Dear Colleagues!
There are 12 days left until the start of the 15th Composite-Expo 2023 exhibition!
On the official website of the event, the current floor plan of the exhibition and the preliminary list of exhibitors have been updated.
There is still time to apply and take part as an exhibitor!
The exhibition will be held from 28 to 30 March in pavilion 1 of the Expocentre Fairgrounds.
You can get a free invitation ticket to Composite-Expo 2023 after registering on the website.
See you at the exhibition!
There are 12 days left until the start of the 15th Composite-Expo 2023 exhibition!
On the official website of the event, the current floor plan of the exhibition and the preliminary list of exhibitors have been updated.
There is still time to apply and take part as an exhibitor!
The exhibition will be held from 28 to 30 March in pavilion 1 of the Expocentre Fairgrounds.
You can get a free invitation ticket to Composite-Expo 2023 after registering on the website.
See you at the exhibition!
Composites
Photo
Dear friends!
Tomorrow, March 28, the main event of the composite industry in Russia, the 15th international exhibition Composite-Expo 2023, starts. Exhibitors and visitors will have three days of active communication at the stands and events of the business program. Venue: Pavilion 1, Expocentre, Moscow.
Exhibition opening hours:
March 28 and 29 - from 10.00 to 18.00
March 30 - from 10.00 to 16.00
• get an invitation card
• venue
This year, as part of the business program of the exhibition, there will be:
March 28-29: The 10th Anniversary Forum "Composites Without Borders" will be held for the first time as part of the exhibition
March 29: Fourth scientific and practical conference "Practical aspects of the use of composite materials in various industries" | conference program
March 28: Round table "Protection of intellectual property of manufacturers of composite materials" (visiting is limited, by prior registration) | roundtable topics
• exhibitors catalogue
• floor plan
See you at the exhibition and business program events!
#composites #CompositeExpo2023 #CompositeExpo #ExhibitionCompositeExpo
Tomorrow, March 28, the main event of the composite industry in Russia, the 15th international exhibition Composite-Expo 2023, starts. Exhibitors and visitors will have three days of active communication at the stands and events of the business program. Venue: Pavilion 1, Expocentre, Moscow.
Exhibition opening hours:
March 28 and 29 - from 10.00 to 18.00
March 30 - from 10.00 to 16.00
• get an invitation card
• venue
This year, as part of the business program of the exhibition, there will be:
March 28-29: The 10th Anniversary Forum "Composites Without Borders" will be held for the first time as part of the exhibition
March 29: Fourth scientific and practical conference "Practical aspects of the use of composite materials in various industries" | conference program
March 28: Round table "Protection of intellectual property of manufacturers of composite materials" (visiting is limited, by prior registration) | roundtable topics
• exhibitors catalogue
• floor plan
See you at the exhibition and business program events!
#composites #CompositeExpo2023 #CompositeExpo #ExhibitionCompositeExpo
Today is the final day of Composite-Expo 2023!
Leading industry players will be glad to see you at their booths.
Opening hours on March 30: from 10.00 to 16.00.
> free invitation
#CompositeExpo2023 #CompositeExpo #ExhibitionCompositeExpo #composites
Leading industry players will be glad to see you at their booths.
Opening hours on March 30: from 10.00 to 16.00.
> free invitation
#CompositeExpo2023 #CompositeExpo #ExhibitionCompositeExpo #composites
Dear participants, visitors, colleagues!
Three busy working days of the Composite-Expo 2023 and Polyurethanex 2023 exhibitions flew by unnoticed.
We thank all the regular exhibitors of our events, as well as the companies that decided to participate in exhibitions for the first time in today's difficult conditions!
We thank the visitors for their active interest in the exhibitions and the extensive business program within their framework!
The final information on the events (press releases, photos, feedback from participants, statistics, etc.) will be posted on the official websites in the near future.
The 16th International Exhibition Composite-Expo 2024 and the 15th International Exhibition Polyurethanex 2024 will be held from March 26 to 28.
Preliminary booking of booths is already open!
Three busy working days of the Composite-Expo 2023 and Polyurethanex 2023 exhibitions flew by unnoticed.
We thank all the regular exhibitors of our events, as well as the companies that decided to participate in exhibitions for the first time in today's difficult conditions!
We thank the visitors for their active interest in the exhibitions and the extensive business program within their framework!
The final information on the events (press releases, photos, feedback from participants, statistics, etc.) will be posted on the official websites in the near future.
The 16th International Exhibition Composite-Expo 2024 and the 15th International Exhibition Polyurethanex 2024 will be held from March 26 to 28.
