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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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Composites
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LifePort acquires Aeromatrix Composites
LifePort, LLC has officially announced its acquisition of the advanced materials line of business from Aeromatrix Composites (Aeromatrix) reflecting its commitment to vertically integrated aircraft solutions.
LifePort, the respected name in 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”, said Jason Darley, CEO of LifePort. “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”.
This 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.
“It is easy to see why LifePort has such a strong reputation in the aerospace industry. Jason and his team are incredibly professional to work with,” said 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” LifePort’s commitment to innovation and product quality will continue to bring customers the most innovative designs and place them at the cutting edge of technological advancements.
About LifePort, LLC : Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Woodland, Washington, USA. LifePort is a global leader in design, manufacturing, certification, and integration of aerospace solutions, including air medical, armor, and custom cabinetry interiors. With over 25 years of experience and a portfolio of more than 1,000 products, LifePort is committed to making a difference in people’s lives by providing safe, missiondriven products and services.
As a result of LifePort’s commitment to unparalleled quality and innovation, their products are relied on by militaries and first responders around the world to save lives. LifePort is structured to provide accelerated delivery through vertical integration, rapid prototyping, optimized production, and additive manufacturing capabilities.
#сomposites #LifePort #AeromatrixComposites
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LifePort, LLC has officially announced its acquisition of the advanced materials line of business from Aeromatrix Composites (Aeromatrix) reflecting its commitment to vertically integrated aircraft solutions.
LifePort, the respected name in 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”, said Jason Darley, CEO of LifePort. “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”.
This 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.
“It is easy to see why LifePort has such a strong reputation in the aerospace industry. Jason and his team are incredibly professional to work with,” said 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” LifePort’s commitment to innovation and product quality will continue to bring customers the most innovative designs and place them at the cutting edge of technological advancements.
About LifePort, LLC : Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Woodland, Washington, USA. LifePort is a global leader in design, manufacturing, certification, and integration of aerospace solutions, including air medical, armor, and custom cabinetry interiors. With over 25 years of experience and a portfolio of more than 1,000 products, LifePort is committed to making a difference in people’s lives by providing safe, missiondriven products and services.
As a result of LifePort’s commitment to unparalleled quality and innovation, their products are relied on by militaries and first responders around the world to save lives. LifePort is structured to provide accelerated delivery through vertical integration, rapid prototyping, optimized production, and additive manufacturing capabilities.
#сomposites #LifePort #AeromatrixComposites
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Тoray developing sugar from biomass waste for production of resins, fibers
The project aims to use waste from sugarcane agriculture for the production of new bio-based materials.
Toray Industries Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) and Mitsui DM Sugar Co. Ltd. are collaborating to manufacture sugars from inedible biomass for the production of fibers, resins and films.
The biomass includes surplus bagasse, a pulpy residue from sugarcane processing, and pulp that results from squeezing cassava at starch factories. Bringing this technology together with another that Toray is developing to create monomers from sugars should contribute to a circular economy, the company says, by making it possible integrate the production of biomass-based polymers for fibers, films, resins and other offerings.
This demonstration project entailed Toray verifying a process to separate, purify, and concentrate cellulose-derived sugars in inedible biomass. It leveraged a membrane-based bioprocess that combines the company’s water treatment membrane technology and enzymes that employ biotechnology. Toray undertook this effort at a demonstration facility in Thailand as part of a project that the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) is supporting. The company proved that carbon dioxide emissions from this process are less than half those of conventional production setups that concentrate sugar solutions by evaporating water.
In 2022, Toray developed a 100% bio-based adipic acid, a raw material for polyamide 66 (nylon 66), from sugars derived from inedible biomass. This achievement came from using a proprietary synthesis technique combining the company’s microbial fermentation technology and chemical purification technology that harnesses separation membranes. The recent demonstration was a first step toward creating a technology to make cellulosic sugar from biomass, putting it on track to mass production. The company now looks to establish an integrated technology to manufacture fiber and resin from abundant agricultural residue, avoiding competition with the food chain.
Toray and Mitsui Sugar Co. Ltd. set up a demonstration plant in January 2017 in Udon Thani Province, Thailand. There, Toray verified and assessed manufacturing process energy savings, production performance, and the economic feasibility of this production system from August 2018 through December 2022. It completed the demonstration in March 2023.
#сomposites #TorayIndustries #resins #fibers #sugar
Photo Credit: Toray Industries
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The project aims to use waste from sugarcane agriculture for the production of new bio-based materials.
Toray Industries Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) and Mitsui DM Sugar Co. Ltd. are collaborating to manufacture sugars from inedible biomass for the production of fibers, resins and films.
The biomass includes surplus bagasse, a pulpy residue from sugarcane processing, and pulp that results from squeezing cassava at starch factories. Bringing this technology together with another that Toray is developing to create monomers from sugars should contribute to a circular economy, the company says, by making it possible integrate the production of biomass-based polymers for fibers, films, resins and other offerings.
