compositesworld.com POWER PALLET DECEMBER 2010 Double Bagging: Double Infusion Benefits Life Cycle Assessment: Are Composites “Green”? IBEX Show Highlights/ COMPOSITES 2011 Preview Static load : 4,124 kg/ 9,094 lb Static load: 4,124 kg/ 9,094 lb
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com
positesw
orld
.com
PO
WER P
ALLET
DECEMBER 2010
Double Bagging: Double
Infusion Benefits
Life Cycle Assessment:
Are Composites “Green”?
IBEX Show Highlights/
COMPOSITES 2011 Preview
Static load:
4,124 kg/
9,094 lb
Static load:
4,124 kg/
9,094 lb
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Table of Contents
FEATURES
December 2010 | Vol. 16 | No. 6
CT
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The complex, one-piece PP/glass LFT pallets on the bottom and in the middle of this stack of bagged materials (a static load totaling 4,124 kg/9,094 lb) are the product of a new LFT molding process developed by LOMOLD Group (Cape Town, South Africa). The composite pallets each weigh only 16 kg/35 lb — 60 percent less than comparable wood pallets. The rugged composite material is designed to provide service life of 10 years vs. three-to-four years for wood, and they are 100-percent recyclable. Source | LOMOLD Group
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COMPOSITES
WATCH
Energy | 10
Automotive | 18
News | 23
COLUMNS
Editor | 2Automotive: On the fence
Composites: Past, | 5Present & Future
DEPARTMENTS
Applications | 46
New Products | 47
Calendar | 50
Showcase | 51
Marketplace | 52
Ad Index | 53
Publisher’s Statement | 53
COVER PHOTO
COMPOSITES 2011 PreviewThe annual ACMA event returns to Florida, with a keynote look at composites from a military point of view.
IBEX 2010: Looking Up in LouisvilleA new venue helps regenerate a recession-battered industry, drawing in more exhibitors and attendees than in 2009.
Q&A Forum: Composites in AutomotiveHow will fi ber-reinforced polymers fare in a post-recession auto market obsessed with cost and fuel-economy?
Life Cycle Assessment: Are Composites Green?Methods for calculating the impact composites have on the environment are enabling data-driven comparisons to traditional materials. By Sara Black
Inside Manufacturing: Maintaining Fiber Length in Complex 3-D DesignsAward-winning composite pallet showcases new LFT molding process from South Africa.By Peggy Malnati
Engineering Insights | Double-bag Infusion | 70% Fiber Volume?A double vacuum-bag system and tight process control enable repeatable fi ber volumes of 60 to 70 percent and improves consistency of infused laminates.By Ginger Gardiner
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Editor
Composites Technology (ISSN 1083-4117) is published bimonthly (February, April, June, August, October & December) by Gardner Publications Inc. Corporate and production offi ces: 6915 Valley Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45244. Editorial offi ces: PO Box 992, Morrison, CO 80465. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, OH and additional mailing offi ces. Copyright © 2010 by Gardner Publications Inc. All rights reserved.
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The automotive
industry could as
easily fall into old
habits as tip over into
new possibilities.
Jeff Sloan
Automotive:
On the fence
It’s hard, looking at the fast-evolving automotive industry, not to get a little excited
about the real and potential change at work that favors substantially increased use of
composites in cars and trucks over the next couple of decades.
Increasing fuel prices, changing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) stan-
dards, peak oil, rapid growth in developing countries, focus on sustainability and
increasing consumer demand for alternate energy vehicles all seem to signal a new
and diff erent automotive industry. On top of this is evidence that composites of
almost every ilk provide the best method of decreasing vehicle weight and increasing
fuel effi ciency. T is is thanks not only to part-by-part weight loss, but also the ripple
eff ect it provides — a lighter chassis, for example, requires a smaller engine and a less
robust braking system. Indeed, a 2007 report issued by engineering and consulting
fi rm Ricardo (West Sussex, U.K.) noted that on a small car, a 20 percent weight loss
increases fuel effi ciency 8.4 percent. And if the engine on that small car is downsized,
fuel effi ciency increases 13 percent. T is means a car that averages 39 mpg could see
that number jump to 44 mpg.
T e automotive industry, it appears, is responding. As we’ve reported in CT over
the past few months, there are scores of new and emerging automakers working with
composites to develop hybrid and electric cars that could be on the road soon. Even
established carmakers (e.g., BMW, with its Mega-
city Vehicle) promise to make new and innovative
use of composites in auto structures.
Despite all of this apparent momentum,
however, I think it’s clear that the automotive
industry is still sitting uncertainly on the evolu-
tionary fence, and could as easily fall back into
old habits as tip over into new possibilities. T e
reasons for this tipping point can be found in the
auto market and in the culture of auto manufacturing.
Auto market: Growth of smaller, alternatively powered cars relies fi rst on the
consumer, who, in the U.S., still prefers relatively large, powerful, comfortable vehicles
that are easy to fuel and maintain. Will that preference change? If so, what will change
it? My view: T e wallet guides much American decision-making. As long as gas prices
remain competitive with other energy sources, the combustion engine reigns. Rising
gas prices ushered in many of the auto industry changes we’re seeing now, but prices
since have stabilized. T at, coupled with the recession, has slowed the rate of change.
Auto culture: GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda and other legacy automakers use
established manufacturing materials and systems reinforced by decades of reliance on
steel. If increased use of composites required only that metallic structures be replaced
by a glass- or carbon-reinforced plastic, then adapting to this changing market would
be simple. But optimal use of composites in a vehicle requires from-scratch design and
engineering work, along with adoption of manufacturing processes that don’t exist in
a steel-dominated environment — not a trivial matter.
Automakers will change their ways and embrace composites integration only if the
market demands it. And the market will demand it only if the cost of ownership and
operation of a vehicle tips the consumer toward smaller, more effi cient cars. T e next
few years, I suspect, will show us just how much change this important market will
embrace — and on which side of the evolutionary fence.
5
Composites: Past, Present & Future
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Bio | Cedric Ball
For more than 15 years, Cedric Ball has led marketing
and new business development efforts related to the use
of composite materials in the transportation, building and
alternative-energy markets. Currently, he holds the position
of global marketing director at Bulk Molding Compounds
Inc., headquartered in West Chicago, Ill.
Fuel cells (fi nally) set to power composites growth
Sour
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Cumulative commercial installations by fuel cell type, through 2009. The
clear front-runner is the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell.
CUMULATIVE INSTALLATIONS BY FUEL CELL TYPE (2009)
SOFC 22.9%
PAFC 13.8%
MCFC 5.4%
DMFC 1.3%Other 0.1%
PEM 56.3%
A single fuel cell could contain hundreds of plates made from corro-
sion-resistant composite materials. T at fact has stirred the imagi-
nation of many in this industry, but until recently, had not stirred a
great deal of commercial activity. T at is changing.
