auto-

motive structures. It offers, he said, a cure time of 45-60 seconds

and a Tg of 150°C, which makes it suitable for the electrophoretic

(E-Coat) painting process.

Educational partnershipComposites One (Arlington Heights, IL, US) and Davis Applied

Technology College (DATC, Kaysville, UT, US) announced an

educational partnership designed to provide students with the

skills needed for a successful career in the composites industry

by helping students explore advanced composites, including

prepreg, thermoplastics, out-of-autoclave processing and additive

manufacturing.

Composites One president/COO Leon Garoufalis said, “With

this new partnership, we can help prepare the next generation

of composites professionals, as well as ensure that more of our

industry’s existing workforce is educated on the latest composites

technologies.”

“Where education and industry can come together with a

common cause is always a productive partnership,” commented

DATC president Michael Bouwhuis. “Together we will help to

prepare highly skilled workers to preserve global competitiveness

and economic opportunity within the composites industry. We

will also ensure that there is a future workforce for this growing

industry.”

Cure sensorsAvPro Inc. (Norman, OK, US) has partnered with TSI Technologies

LLC (Wichita, KS, US) to develop the next generation of composite

cure temperature sensors, called the ThermoPulse system.

Consisting of an antenna with transmit and receive capabilities, an

embeddable microwire temperature sensor and a reader box, which

collects the antenna readings, the ThermoPulse in-situ measure-

ment system allows for wireless monitoring of temperature from the

interior of a composite part, bondline or repair.

Measuring just 0.25 mm by 32 mm, ThermoPulse sensors are

small enough to be permanently embedded in fly-away parts.

Studies with American and European companies showed no signifi-

cant difference in mechanical properties between samples created

with sensors and those without.

Throughout cure, the ThermoPulse Microwire supplies real-

time temperature data to the controller, providing assurance and

log records that performance-critical

parts are actually reaching required

temperatures.

On a similar subject, Christian Weimer,

head of Domain Composite Materials &

Process for Airbus Group Innovations (Munich,

Germany), gave a presentation on Sept. 29,

titled, “Increasing the Productivity of CFRP

Production Processes.” Speaking mainly through the lens of increasing

predictability and reliability, Weimer discussed current issues and

future needs in composite aerostructures production. He then

announced that Airbus has spun off a new subsidiary, InFactory Solu-

tions (Ottobrunn, Germany), that will develop, qualify and deliver

sensor systems, data analytics and engineering consulting services for

more automated, connected and intelligent manufacturing.

InFactory’s first commercialization is a sensor for quality moni-

toring during automated fiber placement (AFP) of composite struc-

tures that reduces inspection time by >95%. The sensor can be used

on any AFP head (e.g., AFPT, Coriolis, Electroimpact, Fives, Inger-

soll, MTorres) and is qualified per Airbus Process Spec (AIPS).

The system already is undergoing tests for A350 XWB production

at the Airbus plant in Illescas, Spain. Sites in Germany, Airbus Group

Helicopters in Donauworth and Premium Aerotec in Augsburg, will

follow by year’s end.

Recycling collaborationConnora Technologies (Hayward, CA, US) and Adesso Advanced

Materials (Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China and Monmouth Junction,

NJ, US) revealed recent steps taken to advance their recyclable

epoxy technology. Connora exhibited its Zero-landfill Manufac-

turing Project with Burton Snowboards (Burlington, VT, US) and

the world’s first recyclable surfboard. The project involves not only

recovering fiber but converting reclaimed thermoset epoxy into a

thermoplastic, which is then reused in snowboard bindings and

surfboard fins. Meanwhile, Adesso displayed printed circuit boards

that are similarly recyclable, addressing a huge issue for the elec-

tronics industry, as well as programs with composite bicycle manu-

facturers and electric bus suppliers/operators.

Bill Kreysler encouraged involvement with ACMA or

SAMPE: “I always felt like I got more than I gave.”

SHOW REPORT


COUNTERVAIL in a racketMaterials Sciences Corp. (MSC, Horsham, PA and Greenville, SC,

US) and Wilson Sporting Goods (Chicago, IL, US) have entered

into an exclusive agreement to explore and develop applications of

MSC’s COUNTERVAIL vibration-damping composite technology.

MSC exhibited the 2017 Serena Williams Blade SW 104 Autograph

racket, which uses COUNTERVAIL to reduce vibration energy,

helping players experience better control and less fatigue, without

sacrificing light weight, stiffness or feel.

Exhibition quick takes• Compotool (Monroe, WA, US) displayed high-temperature

tooling materials and ceramic tooling board that can be vacuum

bagged and autoclave cured, and reported significantly reduced

manufacturing time.

• Dexmet (Wallingford, CT, US) had lightning strike foils thinned

down to 0.001-0.002 inch from existing 0.003-0.005 inch.

• Evonik Foams Inc. (Theodore, AL, US) showed off its PMI Triple F

Rohacell foam cores for carbon composites — a closed cell, high-

temperature-resistant structural material developed primarily for

automotive products and found in some Lamborghini sports car

models.

• McClean Anderson (Schofield, WI, US) featured its new Pattern

Master III entry-level software controls for axial and off-axial

filament winding, for mass manufacturing of pipes.

• Mistras Group (Princeton Junction, NJ, US) showed NDI equip-

ment for water-immersion or air-coupled, through-transmission

inspection, plus passive acoustic emissions systems for infra-

structure and aerospace.

• NDT Solutions Inc. (New Richmond, WI, US) partnered with a

Tier 1 supplier to manufacture composite hat-section stringer-

stiffeners for wingskins. NDT pulse-echo ultrasonic inspec-

tion allows 100% inspection, in two passes, of the top, sides and

radius of the composite cured stringer.

• Quatro Composites (Orange City, IA, US) featured QFORGE

chopped carbon/PPS with 0.5-inch to 1-inch (12.7-25.4-mm)

long fiber in a proprietary thermoplastics molding process, said

to be 30-40% lighter than aluminum, but at a similar cost.

• Sigmatex (Benicia, CA, US), introduced 3D fabrics with no seams,

joints or overlaps — a single-piece, woven fabric in x, y, z direc-

tions that can be custom-preformed by CAD design in fiber

architecture for near-net shape by matched die molding, RTM

or RIM. It has also added spread-tow fabrics for automotive

and sporting goods. Also, recycled fabrics made from the waste

streams of carbon fiber can be aligned with thermoplastics into

new fabric. The result is said to be similar in level to virgin-grade

fabric with thermoplastic blend. Main market is automotive.

The foregoing represents the highlights of the many goings on in

Anaheim. Read an expanded version of this show report online |

short.compositesworld.com/CAMX16Rpt

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CAMX 2016


WORK IN PROGRESS

» As reported in the CompositesWorld March 2016 article,

“Natural fiber composites: Market share, one part at a time” (see

Learn More), the natural fibers industry continues to develop. And

the automotive industry has helped lead the way with its adoption

of natural fibers for door panels, seat backs and trunk liners. Now

the industry can add a roof frame to that list.

