Composites
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Composite-Expo 2021 Exhibition started!
Entrance to the territory of the Expocentre Fairgrounds is carried out through the Western entrance.
We will be glad to see you at the event!
Entrance to the territory of the Expocentre Fairgrounds is carried out through the Western entrance.
We will be glad to see you at the event!
Composite-Expo 2021 exhibition continues its work.
Today is the final day of the event.
Leading industry players will be delighted to see you at their stands.
Working hours: from 10.00 to 16.00.
> free invitation
#CompositeExpo #CompositeExpoExhibition #CompositeExpo2021
Today is the final day of the event.
Leading industry players will be delighted to see you at their stands.
Working hours: from 10.00 to 16.00.
> free invitation
#CompositeExpo #CompositeExpoExhibition #CompositeExpo2021
Dear participants and visitors!
Behind three active days of the Composite-Expo 2021 exhibition.
We will post the final information on the event (press release, photos, feedback from participants, statistics, etc.) on the official website in the near future.
We are grateful to our regular exhibitors, as well as companies that took part in the event for the first time for making a decision about full-time participation in the exhibition in this difficult period, and visitors for their active interest in the event and the business program within its framework!
We hope that in 2022 nothing will prevent the exhibition from being held in full, with the full participation of our foreign exhibitors!
The 14th International Exhibition Composite-Expo will be held from March 29 to March 31, 2022.
Advance booking of stands is already open!
Behind three active days of the Composite-Expo 2021 exhibition.
We will post the final information on the event (press release, photos, feedback from participants, statistics, etc.) on the official website in the near future.
We are grateful to our regular exhibitors, as well as companies that took part in the event for the first time for making a decision about full-time participation in the exhibition in this difficult period, and visitors for their active interest in the event and the business program within its framework!
We hope that in 2022 nothing will prevent the exhibition from being held in full, with the full participation of our foreign exhibitors!
The 14th International Exhibition Composite-Expo will be held from March 29 to March 31, 2022.
Advance booking of stands is already open!
Composites
Sandia National Laboratories’ Brandon Ennis holding a carbon fiber plank. Photo courtesy Randy Montoya.
Carbon fiber wind turbine blades could reduce cost
Sandia National Laboratories has released a new study which suggests that a new carbon fiber material could bring cost and performance benefits to the wind industry if developed commercially.
According to the company, wind blades containing carbon fiber weigh 25% less than ones made from traditional glass fiber materials. That means carbon fiber blades could be longer than glass fiber ones and capture more energy in locations with low wind. A switch to carbon fiber could also extend blade lifetime because carbon fiber materials have a high fatigue resistance, according to Brandon Ennis, a wind energy researcher at Sandia Labs and the principal investigator for the project.
However, costs are an issue in using carbon fiber, and turbine manufacturers have to build blades able to withstand compressive and fatigue loads for up to 30 years.
According to Ennis, a new lower-cost carbon fiber developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) could meet the performance needs of the wind industry and also bring cost benefits. This material starts with a widely available precursor from the textile industry containing thick bundles of acrylic fibers. The manufacturing process, which heats the fibers to convert them to carbon, is followed by an intermediate step that pulls the carbon fiber into planks. The plank-making pultrusion process creates carbon fiber with high performance and reliability needed for blade manufacturing and also allows for high production capacity, according to Sandia. The research team suggest that the material performed better than current commercial materials ‘in terms of cost-specific properties of most interest to the wind industry’.
In tests, the mechanical properties of the carbon fiber were compared to commercially available carbon fiber and standard glass fiber composites. Ennis then combined these measurements with cost modeling results from ORNL and used the data in a blade design analysis to assess the system impact of using the novel carbon fiber, instead of standard carbon fiber or glass fiber, as the main structural support in a wind blade.
#composites
> source
Sandia National Laboratories has released a new study which suggests that a new carbon fiber material could bring cost and performance benefits to the wind industry if developed commercially.
According to the company, wind blades containing carbon fiber weigh 25% less than ones made from traditional glass fiber materials. That means carbon fiber blades could be longer than glass fiber ones and capture more energy in locations with low wind. A switch to carbon fiber could also extend blade lifetime because carbon fiber materials have a high fatigue resistance, according to Brandon Ennis, a wind energy researcher at Sandia Labs and the principal investigator for the project.
However, costs are an issue in using carbon fiber, and turbine manufacturers have to build blades able to withstand compressive and fatigue loads for up to 30 years.