Preliminary booking of booths is already open!
Composites
Photo
Anisoprint expands global presence with Shanghai office
New office located in the Additive Manufacturing Technology Centre enables Anisoprint’s expansion into the Asia-Pacific region.
Anisoprint (Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg), a provider of composite 3D printing solutions, has announced the opening of a new office in Shanghai, China. The office is located in the Additive Manufacturing Technology Centre (AMTC), a state-of-the-art facility that provides access to cutting-edge 3D printing technologies and equipment.
The new Shanghai office will serve as a hub for Anisoprint’s expansion in the Asia-Pacific region, providing local customers with access to its 3D printing solutions and services. The office will also support the company’s existing partners in the region and facilitate the development of new partnerships with companies interested in leveraging the power of 3D printing to innovate and optimize their operations. The new location brings with it novel opportunities for R&D activities and further technology development with the support of local institutions.
“We are excited to open our new office in Shanghai and to be located in the AMTC 3D Printing Center,” Fedor Antonov, CEO of Anisoprint, says. “This move represents a significant milestone for our company, as we continue to expand our global presence and bring our cutting-edge 3D printing technologies to customers around the world. We look forward to working with our partners in the region to unlock new opportunities and drive innovation.”
AMTC is a world-class facility that provides access to the latest 3D printing technologies, materials and expertise. The center is dedicated to driving innovation and helping companies explore the full potential of 3D printing. AMTC welcomes other 3D printing companies like BigRep, HP and Intamsys. The companies’ expertise aligns with a focus on innovation, sustainability and aim to drive the adoption of 3D printing in key industries.
Photo Credit: Anisoprint
#composites #Anisoprint #AMTC
> source
New office located in the Additive Manufacturing Technology Centre enables Anisoprint’s expansion into the Asia-Pacific region.
Anisoprint (Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg), a provider of composite 3D printing solutions, has announced the opening of a new office in Shanghai, China. The office is located in the Additive Manufacturing Technology Centre (AMTC), a state-of-the-art facility that provides access to cutting-edge 3D printing technologies and equipment.
The new Shanghai office will serve as a hub for Anisoprint’s expansion in the Asia-Pacific region, providing local customers with access to its 3D printing solutions and services. The office will also support the company’s existing partners in the region and facilitate the development of new partnerships with companies interested in leveraging the power of 3D printing to innovate and optimize their operations. The new location brings with it novel opportunities for R&D activities and further technology development with the support of local institutions.
“We are excited to open our new office in Shanghai and to be located in the AMTC 3D Printing Center,” Fedor Antonov, CEO of Anisoprint, says. “This move represents a significant milestone for our company, as we continue to expand our global presence and bring our cutting-edge 3D printing technologies to customers around the world. We look forward to working with our partners in the region to unlock new opportunities and drive innovation.”
AMTC is a world-class facility that provides access to the latest 3D printing technologies, materials and expertise. The center is dedicated to driving innovation and helping companies explore the full potential of 3D printing. AMTC welcomes other 3D printing companies like BigRep, HP and Intamsys. The companies’ expertise aligns with a focus on innovation, sustainability and aim to drive the adoption of 3D printing in key industries.
Photo Credit: Anisoprint
#composites #Anisoprint #AMTC
> source
Composites
Photo
Repairable composites based on epoxy vitrimer for aeronautics
The AIRPOXY project proposes a new generation of intrinsically-repairable composite materials based on an epoxy vitrimer to reduce production and MRO costs in the aeronautics industry. Specifically, this article presents a very simple and cost-effective method for repairing a typical transverse stiffener. This article has been published in the JEC Composites Magazine N°148.
Due to their inherent complex damage behaviour, structural repair is a major challenge for advanced composites in the aerospace industry. Various defects can be initiated during manufacturing and in-service. For example, delaminations in the bending radii of the stiffeners can occur when demoulding the part. Often, these delaminations cannot be repaired with existing technologies, which leads to a high scrap rate, up to 20- 30% depending on the part’s complexity.
Within the AIRPOXY EU-funded project, a very simple and cost-effective method was developed to repair this type of delamination. This was made possible by a family of vitrimer epoxy resins developed and patented by Cidetec that present reversible or dynamic aromatic disulphide bonds. These dynamic bonds provide a series of smart properties, creating a new generation of composite materials that retain their high performance, in terms of easy fibre impregnation and overall stability, while showing unprecedented new features once the material is completely cured, such as re-processability, reparability and recyclability. This is why they are called “3R composites”.
Thus, delaminations in 3R composites can be repaired by simply applying heat and pressure to the damaged area (Figure 1).
