Welcome

Welcome to our premiere issue of theNorth Thin Ply Technology newsletter. Ourcompany was set up in October 2009 andsince then impressive work has been done onthe development of the Thin Ply Technology®for rigid composite applications: the uniquetechnology for spreading and impregnatingreinforcement fibers has been raised to an industrial scale, our thin tape automated lay-down system has been optimized andcoupled with monitoring, tracking and com-plex design software, two new resin systemshave been developed, and improved quality,traceability and project management proce-dures have been created and implemented.At the same time, our first customers have

successfully used the Thin Ply Technology®for some great projects. As the company iscelebrating its second anniversary and is expanding, we wanted to share with you whatwe have accomplished and what our futurechallenges are. We will bring you newslettersduring the year so that you will have regularupdates on North Thin Ply Technology developments. The newsletter is also a goodopportunity to thank our partners and custo-mers for the joint work performed and tohighlight their successes.Enjoy the newsletter!

The North TPT Team

North Thin Ply Technology

Newsletter N° 1 - December 2011

Multiplast at the forefront of composites

In recentyears, Multiplasthas skillfullycapitalized

on its boatbuilding expe-rience in order to diversifyits activity in the industrialsector.

Solar Impulseuses Thin Plycomplexes forthe secondsolar aircraft

To fly around the world, SolarImpulse must use innovativematerials

Movement wins overthe touring ski market

In early2009, whenthe Thin PlyTechnology®was still in

the development stage,Movement’s R&D manage-ment already considered the TPT® to be a greatopportunity to set itselfapart…

New Thin Ply Technology® plotter in operation for Southern Spars

The additionof the on-siteTPT® plotterprovides yetanother

level of efficiency in ourmanufacturing processfor the Custom Projectsteam…

Multiplast at the forefront

of composites

Multiplast has been designing and buildingmulti-hull and mono-hull boats using advanced composite materials since theearly 1980s. The company very quickly became a worldwide standard-bearer inyachting thanks to its clients’ exceptionalwinning record and Multiplast’s demons-trated outstanding reliability. In recentyears, Multiplast hasskillfully capitalized onits boatbuilding expe-rience in order to diver-sify its activity in theindustrial sector. Since Multiplast is always on the cuttingedge of composite technology, the com-pany called on North Thin Ply Technology(NTPT) to create very thin layers of glassfiber pre-impregnated with epoxy resin.

NTPT made it possible to make 75 gsm(glass Fiber Areal Weight) plies and stackthem in a multi-orientation complex usedas skins for honeycomb core sandwich panels. These sandwich panels are nowused to protect the receiver of a new lineof radars developed by Thalès. The TPT®skins, which have equivalent mechanical

performance but are thinner than skins madewith fine prepreg fabrics,allow increased radiofre-quency transparency ofthe radomes to radarwaves, which results inthe improved amplitude

of the received radar signal and thus yielding better overall radar performance.

After their discussions at the 49th Interna-tional Paris Air Show in Le Bourget in June2011, Multiplast and North Thin Ply Tech-nology have entered into an agreement.This agreement establishes a partnershipbetween the companies to make sandwich

panels molded by Multiplast using TPT®skins.In addition to the initial agreement, thepartners are considering the possibilitiesfor integrating a thin tape automated lay-down system into the Multiplast production

unit in Vannes, France. If the project goesforward, Multiplast will be able to furtherexpand the range of technologies it offersits clients.

The TPT® skinsallow better radar

performance

Multiplast and North Thin Ply Technology sign an agreement

for sandwich panels

Courtesy of Thalès and Multiplast

Southern Spars uses TPT®

complexes for grand prix race rigs

Southern Spars specializes in the designand construction of carbon fiber spars andcomponents, rigging, and rig servicing. Asthe industry pioneer, Southern Spars builtits first carbon spar in 1990. Since thenthe company has pursued a passion fordelivering world class cruising and racingrigging. Its operation extends to four cor-ners of the world with centers in the USA,Denmark, Spain, and South Africa, andheadquarters in Auckland, New Zealand.Like North Thin Ply Technology, SouthernSpars is a company of the North Techno-logy Group, and it has closely monitoredand contributed to developments in ThinPly Technology®. Starting in mid-2010,Southern Spars decided to use NTPT complexes to produce first a mast for an18-foot skiff for the Thurlow Fisher crew,which placed second at the JJ Giltinan

