JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #119 - Supplement lnnovation report - 53

Paris, France
March 6-7-8, 2018

www.owenscorning.com

Automotive

Snap-cured polyurethane
> Booth:
3D sandwich parts
Hall 6 - M31
This innovation demonstrates the cost-efficient redesign of
a metal spoiler into a composite sandwich structure for a
Corvette racing car. To control cost and quality, a combination of two elements was key. First, the cost of the finished
core material was controlled using a premoulded polyurethane
core. In a single shot, the polyurethane core was moulded into the
final part geometry with a closed-cell surface for minimal resin uptake while providing a suitable bond strength with the resin. Metal
or 3D-printed polymer
inserts were directly
moulded inside the core
to ease mechanical fastening of the spoiler. No
core machining or thermoforming was required,
thereby saving time,
costs and eliminating waste. The second key element was the use
of a polyurethane snap-cure resin with an extended low-viscosity
injection window. The low-viscosity resin allowed the use of lightweight cores in combination with high fibre volume fractions for
optimum structural properties. A combination of multiaxial glass
fibre non-crimp fabric and recycled carbon fibre preforms was
used to manufacture the parts. Without the extended low-viscosity injection window at a relatively low mould temperature - 1600
g of resin was injected at only 25 g/s over 64 s in a 95°C tool - the
quality and performance of the sandwich structure would have
been compromised by core collapse, fibre shifting or other process defects. An additional benefit of the low-pressure process is
the affordable equipment: the 1.8 x 0.3 m part was easily moulded
in a 400 t press.

Aeronautics

Thin Ply technology for an ultra-light wing aileron > Booth:
An aileron produced without using conventional plug/mould Hall 5 - F5
tooling yielded a 38% lighter part and reduced production time. This was facilitated by the placement of fibres, made possible through accurate ATL deposition coupled with laminate design tailoring of Thin Ply materials. So far,
Thin Ply prepreg materials have been available with a high-strength resin matrix and have
lacked the toughness necessary for adoption into
primary aircraft structures. NTPT, in conjunction with the project partners, invented a tough
high-strength matrix adapted to the Thin Ply
prepreg manufacturing process, with additional
toughness facilitated through the use of interply
toughening.
The project aimed to confirm the performance
benefits of using Thin Ply technology in an aerospace component and to validate the work by realising a final demonstrator part.
Approximately mid-way through the three-year project, the partners were able to
identify a component to manufacture as a full-scale (~4 m) demonstrator part.
Airbus in the UK, responsible for the wing design, supported the project by providing preliminary part geometry, design and loads representative of a very light aircraft (VLA) flight envelope. This data allowed finite element analysis (FEA) modelling and composite design of an aileron component that could be built to meet
the Airbus requirements. The aileron is 38% lighter than one produced with existing prepregs and construction techniques, and the simplified assembly process removed the requirement for complex curved tooling. www.thinplytechnology.com
MULTI concept elevator
> Booth:
The innovation concerns an elevator for eight passengers (in- Hall 5 - Q30
ternal dimensions 1.25m x
1.80m x 2.20m height) completely made of composite
materials including the cabin
doors. The MULTI concept elevator is basically made of a floor and
a ceiling panel manufactured as
sandwich panels, eight corner elements and three wall panels (also
manufactured from CF sandwich panels and glass panels). The design of all parts is
optimized for the use of fibres.
The inner and outer surfaces of all the corner elements and the side walls are made
of visible carbon in order to generate an eye-catching look. All the parts are manufactured using the Vacuum-Assisted Process (VAP). The general design of the car is
aligned on the specific design requirements of composite materials. The car and the
sling are combined, so the rope suspension system uses four ropes in each corner of
a chassis that is isolated from the car itself, avoiding impact sound transfer from the
ropes. Therefore, no bending forces are transferred to the car itself. The car is directly
guided in four (instead of two) guide rails on the car walls utilizing the depressant
feature of the composite walls. This results in a space-saving construction. The size
of the elevator shaft is reduced to an absolute minimum and is thereby currently
unique.
Construction

Pipes & tanks

Easy and fast assembled
> Booth:
bolted storage tanks
Hall 5 - J39
The corrosion-free components, or plates,
of the storage W-Tank are manufactured from a high fibreglass and resin composite in closed moulds using a flex
moulding process, and offer very high mechanical resistance
- almost similar to steel.
The individual plates are very light and are bolted together to form
a complete tank. Accessories such as flanges, manholes, walkways
and interior stairs are easily installed.
Isophthalic or vinylester resins are used for tanks storing corrosive liquids and
food-safe resins
for potable water. The storage
capacity of the
W-Tank is up to
10,000 m3.

www.huntsman.com

N° 119 supplement - Innovation Report

www.composyst.com

/ jec composites magazine

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