As the global aim of AIRPOXY is to reduce the production and maintenance costs of composite parts in the aeronautic sector, the project’s scope exceeded the study of repairability and also included the thermoforming and bonding capacity of 3R composites. Figure 2 summarizes the project’s concept and its main specific objectives.
The AIRPOXY project is conducted by a consortium made up of the resin developers (Cidetec), key technology providers (Leibniz- IVW as an expert in thermoplastic composites thermoforming and welding, Eurecat as an expert in RTM and LCA/LCC/HHRA analysis, Coexpair as an SQRTM process expert, the University of Ioannina as an expert in structural health monitoring techniques and Altair as an expert in process simulation software), and aircraft component manufacturers (EireComposites, IDEC and Sonaca) together with standardization experts (UNE) and an aeronautics consultancy firm (Arttic).
The 3R composite and its repair method were validated through the manufacturing of a transverse stiffener (TS) demonstrator using the RTM process, which was damaged in a controlled manner and repaired using a specific tool to apply localized pressure and heat. The main steps are described next.
Design and production of the transverse stiffener
As a first step, Cidetec formulated the 3R epoxy resin with a Tg of 170°C, taking into account three main goals: (1) producing a vitrimer resin – therefore reprocessable, repairable and recyclable; (2) meeting the aeronautical sector’s specifications in terms of mechanical and thermal properties; and (3) being suitable for the RTM process in terms of rheology and curing kinetics.
The AIRPOXY project proposes a new generation of intrinsically-repairable composite materials based on an epoxy vitrimer to reduce production and MRO costs in the aeronautics industry. Specifically, this article presents a very simple and cost-effective method for repairing a typical transverse stiffener. This article has been published in the JEC Composites Magazine N°148.
Due to their inherent complex damage behaviour, structural repair is a major challenge for advanced composites in the aerospace industry. Various defects can be initiated during manufacturing and in-service. For example, delaminations in the bending radii of the stiffeners can occur when demoulding the part. Often, these delaminations cannot be repaired with existing technologies, which leads to a high scrap rate, up to 20- 30% depending on the part’s complexity.
Within the AIRPOXY EU-funded project, a very simple and cost-effective method was developed to repair this type of delamination. This was made possible by a family of vitrimer epoxy resins developed and patented by Cidetec that present reversible or dynamic aromatic disulphide bonds. These dynamic bonds provide a series of smart properties, creating a new generation of composite materials that retain their high performance, in terms of easy fibre impregnation and overall stability, while showing unprecedented new features once the material is completely cured, such as re-processability, reparability and recyclability. This is why they are called “3R composites”.
Thus, delaminations in 3R composites can be repaired by simply applying heat and pressure to the damaged area (Figure 1).
As the global aim of AIRPOXY is to reduce the production and maintenance costs of composite parts in the aeronautic sector, the project’s scope exceeded the study of repairability and also included the thermoforming and bonding capacity of 3R composites. Figure 2 summarizes the project’s concept and its main specific objectives.
The AIRPOXY project is conducted by a consortium made up of the resin developers (Cidetec), key technology providers (Leibniz- IVW as an expert in thermoplastic composites thermoforming and welding, Eurecat as an expert in RTM and LCA/LCC/HHRA analysis, Coexpair as an SQRTM process expert, the University of Ioannina as an expert in structural health monitoring techniques and Altair as an expert in process simulation software), and aircraft component manufacturers (EireComposites, IDEC and Sonaca) together with standardization experts (UNE) and an aeronautics consultancy firm (Arttic).
The 3R composite and its repair method were validated through the manufacturing of a transverse stiffener (TS) demonstrator using the RTM process, which was damaged in a controlled manner and repaired using a specific tool to apply localized pressure and heat. The main steps are described next.
Design and production of the transverse stiffener
As a first step, Cidetec formulated the 3R epoxy resin with a Tg of 170°C, taking into account three main goals: (1) producing a vitrimer resin – therefore reprocessable, repairable and recyclable; (2) meeting the aeronautical sector’s specifications in terms of mechanical and thermal properties; and (3) being suitable for the RTM process in terms of rheology and curing kinetics.
Composites
Photo
To meet the first goal, the vitrimer epoxy resin was formulated based on a dynamic disulphide exchange mechanism, which seems to be the most promising mechanism for the aeronautics industry since the operational Tg ranges of the resulting polymers are almost in line with those of current thermoset materials. The hardener selected was 4-aminophenyl disulphide (4-AFD), which is commercially available for future industrialization. To fulfil the second and third goals, the first part of the resin was formulated with a mixture of tetraglycidyl-4,4´ methylene dianiline (TGMDA) and bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE). Combining these two monomers makes it possible to achieve the mechanical and thermal properties required by the aeronautics industry, as well as the rheology and curing kinetics needed for the RTM process.