Working with BASF (Ludwigshafen,

Germany), Germany-based International

Automotive Components (IAC) has

launched its FiberFrame natural fiber sun

roof frame on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz

E-Class, which is reportedly the first

automotive roof frame entirely made

of nonwoven natural fiber compos-

ites. The proprietary innovation is made of 70% renewable raw

material content in the form of natural fiber and, therefore, is said

to provide up to 50% weight savings, compared to conventional

metal-reinforced sun roof frames.

The FiberFrame’s reinforcement (Fig. 1, above) is IAC’s EcoMa-

tHot natural fiber-based prepreg, which was specifically devel-

oped for this application. The fiber mat is impregnated with an

New water-borne, wet-application acrylic resin enables new opportunities in car interiors.

Natural fiber composites gaining traction in automotive

acrylate-based resin matrix, called Acrodur 950 L, provided by

BASF. Acrodur is a water-based, formaldehyde-free, one-compo-

nent system. But its underlying technology is based on the

thermal crosslinking of polycarboxylic acids with a multi-func-

tional alcohol. Unlike classical two-component reactive resins,

however, no organic substances, such as

asphenol or formaldehyde, are released

during the crosslinking process. The

only by-product of cure is water.

It is, therefore, an extremely low- to

no-volatile organic compound (VOC)

solution, which makes it a compatible

companion for natural fibers. But Henning

Karbstein, manager for new business develop-

ment and idea management at BASF’s dispersions and pigments

business in Charlotte, NC, US, says its appeal extends much

further. Acrodur 950 L’s formulation also combines the benefits of

reactive acrylate resins with those of conventional thermoplastic

acrylate dispersions. What happens during processing is that it

begins as a thermoplastic and then, during the polycarboxylic acid

phase under heat, it crosslinks to a thermoset polymer.

By Heather Caliendo / Managing Editor - Electronic Products

FIG. 1 Unusual resin makes its mark

The International Automotive Components Group (IAC) used BASF’s Acrodur 950 L single-component, water-based, crosslinkable acrylate resin to develop this automotive roof frame reinforcement (called FiberFrame), which is reinforced with natural fiber mat.

Source | IAC

Acrodur resin does not emit harmful VOCs during

production, handling or use in the end-application.


NEWS

with polypropylene (PP) for a long time. Use of nonwoven fiber

composites, mostly natural fiber/PP and glass/PP, has been on the

rise because they perform better than simple injection molded

plastics. Although PP also poses a less-critical VOC risk than

formaldehyde-based resins or MDI, Karbstein says that Acrodur

outdoes PP by reducing chemical use by increasing the fiber

content.

Although sustainability is important in the automotive

business, even more essential is cost vs. weight and performance

for the material choices of OEMs and Tier 1s. Acrodur-based

nonwoven composites (mostly with natural bast fibers) allow for

an increase of about 20% in mechanical performance. Further,

Acrodur resin content in the finished part can be as low as 25-28%,

while the same part made with a PP-impregnated nonwoven

is usually a 50/50 mix. Karbstein says this more efficient resin

Natural Fiber Prereg for Sunroof

“When you have impregnated the fiber by crosslinking, it

becomes a resolute bond between the Acrodur molecule and the

fiber and thermoset,” he says.

The IAC project’s steps begin with wet-impregnating the dry

natural fiber mat, in this case, bast fiber, which is done by an

outside prepregger. Because Acrodur is water-based, impregna-

tion is thorough. Wet impregnation also allows for easy application

of additives, such as colorants or flame retardants. The fiber mats

are dried after impregnation with a conventional convection oven

or with radio frequency drying techniques. IAC then receives the

prepregged fiber mat, which is still soft and flexible. The frame is

then manufactured in-house by IAC in a hot molding process.

“In the specification of the IAC EcoMatHot fiber mat, as well

as in terms of tooling technology and production process of this

innovation, we were able to take advantage of more than 20 years

of experience working with natural fiber-reinforced materials in

automotive interiors,” says IAC director of advanced engineering

Fritz Schweindl. “By manufacturing this product in-house in our

headliner plant, we follow our strategy and expansion of vertical

integration of our interior systems. Thanks to our global manu-

facturing footprint and standardized processes, we are now able

to adapt IAC FiberFrame to customer needs and supply it around

the world.”

Schweindl says it was relatively easy to integrate the Acrodur

prepreg into IAC’s production system. “The natural fiber compo-

nents that are strengthened with Acrodur are ideal to mold; they are

environmentally friendly and save time during the production of

the composites,” he comments, adding, “Furthermore, the product

is low in emissions, which means that it is safer to work with.”

FiberFrame started production in November 2015 at IAC’s

Center of Excellence for overhead products in Prestice, Czech

Republic, to support the Mercedes-Benz E-Class launch. The

company also produces the headliner, the outer-rear wheel house

liner, inner wheel house cover and rear seat cover for the vehicle.

BASF resin helps boost natural fibers BASF says Acrodur turns natural fibers into functional and envi-

ronmentally friendly materials. The company believes it’s well-

suited for molded parts made from natural fiber and post-mold-

able nonwovens.

“Both our Acrodur families (thermoset and thermoplastic) have

been developed for best bonding characteristics on these fiber

types, while polypropylene acts more as a melted ‘glue’ in the

voids between fibers,” Karbstein says.

Unlike other high-strength natural fiber-compatible resins, such

as urea formaldehyde (UF), phenol formaldehyde (PF) or MDI

resins, which are common for wood and cellulose fiber bonding,

Acrodur does not emit harmful VOCs during production, handling

or use. Because the only curing byproduct is water, Karbstein says

these resins are suitable for safe applications in the automotive

interiors and home/office furnishings industries.

In the automotive market, short wood fibers, long kenaf/

jute/hemp (bast type) fibers and glass fibers have been infused

FIG. 2 A little goes a long way

The FiberFrame is shown in place as a reinforcement on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sunroof. With low 25-28% resin content, the frame’s high fiber volume fraction helps cut overall component weight. Source | IAC

FIG. 3 “Drop in” replacement for PP interior parts

Acrodur Power 2750x, another product in the Acrodur resin family designed as a “drop in” replacement for polypropylene in the production of natural fiber composites for automotive lightweighting, is shown here in this part with a distinctive central deep-draw feature. Source | BASF


WORK IN PROGRESS

usage, attributed to the chemistry and the

processing method, is also the key to weight

savings. “The 20% increase in performance

is the bottom line lightweighting benefit

for automotive applications,” he says.

“BASF sees a high demand for this benefit

currently in the automotive market.”

Expanding applicationsAlthough BASF has a longer list of products

in the Acrodur family, Karbstein says those

most important for automotive appli-

cations are its thermoset (duroplastic)

Acrodur 950L solution, and a latex-modified

version called Acrodur DS3515 dispersion.

Compared to 950L, DS3515 offers more

ductility for impact-critical applications.

On the thermoplastic side, Acrodur Power

2750 is BASF’s direct replacement for PP

as a drop-in solution (Fig. 3, p. 29). It is

applied wet, as are the thermoset options,

but beside that, processing is practically the

same as for unfilled PP or glass/PP.

