JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #65 - May/June 2011 - 34

thermoplastic

Thermoplastic seatbacks for the aerospace industry
Cutting Dynamics, Inc. (CDI) has developed the most cost-effective means for processing lightweight thermoplastic advanced composite components for seatbacks for the aerospace industry. CDI uses a unique high-speed moulding process to produce a complexgeometry hollow structure for seatbacks from braided thermoplastic slit tape.
Lightweight thermoplastic composites for seatbacks

ith this innovation, Cutting Dynamics and their partners – Ticona, Tencate and A&P – won a JEC Award in the Thermoplastics category at the last JEC Composites Europe trade show in Paris. This innovation offers major benefits: weight savings (critical for the future development of aircraft parts), compliance with flame/smoke/toxicity (FST) requirements, increased mechanical performance, low cost due to quick throughput and repeatability of the manufacturing process provided by the braided preform, non-toxic manufacturing process and longer material lifespan. Thermoplastic materials are also recyclable, which is not the case with thermosets.

jec composites magazine / No65 May –June 2011

For this project, Cutting Dynamics cooperated with renowned partners. Ticona supplied the Fortron® polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) material, provided processing expertise and developed the cure cycle. Tencate developed low-areal-weight tapes for this application. A&P identified material suppliers, developed tools/software to design a braided reinforcement that would meet exactly the part geometry and the mechanical requirements, and then modified machinery to allow for repeatability and quick throughput.

The role of composites
The use of composite materials, specifically braided thermoplastics, provides significant weight savings, increased mechanical performance, a non-toxic manufacturing process and a longer material lifespan, as well as recyclability. In addition, these thermoplastic materials meet the aerospace industry’s strict FST requirements.

Development phase
For A&P, the development phase began in early 2009. Challenges included identifying a thin tape that would run through a braiding machine, developing design tools for a braid that would match exactly the geometry of the seatback and modifying existing braiding equipment to process the thermoplastic tape into a preform. Once the preform configuration was identified, CDI developed innovative tooling enabling a high-speed moulding process using these unique materials. The market potential for CDI’s thermoplastic seatbacks is approximately 400,000 seatbacks per year, which is considerable. The automated process and thermoplastic resins will help establish this application. n
More information: www.cuttingdynamics.com

More information

Cutting Dynamics began in 1985 with three employees and two wire EDM machines on Cleveland, Ohio’s west side. The company has grown to 140 employees and 15,000 square metres by staying ahead of the technology curve and being first to market. In 1987, Cutting Dynamics established one of the first laser cutting operations in North America. In 2007 it created the first thermoplastic composite production centre and, in 2008, opened a new hydroforming fluid cell processing centre. Now based in Avon, Ohio, Cutting Dynamics services its customer base with 3 PL programs, parts management programs, superior technology and quality systems. In 2007, they became AS9100 Rev. B compliant to go along with their ISO 9001:2000 certification.

http://www.cuttingdynamics.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #65 - May/June 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #65 - May/June 2011