Both the 3R resin and the 3R composite were extensively characterized to verify that the three objectives had been met. Once the 3R resin was developed, the transverse stiffener demonstrator was designed and produced by IDEC.
The transverse stiffener is a structural element with a complex geometry (combining an omega and a transverse shape, see Figure 3) about 420 mm long. It was made by the RTM process using the project materials, the 3R resin and an intermediate-modulus carbon fibre (5-harness satin woven material and unidirectional fabric). Additionally, a peel ply was added on one of the surfaces to achieve the roughness needed to bond the rest of the sub-components (skin and longitudinal stiffener).
The mould used to manufacture the transverse stiffener was divided into several parts (see Figure 4), some of which were used to overmould the carbon fibre layers. The mould was closed with screws and heated in an oven, a vacuum was applied and the 3R resin was injected under pressure (1 to 6 bars).
Then, the 3R resin was cured in a twostep cycle (60 min. at 130°C and 30 min. at 180°C) and the transverse stiffener was demoulded.
Finally, the part was trimmed (see Figure 5) and inspected by ultrasonic testing (UT).
Defining the best repair strategy
In parallel, a study at the specimen level was performed by Cidetec and Eurecat to define the most suitable repair parameters (pressure- temperature-time) and the best way to apply them on the specimen. Two solutions were considered: 1) using an autoclave, which made it possible to apply pressures of up to 7 bars and generalized heating over the entire damaged piece; and 2) using a press to apply heating and higher pressure locally, just on the damaged area.
First, delaminations were generated by impacting 3R laminate specimens in a controlled way, using an impactor tower and a hemispherical tip 16 mm in diameter to create a damage of around 750 mm². The damages were identified by ultrasonic techniques. Next, the specimens were repaired in an autoclave or press using different pressure-temperature-time conditions. Afterwards, the specimens were inspected again using ultrasonic techniques. In the cases where the results were satisfactory, the repaired areas were subjected to a microscopic analysis to confirm that they were free of defects. Interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) specimens were also extracted from the repaired areas and tested.
The best results were obtained using the press, heating the area to be repaired to 210°C and locally applying 20 bars of pressure for 20 minutes. Figure 6 compares the microscopic analysis of an impacted area (many delaminations can be identified) and a repaired area (the delaminations have disappeared), while Figure 7 compares the ILSS test results of two specimens; the first one from a reference panel and the second one from an impacted area after repair. The values showed that, although there is a slight loss in strength (21%), the elastic modulus remains unaffected.
Damaging and repairing the stiffener
Both the 3R resin and the 3R composite were extensively characterized to verify that the three objectives had been met. Once the 3R resin was developed, the transverse stiffener demonstrator was designed and produced by IDEC.
The transverse stiffener is a structural element with a complex geometry (combining an omega and a transverse shape, see Figure 3) about 420 mm long. It was made by the RTM process using the project materials, the 3R resin and an intermediate-modulus carbon fibre (5-harness satin woven material and unidirectional fabric). Additionally, a peel ply was added on one of the surfaces to achieve the roughness needed to bond the rest of the sub-components (skin and longitudinal stiffener).
The mould used to manufacture the transverse stiffener was divided into several parts (see Figure 4), some of which were used to overmould the carbon fibre layers. The mould was closed with screws and heated in an oven, a vacuum was applied and the 3R resin was injected under pressure (1 to 6 bars).
Then, the 3R resin was cured in a twostep cycle (60 min. at 130°C and 30 min. at 180°C) and the transverse stiffener was demoulded.
Finally, the part was trimmed (see Figure 5) and inspected by ultrasonic testing (UT).
Defining the best repair strategy
In parallel, a study at the specimen level was performed by Cidetec and Eurecat to define the most suitable repair parameters (pressure- temperature-time) and the best way to apply them on the specimen. Two solutions were considered: 1) using an autoclave, which made it possible to apply pressures of up to 7 bars and generalized heating over the entire damaged piece; and 2) using a press to apply heating and higher pressure locally, just on the damaged area.
First, delaminations were generated by impacting 3R laminate specimens in a controlled way, using an impactor tower and a hemispherical tip 16 mm in diameter to create a damage of around 750 mm². The damages were identified by ultrasonic techniques. Next, the specimens were repaired in an autoclave or press using different pressure-temperature-time conditions. Afterwards, the specimens were inspected again using ultrasonic techniques. In the cases where the results were satisfactory, the repaired areas were subjected to a microscopic analysis to confirm that they were free of defects. Interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) specimens were also extracted from the repaired areas and tested.