Although the fuel cell market is relatively small and lags behind
some of the other energy-conversion technologies now in wide-
spread commercialization, it is beginning to move beyond its in-
fancy. Fuel cells and related technologies will form a sizable new
market as they move past the phase of demonstration projects,
overcome longstanding technology hurdles and gain momentum in
their progress toward aff ordability.
THE MARKET
T e fuel cell market can be divided into three major segments:
portable, transportation and stationary. Each of these can be further
segmented into a variety of broad and niche applications. Although
the majority of attention has been paid to the potential for fuel cell-
powered vehicles in the automotive market, most observers agree
that signifi cant cost and technology barriers remain to widespread
use of fuel cells in passenger cars. Not so well known is the fact that
stationary units have already reached aff ordable levels and are being
sold for residential, light commercial and some industrial uses.
According to GBI Research (New York, N.Y.), global revenues
for fuel cell systems grew to $521 million (USD) in 2009. About
two-thirds of that total was for stationary fuel cell systems, with the
balance going to portable applications, including transportation.
Drivers for the adoption of fuel cell technology include not only the
increasing environmental concerns about fossil-fuel power sources
(e.g., coal- and fuel-oil-fi red electric, gasoline and diesel automotive
systems), but also the need for power sources with long life and low
maintenance as well as the ever-increasing need for more compact
and effi cient power systems.
As advances in electrochemical and materials technologies have
made fuel cells attractive, and more importantly, aff ordable enough
to compete with conventional power sources, large players, such as
Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, FedEx and most of the major car manufac-
turers, have announced plans to expand their use of fuel cells be-
yond demonstration projects. Some programs are already underway.
Most programs will begin full-scale production in the 2013-2015
timeframe, with scale-ups beginning in 2011. New installations are
expected to grow from ~2,500 units, today, to more than 200,000
units annually by 2015, based on industry announcements.
THE TECHNOLOGY
A basic fuel cell is an electrochemical device that combines hydrogen
and oxygen to produce electricity, with water and heat as its only
by-products. Fuel cells are similar to batteries electrochemically, but
diff er in that they use less toxic materials and do not need to be
recharged. As long as fuel is supplied, the fuel cell will generate elec-
tiricity. Because the fuel-to-energy conversion is electrochemical
and involves no combustion, the process is clean, quiet and two to
three times more effi cient than burning fuel.
T ere are perhaps a dozen derivative fuel cell designs. Each of
these could emerge as suitable for specifi c applications (see chart
below). T e front-running fuel cell design for high-volume ap-
plications, however, is the proton exchange membrane (PEM)
fuel cell. T is type operates at relatively low temperatures (about
175°F/79°C), has high power density and can vary its output quickly
to meet shif s in power demand. PEM fuel cells are well suited for
applications in which quick startup is required, such as automobiles
or back-up stationary power supplies.
High-temperature proton exchange membrane (HT-PEM) fuel
cells are a variant of the standard PEM fuel cells. Both include mem-
brane electrode assemblies (MEAs). However, HT-PEM fuel cells
operate at higher temperatures (250°F/121°C to 390°F/199°C) and
are more tolerant to impurities that can build up within the cell over
time, reducing its effi ciency. HT-PEM fuel cells are a preferred fuel
cell technology for integration with fuel reformers (mechanisms
that extract hydrogen from other fuel sources). HT-PEM fuel cells
outfi tted with reformers allow the units to use standard propane or
natural gas, for example, as its source of hydrogen. Because direct
hydrogen storage and the lack of a hydrogen infrastructure have
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A schematic of a typical PEM fuel cell. This type is fi nding use in high-volume
applications is are well suited for applications in which quick startup is
required.
been major obstacles to greater fuel cell adoption, HT-PEM fuel
cells fi tted with onboard fuel reformers and connected to existing
natural gas lines are proving to be a practical near-term solution.
It also is possible to capture and use the fuel cell’s generated heat.
Combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cell systems provide heat for
some water and climate-control systems, accelerating the payback
to building owners.
THE AGE-OLD BATTLE
In an individual PEM fuel cell, electric power is generated in
MEAs that contain fl ow fi eld (bi-polar) plates and gas diff usion
(anode and cathode) layers. T ese components control the mix of
hydrogen and oxygen in the electrochemical reaction. Individual
cells are combined into stacks to scale the power of a given fuel
cell module (larger stacks generate greater power). Bi-polar plates
can be made from metals or composites. Because each material has
inherent advantages and disadvantages, much study is devoted to
determining which materials are best suited to a given application.
With metals, platinum is a common catalyst used for the an-
ode and cathode of the fuel cell. Stainless steel alloys can be, and
are, used for bipolar plates. T e principal advantage of metals is the
ease with which they can be produced in very thin cross-sections,
allowing for compact stacks and greater power densities, an im-
portant attribute for transportation and portable applications. T e
disadvantages of metals are their high cost and eventual corrosion,
causing failure of the cell. In the case of platinum, concern focuses
not only on cost, but also the adequacy of the world supply of plati-
num if fuel cell vehicles, for example, were to make up signifi cant
portion of the global automotive fl eet. Scientists continue to search
for methods to reduce platinum loading through the use of alloys,
platinum nanoparticles and fi lm applications.
It turns out that thermoset compounds are nearly ideal for the
acidic electrolyte environment of a fuel cell. Chopped carbon fi ber
and graphite particles added to the compound provide conduc-
Source: Ballard Power Systems
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tivity, and for many years, such compounds have been used in fl ow
fi eld (bi-polar) plates. As advancements have been made in control-
ling formulation and processing, compounders have extended the
use of composites to the anode and cathode layers as well. T ermo-
set composites off er corrosion resistance and dimensional stability
at high temperature at a relatively low cost compared to precious
metal or graphitic sheet materials.
In the past, thermoset materials were thought to be limited to
lower volume and stationary applications, due to longer cycle times,
higher scrap rates and an inability to produce molded composite
plates as thin as stamped metal plates. More recently, however, these
issues have been overcome, providing a clear advantage over metals in
high-temperature and low-temperature PEM fuel cells where power
density is a secondary requirement (i.e., stationary applications).
Chopped carbon fi ber and graphite particle fi lled/vinyl ester
bulk molding compounds (BMCs) are fi nding wide use in bi-polar
plates for low-temperature PEM fuel cells. When introduced in
1998, the cost of composite plates made with BMC was high — in
the neighborhood of $25/lb — for reasons related to compound
cost, throughput and operational quality. Compound costs have de-
clined signifi cantly since that time and as volumes have increased.