“We are working on a number of projects

with the automotive industry right now

for interior applications, like door panels,

headliners or roof components, trunk liners

or other nonstructural interior panels,”

Karbstein says, but adds that broader appli-

cations are likely in the future. “We believe,

based on test results, that we are also able to

introduce natural fiber nonwoven compos-

ites with Acrodur to exterior applications,

such as underbody aeroshielding or wheel

wells,” he contends, adding, “When applied

with flame retardants, Acrodur nonwoven

composites can also be used for fire-critical

areas, like underhood applications.”

Heather Caliendo is CW’s managing editor – electronic products, and divides her time, performing similar duties for CW’s sister publication Plastics

Technology. [email protected]

Read this article online | short.compositesworld.com/BreatheLFT

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INSIDE MANUFACTURING

Disruptive digitized technology a dramatic step-change in near-net preform production for Dassault Falcon interior air duct.

» For decades, 3D preforms have promised efficiency in struc-

tural design and fabrication of composites. Those who make them

could deliver to molders a tailored, net-shape reinforcement

with fiber only where needed, oriented to most effectively bear

in-service loads. But the tradeoff was inefficiency elsewhere —

specifically, slow weaving speed and high cost. More recently,

these drawbacks have been overcome somewhat by advances

in looms and digitization of the preforming process. Notable

examples are the 3D woven carbon fiber preforms produced by

Albany Engineered Composites (AEC, Rochester, NH, US) in part-

nership with Safran (Paris, France) for the composite fan blades

used in the LEAP aeroengine (see Learn More, p. 37).

To this point, however, the composites industry has been unable

to take full advantage of the clothing industry’s almost limitless

ability to knit fabrics at high speed and mix different types of fibers

in the same fabric. What if all that were available, together with the

option to run different part preforms without an elaborate change

in setup? Envision the flexibility inherent in 3D printing, but

applied to fiber preforms. This is how the RT2i process is described.

This technology has been in development for some time,

says Pierre Conze, creator of both the process and the company

that share the RT2i name. “We started 10 years ago to use textile

knitting technology to make composite reinforcements with any

kind of fiber. Our first application was a low-pressure air duct for

Dassault Falcon business jets, which was qualified in 2012.” (See

the Side Story titled, “Falcon advances bizjet state of the art,” p.

33.) “We then formed a subsidiary, JTT Composites, to manufac-

ture the low-pressure ducts for Dassault.”

3D knitting solves preforming cost, time, performance equation

By Ginger Gardiner / Senior Editor

RT2i tops competing technologies

Requiring less labor but featuring more tailored performance, composite air ducts made using RT2i knitted preform technology won the bid for the Dassault Falcon family of business jets, competing against all major manufac-turers’ ductwork products.

Source (background) | Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

Source (insets) | Saint Gobain Performance Plastics


NEWS

Earlier this year, however, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics

(Solon, OH, US), a subsidiary of construction and high-perfor-

mance materials giant Saint-Gobain (Courbevoie, France),

acquired all of the assets of JTT Composites and became a

licensee of the RT2i technology. “This is a technological break-

through for the production of complex composite parts,” says Scott

Huth, business manager for Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics.

“The RT2i process offers not only a whole different production

paradigm but also enables products that are more tailored than

prepreg allows and not even possible using layup.”

The acquisition has put the spotlight on RT2i, and CW here

takes a short walk through RT2i’s process steps with a long look at

what it really offers composites designers and fabricators, and why

that matters.

RT2i as knitting“RT2i is based on knitting,” says Conze, “so it is different from

Jacquard or other 3D textile technologies.” He describes knitting

as linear yet seamless technology used in the clothing industry for

hundreds of years. Knitting creates multiple loops of yarn, called

stitches, in a line or tube (Fig. 1, above), and was historically used

to produce hosiery like socks and stockings (see the Side Story

titled, “How is knitting different?” p. 35).

During the past 50 years, knitting has progressed into a wide

range of apparel and technical textiles. The latter includes geotex-

tiles for soil stabilization, drainage and other functions as well

as spacer fabrics used in helmets, shoe soles, automotive seats,

armor, medical products and more. Knitted fabrics are used in

filters, medical implants and protective applications. In fact, 3D

knitted technical textiles have found an estimated market in North

America alone of 2 million MT per year.

RT2i 3D Knitted Preforms

Knitting has made its way into composites, but only on a limited

basis. What is commonly referred to as multiaxial reinforcements

were actually developed as “knitted multiaxials.” Warp knitting

machines were used to hold together multiple layers of unidirec-

tional plies, using a knitted stitch (Fig. 2, above). However, the

knitting in this case — now commonly referred to as stitching or

stitch-bonding — was not forming a 3D shape. But the quest for

3D preforms actually made from knitted stitches has been pursued

for decades. Traditional obstacles have been the difficulty and/or

inability to bend very stiff reinforcement fibers (and the resulting

FIG. 1 Knitting: The basic concept

Knitting creates multiple loops of yarn, called stitches, in a line or tube, with each knitted stitch consisting of three or more intermeshed loops.

Source | textilestudycenter.com

FIG. 2 Knitting: Key role in stitch-bonded fabric

Knitting is used to hold together plies of oriented unidirectional fabrics in what we now call stitched or stitch-bonded multiaxials.

Source | nptel.ac.in

WebAngles adjustable Web

Falcon jets are produced by Dassault Aviation (Paris, France) in Saint-Cloud and Bordeaux, with final assembly at the Bordeaux-Mérignac plant. The Falcon 5X is its largest business jet (5,200 nautical mile range, Mach 0.90 top speed and a 2m cabin height, the tallest in business aviation), yet offers the lowest fuel consumption in its class — up to 50% greater efficiency on short flights than its peers.

Composites are not new to Falcon aircraft. The Falcon V10 F featured the first carbon composite wing to obtain FAR/JAR 125 qualification in the 1980s. The top-of-the-line Falcon 7X is roughly 20% composite, including a vertical stabilizer made using an advanced resin transfer molding (RTM) technique that combines prepregs with direct processing, using noncrimp multiaxials.

A new carbon-composite/cast-titanium horizontal stabilizer structure is used for all Falcon models. It reduces part count by 90% and fasteners by more than 65% while increasing strength, reducing production costs and facilitating maintenance vs. a conventional aluminum airfoil.

Falcons advance bizjet state of the artSIDE STORY



slow machine speeds) as well as reduced mechanical properties in

the finished preform due to the diminished load-carrying capa-

bility of bent or crimped fibers.

“The main development we’ve performed is to adapt our

machines to knit very stiff fibers, such as carbon, glass and quartz,

at sufficient speeds, without breaking the knitting needles,” Conze

explains. It is also possible to mix-and-match fiber types during

knitting to optimize strength, weight and other performance char-

acteristics. When necessary, the reduced properties of looped

fibers are overcome by inserting unidirectional fibers. “The knitted

part of the textile provides the preform with its geometrical proper-

ties,” says Conze, “while the unidirectional fibers bring mechanical

properties to the 3D form.”