According to Ennis, a new lower-cost carbon fiber developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) could meet the performance needs of the wind industry and also bring cost benefits. This material starts with a widely available precursor from the textile industry containing thick bundles of acrylic fibers. The manufacturing process, which heats the fibers to convert them to carbon, is followed by an intermediate step that pulls the carbon fiber into planks. The plank-making pultrusion process creates carbon fiber with high performance and reliability needed for blade manufacturing and also allows for high production capacity, according to Sandia. The research team suggest that the material performed better than current commercial materials ‘in terms of cost-specific properties of most interest to the wind industry’.
In tests, the mechanical properties of the carbon fiber were compared to commercially available carbon fiber and standard glass fiber composites. Ennis then combined these measurements with cost modeling results from ORNL and used the data in a blade design analysis to assess the system impact of using the novel carbon fiber, instead of standard carbon fiber or glass fiber, as the main structural support in a wind blade.
#composites
> source
Composites
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Mikrosam and Composite Automation complete NIAR ATLAS installation
Mikrosam has completed the installation of its latest custom-made prepreg tape slitting and tow-rewinding machine at the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University.
NIAR selected Composite Automation and Mikrosam to deliver a single-step slitting unit to facilitate its need to perform research on variety of composite prepregs in the Advanced Technologies Laboratory for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS). ATLAS is a multi-disciplinary manufacturing environment aimed at preparing engineers for the Factory of the Future and aiding industry with advanced material research with automated manufacturing technologies.
“With the addition of Mikrosam slitter to our portfolio of automated manufacturing equipment, we are able to support the demand from multiple automated fibre placement machines at NIAR – conducting research in a timely manner and supporting our industry partners’ slit-tape material needs,” said Dr Waruna Seneviratne, ATLAS director. “The integrated in-process inspection system and the machine-learning algorithm for detecting defects allows us to perform quality control on the fly.”
The prepreg slitting equipment from Mikrosam is a single-step process for slitting of unidirectional thermoset and thermoplastic prepreg tapes and rewinding them on multiple station traverse winders. The equipment is dedicated to slit prepreg tape from maximum width of 24.5” (600mm) down to 0.25” – 0.5” (6.35mm – 12.7mm) and then rewind on a spool that can be used for automated fibre placement (AFP). It can also be used for slitting down to 3” – 6” (75mm – 150mm) wide tapes on a spool that can be directly used on automated tape laying (ATL) processes.
#composites #Mikrosam
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Mikrosam has completed the installation of its latest custom-made prepreg tape slitting and tow-rewinding machine at the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University.
NIAR selected Composite Automation and Mikrosam to deliver a single-step slitting unit to facilitate its need to perform research on variety of composite prepregs in the Advanced Technologies Laboratory for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS). ATLAS is a multi-disciplinary manufacturing environment aimed at preparing engineers for the Factory of the Future and aiding industry with advanced material research with automated manufacturing technologies.
“With the addition of Mikrosam slitter to our portfolio of automated manufacturing equipment, we are able to support the demand from multiple automated fibre placement machines at NIAR – conducting research in a timely manner and supporting our industry partners’ slit-tape material needs,” said Dr Waruna Seneviratne, ATLAS director. “The integrated in-process inspection system and the machine-learning algorithm for detecting defects allows us to perform quality control on the fly.”
The prepreg slitting equipment from Mikrosam is a single-step process for slitting of unidirectional thermoset and thermoplastic prepreg tapes and rewinding them on multiple station traverse winders. The equipment is dedicated to slit prepreg tape from maximum width of 24.5” (600mm) down to 0.25” – 0.5” (6.35mm – 12.7mm) and then rewind on a spool that can be used for automated fibre placement (AFP). It can also be used for slitting down to 3” – 6” (75mm – 150mm) wide tapes on a spool that can be directly used on automated tape laying (ATL) processes.
#composites #Mikrosam
> source
Composites
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Sicomin launches fire retardant bio-epoxy laminating resin
Sicomin has launched its new SR FireGreen 37 FR hand laminating resin. This latest addition to the GreenPoxy range of bio-epoxies combines exceptional fire performance with a more sustainable formulation, featuring 25% plant-based carbon content.
SR FireGreen 37 is an intumescent epoxy resin system optimised for hand laminating processes and is available with a range of hardeners to adjust cure times in manufacturing. FireGreen 37 features a halogen free chemistry resulting in very low smoke opacity and toxicity in a fire scenario.
Sicomin’s new resin system is suitable for small to very large components, with target applications in the transport, architecture and civil engineering sectors. ASTM E84 Class A classifications have already been achieved with additional fire testing, including EN 13-501 and EN 45-545, currently underway.