Similarly, molding cycles once measured in minutes are now rou-
tinely completed in seconds, due to formulation improvements and
thinner plate cross-sections. T e latter, in fact, have been reduced
from 7.0 mm to as thin as 1.7 mm (0.276 inch to 0.067 inch) to-
day, improving on the power/volume ratios possible with composite
plates. Another advantage of composites over metals is in the de-
sign and production of fl ow fi eld patterns, considered by each OEM
to be a key and proprietary aspect of its fuel cell’s operation. With
composites, one can produce diff erent and more complex fl ow fi eld
designs on opposite sides of the plate. With thin, stamped metal
plates, it is only possible to have a mirror-image design on opposing
sides of the plate.
Finally, experienced composite plate molders, such as Dana
(Paris, Tenn.), Metro Mold and Design (Rogers, Minn.), Entegris
Fuel Cells (Chaska, Minn.) and InnoVentures (Willoughby, Ohio),
have improved quality and throughput. Similar advances have been
made with graphite-fi lled/phenolic compounds, which are suitable
for use in the high operating temperatures and corrosive environ-
ment of CHP HT-PEM fuel cells.
THE DECISION POINT
In some ways, the question of “composite vs. metal” is misguided
when it comes to determining which is the “best” fuel cell mate-
rial. Classically trained engineers tend toward linear thinking when
selecting materials. Fuel cells, however, are complex, interactive
systems that require a holistic approach to their development. T e
design, material choice and the manufacturing process must be
taken into account to deliver an end product that performs eff ec-
tively, effi ciently and aff ordably. T e more successful fuel cell OEMs
have discovered — or are discovering — that composites are well
suited for such designs. T e key is to work with molders and mate-
rial suppliers, helping them understand the design possibilities.
Although much work remains, composites already are playing a
central role in shaping the future of the fuel cell market. | CT |
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COMPOSITES WATCH
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Composites WATCH
Tidal turbines, wind turbines and electric vehicles: How will they and their composite
components fare in the post-recession future?
ENERGY
Gamesa triples in China, Nordex starts up in U.S. despite slowdown
Wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa
(Madrid, Spain) announced on
Sept. 14 that it will triple its invest-
ment in China through 2012 to expand and adapt the
company’s manufacturing centers for the develop-
ment of its new turbine systems. By 2009, Gamesa had
invested a total of €42 million on facilities in China.
T e company’s investment plan involves more than €90
million more from 2010 through 2012, bringing its
cumulative investments to more than €130 million
($182 million USD), to meet rising demand from
China’s wind energy industry and to address medium-
term local production needs for its new G9X-2.0 MW,
G10X-4.5 MW and off shore turbine systems.
Gamesa chairman Jorge Calvet says the company in-
tends to “cement its position as one of the top fi ve play-
ers in the Chinese wind energy industry … and meet the
needs of its customers … in the regions with the greatest potential
for the wind energy business.” Gamesa’s forecasts indicate that in
2011, the Chinese market will account for more than 30 percent
of the total wind energy sold (vs. 15 percent in 2009). As a result,
Gamesa expects to nearly double sales in China within two years.
Gamesa also broke ground on its sixth manufacturing center
in China, in the province of Inner Mongolia, one of China’s wind
energy development hubs. A nacelle assembly site for the G8X-2
MW turbine, the factory will have an annual production capacity
of 500 MW. T e plant is scheduled to begin operating in 2011. Just
four months ago, Gamesa celebrated the groundbreaking of its fi f h
manufacturing plant in China (equipped with an annual produc-
tion capacity of 500 MW of G8X-2 MW wind turbines) in the city
of Da’an, Jilin Province (northwest China), a region boasting some
of the richest wind energy resources in China. When the Jilin and
Inner Mongolia facilities come online in 2011, Gamesa’s production
capacity in China will total 1,500 MW per year.
Meanwhile, turbine builder Nordex (Chicago, Ill.) announced
on Oct. 4 that it has begun production at its turbine manufacturing
plant in Jonesboro, Ark. T e fi rst Jonesboro production crew has
completed a 10-week intensive training program at the company’s
fl agship plant in Rostock, Germany. T e crew’s initial work pack-
age will involve a turbine nacelle. Training will continue during the
early phase of production, with the team’s German counterparts
taking up residence in Jonesboro for several months to work along-
side their U.S. colleagues. Nordex broke ground on its manufactur-
ing plant in September 2009 and completed construction in July
of this year.
“Two years ago, we announced our intention to make Nordex
wind turbines in the U.S., for the U.S.,” said Ralf Sigrist, president
and CEO of Nordex USA Inc. “Today we’re doing it. We hope Con-
gress will do the same,” he added, “by fi nally passing meaningful
renewable energy legislation.”
Sigrist’s remarks coincided with the American Wind En-
ergy Assn.’s (AWEA, Washington, D.C.) recent call for action to
strengthen the policies that unleashed a wave of private investment
in 2008 and 2009. AWEA reports that the U.S. added only 395 MW
of wind-powered electric generating capacity in the third quarter
of 2010, its poorest quarterly showing since 2007. Year-to-date in-
stallations stood at 1,634 MW, down 72 percent from 2009 and the
fewest since 2006. AWEA identifi ed the lack of long-term U.S. en-
ergy policies, such as a renewable electricity standard (RES), as a
signifi cant factor in the slowdown. T e resulting uncertainty has
discouraged U.S. electric utilities from moving forward with wind
build-out plans. Already in place in China and Europe, renewable
energy policies have resulted in more than $35 billion of invest-
ment in 2010 — nearly four times the investment the U.S. will see
this year. A second factor in the slowdown is the U.S. government’s
need to deal with concerns about turbine interference with aircraf
radar. Without a national policy, these concerns delay wind farm
startups because regional governments must address the issue on a
case-by-case basis.
Sourc
e: N
ord
ex
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Frekote® semipermanent release agents offer:• more releases per application• lower overall cost & increased profitability• support from a dedicated & experienced team• reduced downtime & increased productivity• lower rejection rates & higher quality products
Exc
ept
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Loyal Experts
U.S. Department of Energy
to fund tidal turbine
energy projects
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the recipients of
more than $37 million (USD) in funding awarded to accelerate
the technological and commercial readiness of emerging marine
and hydrokinetic technologies, which seek to generate renew-
able electricity from oceans, rivers and streams. T e 27 projects
range from concept studies and component design research to
prototype development and in-water device testing. T e Depart-
ment of Energy (DoE) funding, it is hoped, will advance the ability
of marine hydrokinetic energy technologies to contribute to the
nation’s electric power supply.
“T is represents the largest single investment of federal fund-
ing to date in the development of marine and hydrokinetic energy
technologies,” said Chu. “T ese innovative projects will help grow
water power’s contribution to America’s clean energy economy.”
Selected turbine projects and the companies chosen to build, in-
stall, operate, monitor and evaluate them include the following:
Ocean Power Technologies Inc.’s (Pennington, N.J.) full-scale, 15-
kW PowerBuoy system, which will be deployed in the Oregon Terri-
torial Sea to collect two years of detailed operating data. DoE funding
for the project is $2.4 million of a total project cost of $4.8 million.