The resulting knitted near-net-shape 3D preforms eliminate

manual cutting, trimming and layup (hand or automated). “The

preform fits exactly the 3D mold of the finished part,” says Conze,

noting that RT2i also can mix traditional reinforcement fibers with

nylon and other polymer fibers.

Knitted preform to composite air ductFor the Falcon jets’ low-pressure air ducts, aramid fiber is used in

the RT2i knitted preform primarily for the weight savings it offers.

A special reinforcement pattern was developed for the parts (Step

1, above) and qualified by Dassault. “To choose the right textile

pattern is important,” says Conze. “We had to balance minimizing

weight with structural requirements. So, based on the specifica-

tion for pressure to be sustained, geometry and acceptable deflec-

tion, a precise pattern was designed.”

The next step in the duct manufacturing process was to impreg-

nate the preform with resin and cure the part. “The process is

3 Bladder and preform are placed into a female mold, which is then closed and placed into a resin transfer molding press.

4 The finished part, after the preform is RTM’d, using epoxy resin. 2 The preform “sock” is pulled over a net-shaped silicone bladder.

1 A Kevlar fiber preform is knitted, using a specially designed patterned to meet part load, deflection and geometry requirements.

Source (all steps) | Saint Gobain Performance Plastics


NEWSRT2i 3D Knitted Preforms

classical,” says Conze, “employing a bladder and a female mold.”

Bladders are typically silicone while molds may be matched-

metal or composite. The textile is draped over the bladder (Step

2, p. 34) and then placed into the female mold (Step 3, p. 34). The

preform is then impregnated with epoxy and molded via RTM

(Step 4, p. 34). Because the ducts are interior cabin parts, the epoxy

must meet FAR 25 flame, smoke and toxicity requirements. Total

molding time spans minutes to hours, based on part and program

requirements, which determine resin and cure-cycle options.

Changing the cost-time equationConze relates that most of the low-pressure air ducts used in

aircraft today are made using hand layup prepreg, and most

manufacturers have outsourced to countries with low labor costs.

RT2i offers an alternative. “The relationship between the process

time, cost and performance of the finished part leads to a very

efficient solution compared to hand layup,” Huth points out.

“When you compare hand layup vs. the process using RT2i for the

manufacture of an air duct, the latter is faster and produces a more

tailored, better value product.”

Another factor in this market is that production volume of

business jet parts is very low compared to commercial programs

that produce higher volumes and larger aircraft. “So this presents

difficulty in the business jet air duct supply chain,” says Conze.

“The major manufacturers of air ducts are competitors that

have to maintain low labor cost workshops, so they do not want

small-volume business.” He explains they will take small-volume

contracts, but at a considerable upcharge for the inconvenience.

For the Falcon jet program, JTT Composites bid against all of

the major air duct manufacturers, plus small companies. “Our

How is knitting different?

There are three principal methods of manipulating fibers or yarns into textile fabrics:1) Interweaving – two sets of straight

threads intersecting at right angles.2) Intertwining – threads intertwined with

each other at any angle.3) Interlooping – yarns formed into loops

and loops intermeshed into a structure.The first, we commonly call weaving. The second, we associate with twisting and braiding. It is the third method that describes knitting.

The knitted stitch usually consists of three or more intermeshed needle loops (Fig. 1, p. 33). The center loop is drawn through the head of the lower, previously formed loop and is, in turn, intermeshed through its head by the loop above it. Thus, in contrast to woven fabrics, where warp and weft threads are interlaced at a 90° angle, knitted fabrics comprise consecutive rows of interlocking loops.

This intermeshed loop structure makes knits highly elastic, especially along the vertical axis. Thus, they are more flexible and resilient than other textile structures. This makes them amenable to bending or curving around a surface without distorting. Woven fabrics, by comparison, are more constrained, and thus more rigid, typically only able to stretch on the bias. There are, however, techniques available to reduce the elongation of a knitted material where necessary in applications where stretch must be controlled or reduced.

Knitting is faster than braiding, but slower than weaving or twisting. Unlike weaving, braiding and twisting, knitting does not require the use of special yarn packages. This eliminates the requirement that the yarn be respooled, and thus reduces total production time.

Knitting also is no longer restricted to certain fiber types. Today, all types of fibers and materials have been knit into textile structures, including glass

fiber, Kevlar and wire up to 0.38-mm diameter. Some machines can knit wire up to 20-30 mm/s. There are two types of knitting: warp and weft (see “Knitting Glossary,” below). Historically, warp knitting has been favored in technical textile applications, but that is beginning to change with new advances in weft and flat knitting technology.

SIDE STORY

Direction of Knitting

Fig. (a): Warp Knitting

Direction of Knitting

Fig. (b): Weft Knitting

KNITTING GLOSSARYWarp knitting, Fig. (a), above, is a method of forming a fabric in which the

loops are made vertically along the length of the fabric from each warp yarn and intermeshing of loops take place in a flat form of lengthwise basis.

Weft knitting, Fig. (b), above, is a method of forming a fabric in which the loops are made in a horizontal way from a single yarn and intermeshing of loops takes place in a circular or flat form on a cross-wise basis.

A course is the series of loops that are connected horizontally or the horizontal row of loops made by adjacent knitting needles in the same cycle.

A wale is the series of loops intermeshed vertically or the vertical column of loops made from the same needle in successive knitting cycles.

Source | Textilestudycenter.com



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technology was very competi-

tive in cost and we won the

bid,” says Conze. “Because

there is so much less labor in

our process, the final part is

more cost-effective.” This gives

the manufacturer more ability

to accommodate small orders.

Further, Conze claims,

“When we manufacture a preform for the part, we can change

from one part to another in less than half a minute.” In this way,

RT2i is more akin to a 3D printer than the machines currently used

to make advanced 3D preforms for engine blades. “We can send

batches of different parts on the same machine, without compro-

mising process speed.” However, RT2i offers much more than this,

thanks to the inherent characteristics of knitting, plus new possi-

bilities from digital technology.

Changing the preform paradigmThe digital knitting machines

RT2i is using enable a large

range in textile patterns, similar

to the variety available in the

clothing industry. “We achieve

much more pattern variation

and tailoring than braiding can

produce,” Conze contends, by

way of example. “Braiding is

efficient as long as you have

very straightforward shapes, like

tubes. However, it is not optimal

for very complex geometries.”

He contends that the patterns

RT2i can make enable better-fitting preforms without distortion in

complicated shapes. “For example, we can make flanges as part of

the preform, like you would see in aeroengine structures.”

He says it is also possible to make a preform that changes in stiff-

ness and thickness across the span and length during the knitting

process, without any post-knit joining or sewing. “For every loop,

we can select from several input types,” Conze explains. “Envision

clothing fabric and choosing from red, yellow or blue thread.” So

FIG. 3 Falcon: Best-in-class passenger cabinThe Falcon 5X business jet features the tallest cabin in its class at a top speed of Mach 0.9 and a range of 2,500 nautical miles.