“We are thrilled to bring our new FireGreen 37 to the market, combining our strengths in fire performance and bio-based epoxies in a single more sustainable product,” commented Philippe Marcovich, president, Sicomin. “There are now nine products in the GreenPoxy range of bio-based epoxies providing solutions for Infusion, RTM, Casting, Laminating, Gelcoating and Foaming epoxy processes. We really do have all the bases covered.”
#composites #resin
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Sicomin has launched its new SR FireGreen 37 FR hand laminating resin. This latest addition to the GreenPoxy range of bio-epoxies combines exceptional fire performance with a more sustainable formulation, featuring 25% plant-based carbon content.
SR FireGreen 37 is an intumescent epoxy resin system optimised for hand laminating processes and is available with a range of hardeners to adjust cure times in manufacturing. FireGreen 37 features a halogen free chemistry resulting in very low smoke opacity and toxicity in a fire scenario.
Sicomin’s new resin system is suitable for small to very large components, with target applications in the transport, architecture and civil engineering sectors. ASTM E84 Class A classifications have already been achieved with additional fire testing, including EN 13-501 and EN 45-545, currently underway.
“We are thrilled to bring our new FireGreen 37 to the market, combining our strengths in fire performance and bio-based epoxies in a single more sustainable product,” commented Philippe Marcovich, president, Sicomin. “There are now nine products in the GreenPoxy range of bio-based epoxies providing solutions for Infusion, RTM, Casting, Laminating, Gelcoating and Foaming epoxy processes. We really do have all the bases covered.”
#composites #resin
> source
Composites
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New composites application for furniture and interiors
Renolit with EconCore have been exploring the various issues of lightweighting, modular design, easily formable and rigidity for the automotive and other markets.
Renolit was also seeking to improve properties of, chemical, thermal, water-resistance and rot-resistance.
It was quickly concluded that the EconCore honeycomb technology was the solution, while EconCore could see that Renolit would be able to innovate and find new uses for the product, and so EconCore granted Renolit a license for the continuous production of honeycomb panels.
Renolit’s R&D team got to work exploring the issues and saw that EconCore’s honeycomb would produce a very high level of rigidity offering weight savings at the same time. Both companies quickly saw the potential for other applications, such as furniture, using various thermoplastic materials.
Using a composite skin and PP honeycomb core, the required material properties can be achieved. Renolit deployed the honeycomb in its Gorcell range of products. Though starting in the automotive sector, it is now also used in a wide range of applications, for example flight cases, outdoor kitchens, truck superstructures, and bakery panels.
More recently Renolit is selling through a subsidiary for the first time into the B2C market with products for gardens, balconies and terraces, such as tissue boxes, plant & high beets and fences. The honeycomb is enabling a systems solution for the area around the house and garden so that garden furniture, storage options and privacy screen fit together beautifully in design.
Having developed the technology over a number of years to meet the desired specification of the market, EconCore’s honeycomb has enabled Renolit Gorcell to overcome several technical challenges, such as panel planarity, reduced golf ball effect, and smooth, scratch free surfaces.
#composites #honeycomb
> source
Renolit with EconCore have been exploring the various issues of lightweighting, modular design, easily formable and rigidity for the automotive and other markets.
Renolit was also seeking to improve properties of, chemical, thermal, water-resistance and rot-resistance.
It was quickly concluded that the EconCore honeycomb technology was the solution, while EconCore could see that Renolit would be able to innovate and find new uses for the product, and so EconCore granted Renolit a license for the continuous production of honeycomb panels.
Renolit’s R&D team got to work exploring the issues and saw that EconCore’s honeycomb would produce a very high level of rigidity offering weight savings at the same time. Both companies quickly saw the potential for other applications, such as furniture, using various thermoplastic materials.
Using a composite skin and PP honeycomb core, the required material properties can be achieved. Renolit deployed the honeycomb in its Gorcell range of products. Though starting in the automotive sector, it is now also used in a wide range of applications, for example flight cases, outdoor kitchens, truck superstructures, and bakery panels.
More recently Renolit is selling through a subsidiary for the first time into the B2C market with products for gardens, balconies and terraces, such as tissue boxes, plant & high beets and fences. The honeycomb is enabling a systems solution for the area around the house and garden so that garden furniture, storage options and privacy screen fit together beautifully in design.