Ocean Renewable Power Co.’s (ORPC, Portland, Maine) com-
mercial-scale array of fi ve grid-connected TidGen Project devices
on the sea fl oor in Cobscook Bay off Eastport, Maine, which will
be deployed in two phases over three years. T e project is designed
to advance ORPC’s cross-fl ow turbine tidal energy technology and
produce a full-scale, grid-connected energy system. T e complet-
ed project will comprise an array of interconnected TidGen hydro-
kinetic energy conversion devices in moderate- to high-velocity
tidal currents in water as deep as 150 f /45.7m. DoE will fund $10
million of the projected total cost of $21.1 million.
Two 10m/32.8-f diameter Open-Centre Turbines, developed
and manufactured by OpenHydro Group Ltd. (Dublin, Ireland),
will be deployed by the Public Utility District No.1 of Snohom-
ish County (Everett, Wash.). T e project is expected to generate 1
MW of electricity during peak tides, with an average energy out-
put of approximately 100 kW. DoE funding is $10 million of a total
project cost of $20.1 million.
See “Composites Tap Tide Energy,” CT October 2010 (p. 28) |
http://short.compositesworld.com/FQuUgcEb.
ENERGY
IPS Structural Adhesives Corp. (Durham, N.C.) announced on Oct. 18
its acquisition of Holdtite Adhesives Ltd. (Newcastle, U.K.). The prod-
uct offering of the merged companies will include 10:1 and 1:1 methyl
methacrylate (MMA), cyanoacrylate (CA) and ultraviolet (UV) cure
adhesives. IPS plans immediate investment in Holdtite to implement
manufacturing and technical service models that have proven success-
ful in North America. IPS will adopt the information systems currently
employed by Holdtite.
BIZ BRIEF
Low odor. High shine.We’ve got your molding process covered.Trigonox® 524
Trigonox® 524 is now formulated for low VOCs and emissions, so you’ll achieve beautiful results without the odor.
AkzoNobel is one of the world’s largest producers of organic peroxides. We supply industries and consumers worldwide with innovative products and are passionate about developing sustainable answers for our customers. With operations in more than 80 countries, our 55,000 people around the world are committed to excellence and delivering Tomorrow’s Answers Today.™
Visit our website at www.akzonobel.com/pc or call (800) 828-7929 to fi nd out more.
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PRO SET® The science of epoxy
Laminating SystemsAdhesives
Fairing CompoundsProcess Equipment
MJM 40
Doug Zurn
Boston Boatworks
Z
Designer
Builder
Pro-Set Inc.
888-377-6738www.prosetepoxy.com
AEWC/DeepCwind launch
offshore wind conference
for state of Maine
T e University of Maine’s (UMaine) AEWC Advanced Structures
and Composites Center and the DeepCwind Consortium hosted
the fi rst annual Maine Deepwater Off shore Wind Conference on
Oct. 19 at Point Lookout Resort in Northport, Maine.
Conference session topics included deepwater off shore wind
and economic development, responsible siting of deepwater
off shore wind turbines, environmental and ecological moni-
toring activities at the University of Maine Deepwater Off shore
Wind Test Site and deepwater fl oating wind turbine technology
development. Attendees heard AEWC director Dr. Habib Dagher
report that large off shore turbines, deployed 20 to 50 miles (32.2
to 80.5 km) out to sea, appear to be viable, given the abundant
wind resources available in the Gulf of Maine. Given the favorable
conditions, fl oating turbine designs and construction methods are
said to be under development. Notably, a small-scale test wind
turbine is scheduled for off shore deployment near Monhegan,
Maine, in 2012.
T e DeepCwind Consortium was established by UMaine’s
AEWC in 2009 through a competitive grant program awarded by
the U.S. Department of Energy to advance renewable energy goals
within the state of Maine.
ENERGY
©2010 Wabash National, L.P. All rights reserved. Wabash,® Wabash National® and DuraPlate® are marks owned by Wabash National, L.P.
THE COMPOSITE THAT’LL SHAKE UP YOUR THINKING.
The DuraPlate® composite – a different kind of material that doesn’t fall
into the traditional composite categories. While the name may be new
to you, DuraPlate has been the leading structural composite material for
over 15 years in transportation products – such as semi-trailers, storage
containers and box trucks. So, if you want a proven, cost-effective,
durable solution for your product or application, take a closer look at
DuraPlate. It will give you a new perspective on composites.
Go to www.thinkduraplate.com or
call 1-888-480-4157 to learn how
DuraPlate can work for you.
Pre-Coated,
Galvanized
Steel Skins
Foamed
HDPE Core
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COMPOSITES WATCH
Composite materials and tooling supplier Gurit (Zurich, Switzerland)
announced on Sept. 29 that it has won its fi rst contract for a wind tur-
bine blade mold to be delivered to a customer in Europe from Gurit’s
Red Maple tooling plant in Taicang, China. The European order is a result
of Gurit’s global tooling strategy. The strategy was initiated following
shipments of several well-received blade molds to European-controlled
customers in China as well as the delivery of molds to two customers
in India. Red Maple’s new production facility is designed for the manu-
facture of next-generation blade molds for wind turbines up to 7 MW.
Red Maple is an independent, fully integrated and highly specialized
moldmaker that emphasizes attractively priced, solid quality tooling
equipment with very short lead times.
Resin manufacturer AOC LLC (Collierville, Tenn.) reports that its parent
company, The Alpha Corp., is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the
grand opening of its new world headquarters in Piperton, Tenn. Fred
Norman, Alpha Corp.’s president and COO, says, “Building the new
headquarters here reaffi rms our commitment to the future of western
Tennessee. Because of the way the building incorporates green solu-
tions, it has been certifi ed under the Leadership in Energy and Environ-
ment Design [LEED] system of the U.S. Green Building Council. These
actions recognize how we strive to be a responsible business neighbor
of this region as well as a model environmental steward.”
BIZ BRIEF
800.621.8003 www.compositesone.com
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tipx!à!pps/!Mjtufo!bt!Dmptfe!Npme!fyqfsut!
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ibse.ijuujoh!Dmptfe!Npme!rvftujpot/!Uifo!
efdjef!xijdi!qspdftt!jt!sjhiu!gps!zpv/
Qsftfoufe!MJWF!cz!Dpnqptjuft!Pof!xjui!uif!Dmptfe!Npme!Bmmjbodf!boe!pwfs!26!upq!tvqqmjfst!bu!DPNQPTJUFT!3122-!Cppui!$!:28-!Gfcsvbsz!4!.5/
MIRteqmicrofiber composites
Fort Lauderdale, February 3-4, Booth #917
www.closedmoldalliance.com
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Energize your business with 30,000 new prospects!Come “grow” with us on CompositeBuild.com.
