JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 27

Phenolic prepreg is welcome aboard Bombardier’s passenger trains
Phenolic prepreg from Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG), a member of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM) – a division of Umeco plc, has been hailed a resounding success for standbacks manufactured by Ipeco Composites for Bombardier Transportation’s Class 379 Electrostar EMU passenger trains, operated by National Express on their Stansted Airport rail link.

prepreg

RICHARD HORN, RAIL MARKET SECTOR MANAGER STEPHEN MILNER, TECHNICAL AUTHOR ADVANCED COMPOSITES GROUP LTD.

ristol (UK) based Ipeco Composites recently manufactured 960 standbacks for Bombardier Transportation, UK using ACG’s MTM®82S-C phenolic prepreg which meets the requirements of BS6853 Cat.1a, the standard governing the fire performance of rail rolling stock.

MTM82S-C standbacks were installed by Bombardier without rework, thus reducing onsite labour costs and so contributing to the quality and timely delivery of this fleet of trains.

40% weight reduction
National Express, Bombardier Transportation’s client, will benefit from reduced in-service operation and maintenance costs brought about through a significant weight saving and the robust nature of prepreg composite parts. At only 6.4 kg per unit, the standbacks provide a 40% reduction over a typical 10.5-kg wet layup structure.

Quality approval process
Ipeco has a history of manufacturing phenolic prepreg structures for the aircraft industry and it was a natural progression for the company to extend its expertise to the railway industry. All units passed effortlessly through Bombardier Transportation’s rigorous quality approval process with flying colours, a key factor being the superior dimensional tolerances prepreg moulding offers in comparison to wet layup processes. The autoclaved

Fire, smoke and toxicity performance

ACG’s medium temperature moulding MTM82S-C is one of a range of controlled-flow phenolic resin matrices exhibiting excellent fire, smoke and toxicity performance, as well as good mechanical

More information

Advanced Composites Group (ACG), a manufacturer of advanced composite materials and tooling, specialises in the manufacture of high-performance composite materials for a diverse range of industries such as motorsport, aerospace, defence, marine, automotive, construction, wind energy and leisure sports. The main focus of the Group's business is the manufacture of pre-impregnated materials (prepregs) for components and tooling. “ACG has manufacturing operations in Heanor and Manchester - UK, Beelitz - Germany and Tulsa USA. The Group is managed from its head office in Heanor and employs approximately 400 professionals worldwide.

No69 November - December 2011 / jec composites magazine

properties. In addition to BS6853 Cat.1a, MTM82S-C is qualified to the following fire performance specifications: BS 467 Part 6 and 7, NF P 92-501 Rating M1, NF F 16-101 Rating F1 and DIN 5510 Rating S4, SR2, ST2. MTM82S-C, suitable for both monolithic and sandwich structures, can be autoclaved, press moulded or oven/vacuum bag (out-of-autoclave/OoA) processed, and can be supplied on a range of fabrics and fibres.

A worldwide player

Bombardier Transportation, a global leader in rail technology, offers the broadest portfolio in the rail industry and delivers innovative products and services that set new standards in sustainable mobility. Bombardier ECO4 technologies – built on the four cornerstones of energy, efficiency, economy and ecology – conserve energy, protect the environment and help to improve total train performance. Bombardier Transportation is headquartered in Berlin, Germany and has a presence in over 60 countries. It has an installed base of over 100,000 vehicles worldwide. n

More information: www.advanced-composites.co.uk Image: Credit to Frank Richards

Feature land transportation

http://www.advanced-composites.co.uk

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011