Having developed the technology over a number of years to meet the desired specification of the market, EconCore’s honeycomb has enabled Renolit Gorcell to overcome several technical challenges, such as panel planarity, reduced golf ball effect, and smooth, scratch free surfaces.
#composites #honeycomb
> source
Composites
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Resin shortages continue to affect composites supply chain
Power outages caused by mid-February’s U.S. winter storms led to immediate shortages from Gulf Coast petrochemical companies. Fabricators continue to report shortages.
A supply shortage of epoxy, polyester and vinyl ester resins, caused by U.S. winter storms and a variety of factors, continue to make headlines and affect the composites industry.
As reported by Gardner Intelligence chief economist Michael Guckes in his latest Composites Fabricating Index column, supply chain difficulties continue to restrict production, “which, in the face of strong demand, has caused a meteoric rise in backlog activity.”
In response to this data and other industry reports, CW, with Gardner Intelligence, recently surveyed 144 composites fabricators to learn more about what the industry is experiencing.
Of the respondents, 69% reported experiencing or hearing of supply shortages over the past few months; 66% reported experiencing issues with lead times; 50% reported workforce or labor shortages; 21% reported wage rate escalation.
Winter storm impacts lead to continued resin shortages.
From those surveyed, 62% of respondents reported that resins were a little or a lot more difficult than usual to acquire over the past three months. Polyester and vinyl ester ranked as the types most difficult to acquire, followed by epoxy.
Global supply chain shortages for many products have been impacting industries since the start of the pandemic in 2020, caused by pandemic-related and economic issues in transportation, rising demand and labor shortages.
#composites #ResinShortages
> source
Power outages caused by mid-February’s U.S. winter storms led to immediate shortages from Gulf Coast petrochemical companies. Fabricators continue to report shortages.
A supply shortage of epoxy, polyester and vinyl ester resins, caused by U.S. winter storms and a variety of factors, continue to make headlines and affect the composites industry.
As reported by Gardner Intelligence chief economist Michael Guckes in his latest Composites Fabricating Index column, supply chain difficulties continue to restrict production, “which, in the face of strong demand, has caused a meteoric rise in backlog activity.”
In response to this data and other industry reports, CW, with Gardner Intelligence, recently surveyed 144 composites fabricators to learn more about what the industry is experiencing.
Of the respondents, 69% reported experiencing or hearing of supply shortages over the past few months; 66% reported experiencing issues with lead times; 50% reported workforce or labor shortages; 21% reported wage rate escalation.
Winter storm impacts lead to continued resin shortages.
From those surveyed, 62% of respondents reported that resins were a little or a lot more difficult than usual to acquire over the past three months. Polyester and vinyl ester ranked as the types most difficult to acquire, followed by epoxy.
Global supply chain shortages for many products have been impacting industries since the start of the pandemic in 2020, caused by pandemic-related and economic issues in transportation, rising demand and labor shortages.
#composites #ResinShortages
> source
A video report on the last exhibition "Composite-Expo 2021" has been posted on the official YouTube channel of the event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-x9ff4Yyxw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-x9ff4Yyxw
YouTube
13th Composite-Expo 2021 Video Report
13th Composite-Expo 2021 International Exhibition
Date: March 30 - April 1, 2021.
Venue: Pavilion 1, Expocentre Fairgrounds, Moscow, Russia.
Organizer: Mir-Expo Exhibition Company, Ltd.
In 2021, on the space about 5000 sq. m. there situated 136 exhibitors…
Date: March 30 - April 1, 2021.
Venue: Pavilion 1, Expocentre Fairgrounds, Moscow, Russia.
Organizer: Mir-Expo Exhibition Company, Ltd.
In 2021, on the space about 5000 sq. m. there situated 136 exhibitors…
Composites pinned «A video report on the last exhibition "Composite-Expo 2021" has been posted on the official YouTube channel of the event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-x9ff4Yyxw»
Composites
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Econcore’s new honeycomb cores made with SABIC resin
EconCore has developed new honeycomb cores for laminated sandwich panels made with SABIC’s NORYL GTX resin, a polyphenylene ether (PPE) blend, and EconCore’s proprietary technology.
The new honeycomb core presents higher heat performance, better dimensional stability and lower water absorption compared to honeycomb structures made with traditional thermoplastics. These properties enable the new core material to be used in demanding applications such as certain automotive, e-mobility and photovoltaic components. Furthermore, combining this new honeycomb core with thermoplastic composite skins to produce an all-thermoplastic sandwich panel can facilitate recycling. These desirable performance attributes and enhanced sustainability can open new market and application opportunities for EconCore honeycombs made with NORYL GTX resin.