At Ashland, we are committed to growing the composites industry. If you produce or supply a composite
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® Registered trademark, Ashland or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries™ Trademark, Ashland or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries* Trademark owned by a third party© 2010, AshlandAD-10746
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COMPOSITES WATCH
Precision Quincy / 1625 West Lake Shore Dr. / Woodstock, IL
Made in USA / 800.338.0079 / www.precisionquincy.com
The Engineering Services Branch of Firehole Composites (formerly
Firehole Technologies, Laramie, Wyo.) has announced a contract rela-
tionship with Farr Yacht Design Ltd. (Annapolis, Md.) that entails ana-
lytical evaluation, design review and modifi cation recommendations
for a high-performance ocean racing yacht. Mark Bishop, a Farr Yacht
senior design engineer, says that Firehole’s Helius:MCT software reduces
the gap between technical analysis and physical design. “This makes it
possible for us to interface directly with their staff and make real-time
corrections and modifi cations to the design, saving us hours, money
and frustration,” he reports. “Tools like this allow us to maximize per-
formance and optimize weight while still maintaining safety margins.”
Technical fabrics manufacturer SAERTEX USA LLC (Huntersville, N.C.)
has planned a $6.5 million, three-year expansion of its facility in Hunt-
ersville, a result of growing demand for lighter components that save
energy. The expansion is expected to create 178 jobs. The project was
made possible in part by a $110,000 grant from the One North Carolina
Fund. Founded in 1982, SAERTEX is headquartered in Saerbeck, Germa-
ny, and has locations in France, Germany, Portugal, South Africa, India,
China and the U.S. The company opened its fi rst North Carolina facility
in 2000 and currently employs 126 people in Huntersville. “SAERTEX
USA appreciates the support of Gov. Bev Perdue and the State of North
Carolina in helping increase our footprint in North Carolina, while sup-
porting wind and other green industries in the United States,” notes
general manager Dr. Christian Kissinger.
BIZ BRIEF
COMPOSITES WATCH
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Engineeringand Design of
Advanced Composites
7 7 5 - 8 2 7 - 6 5 6 8 t w w w. a b a r i s . c o m
t several different classes to choose fromt world-class instructorst intensive curriculum t up to 4.0 CEU’s per 5 day classt highly interractive hands-on experience
o f fe r i n g s h o r t c o u r s e s
EVs: Will the public buy?
Global sales of hybrid electric vehicles
(HEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is
expected to total 5.2 million units — a mere
7.3 percent — of the 70.9 million passenger vehicles that will be
sold worldwide in the next decade, according to Drive Green 2020:
More Hope than Reality, a report from J.D. Power and Associates
(Westlake Village, Calif.). By comparison, J.D. Power projects that
global HEV/BEV sales in 2010 will be 954,500 vehicles, or 2.2
percent of the projected 44.7 million sold through this year.
T e report considers factors that will aff ect the potential of
green vehicles, many of which will be lightweighted with compos-
ites. It will be diffi cult, the report says, to convince large numbers
of consumers to switch to HEVs and BEVs. Signifi cant consumer
migration likely will be stimulated by a signifi cant increase in the
global price of petroleum-based fuels by 2020; a substantial break-
through in green technologies that would reduce vehicle costs
and improve consumer confi dence; and government policy that
encourages consumers to purchase EVs. J.D. Power insists that,
based on currently information, none of these scenarios is likely
during the next 10 years.
Another study, by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (Wash-
ington, D.C.), is more upbeat. It claims that Nissan’s Leaf battery-
electric model and the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid could com-
prise 9 percent of annual auto sales in 2020 and 22 percent in 2030
AUTOMOTIVE
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COMPOSITES WATCH
40 years of Recognizing the Plastics Innovation that
Keeps Families Safe, Saves Fuel, Adds Functionality,
& Makes Vehicles More Stylish & Durable.
See this year’s SPE Automotive Innovation Awards
Competition winners at http://speautomotive.com/inno
and http://speautomotive.com/awa.
The Companies of North CoastCOMMITTED TO ADVANCING THE COMPOSITE INDUSTRY
www.nctm.com www.northcoastcomposites.com
Phone (216) 398-8550
North Coast Tool & Mold Corp.Mold design and manufacturing
North Coast Composites Inc.RTM process development and
serial part manufacturing
ISO9001-2000AS9100B
C o m p o s i t e s
(1.6 million and 4 million units, respectively). T at will depend on
two key factors: aggressive reductions in battery costs and rising
gasoline prices, the company says. In the short term, the sticker
price and access to appropriate charging locations will be the most
signifi cant limitation to acceptance of HEVs and BEVs.
On that subject, Eldib Engineering & Research Inc.’s (Berkeley
Heights, N.J.) new study discusses electric vehicle charging sta-
tions. It estimates that 5 million charging stations will be in use by
2015. Station cost (from $1,500 to $35,000, depending on charger
power) will be defrayed, in part, by the U.S. government. Eldib
says the top provider is Roth Capital Partners (Newport Beach,
Calif.) closely followed by Coulomb Technologies (Campbell,
Calif.). For more information, contact Dr. Andrew Eldib: eldib@
eldib.com. Read more about electric vehicles in CT April 2010 (p.
28) | http://short.compositesworld.com/wODV21GH.
Sour
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Cou
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logi
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COMPOSITES WATCH
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SPE Automotive Innovation Awards
In the Chassis/
Hardware category,
Hyundai won for
its integrated car-
rier rail for the rear
plastic door module
(bottom-lef photo)
on its 2010 Sonata.
T e rail is produced
via injection mold-
ing by PYEONG
HWA Automotive
(Daegu, South Ko-
rea) using Stamax
30YM240 long glass fi ber (LGF)-reinforced polypropylene (PP)
provided by SABIC Innovative Plastics (Pittsfi eld, Mass.). Previous
plastic door-module designs had separate metal rails attached to the
module af er molding. T e new design features a window-regulator
guide rail molded as part of the plastic door module. Wire-harness
clips, the drum housing, the location pin and the door-handle brack-
et also are molded in.
A fi nalist in Chassis/Hardware was the structural composite
radiator support (top-right photo) on the 2010 Ford Taurus, fea-
turing LGF-PP from Dow Automotive (Auburn Hills, Mich.) and
AUTOMOTIVE
T e Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Auto-
motive Div. (Troy, Mich.) hosted the 40th
Annual Automotive Innovation Awards
Competition and Gala on Nov. 9 in the Detroit suburb of Livonia.
Winners and fi nalists in this competition highlighted current and
emerging design, materials, tooling and processing trends in cate-
gories covering body exterior, interior, hardware, safety, powertrain,
performance and others.