This demonstration project entailed Toray verifying a process to separate, purify, and concentrate cellulose-derived sugars in inedible biomass. It leveraged a membrane-based bioprocess that combines the company’s water treatment membrane technology and enzymes that employ biotechnology. Toray undertook this effort at a demonstration facility in Thailand as part of a project that the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) is supporting. The company proved that carbon dioxide emissions from this process are less than half those of conventional production setups that concentrate sugar solutions by evaporating water.
In 2022, Toray developed a 100% bio-based adipic acid, a raw material for polyamide 66 (nylon 66), from sugars derived from inedible biomass. This achievement came from using a proprietary synthesis technique combining the company’s microbial fermentation technology and chemical purification technology that harnesses separation membranes. The recent demonstration was a first step toward creating a technology to make cellulosic sugar from biomass, putting it on track to mass production. The company now looks to establish an integrated technology to manufacture fiber and resin from abundant agricultural residue, avoiding competition with the food chain.
Toray and Mitsui Sugar Co. Ltd. set up a demonstration plant in January 2017 in Udon Thani Province, Thailand. There, Toray verified and assessed manufacturing process energy savings, production performance, and the economic feasibility of this production system from August 2018 through December 2022. It completed the demonstration in March 2023.
#сomposites #TorayIndustries #resins #fibers #sugar
Photo Credit: Toray Industries
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Composites
Jennifer Granholm, secretary, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), seeing a live demo of the AMCM technology at ORNL. Photo Credit: Orbital Composites
Orbital Composites licenses AMCM technology
Additive manufacturing compression molding (AMCM), co-developed with ORNL, combines robotic AM and continuous fiber technologies to revolutionize high-volume composites manufacturing.
Orbital Composites (Campbell, Calif., U.S.), developing robotic additive manufacturing (AM) of continuous fiber-reinforced composites, has announced the exclusive licensing of a new technology co-developed with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL, Knoxville, Tenn., U.S.). Called additive manufacturing compression molding (AMCM), Orbital says the technology is set to revolutionize the aerospace, mobility and energy industries by offering a new level of speed, efficiency and cost-effectiveness to the composites manufacturing process.
The most demanding applications often require the use of composites, but the cost of manufacturing composite parts has been a barrier to wider adoption. AMCM technology addresses this challenge by significantly reducing the time and cost associated with traditional manufacturing methods, while improving the quality of the final product. This agreement enables Orbital to commercialize AMCM and accelerate decarbonization efforts in aerospace, mobility and energy verticals.
According to Orbital Composites, AMCM combines the benefits of AM with the precision of compression molding. The technology uses polymer and continuous fiber AM to print directly onto a mold, followed by compression, producing a finished part with high-level accuracy and consistency. AMCM has undergone technology and application validation at ORNL, and has been shown to reduce time and cost associated with traditional manufacturing, while improving the quality of the final product. Through a recent demonstration, ORNL manufactured 100 AMCM parts in five hours, demonstrating <3 minute cycle time per part.
Orbital collaborated with ORNL in building the robotic AM system and incorporated continuous fiber printing into the AMCM process. “We have collaborated with Orbital Composites since 2020, working with their robotic AM platform and are pleased that this partnership has resulted in the licensing of our AMCM process,” Vipin Kumar, R&D staff scientist at ORNL, says. “AMCM combines the fiber control of AM with low porosity of compression molding. This process will enable a high-volume production of next-generation composites that are needed as the automotive industry continues to produce energy efficient vehicles made from lightweight and durable materials.”
Orbital is already well underway in commercializing AMCM for the aerospace and mobility sectors via multiple pilot projects. In a U.S. Air Force funded project, for example, Orbital has demonstrated use of AMCM to manufacture propeller blades for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in high volume. Similarly, the company has an ongoing project with Oshkosh to demonstrate large-scale AMCM parts, with the aim to cost-effectively manufacture >10,000 parts per year. Other projects are looking into applying AMCM for composite battery boxes.
The project has also received support from the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, Knoxville, Tenn., U.S.). “The development of the AMCM process is a great example of the power of partnerships to leverage the IACMI investments to create innovative manufacturing technology in the U.S.,” Chad Duty, IACMI CEO, says.
“Orbital always envisioned combining its innovative robotic continuous fiber AM process with a secondary step for high-volume manufacturing,” Cole Nielsen, founder and CTO of Orbital Composites, adds. “We are especially excited about AMCM since its a zero waste process, and can be scaled to match automotive cycle time requirements.”
In terms of commercialization, Amolak Badesha, co-founder and CEO of Orbital Composites, says the company is already seeing a “strong pull from Tier 1 aerospace and mobility customers.”
#сomposites #AdditiveManufacturingCompressionMolding #AMCM
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Additive manufacturing compression molding (AMCM), co-developed with ORNL, combines robotic AM and continuous fiber technologies to revolutionize high-volume composites manufacturing.
Orbital Composites (Campbell, Calif., U.S.), developing robotic additive manufacturing (AM) of continuous fiber-reinforced composites, has announced the exclusive licensing of a new technology co-developed with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL, Knoxville, Tenn., U.S.). Called additive manufacturing compression molding (AMCM), Orbital says the technology is set to revolutionize the aerospace, mobility and energy industries by offering a new level of speed, efficiency and cost-effectiveness to the composites manufacturing process.