Source | Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

ANNIVERSARY

02HPC

CharterAdvertiser


NEWSRT2i 3D Knitted Preforms

CW senior editor Ginger Gardiner has an engineering/ materials background and more than 20 years in the composites industry. [email protected]

stiffness can be changed independent of thickness variations.

“This gives us the ability to minimize thickness as well,” Conze

points out.

Such versatility holds considerable promise. “We broke into

aerospace with ducting, but we see many other opportunities for

the RT2i technology,” says Conze. He introduces another range of

applications that deal with nondevelopable, complex geometrical

shapes. The concept

of a nondevelop-

able surface is one

where a 2D material

cannot be formed

into a 3D shape

without wrinkles,

darts, cuts, seams,

etc. “For example,”

Conze notes, “you cannot wrap a piece of paper around an orange,

but you can easily place an orange inside of a sock.” He asserts

that the RT2i technology gives the ability to make these complex

geometrical shapes in a single, seamless preform, which conven-

tional woven forms cannot achieve. Again, the aerospace engine

environment is discussed, with applications such as inlet ducts

and exit nozzles. “The flukes used for airflow guidance include

many complexities that are not easily formed using traditional

means for fiber reinforcement,” Conze posits. “All of these are done

in aluminum or metal today. But with our technology, you could

make these as ceramic-matrix composites.”

Now the industrial partner for current applications, including

production of the low-pressure air ducts for the Falcon business

jets, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics has joined RT2i in several

new development programs. According to Huth, the RT2i tech-

nology will enhance production capabilities in the company’s

Composites business unit, which supplies a variety of materials

and structures not only for aircraft ducting, but also for interiors

and radomes as well. “High-growth markets like aerospace are

demanding increasingly high-performance and lightweight parts

without the traditional downside of increased production time,”

says Huth. “RT2i is expanding our ability to provide increased flex-

ibility in design and manufacturing through real solutions, using

composites.”

Read this article online | short.compositesworld.com/RT2i

Read more online about the composites used in the LEAP aeroengine | short.compositesworld.com/Albany3D

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For more information, call 1.800.736.5497 or visit www.interplastic.com.


CALENDAR

Composites Events

See more events at: short.compositesworld.com/events

Nov. 29-Dec. 1, 2016 — Stuttgart, GermanyComposites Europe 2016composites-europe.com

Dec. 6-7, 2016 — Newport Beach, CA, US Cyclitechcyclitech.events

Dec. 6-8, 2016 — Phoenix, AZ, USCPVS 2016: Composite Pressure Vessel Symposium 2016cpvsymposium.com

Dec. 7-9, 2016 — Pasadena, CA, USAdditive Manufacturing Americas 2016amshow-americas.com/welcome-additive-manufacturing-americas

Dec. 12-14, 2016 — Düsseldorf, Germany Wind Turbine Blade Manufacture 2016amiplastics-na.com/events/Event.aspx?code=C756&sec=7154

Jan. 23-24, 2017 — Paris, FranceICCM Paris – 19th International Conference on

Composite Materialswaset.org/conference/2017/01/paris/ICCM

Jan. 23-26, 2017 — Cocoa Beach, FL, US41st Annual Conference on Composites,

Materials and Structuresadvancedceramics.org/events/2017/01/23/conference/41st-annual-conference-on-composites-materials-and-structures

Jan. 23-26, 2017 — Charleston, SC, US 37th High Temple Workshopshightemple.udri.udayton.edu/Pages/default.aspx

Feb. 28-March 2, 2017 — Moscow, RussiaComposite-Expocomposite-expo.com

March 6-9, 2017 — Ft. Worth, TX, USAeroDef 2017aerodefevent.com

March 13-15, 2017 — Beverly Hills, CA, US SpeedNews 31st Annual Commercial Aviation Industry

Suppliers Conferencespeednews.com/commercial-aviation-industry-suppliers-conference

March 14-16, 2017 — Paris-Nord Villepinte, FranceJEC World 2017jeccomposites.com

March 21-22, 2017 — Scottsdale, AZ, USSPE Thermoset 2017 TOPCONeiseverywhere.com//ehome/179523

March 26-30, 2017 — New Orleans, LA, US NACE Corrosion 2017nacecorrosion.org

April 4-5, 2017 — Atlanta, GA, US North American Pultrusion Conferencehttps://s1.goeshow.com/acma/PultrusionConference/ereg788292.cfm?pg=home

April 4-6, 2017 — Hamburg, Germany Aircraft Interiors Expo 2017aircraftinteriorsexpo.com

April 4-6, 2017 — Detroit, MI, USSAE 2017 World Congresssae.org/events/composites-europe.com

May 8-11, 2017 — Pittsburgh, PA, USRAPID + tctrapid3devent.com

May 22-25, 2017 — Seattle, WA, USSAMPE Seattle 2017nasampe.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=621210&group=

May 22-25, 2017 — Anaheim, CA, US Windpower 2017 Conference and Exhibition.

windpowerexpo.org

Sept. 11-14, 2017 — Orlando, FL, US CAMX (Composites & Advanced Material Expo) 2017thecamx.org

Greensboro, NC TEL (336) 373.5933

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email: [email protected]

1965-2016

NO

RT

HERN COMPOSITES51th

ANNIVERSARY

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1965-2016

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HERN COMPOSITES51th

ANNIVERSARY

MITSUBISHI RAYON CARBON FIBER AND COMPOSITES: Woven and unidirectional structural prepegs, film adhesives, core splice film and TOWPREG.

PRECISION FABRICS GROUP: Nylon, polyester, and Kevlar® peel ply, Value Ply and release fabrics.

HENKEL: LOCTITE FREKOTE®: Mold sealing, cleaning and release products.LOCTITE®: Aerospace film and paste adhesives, specialty resins and primers.BONDERITE®: Surface treatment systems.

NORTHERN COMPOSITES: Vacuum bagging films, release films, breather fabrics, sealant tapes, pressure sensitive tapes and tooling materials.

BGF INDUSTRIES: Woven E-glass, S-glass, aramid and carbon fiber fabrics.

DIAB: DIVINYCELL® F, P, H, HT & HP grade foam sandwich cores.

PTM&W: Epoxy and Polyurethane tooling and component resins. AF&F: Lint free wiping and tack cloths.

Technical sales & service for:


APPLICATIONS

› Adhesion Technologies Ltd. (ATL, Hampshire, UK) has developed a range of in-mold bonded fasteners, which reduce build time by eliminating the need for hole-drilling. Designed by composite engineers in conjunction with Southampton University and the UK government-funded Farnborough Aerospace Consortium, ATL’s patented products comprise more than 2,000 variants, including manganese-boron alloy, 316L stainless steel and thermoplastics as well as a castellated base option, which boosts torsional strength by 24%. Trademarked Spida Fixings, these fasteners have been designed to dissipate stress in composite structures, can be epoxy-coated to reduce risk of galvanic corrosion and are used in composite structures made via vacuum

and press molding, autoclave cure, resin infusion, resin transfer molding (RTM) and injection molding.