Composite products were among those honored. In the Body
Interior category, the winner was a self-reinforced airbag door
system (top-lef photo) on the 2007 PST Citroën C5 Sedan, manu-
factured by Visteon Corp. (Van Buren Township, Mich.). T is is
the auto industry’s fi rst airbag door system that integrates a self-
reinforced polymer construction (polypropylene fi ber-reinforced
polypropylene), which is supplied by LyondellBasell (Auburn Hills,
Mich.) and Propex Fabrics (Gronau, Germany). T e door system
is fully recyclable and does not require typical postmold scoring/
weakening of the door fl ap. T e mold required a multizone tem-
perature control system and a vacuum holding system to fi x the
fabric insert in place during the molding process. T e program also
required development of a specialized fi ber-reinforced material to
facilitate overmolding and subsequent adhesion. T e resulting sys-
tem is lighter than competing systems and saves approximately $5
per part as compared to welded systems.
Teijin Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) announced plans
to build a high-performance polyethylene
(HP-PE) facility in Emmen, The Netherlands,
with commercial production to start in the
second half of 2011. Teijin’s HP-PE, which
will be available in fi ber or tape forms, is
produced with ultra-high-molecular-weight
polyethylene (UHMWPE) polymers. Targeted
applications include reinforced plastics,
protective materials, ropes, nets and medical
materials.
Resin manufacturers DSM Composite Res-
ins AG (Schaffhausen, Switzerland) and
Kemrock Industries & Exports Ltd. (Vado-
dara, India) have signed a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) to form a joint venture
in India for the manufacture of unsaturated
polyester and vinyl ester specialty resins.
Through the alliance with DSM, Kemrock is
expected to fortify its expertise in compos-
ites manufacturing and align it with global
standards. DSM is expected to strengthen its
presence in India.
BIZ BRIEFS
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COMPOSITES WATCH
Composites One (Ar-
lington Heights, Ill.).
T is compression-
molded part passed
a 5,340N hood-latch
pull test. It features a
glass mat overlay for
extra strength and
reduces weight by 33
percent and direct
costs by 20 percent.
It also consolidates
part count, simplifi es
materials handling
and shortens assem-
bly time compared to
the coated steel and cast magnesium parts it replaced.
Chrysler’s on-engine oil fi lter module (bottom-right photo) on
its 2010 Pentastar was a fi nalist in the Materials category. Made by
Hengst North America (Camen, S.C.), the module incorporates
BASF’s (Ludwigshafen, Germany) Ultramid A3WG7 HRX BK, a
PA 6/6 with 35 percent glass reinforcement. T e material’s supe-
rior heat and chemical resistance reportedly enabled engineers to
eliminate 148 parts and locate the large, spin-on oil-fi lter module
directly in the engine valley. T is reduced the weight by 43 percent
and saves more than 60 percent in direct costs.
INTEGRITY™
No other gel coat has thismuch Integrity.Integrity™ is more than the name of our gel coat. It’s a performance promise.
It’s your assurance of the most advanced MACT-compliant technology available.
Test after rigorous test has proved Integrity gel coat’s ultrahigh resistance to
porosity, blistering, blushing and fading.
Choose from our bold, lustrous colors or ask our experts to customize colors to
any need. Integrity also stands for consistent quality and color from batch to batch
for superior application and repair performance.
You won’t find another gel coat with this much Integrity. That’s a promise.
© 2008 Interplastic Corporation. All rights reserved.
Contact us for more information, to order samples or locate a distributor.
1.800.736.5497www.interplastic.com/integrity
Register for our newest CompositesWorld Conference
2011 Wind & Ocean Energy Seminar
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
LEARN MORE AT: compositesworld.com/conferences
The wind blade and ocean energy markets
are growing! Attend Wind Blades & Ocean
Energy 2011 and ready yourself to enter
the composites wind energy market!
• Market Overview & Future Opportunities
• Tabletop Exhibits
• Technology, Design & Manufacturing
• Installation, Maintenance & Repair
2-DayEvent
2011 WIND & OCEAN ENERGY SEMINARApril 13-14 — Wyndham Portland Airport, Portland, ME
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Composites NEWS
Momentive Performance Materials Holdings Inc. (Albany, N.Y.),
the parent company of Momentive Performance Materials Inc.,
and Hexion LLC (Columbus, Ohio), the parent company of epoxy
manufacturer Hexion Specialty Chemicals Inc., completed a previ-
ously announced merger on Oct. 1. T e resulting fi rm will retain
the Momentive name. T e combination creates a company with
117 production facilities, more than 10,000 employees, annualized
sales of approximately $7.5 billion (USD) and a pro forma adjusted
EBITDA of $1.24 billion. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, the
new Momentive makes approximately 28 percent of its sales in
fast-growing regions, including the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia,
India and China), with the balance in more mature markets (33
percent in Europe and 39 percent in North America).
T e combined company is organized into three global busi-
ness divisions: Silicones and Quartz, led by president Steven
Delarge and headquartered in Albany, N.Y.; Epoxy, Phenolic
and Coating Resins, led by president Joseph Bevilaqua; and For-
est Products, under president Dale Plante. “Our new combined
enterprise now can off er a broader portfolio of specialty technolo-
gies and products to meet the diverse applications needs of our
global customers,” says Momentive chairman and CEO Craig O.
Morrison. “T ese technologies include silicones, epoxies, quartz,
phenolics, acrylics, aminos, acids and others that are used alone,
or in combination, across thousands of critical industrial and con-
sumer applications where superior performance is required.”
Momentive Performance Materials was formed in 2006
through the acquisition of GE Advanced Materials. Hexion Spe-
cialty Chemicals was formed in 2005, when the previously inde-
pendent Borden Chemical Inc., Resolution Performance Products
Inc., Resolution Specialty Materials Inc. and Bakelite AG merged
into a single entity. Hexion’s (formerly Resolution Performance
Product’s) epoxy resin systems are well-established in the com-
posites industry, including EPIKOTE and EPIKURE epoxy sys-
tems formulated for wind turbine blade fabrication.
Hexion/Momentive merger made offi cial
LASER PROJECTION SYSTEMS FOR
OUTLINES, TEMPLATES, SHAPES
High precision laser template projection
and laser measurement on fl at and cur-
ved surfaces. Red, green or multicolor.
www.LAP-LASER.com
Finally, there’s a fire retardant, low smoke/low smoke toxicity phenolic FRP that’s processed as easily as polyester. It’s called Cellobond FRP and it’s processed from phenolic resins available in a wide range of viscosities for:
• Hand lay-up/spray-up* • RTM• Filament winding* • SCRIMP• Press molding • Pultrusion
*FM approved
Gel coated Cellobond Phenolic FRP far exceeds DOT and FAA requirements and meets all stringent European fire perfor-mance tests with ease.
The low density, high temperature resis-tance, low flame and low smoke / smoketoxicity properties make Cellobond thehottest new material for fire retardantapplications. For the aircraft and aerospaceindustries that require ablative materials, we also offer Durite resins from Hexion.
