JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 53

Focus
complex shapes and structures can be very challenging. DiscoTex® aligned, discontinuousfibre fabric may be a solution for this problem. The company is currently fabricating a tow (an untwisted bundle of continuous filaments) which combines discontinuous carbon fibre segments with continuous nylon tows. The company refers to this combined, continuous/discontinuous tow as “CD tow”. This discontinuous fibre fabric is designed to help manufacturers more easily form parts which contain complex shapes. The ability of this material to stretch in the reinforcement direction saves time during production. For example, when DiscoTex® fabric is prepregged with epoxy, a flat lay-up can be stretchformed into complex shapes such as a hemisphere. The ability to stretchform the prepreg eliminates the need to cut or dart such complex parts. Demonstration parts for military aircraft using DiscoTex® resulted in 35% overall cost savings as compared to production of parts using continuous fibres.
Fig.3 : AS4 / 977-3 DiscoTex prepreg stretchformed into a hemisphere

“We are always looking for tools to improve manufacturability without sacrificing performance. Using discontinuous fibres makes it easier to handle complex shapes, but typically results in lower performance due to several factors, including less efficient “packing” leading to lower overall fibre fractions, loss of directional control in fibre placement, and less consistent fibre-to-fibre load transfer. The Pepin process maintains fibre alignment during the composite manufacturing processes, while allowing some fibre movement over contours which addresses these factors and gives us a unique capability for our toolbox”, stated Bob Norris, Polymer Matrix Composites Group Leader at ORNL. Mr. Norris toured Pepin Associates facilities in Greenville in April 2011 as part of a trip to meet with fellow researchers at the University of Maine.

structure which has fibre reinforcement in the hoop direction. Again, the CD tow used to make DiscoTex® fabric may be a solution. When woven into fabric, the use of discontinuous carbon fibre in a thermoplastic matrix ensures faster production times for parts with complex contours. Even faster would be the use of pultrusion to form thermoplastic parts with discontinuous carbon fibres aligned in the hoop direction. The incorporation of CD tow in an input material form for pultrusion could enable high-speed fabrication of pultruded parts with hoop reinforcement.

Focus on automotive

Speed and efficiency
Commercial part production requires speed and efficiency, regardless of the industry. For fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts with a constant cross-section, pultrusion can be an ideal production method. However, the process of pulling continuous fibres through a die to compress the laid-up material can make this method unsuitable for any

The high cost of carbon fibre has been a significant barrier to its use in the automotive field. However, researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are working to devise lower-cost precursors for carbon fibre as well as processing methods which use less energy. The intended result is lower-cost carbon fibre for use by manufacturers in various sectors, with a focus on automotive applications.

No69 November - December 2011 / jec composites magazine The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is seeking to form a consortium of carbon fibre composite manufacturers and research entities to work together toward the common aim of lowering the cost of carbon fibre applications in the automotive sector, as well as others. Pepin Associates looks forward to joining this multi-disciplinary effort.

Fig.4 : Carbon fibre from a microwave-assisted plasma unit at ORNL (courtesy of ORNL)

More information: www.PepinAssociates.com

53

Technology & Innovations


http://www.PepinAssociates.com

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

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

Cover
Edito
Point of view - Umeco: focused on growth
Contents
Agenda of Events
COMPANY & BUSINESS
- In brief
- Australia - A continuous fibre tissue machine at Regina Glass Fibre
APPLICATIONS
- Marine - Signature marine projects and record-breaking super yacht
- Automotive - World’s first production-ready thermoplastic wheel rim
- Building & construction - A definite and technical success to help the fight against AIDS
MARKET
- China - The Chinese composite market: bright prospects
- CFRP - Wind surpasses aerospace as top user of advanced compositematerials
- Sustainability - Acting on sustainability for business value
FEATURE LAND TRANSPORTATION
- Raw material - Resin and gelcoat compliant with the new railway standard
- Prepreg - Phenolic prepreg is welcome aboard Bombardier’s class 379 Electrostar EMU passenger trains
- Sandwich construction - Rolling stock: weight reduction pays off
- CFRP - New carbon-fibre-reinforced composite for vehicle bodies and electric vehicles
- Design - Next generation composites – driving innovation in the ground transportation sector
- Structures - Hybrid structures for tailored structural automotive components
- Process - Composite reduces vehicle and sunroof weight and enables assembly and process innovations
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
- Joining - Investigating the properties and failure mechanisms of a damage-tolerant 3D-reinforced joint for lightweight structures
- Bonding - 3D sandwich panel manufacturing with great properties as result
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATIONS
- Corrosion - Glass fibre reinforcement type determines FRP corrosion performance
- Thermoplastics - The promise of fibrereinforced thermoplastics: low weight and recyclability
- Manufacturing - New mould manufacturing process
- Foam - A new product range for marine applications
Index
In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - Cover
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - Edito
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - Point of view - Umeco: focused on growth
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 5
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - Contents
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 7
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 8
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - COMPANY & BUSINESS
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - In brief
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Australia - A continuous fibre tissue machine at Regina Glass Fibre
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Marine - Signature marine projects and record-breaking super yacht
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 13
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Automotive - World’s first production-ready thermoplastic wheel rim
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Building & construction - A definite and technical success to help the fight against AIDS
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 16
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 17
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - China - The Chinese composite market: bright prospects
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 19
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - CFRP - Wind surpasses aerospace as top user of advanced compositematerials
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Sustainability - Acting on sustainability for business value
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 22
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 23
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Raw material - Resin and gelcoat compliant with the new railway standard
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 25
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 26
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Prepreg - Phenolic prepreg is welcome aboard Bombardier’s class 379 Electrostar EMU passenger trains
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Sandwich construction - Rolling stock: weight reduction pays off
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 29
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - CFRP - New carbon-fibre-reinforced composite for vehicle bodies and electric vehicles
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 31
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Design - Next generation composites – driving innovation in the ground transportation sector
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 33
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 34
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Structures - Hybrid structures for tailored structural automotive components
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 36
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 37
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Process - Composite reduces vehicle and sunroof weight and enables assembly and process innovations
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Joining - Investigating the properties and failure mechanisms of a damage-tolerant 3D-reinforced joint for lightweight structures
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 40
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 41
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 42
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 43
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 44
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Bonding - 3D sandwich panel manufacturing with great properties as result
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 46
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 47
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 48
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Corrosion - Glass fibre reinforcement type determines FRP corrosion performance
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 50
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 51
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Thermoplastics - The promise of fibrereinforced thermoplastics: low weight and recyclability
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 53
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Manufacturing - New mould manufacturing process
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 55
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - - Foam - A new product range for marine applications
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - Index
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 59
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #69 - November/December 2011 - 60
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