JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #100 - Special JEC Asia - October 2015 - 12

Applications

music

An innovative resin
for the music industry
- An innovative resin
for the music industry .p12
- New quartz fibre prepreg
material for a watch ... p14

An innovative Araldite® composite resin is set to change the
way trumpet bells are developed, bringing new properties
to an industry with high-tech
requirements.

untsman Advanced Materials'
carbon-reinforced composite resins
are being used in a multi-partnered
project focusing on the use of composites
in musical wind instruments. Suppressing
vibrations and thus avoiding energy wastes
in the tube is the main challenge in making
these instruments, and the use of carbon
fibre compounds is an ideal solution.

pet bell involves dry fibres in braided tape
form being placed into a mould, with resin
being injected at high pressure afterwards
and the application of a vacuum.
Two main challenges here were the quality
finish on the inner side of the bell, which
influences the sound itself, as well as the
outside, since its aesthetic appearance
should be as flawless as possible. To this
end, the temperature range and viscosity
of the resin were crucial parameters to the
process. The third challenge involved the
actual geometry of the bell, which results in
a non-demouldable core. This meant that a
process specific to melting core technology
had to be worked out.

The fruit of a rich partnership
This project is a remarkably well-rounded
one, involving several partners to make the
best product possible. daCarbo AG, a Swiss
musical instrument store, was the initiator
of the project. In co-operation with Musik
Spiri, the Technical University of Rapperswil and the Institute of Music Acoustics of the University of Vienna, Nägeli
Swiss AG was tasked with the development
of the trumpet bell made from Huntsman
Advanced Composites' carbon fibre-rein-

forced resins. According to Niklaus Nägeli,
member of the board of Nägeli Swiss AG,
Huntsman (and consequently their Swiss
distributor Bodo Möller Chemie) was
specifically picked for several reasons, but
most notably their experience in resin
systems and their ability to quickly identify
a suitable, fast-curing system as well as
their customized service. This partnership
and the teamwork that ensued have made
the daCarbo trumpet the success that it
is thanks to the implementation of CFRP
material.
First when it comes to the process and development: a largely automated production
and the complete avoidance of any corrosion problems inside the instrument.
Secondly, the instrument and its musical qualities themselves: an exceptionally
clear and harmonically rich tone, leading
to a warm and open sound. Tested and approved by famous musicians such as Arturo
Sandoval, Jon Barnes or Roy Hargrove, the
daCarbo trumpet has led to an overwhelmingly positive consensus. n
More information:
www.huntsman.com/
advanced_materials/a/Home

A specialized process
The use of carbon fibre in a trumpet bell
involved challenges and necessary adaptations in order to make the process work
and obtain the best possible results. Musical instruments have particularly stringent
requirements since they need to be functional but, more importantly, the quality of
sound needs to be the best possible.
Using the Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM)
technology, the manufacturing of the trum-

The daCarbo trumpet offers lower maintenance rates, higher sound quality as well as comfort of playing

12 jec composites magazine / No100 October 2015

http://www.huntsman.com/advanced_materials/a/Home

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #100 - Special JEC Asia - October 2015