Call or write today for more information.
Finally, a fire retardant FRP with unmatched processability.
Mektech Composites Inc.Distributor for Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc.
40 Strawberry Hill Rd. • Hillsdale, NJ 07642Tel: (201) 666-4880 Fax: (201) 666-4303E-Mail: [email protected] • www.hexion.comCellobond and Durite are registered trademarks of Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc.
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Show Coverage
A
COMPOSITES 2011
PREVIEW
f er taking its 2010 show to Las Vegas, Nev., the American
Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA, Arlington,
Va.) is hosting COMPOSITES 2011, its annual trade show
and conference, in sunny, warm Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Feb. 2-4 at
the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention Center. As it does each
year, ACMA’s show features a mix of conference sessions, keynotes,
networking sessions, awards and exhibitions.
ACMA is kicking off the show this year with another high-
profi le keynote speaker. U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal
(ret.), former commander of U.S. and International Forces in Af-
ghanistan, will speak on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.
McChrystal is expected to share insight, experience and stories
that will help composite companies understand the importance
of openness, teamwork and forward thinking. He also will ad-
The annual ACMA event returns to Florida, with a keynote
look at composites from a military point of view.
THE SHOW IN BRIEF
WHAT: COMPOSITES 2011
WHERE: Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention Center, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
WHEN: Feb. 2-4, 2011
Information: www.acmashow.org or (847) 620-4481
SCHEDULE: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2
Education Sessions (technical papers, workshops) 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Keynote, Gen. Stanley McChrystal (U.S. Army ret.) 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Education Sessions (technical papers, workshops) 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Welcome Reception 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3
General Session Keynote (Speaker TBD) 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Exhibit Hall Open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
ACE & Pinnacle Awards Luncheon 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Education Sessions (technical papers, workshops) 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Networking Receptions 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4
Education Sessions (technical papers) 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Networking Activity 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The ACMA’s COMPOSITES
2011 trade show returns to
the East Coast at the
Greater Ft. Lauderdale
Convention Center in Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla.
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dress use of composite materials in military applications. T e day
ends with the annual Opening Welcome Reception, sponsored
by resin supplier Reichhold Inc. (Research Triangle Park, N.C.)
at the Hilton Ft. Lauderdale Marina, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
T e show’s second keynote address is scheduled form 8:30 a.m.
to 9:30 a.m. on T ursday, Feb. 3 and open to all attendees. At CT press
time, the second speaker had not yet been determined. T e exhibit
hall opens T ursday as well, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and fea-
tures more than 200 exhibitors representing all aspects of the com-
posites manufacturing supply chain, from resins to tooling to fi ber.
T e annual awards lunch starts at noon on T ursday and fea-
tures winners from one of the show’s
biggest attractions: the Award for Com-
posites Excellence (ACE) and Pinnacle
Product Showcase and Competition, with
products in several categories, including
Creative Design, Innovation in Green,
Process Innovation, Equipment Innova-
tion and Sustainability. Winning prod-
ucts will be on display in the exhibit hall.
T ursday evening, look for network-
ing receptions, sponsored by distribu-
tor Composites One (Arlington Hts.,
Ill.), emphasizing cast polymers, emerg-
ing markets, pultrusion, infrastructure/
corrosion, building and construction,
and international business. Composites
One and closed molding systems devel-
oper Magnum Venus Plastech (MVP,
Clearwater, Fla.) will bring their closed
molding road show to Ft. Lauderdale,
repeating a demonstration of MVP’s
new Flex Molding Process, which made
its debut at the IBEX Show in Septem-
ber (see CT’s postshow review on p. 26).
PAPERS, EDUCATION
SESSIONS
Education sessions and technical papers
are being presented throughout all three
days of the show, starting Wednesday
morning and fi nishing Friday af ernoon.
Broad education topics include de-
sign and engineering, business strategy,
traditional and emerging markets, green
composites, manufacturing, materials,
regulation and legislation, and cast poly-
mers. Notable presentation topics will in-
clude lightweight boat fabrication, robotic
trimming, gel coat repair, mold release
selection, resin transfer molding (RTM)
and light RTM, plus sessions devoted to
fi berglass sizing, control of combustible
dust, the issue of styrene exposure, and
techniques for lifecycle analysis. Addition-
ally, there will be a presentation outlining the U.S. Department of
Energy’s approach to the wind power industry.
Technical papers will deal with a variety of issues related to de-
sign and engineering, green composites, manufacturing, traditional
and emerging markets, materials and pultrusion. Notable areas of
investigation will include collaborative engineering, vacuum infu-
sion of complex shapes, reducing the fl ammability of cellulosic fi -
bers, styrene-free resins, bio-composites, bond line read-through,
waterjet cutting, epoxy prepregs with bio-based curing agents, the
infl uence of glass on part design and performance, and evaluation
of high temperature for pultruded composites. | CT |
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IBEX 2010
FLEXIBLE, INFUSIBLE 3-D CORE
3A Composites, a division of Schweitzer Technologies Group (Sins,
Switzerland) exhibited BALTEK, AIREX and Lantor products. New
this year is LANCORE, a “true 3-D fl exible core material,” for resin
transfer molding (RTM) Lite and vacuum infusion processes. T e
infusible core combines a polyester nonwoven with synthetic micro-
spheres, then sandwiches that between two layers of chopped strand
mat. T e result reportedly off ers improved cosmetics and part thick-
ness consistency, but consumes less resin than other infusible cores,
thus yielding a part that exhibits better quality at less weight. T e
material features a random printed-dot cell structure, so that the
channels between cells act as a fl ow medium, but the material itself
resists compression like a foam or balsa core. It is available in thick-
nesses from 2 mm to 5 mm (0.079 inch to 0.197 inch) and reportedly
saves up to 25 percent in resin use compared to conventional RTM
Lite mat products. www.corematerials.3acomposites.com
FATIGUE-RESISTANT VINYL ESTERS
Ashland Performance Materials (Dublin, Ohio) exhibited the
AME 6001-, AME 5001- and AME 1001-series vinyl ester resins.
AME 6001 is said to off er a 50 percent increase in tensile elonga-
tion and a 15 percent increase in tensile and fl exural strengths over
n the occasion of its 20th anniversary, the International BoatBuild-
ers’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) was hosted, for the fi rst time
ever, outside southern Florida. The new location, the Kentucky Ex-
position Center in Louisville, Ky., on the banks of the Ohio River, appeared
to be a plus: IBEX reported a 14 percent increase over 2009 in the number
of exhibitors — to 546 companies, including 70 fi rst-time participants. At-
tendance also was up, 13 percent to 5,161, and this show marked the
fi rst IBEX appearance of the Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Shows
(MAATS) Aftermarket Pavilion. The positive statistics echoed the marine in-
dustry’s overall mood: glad to have the worst of the economic recession
over and cautiously positive about the slow upturn as it begins to gain trac-
tion. The show’s theme, “Where the Business of Boating Gets Done,” was
appreciated in the aisles by exhibitors and visitors who often described the
show as the “three most productive days of the year” for boatbuilders.