“We turned to SABIC for expert assistance in enhancing our honeycomb cores with high-performance thermoplastics to expand our product’s use in a range of applications and overcome the limitations of incumbent materials,” said Tomasz Czarnecki, chief operations officer, EconCore. “Our many years of collaboration with SABIC and the company’s broad materials portfolio gave us high confidence in the success of this initiative. We have been very impressed with NORYL GTX resin’s ease of use in conversion and appreciated the fact that it works well in our existing equipment. We believe its well-balanced properties will allow honeycomb cores to be used more widely in transportation, clean energy and e-mobility applications.”
Thermoplastic honeycomb structures deliver a high performance-to-weight ratio and efficient energy absorption under impact. The rigidity of honeycomb sandwich panels is known to exceed that of monolithic materials, including solid composites. Also, sandwich structures are an effective means of reducing mass in a wide range of weight-sensitive applications. Combined with an effective, in-line integrated sandwich panel production technology, this weight reduction has positive implications for overall production cost savings and environmental responsibility.
In addition to reducing raw material use, the honeycombs support recyclability. Combining the PPE-based core structures with thermoplastic composites skins, such as those based on nylon, can result in a recyclable and sustainable solution.
Furthermore, sandwich panels made exclusively with thermoplastics can be efficiently processed into finished parts with complex geometries using compression molding processes, which can help reduce cycle times.
According to EconCore, its new honeycomb structures deliver higher heat performance, greater dimensional stability and lower water absorption than alternative materials such as nylon. Due to this high performance, the cores may also demonstrate good compatibility with thermoset composite skins. Because the honeycomb exhibits high load-bearing capacity even at temperatures up to 180°C, it may be a good candidate for lamination with thermoset prepregs in processing environments where high curing temperatures are typically applied. The honeycomb can also potentially be used for applications where sandwich panels must deliver high performance at elevated temperatures.
#composites #honeycomb
> source
EconCore has developed new honeycomb cores for laminated sandwich panels made with SABIC’s NORYL GTX resin, a polyphenylene ether (PPE) blend, and EconCore’s proprietary technology.
The new honeycomb core presents higher heat performance, better dimensional stability and lower water absorption compared to honeycomb structures made with traditional thermoplastics. These properties enable the new core material to be used in demanding applications such as certain automotive, e-mobility and photovoltaic components. Furthermore, combining this new honeycomb core with thermoplastic composite skins to produce an all-thermoplastic sandwich panel can facilitate recycling. These desirable performance attributes and enhanced sustainability can open new market and application opportunities for EconCore honeycombs made with NORYL GTX resin.
“We turned to SABIC for expert assistance in enhancing our honeycomb cores with high-performance thermoplastics to expand our product’s use in a range of applications and overcome the limitations of incumbent materials,” said Tomasz Czarnecki, chief operations officer, EconCore. “Our many years of collaboration with SABIC and the company’s broad materials portfolio gave us high confidence in the success of this initiative. We have been very impressed with NORYL GTX resin’s ease of use in conversion and appreciated the fact that it works well in our existing equipment. We believe its well-balanced properties will allow honeycomb cores to be used more widely in transportation, clean energy and e-mobility applications.”
Thermoplastic honeycomb structures deliver a high performance-to-weight ratio and efficient energy absorption under impact. The rigidity of honeycomb sandwich panels is known to exceed that of monolithic materials, including solid composites. Also, sandwich structures are an effective means of reducing mass in a wide range of weight-sensitive applications. Combined with an effective, in-line integrated sandwich panel production technology, this weight reduction has positive implications for overall production cost savings and environmental responsibility.
In addition to reducing raw material use, the honeycombs support recyclability. Combining the PPE-based core structures with thermoplastic composites skins, such as those based on nylon, can result in a recyclable and sustainable solution.
Furthermore, sandwich panels made exclusively with thermoplastics can be efficiently processed into finished parts with complex geometries using compression molding processes, which can help reduce cycle times.
According to EconCore, its new honeycomb structures deliver higher heat performance, greater dimensional stability and lower water absorption than alternative materials such as nylon. Due to this high performance, the cores may also demonstrate good compatibility with thermoset composite skins. Because the honeycomb exhibits high load-bearing capacity even at temperatures up to 180°C, it may be a good candidate for lamination with thermoset prepregs in processing environments where high curing temperatures are typically applied. The honeycomb can also potentially be used for applications where sandwich panels must deliver high performance at elevated temperatures.
#composites #honeycomb
> source