International Trophy in March 2011. ThenSouthern Spars manufactured an entireRP42 rig in TPT® before starting to workon the TP52 series, for which three rigswere made for the Audi-Azzura, Audi-All4One and Ran crews. After testing outthe benefits of using NTPT complexes andseeing the performance of TPT® compo-site pieces, Southern Spars has underta-ken a wide scale conversion of its productline to TPT®.

Courtesy of Southern Spars

New Thin Ply Technology plotter

in operation for Southern Spars

A brand-new Thin Ply Technology® plotteris now operational at Southern Spars’Auckland-based Custom Projects facility,adding another component in the company’s drive for higher performing,lighter and stiffer spars. “The addition of the on-site TPT® plotterprovides yet anotherlevel of efficiency in ourmanufacturing processfor the Custom Projectsteam,” says SouthernSpars’ director MarkHauser. “The demandfor larger and more technically-advancedsuperyacht and grand prix race rigs conti-nues. We’re at the forefront of industry de-velopments with our Thin Ply Technology®and it’s exciting to see the potential for ef-ficiency and precision in our manufacturingprocess with the commissioning of thisplotter.”Southern Spars’ technology managerWayne Smith says: “With the automatedTPT® plotter Southern Spars’ designershave the capability to design productsusing whichever ply angles are optimal forthe loading situation at every point on thespar or boom. The plotter then lays thecarbon fiber laminate more accurately andefficiently than can be achieved by handand it is also possible to individually position pieces, rather than being requiredto lay all adjacent plies parallel to one

another.Wayne Smith played a key role in an extensive research and development program covering resin chemistry, tapeprocessing, tape laying techniques and lamination methodology to refine SouthernSpars’ TPT® new lamination process.

“The use of TPT® hasrevolutionized the worldof laminate composites.Our aim is to plot inTPT® for all carbon pro-ducts going into the future,” says Smith.

Mark Hauser notes that adopting TPT®carbon fiber laminate has allowed Sou-thern Spars to use higher quality laminatesthan any of its competitors. “In turn we areproducing spars that are far lighter andstiffer than ever before. “The performance

potential of Southern Spars’ TPT® processhas already been proven with TP52s, 18 ftskiffs and RP42s successfully competingin regattas around the world,” Hauseradds. “These projects were built over thelast year using TPT® materials flown infrom Switzerland. Now with a new TPT®plotter located only a few meters awayfrom the mast molds, the ‘pre-built TPT®complexes’ are plotted as they are requi-red. TPT® is the way of the future for Sou-thern Spars and the yachting world. TheTPT® plotter has pushed the technology,design and performance boundaries onceagain and this will be reflected in all theyachts that will be stepped with one of ournew TPT®-based spar and rig packages.”www.southernspars.com

The use of TPT®has revolutionized

the world of composites

Courtesy of Southern Spars

North Thin Ply Technology customers are using ultra-thin tapes andcomplexes made with toughened epoxy ThinPregTM120EP or Thin-PregTM80EP. As the Thin Ply Technology® is attracting increasinginterest for many applications, it was necessary to widen the avai-

lable range, and several resin developments have been launched.The North TPT product range currently includes two resin products,but four new resin systems will be available in the coming weeksand other developments are planned for the longer term.