Recently, ATL was approached by a leading industrial composites manufacturer in the UK that developed a composite solution for railway trackside control cabinets. Although these electronics enclosures are traditionally metal, they are now benefitting from composites’ improved resistance to corrosion, vibra-tion and vandalism/theft, as well as insulation against

electrical conductivity. The cabinet brought to ATL weighs 1,000 kg fully assembled and features a one-piece structural roof made by RTM. Such cabinets are typically relocated multiple times throughout their lives using a crane. The crane lifts the cabinet by chain hooks connected to four removable 12-mm threaded eyebolts in the roof. Unfortunately, the fasteners for the eyebolts were separating at the interface between the nut and the perforated, welded base.

ATL worked with the manufacturer to redesign the fasteners, switching the previously perforated standoff with an ATL autogenously welded 12-mm 316L Spida Standoff and a progression-pressed 53-mm Spida Base (see photos). Stronger autogenous welding supersedes previously soldered joints in fastener components for a stronger construction: The new design is said to align the metal grain flow in the fastener with the stresses applied by chain hooks during lifting. The Spida Standoff also reportedly features a 54% increase in surface bond area thanks to ATL’s Admax surface enhancement treatment.

Samples of the trackside cabinet’s RTM roof with ATL-redesigned fasteners are being manufactured now for certification testing. New trackside enclosures will be manufactured in spring 2017 for installation next summer. ATL is now receiving more requests for technical advice and integration of their fixing solutions into similar composite products. The company exhibited the technology in CW’s Future Materials display at the 2016 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX, Oct. 4-6, Tampa, FL, US).

REDESIGNED BONDED FASTENERS ENABLE RTM RAILWAY CABINETS

ATL redesigned the fasteners, replacing a previously perforated standoff with an ATL autogenously welded 12.7-mm 316L Spida Standoff and a progression-pressed 53.2-mm Spida Base, which improve strength in the (vertical) lifting direction.

ALT DESIGN

ALT 316L53-mm standoff ALT SOLUTION

Autogenous weld

The fully assembled railway trackside electronics cabinet, with one-piece roof, weighs 1,000 kg, but such cabinets are typically relocated multiple times throughout their lives using a crane.

Adhesion Technologies Ltd.’s autogenously welded 12-mm 316L Spida Standoff with a progression-pressed 53-mm Spida Base.

CURRENT DESIGN

Perforated fixing thread standoff fails at weld

Source (all images) | Adhesion Technologies Ltd.


APPLICATIONS APPLICATIONS

Tuco Marine’s ASV a sustainable yet speedy craft.

CORED CARBON AIR-SUPPORTED VESSEL

› Founded in 1998, Tuco Marine Group (Faaborg, Denmark) specializes in lightweight structures and hulls manufactured from composites, typically carbon fiber. Over the years, focus has shifted from sailboats to larger commercial structures, and to greater sustainability, say founders Jonas Pedersen and Jakob Frost: “We want to be creative and innovative, and to be stakeholders in developing the industry towards more environmentally sustainable vessels.” Toward that end, Tuco engineers recently teamed with DIAB International AB (Laholm, Sweden) for an Air Supported Vessel (ASV) Soft Motion Demonstrator, in collaboration with the Norwegian company Effect Ships International AS (ESI, Sandefjord, Norway). ESI and subsidiary SES Europe AS license the air cushion technology to interested parties. An ASV features a rigid monohull (no rubber skirts or pontoons) and a lift fan at the hull’s forward end. The fan channels air down into the central portion of the hull’s slightly recessed, flat underside, where it is contained by a low-profile border formed on the hull’s lower perimeter. This creates an air cushion that supports 70-80% of the hull weight, considerably reducing wetted surface area and

lower hull water resistance, permitting greater vessel speed. This, in turn, reduces fuel consumption/operating cost, increases range, and provides a smoother ride.

To maximize the ASV technology’s benefits, Tuco used lightweight sandwich construction, combining DIAB’s crosslinked polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Divinycell core and carbon fiber laminates in a vacuum infusion process, to create the 18m by 5.2m demon-strator vessel, which can accommodate 12 passengers. During initial trials, two small Volvo Penta outboard motors propelled the ASV to a respectable speed of 37.2 knots.

Says Pedersen, “The benefits are obvious. With a lighter hull, the operational power can be reduced, which allows for a smaller engine that further lowers the overall weight. The fuel consumption decreases, as well as the carbon footprint of the vessel. The lower weight also allows for more passengers or heavier cargo, increasing the effectiveness of the vessel.” Watch a short video about the Tuco vessel and the ASV technology | www.sspa.se/news/air-supported-vessel-technology

Source | DIAB

2006.10.30A logo mark “Shikoku Chemicals Corporation”

ADVANCED MATERIALS FOR CFRP

LATENT CURING AGENT FOR EPOXY RESINCombination of P-0505 (Hardener) and L-07E (Stabilizer) used together with epoxy resin achieve a one-part system with excellent storage stability, lower curing temperature and shorter curing time.

www.shikoku.co.jp/eng/products/cureduct.html

HIGH MECHANICAL PROPERTIES, HIGH Tg, FLAME RETARDANT THERMOSETTING RESINSHIKOKU Benzoxazine can improve thermal, mechanical and flame retardant properties when compounded as an additive in other resins, such as epoxy.

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CUREDUCT™ P-0505 / L-07E

BENZOXAZINE P-d / F-a type

THE SLOVER GROUP (Sales representative)Vernon Clements | [email protected]: 713.468.1795 Ext.103

SHIKOKU INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONYosuke Kurita | [email protected]

Tel: 714.978.0347 Ext. 102


New Products

» DATA GATHERING/MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Simulation, data management software updatedCompoSIDE Ltd. (Cowes, UK) has released v2.8.2 of its eponymous engineering simulation and data management platform, featuring dedicated composite design and analysis software. CompoSIDE’s Materials Database (CMDB) is a module dedicated to management of materials data and physical and mechanical properties, including ply generation and micro-mechanics. The module supports all composites material types, including adhesives, cores, fibers, matrix and plies, and also noncomposite materials, such as neat plastics, metals, woods and plywood. Designers and structural engineering teams can use materials data within the platform, and link to and retrieve data for analysis in external FEM and FEA tools with generic and native file formats. The company also offers a CMDB Addon module, a materials library of more than 1,200 materials and 900 plies, ready for engi-neering activities. CMDB features company-wide and project-specific libraries to help evaluate and develop new materials and plies. Version 2.8.2 introduces a Desktop Client for 2D and 3D modeling and FEA, providing improved performance and response time on large and complex models. Also new is YACHTScant, a modern scantling tool for sail and motor vessels, according to ISO 12215-5 and DNV-GL rules. The module is fully integrated within the CompoSIDE environment, providing FEA of vessel panels, beams and additional components. A free 30-day trial is available at www.composide.com