The most demanding applications often require the use of composites, but the cost of manufacturing composite parts has been a barrier to wider adoption. AMCM technology addresses this challenge by significantly reducing the time and cost associated with traditional manufacturing methods, while improving the quality of the final product. This agreement enables Orbital to commercialize AMCM and accelerate decarbonization efforts in aerospace, mobility and energy verticals.
According to Orbital Composites, AMCM combines the benefits of AM with the precision of compression molding. The technology uses polymer and continuous fiber AM to print directly onto a mold, followed by compression, producing a finished part with high-level accuracy and consistency. AMCM has undergone technology and application validation at ORNL, and has been shown to reduce time and cost associated with traditional manufacturing, while improving the quality of the final product. Through a recent demonstration, ORNL manufactured 100 AMCM parts in five hours, demonstrating <3 minute cycle time per part.
Orbital collaborated with ORNL in building the robotic AM system and incorporated continuous fiber printing into the AMCM process. “We have collaborated with Orbital Composites since 2020, working with their robotic AM platform and are pleased that this partnership has resulted in the licensing of our AMCM process,” Vipin Kumar, R&D staff scientist at ORNL, says. “AMCM combines the fiber control of AM with low porosity of compression molding. This process will enable a high-volume production of next-generation composites that are needed as the automotive industry continues to produce energy efficient vehicles made from lightweight and durable materials.”
Orbital is already well underway in commercializing AMCM for the aerospace and mobility sectors via multiple pilot projects. In a U.S. Air Force funded project, for example, Orbital has demonstrated use of AMCM to manufacture propeller blades for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in high volume. Similarly, the company has an ongoing project with Oshkosh to demonstrate large-scale AMCM parts, with the aim to cost-effectively manufacture >10,000 parts per year. Other projects are looking into applying AMCM for composite battery boxes.
The project has also received support from the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, Knoxville, Tenn., U.S.). “The development of the AMCM process is a great example of the power of partnerships to leverage the IACMI investments to create innovative manufacturing technology in the U.S.,” Chad Duty, IACMI CEO, says.
“Orbital always envisioned combining its innovative robotic continuous fiber AM process with a secondary step for high-volume manufacturing,” Cole Nielsen, founder and CTO of Orbital Composites, adds. “We are especially excited about AMCM since its a zero waste process, and can be scaled to match automotive cycle time requirements.”
In terms of commercialization, Amolak Badesha, co-founder and CEO of Orbital Composites, says the company is already seeing a “strong pull from Tier 1 aerospace and mobility customers.”
#сomposites #AdditiveManufacturingCompressionMolding #AMCM
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Dear participants, visitors, colleagues!
From March 28 to March 30, 2023, the 15th International Specialized Exhibition Composite-Expo 2023 was held in Pavilion 1 of the Expocentre Fairgrounds.
In 2023, in terms of the amount of space occupied, the Composite-Expo exhibition, compared to last year, 📈 increased by 30% and occupied more than 7,000 sq.m. The exhibition was attended by about 6,000 specialists from various industries. More than 110 key Russian and foreign manufacturers of raw materials and equipment for the production of composites from Russia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey, China, the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran took part in the exhibition.
More details about the results of the Composite-Expo 2023 can be found on the exhibition website:
• Post-release Composite-Expo 2023: list of exhibitors, statistics, reviews
• Photos of the exhibition and business program
In 2024, the exhibition will traditionally be held in Pavilion 1 of the Expocentre Fairgrounds from 26 to 28 March.
Most of the exhibitors have confirmed their participation in the Composite-Expo 2024 exhibition, and at the moment about 50% of the exhibition space has already been booked.
Don't miss your chance to take part in the main composite market event!
➡️ Booth booking
Simultaneously with the Composite-Expo 2024, Pavilion No. 1 of the Expocentre Fairgrounds will also host the Polyurethanex 2024 exhibition.
From March 28 to March 30, 2023, the 15th International Specialized Exhibition Composite-Expo 2023 was held in Pavilion 1 of the Expocentre Fairgrounds.
In 2023, in terms of the amount of space occupied, the Composite-Expo exhibition, compared to last year, 📈 increased by 30% and occupied more than 7,000 sq.m. The exhibition was attended by about 6,000 specialists from various industries. More than 110 key Russian and foreign manufacturers of raw materials and equipment for the production of composites from Russia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey, China, the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran took part in the exhibition.
More details about the results of the Composite-Expo 2023 can be found on the exhibition website:
• Post-release Composite-Expo 2023: list of exhibitors, statistics, reviews
• Photos of the exhibition and business program
In 2024, the exhibition will traditionally be held in Pavilion 1 of the Expocentre Fairgrounds from 26 to 28 March.
Most of the exhibitors have confirmed their participation in the Composite-Expo 2024 exhibition, and at the moment about 50% of the exhibition space has already been booked.
Don't miss your chance to take part in the main composite market event!
➡️ Booth booking
Simultaneously with the Composite-Expo 2024, Pavilion No. 1 of the Expocentre Fairgrounds will also host the Polyurethanex 2024 exhibition.