Switzerland’s Movement was set up in1999 and has been marketing its productssince 2002, after spending three years onresearch and development. The brand wasadopted very quickly in the marketplaceand it now offers a complete range of skisthat meet the needs of skiers in all currentdisciplines. The brand is built on quality,performance and innovation. In early2009, when the Thin PlyTechnology® was still inthe development stage,Movement’s R&D mana-gement already conside-red the TPT® to be agreat opportunity to setitself apart, especiallyfrom a marketing standpoint. Starting withthe very first trials, Nanni Tua, the engineerin charge of production of Movement skis,saw the scope of the potential of the NTPTcomplexes in controlling the behavior ofthe ski and reducing weight. Nanni Tuaquickly set out his needs in order to designa complex in which the density and orien-tation of the fibers are adapted to the different areas of a ski and their specificmechanical requirements: the center of the

ski is mainly called on for flexion and thetip and tail are called on for both flexionand torsion. The choice of dry-fiber com-plexes seemed obvious, so as to includethis new form of reinforcement in ski manufacturing with no major modificationsto the existing process. The use of NTPT complexes led to thecreation of the X-Series line of touring skis.

Within this product line, itwas the Fish model thatfirst quickly became asmashing successamong high-level andcompetitive touringskiers, combining impressive lightness and

excellent skiability. Then Logic and Random followed. These are wider, moreversatile skis, which won over a broad audience. Movement is now launching themost recent developments in the X-Series,which will celebrate its third season thiswinter.

Resin name Description Typical curing Max Tg Typical applications Stage(temperature (°C) (°C)

ThinPregTM120EP Toughened epoxy 120 145 Sport & Leisure, AvailableMarine, Industrial

ThinPregTM80EP Toughened epoxy 80 105 Marine AvailableThinPregTM65EP Toughened epoxy 65 100 Marine In developmentThinPregTM120EPHTg Toughened epoxy 120 180 F1 & Motor Sport, Available

AerospaceThinPregTM120CE Cyanate Ester 120 300 F1 & Motor Sport,

Aerospace, Industrial AvailableThinPregTM120EPFR Flame Retardant 120 145 Rail, Building, Aerospace In development

epoxy system

Density and orientation of

fibers are adaptedto the different areas of a ski

Movement wins over the touring ski market

A growing product range

Courtesy of M

ovem

ent

Solar Impulse uses Thin Ply complexes for the second solar aircraft

The Solar Impulse project was started in2004 on the initiative of Bertrand Piccardand André Borschberg. The objective is tofly an emissions-free plane around theworld, using only solarpower. To successfullycomplete such an ambi-tious project, Solar Im-pulse must useinnovative materials andcutting-edge technicalsolutions. The first solarairplane, christened HB-SIA, was built todemonstrate the feasibility of the project.The HB-SIA is over 64m long and weighsonly 1600 kg. In the summer of 2010, theplane flew for over 26 hours, by storing upsolar energy during the day and flying onbattery power at night. With this achievement under its belt, Solar Impulselaunched the development of a second air-craft, HB-SIB, which should fly around theworld in 2014. The Swiss shipyard Deci-sion SA, which specializes in racing boats,is in charge of manufacturing the carbonfiber composite pieces for the project. Unfortunately, the Thin Ply Technology®was not yet available when Decision madethe pieces of the first plane. When the second solar-powered airplane project got

underway, it became obvious to the shi-pyard and then to the Solar Impulse engi-neers that the NTPT complexes could offeran extremely valuable weight reduction for

the second solar-powe-red airplane. After an intense research and development programrun jointly by Solar Impulse and Decision, theNorth Thin Ply Technologyteam is now fully involved

in manufacturing ultra-thin multi-orienta-tion carbon fiber complexes for HB-SIB,which demands the very best in composite material technologies.

To fly around the world, Solar Impulse must use innovative

materials

Courtesy of Solar Impulse

Courtesy of Solar Impulse

Our calendar: North Thin Ply Technology

will be exhibiting at

JEC Composites Show

JEC Composites Show,

Meet us on our stand, number F11

Paris, France, 27-29 March 2012 www.jeccomposites.com/events/jec-europe-2012

North Thin Ply TechnologyCh. Islettaz – Site Venoge Parc – Bâtiment C1

1305 PENTHALAZ

SWITZERLAND

Tel: +41 21 811 08 88

Info@tpt.northsails.com

www.thinplytechnology.com