» THERMOSET RESIN & ADHESIVE SYSTEMS

Translucent polyester and gel coatDilutec (Piracicaba, Brazil) has launched a crystal polyester resin and ISO NPG gel coat system that ensures translucency in finished composite parts. The material is said to be ideal for applications in the leisure sector, such as toys and waterslides. The resin and gel coat, says the company, meet mechanical strength requirements with exposure to UV light. Initially, the translucent system is being provided in greenish tint, but other colors can be formulated. www.dilutec.com.br

» FIBER/RESIN COMPOUNDS & PREPREGS

First SMC at 0.98 specific gravityCore Molding Technologies Inc. (Columbus, OH, US) on Oct. 10 announced a new ultralow-density sheet molding compound (SMC) formulation and an addition to Core’s suite of low-density composite product offerings. In the effort to reduce the density of glass fiber-reinforced material systems to support lightweighting efforts, a density of 1.0 specific gravity (water density) has long been seen as a practical limit by thermoset industry formulation chemists. Hydrilite SMC is the first with a nominal density as low as 0.98 specific gravity and exhibits what is said to be mid-range mechanical performance and a high-quality surface appearance. The achievement places the SMC below the density of water and below most thermoplastic systems, a breakthrough that also represents a nearly 50% reduction in specific gravity compared to standard-density SMC materials, and a 17% reduction compared to Core’s Airilite and Econolite SMC systems, which test at 1.18 specific gravity.

Hydrilite SMC is formulated with a high-performance resin system and is reinforced with 41% glass fiber by weight. It offers nominal tensile strength of more than 75 MPa and impact strength of 850 J/m. Both results are on par with Core’s standard-density reinforcement-grade SMC formulations. This performance, along with other mechanical properties of the system, are said to make it ideal for a broad range of lightweighting applications that require a combination of strength and good appearance. A commercial program using Hydrilite SMC is undergoing customer qualification, and other applications are in development. Core is working to develop a full Class-A version of the product, while retaining the 0.98 specific gravity density and adequate mechanical perfor-mance. Evaluation plaques and material performance data for Hydrilite SMC are available to qualified customers.www.coremt.com

» SPRAYABLE ADHESIVES & SPRAY EQUIPMENT

Sprayup, gel coat machinery accessoriesFibermaq Equipamentos Ltda (São Paulo, Brazil), a manufacturer of equipment for composites molding, has developed three acces-sories for sprayup and gel coating machines, including those made by other manufacturers. The first is a filter installed between the outlet for the methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) packaging and the pump that pushes the material up to the gun. Any impurities in the MEKP may cause problems in the sealing and, as a result, a peroxide failure, says Fibermaq. The second product is a flowmeter, which allows the molder to check whether or not the peroxide is mixed with the resin or gel coat. Third, Fibermaq changed the filtering system of the tube connected to the resin and gel coat packaging, switching to a threaded fitting rather than a screw, and to smaller mesh than that previously used.www.fibermaq.com.br

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Torr Technologies Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36www.torrtech.com

Walton Process Technologies Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27www.autoclaves.com

WichiTech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36www.wichitech.com

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FOCUS ON DESIGN

On Mars, not just any suit will doNASA seeks impact resistance in next-generation spacesuit.

» The race to send humans to Mars has begun. In late

September of this year, Elon Musk announced that he and SpaceX

(Hawthorne, CA, US) are working on plans to make human travel

to Mars not just feasible, but (relatively) affordable. Musk thinks

he can get the cost of travel to the Red Planet down to a meager

US$200,000 per person, and he believes there could be millions of

people living on Mars by 2060.

Competitor Boeing’s (Chicago, IL, US) CEO Dennis Muilen-

burg presented in early October his vision for an entire commer-

cial space travel industry, replete with a variety of destinations in

Earth orbit and new supersonic jets whisking travelers between

continents in just a few hours. Capping it off, he asserted, “I’m

convinced the first person to step foot on Mars will arrive there

riding a Boeing rocket.”

Indeed, NASA is eager for its partners to help the space agency

put people on Mars as soon as the 2030s. This effort will start in

2018 with a series of missions designed to test propulsion, space-

craft and, eventually, human performance at increasing distances

from Earth, culminating in what NASA calls Earth Independence.

Whether humans first touch down on Mars in a SpaceX or

Boeing vehicle, a top priority will be full and continuous protec-

tion to ensure their survival in a decidedly unfriendly Martian

landscape. Setting aside for the moment concerns about deadly

cosmic rays and gravity that is just

38% that of Earth’s, there are five

Martian environmental factors that

are immediately and particularly

problematic.

The first is the atmosphere,

which is 96% carbon dioxide.

Compare this with Earth’s, at 78%

nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and other

gases.

Second, the atmospheric

pressure on the Martian surface

averages 600 pascals, which is 0.6%

of Earth’s mean sea level pressure

of 101.3 kilopascals. This puts the

Martian atmosphere below the

Armstrong limit, meaning unpro-

tected humans on Mars would

suffer immediate and painful

FIG. 1 NASA’s Z-2 spacesuit prototype

One of the first spacesuit iterations designed specifically for use on the harsh Martian surface, NASA’s Z-2 features a hard upper torso (HUT), back hatch and briefs made with composites, primarily for impact and ballistics resistance. Although NASA provided general design principles for the parts, design engineering and prototype fabrication was performed by the University of Delaware – Center for Composite Materials — Applications & Technology Transfer Lab (UD/CCM/ATTL), which also fabricated a working prototype. Source | NASA

By Jeff Sloan / Editor-in-Chief


NASA Spacesuit Components

evaporation of their saliva, tears, skin mucous and whatever fluid

exists in their lungs.

Third, on Mars, temperatures can range from a comfortable

70°F/21°C to an unlivable -225°F/-143°C. Fourth, there are dust

storms of a size, ferocity and duration sufficient to cover whole

regions of the planet’s surface.

Finally, there is the threat of falling micrometeorites. Because

the Mars atmosphere is so thin, these impact the planet, for the

most part, remain intact and, thus, present a very substantial

ballistic hazard.

Anticipating these challenges, NASA has begun development

of a new spacesuit. Called Z-2, it is designed for what NASA calls

planetary extravehicular activity (EVA), that is, for astronauts who

will climb in and out of vehicles and habitats as they travel and

study the planet. Z-2 is a project of NASA’s Advanced Exploration

Systems Division.

Illustration / Karl Reque

NASA Z-2 Spacesuit Hard Upper Torso and Briefs

› Harsh Martian environment necessitates continuous pressurized protection for astronauts.

› Hybrid S-glass and carbon/epoxy torso and briefs designed for high-impact endurance.

› Geometry critical to meet mating surface requirements with other suit components.