The best results were obtained using the press, heating the area to be repaired to 210°C and locally applying 20 bars of pressure for 20 minutes. Figure 6 compares the microscopic analysis of an impacted area (many delaminations can be identified) and a repaired area (the delaminations have disappeared), while Figure 7 compares the ILSS test results of two specimens; the first one from a reference panel and the second one from an impacted area after repair. The values showed that, although there is a slight loss in strength (21%), the elastic modulus remains unaffected.
Damaging and repairing the stiffener
Composites
Photo
At the beginning of the AIRPOXY project, the partners decided to develop a tool to repair the delaminations produced when demoulding RTM composite parts (in this case, the transverse stiffener of the fan cowl demonstrator). However, in this case, no delaminations appeared during the demoulding process and therefore, another tool was designed and manufactured by IDEC to create.
#RepairableComposites #aeronautics
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#RepairableComposites #aeronautics
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LifePort acquires Aeromatrix Composites advanced materials line
The aircraft manufacturer solidifies its capability to provide next-generation advanced materials solutions to aerospace and defense customers.
Aircraft manufacturer LifePort LLC (Woodland, Wash., U.S.) has officially announced its acquisition of the advanced materials line of business from Aeromatrix Composites (Clearwater, Fla., U.S.) which reflects the company’s commitment to vertically integrated aircraft solutions.
LifePort, known for its air medical, custom interiors and armor solutions, acquired portions of the Aeromatrix business, including composite flat and formed panels, adhesives (ATR525, ATR1000 and ATR500), all ATR panel pins and inserts, as well as payload component product lines. The acquisition further strengthens LifePort’s strategy of leveraging its expertise and capabilities to continue developing innovative offerings that serve the aerospace community.
“Aeromatrix has an outstanding reputation for customer service and quality products. We are excited to expand on that reputation. The next step is executing a seamless integration,” Jason Darley, CEO of LifePort, says. “This acquisition aligns with our customer-centric approach and expands our established position in the growing composites market while providing new capabilities and services to our customers”
The strategic acquisition continues LifePort’s vertical integration initiative, while solidifying its capability to provide next-generation advanced materials solutions to aerospace and defense customers. The expanded portfolio will offer lighter-weight, and higher-performance products that can be rapidly manufactured. This combination not only expands LifePort's product offering, but also reduces supply chain risk by diversifying the supply base, and generating efficiencies that bring added value to customers.
According to Jack Hall, president of Aeromatrix. “The sale of these assets to LifePort allows Aeromatrix to meet its chapter 11 plan requirements, continue fulfilling certain customers’ orders and complete the liquidation of Aeromatrix’s business by December 31, 2023.”
#сomposites #aerospace
> source
The aircraft manufacturer solidifies its capability to provide next-generation advanced materials solutions to aerospace and defense customers.
Aircraft manufacturer LifePort LLC (Woodland, Wash., U.S.) has officially announced its acquisition of the advanced materials line of business from Aeromatrix Composites (Clearwater, Fla., U.S.) which reflects the company’s commitment to vertically integrated aircraft solutions.
LifePort, known for its air medical, custom interiors and armor solutions, acquired portions of the Aeromatrix business, including composite flat and formed panels, adhesives (ATR525, ATR1000 and ATR500), all ATR panel pins and inserts, as well as payload component product lines. The acquisition further strengthens LifePort’s strategy of leveraging its expertise and capabilities to continue developing innovative offerings that serve the aerospace community.
“Aeromatrix has an outstanding reputation for customer service and quality products. We are excited to expand on that reputation. The next step is executing a seamless integration,” Jason Darley, CEO of LifePort, says. “This acquisition aligns with our customer-centric approach and expands our established position in the growing composites market while providing new capabilities and services to our customers”
The strategic acquisition continues LifePort’s vertical integration initiative, while solidifying its capability to provide next-generation advanced materials solutions to aerospace and defense customers. The expanded portfolio will offer lighter-weight, and higher-performance products that can be rapidly manufactured. This combination not only expands LifePort's product offering, but also reduces supply chain risk by diversifying the supply base, and generating efficiencies that bring added value to customers.
According to Jack Hall, president of Aeromatrix. “The sale of these assets to LifePort allows Aeromatrix to meet its chapter 11 plan requirements, continue fulfilling certain customers’ orders and complete the liquidation of Aeromatrix’s business by December 31, 2023.”
#сomposites #aerospace
> source