Bottom view, hard upper torso (HUT)

Attachment points for soft suit mating

Top view, briefs

Front view, briefs


Autoclaved carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg with inner and outer

skin of S-2 glass fiber

Arm opening

Arm opening

Head/face opening

Front view, hard upper torso (HUT)



FOCUS ON DESIGN

This was a challenge, partly because NASA wanted a flight-

quality test article that would be safe for human mobility trials and

astronaut training in a vacuum chamber. “Project funding and

timeline allowed for only one chance at fabricating the suit com-

ponents, which was to be done under supervision of government

quality auditors and required rigorous process documentation

and control,” says Dan Molligan, assistant director for application

development at UD/CCM/ATTL. Molligan notes that, “ATTL is an

off-site ITAR restricted facility which has an infrastructure very

unlike other universities; it has rigorous SOP, SMP, and quality

standards which conforms to com-

mercial industry protocol.”

Early in Z-2, ILC screened candidate

materials (fiber and matrix) and process-

ing methods. In addition to lightweight

and high strength, materials had to be

“space-qualified” and non-toxic. The team

decided to base the reinforcement on high-

modulus carbon fiber, adding outer layers of

S-glass to improve impact resistance. Using woven fabrics (versus

unidirectional) would further improve impact resistance. A tough-

ened epoxy with good hot/wet performance and good processib-

lity was selected as the matrix. Out-of-autoclave (OOA) processing

of prepregs was selected to achieve near-autoclave performance at

lower cost.

What a suit needsThe Z-series of suits feature a rear entry port that docks with the

habitat or spaceship, allowing the astronaut to leave the suit and

dirt outside. For Z-2, NASA decided on lightweight hard-shell

components covering the torso to provide the astronaut better

protection. Three composite parts make up the Z-2 torso: the HUT

(hard upper torso), the brief, and an entry hatch that mounts to

the back of the HUT. Each component must mate with bearings

and seals, as well as the helmet and the arm and leg sections.

Further, many of the life support and communication systems are

mounted to the HUT and the hatch inside

and outside the suit. The rigid composite

torso could not sacrifice mobility and could

impose only minimal weight increase.

To prove the viability of the Z-2 suit,

NASA turned to ILC Dover (Frederica,

DE, US), which has a long history of

manufacturing spacesuits, go-

ing back to Apollo program days.

Working as the prime contractor on the suit program, ILC Dover

engaged the University of Delaware – Center for Composite Mate-

rials — Applications & Technology Transfer Lab (UD/CCM/ATTL)

to help push spacesuit performance to the next level by optimizing

design and manufacturing while reducing defects found in earlier

composite parts.

FIG. 2 Toolmaking makes the difference

The aluminum female mold for the Z-2 HUT had to be separable to permit extrac-tion of cured parts and avoid hang-ups. (The tool’s parting line is barely visible in the tool’s vertical center.) UD/CCM/ATTL did all of the tool design, simulation and process analysis for the Z-2. Source | UD/CCM/ATTL

FIG. 3 Managing the process

Z-2’s prime contractor, ILC Dover (Frederica, DE, US), wanted to fabricate the suit’s composite parts using an out-of-autoclave (OOA) process, but this proved unworkable. Instead, UD/CCM/ATTL employed PMTF-4A, a carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg from Patz Materials & Technologies (Benicia, CA, US), which made layup of the complex ply buildups and drop offs more practical. Source | UD/CCM/ATTL

The Z-2 suit composites had to be designed to endure what NASA calls planetary extravehicular activity.


Working from the functional requirements and feedback pro-

vided by ILC and NASA, ATTL engineers used solid modeling soft-

ware to design the Z-2 component geometry. The HUT especially

had highly contoured surface geometry. After ATTL completed the

initial laminate design for the HUT, hatch door and brief based on

structural analysis of static pressure and external load cases using

FE software, CCM campus researchers ran impact simulations of

various mission profile mishaps that could occur during planetary

exploration, such as tripping and falling onto a rock.

While the impact study was going on, the team at ATTL de-

signed molds for the

HUT, brief and hatch.

By then, the outer sur-

faces of the parts were

fixed, and any design

changes (i.e., thick-

ness buildups, changes

in laminate design) would affect only the inside surfaces, which

would be controlled by a conformable vacuum bag. ATTL also

conducted trials to develop a process for OOA prepreg by fabri-

cating numerous test panels and subelements. During these trials,

it became apparent that OOA processing would not produce Z-2

parts with acceptably low void content because debulking steps

entrapped too much air in the prepreg. “Consequently, autoclave

processing was chosen for final preform consolidation and cur-

ing, which required another round of process development, with

the prepreg modified for autoclaving,” says Bill Patterson, techni-

cal manager, at UD/CCM/ATTL. Ultimately, mechanical testing at

ATTL showed no property loss from multiple debulks compared to

panels consolidated and autoclaved in one step.

Geometry, geometry, geometryThe greatest challenge, say Molligan and Patterson, in designing

and fabricating the Z-2 components was dealing with their

geometric complexities. First, the interfaces between the torso

components and between the torso and the helmet, arm sections

and leg sections led to highly complex outer surfaces. Even for

parts with uniform thickness, each preform layer consisted of

many patterns due to the shear limits of the fabric feedstock

material, each requiring precise location and shearing into the

final shape.

Second, the parts were not of uniform thickness, but had local

buildups at various hardware attachment locations. The main

challenge was to make thick flanges in the HUT and the hatch

to form the door-locking features that NASA used on previous

HUTs. The locking mechanism consists of a toothed, linked belt

that runs in a track in the inside surface of the HUT flange, and a

string of gear teeth around the outer perimeter of the hatch. The

belt is moved to engage and disengage the hatch teeth. On the

hatch, the flange was roughly 1-inch wide by 2 inches high (25.7

mm by 50.1 mm) in cross-section.

For the hatch, NASA’s initial preference was to have composite

teeth, as in the Mark III, for additional weight savings, but after

numerous design iterations and process trials it was decided to

provide a hybrid design where the outer perimeter with metallic

teeth were retained to mitigate risk in the flight-quality test

article. This would ensure that the load transfer from the hatch to

HUT would be handled by a robust, fail-safe design.

Many options for forming the flanges were evaluated, but

Molligan and Patterson chose to fabricate inserts from precured

and machined prepreg after testing showed that there was no

loss in interlaminar shear strength at the interface of prepreg and

pre-cured insert. For the hatch, however, the only reliable way

to ensure safety was to hybridize the component, using a metal

outer ring and internal composite panel.

Finished prototypes were delivered to ILC Dover in July 2015.

NASA conducted nondestructive testing of the parts, using flash

infrared technology. ILC Dover subsequently assembled the

composite parts with other suit components and delivered the

finished Z-2 suit to NASA for evaluation.

NASA Spacesuit Components

FIG. 4 Performance key: Mating surface accuracy

Mating surfaces on the HUT and other Z-2 composite parts are critical because the suit must, first and foremost, maintain pressure at all times. UD/CCM/ATTL was challenged by the variable thicknesses of the composites, which required use of multiple ply drop-offs. These, when combined with the autoclave process, forced the use of several intermediate debulks to expel entrapped air. Source | UD/CCM/ATTL

Read this article online | short.compositesworld.com/NASASuit

Jeff Sloan is editor-in-chief of CompositesWorld, and has been engaged in plastics- and composites-industry journalism for 23 years. [email protected]

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