CT was on hand for the event, and found a variety of new composites
products and technologies on display.
Looking
Up in
Louisville
previous formulations and, as a result, off ers greater resistance to
fatigue failure. A reformulated version of AME 1001 also delivers
signifi cant improvements in fatigue life. AME 5001 is designed to
provide excellent blister resistance. All three are intended for appli-
cations that require low hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) content.
AME 6001 exceeds DNV Grade “1” mechanical properties, while
AME 1001’s mechanical properties exceed DNV Grade “2” require-
ments. All three resins may be used in layup, sprayup or closed
molding processes. www.ashland.com/businesses/apm
REUSABLE BAGGING SYSTEM
Composites One (Arlington Heights, Ill.) maintained its leadership
role in closed-molding demonstrations, featuring the new Flex
Molding Process developed by Magnum Venus Plastech (MVP,
Clearwater, Fla.). Flex Molding is a turnkey setup, which includes a
mix/meter resin infusion system (eliminates mixed resin in buckets)
that feeds directly into one or more Turbo Autosprue (TAS) units,
which are easily fl ushed with solvent (they reduce the use of consum-
able tubing). In combination with aff ordable reusable bags featuring
silicone products by Wacker Silicones (div. of Wacker Chemie AG,
Munich, Germany), and new accessories, such as the Pneumatic
Pressure Vacuum Sensor (PPVS), Flex Molding is designed to
A new venue helps regenerate a recession-battered industry,
drawing in more exhibitors and attendees than in 2009.
CT
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achieve better process control, reduce labor for tubing set-up and
post-process clean up, and slash cost through the use of fewer
consumables. Wacker Silicones’ Elastosil C is a fast-curing, no-odor,
minimum-shrinkage bagging system that can be brushed on or
sprayed, off ering easier application. Composites One announced
that it will perform another large demo at the American Compos-
ites Manufacturers Assn. (ACMA) COMPOSITES 2011 trade show
in February next year, where, among other closed-molding tech-
nologies, new temperature-controlled mold technology will be used
to build a rotor blade and nacelle parts for a wind turbine. www.
compositesone.com | www.mvpind.com | www.wacker.com
The new IBEX location, the
Kentucky Exposition Center in
Louisville, Ky., attracted 14
percent more attendees than
in 2009. Exhibitors numbered
546 while the visitor total
surpassed 5,100.
Sour
ce |
NM
MA
Composites One (Arlington Heights, Ill.) continued its tradition of closed-
molding demonstrations, featuring the new Flex Molding Process developed
by Magnum Venus Plastech (MVP, Clearwater, Fla.).
Sour
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NM
MA
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Sour
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28
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Show Coverage
T h e Eagle SL Dual Laser
and Cutting System, from
Eastman Machine Co. (Buffalo, N.Y.)
combines laser cutting, angle and rotary blades,
plus punch- and notch-tool cutting and labeling
into one touch-screen controlled unit.
Source | Eastman Machine Co.
TTT
dd
MARINE METHACRYLATE ADHESIVE
IPS Structural Adhesives (Durham, N.C.) introduced two products
for structural bonding of hulls, decks and other marine laminates
and composite parts: WELD-ON SS230 HV and the WELD-ON
SS300 Series. T ese two-component, room-temperature-cure meth-
acrylate adhesives are designed to produce, with minimal surface
preparation, high-performance structural bonds characterized by
superior tensile strength and elongation, low shrinkage and gap-
fi lling properties. Both systems off er adjustable cure times of 5 to
130 minutes. www.ipscorp.com
LONG OPEN-TIME METHACRYLATES
ITW Plexus (Danvers, Mass.) displayed its MA 2000 series of
long open-time, 10:1 mix-ratio methacrylate adhesives and its
new universal cartridge system for use in standard hardware store
caulking guns, the latter touted as more aff ordable for smaller appli-
cations, including repairs. T e company says the MA 2000 series
is EU-compatible, meeting all of the European Union’s health
and safety requirements, and also is GREENGUARD-certifi ed for
indoor air quality. www.itwplexus.com
PRODUCTS FOR SANDWICH CONSTRUCTION
Nida-Core (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) showed off its NidaFusion SXO/SXF
3D core material designed for applications that specify isotropic
properties, such as wind blades. Its three-walled, pyramid-shaped
truss network is formed by stitched fi berglass within polyurethane,
polyester or phenolic closed-cell foam. It provides better sandwich
MULTIFUNCTIONAL
MACHINING
HEAD DESIGN
Eastman Machine
Co. (Buff alo, N.Y.)
promoted its Eagle SL
dual laser and cutting
system, new for 2010,
which features a tool
head equipped with
a 200-watt gas-assist
laser, three tool spin-
dles (for rotary and angled blades, notching tools and/or punches)
and a pneumatic pen/marker for labeling. Combining all three of
these functions into a single gantry design reportedly minimizes
changeover time and enables integration with most CAD packages,
further increasing effi ciency and precision. www.eastmancuts.com
NANO-TOUGHENED EPOXY INFUSION RESIN
Endurance Technologies (formerly Epoxical Inc., St. Paul, Minn.),
introduced a new 4505-series epoxy infusion resin system that is
part of its Composite Polymer Design (CPD) product line. T e new
product features a nano-toughened resin with several gel-time hard-
eners for room temperature applications, and a high-temperature
hardener for applications that require service temperatures closer
to 250˚F/121˚C. T ese systems reportedly exhibit excellent fracture
toughness, peel strength and lap shear values. www.epoxi.com
CT
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yomingest
ixturesINC.
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panel properties at a low cost for infusion and RTM Lite processing.
Also on display was a prefabricated Nida-Core sandwich panel with
integrated non-skid surface. Designed to replace decks in work-
boats, the panels measure up to 10 f in width, 23 f in length and
0.5-inch thickness (3m by 7m by 12.7 mm), at a cost of roughly $5/
f 2 for a fi nished panel. Nida-Core also introduced NidaTack (pat.
pend.), an engineered tack adhesive for infusion and RTM applica-
tions, which reportedly can be applied directly to the mold surface
or behind a gel coat surface without the risk of print-through.
www.nida-core.com
EPOXY INFUSION RESIN
Pro-Set Inc. (Bay City, Mich.) promoted its
new PRO SET M1027/M2027 and M1027/
M2028 epoxy infusion resin and hardener
combinations. Described as “industrial
grade,” these infusion systems are designed
to off er very good mechanical and thermal
properties at a high-value price point,
with cure temperatures ranging from
room temperature up to 125˚F/52˚C. T e
company reported that it has seen signifi -
cant growth in use of its M1012/M2010
epoxy resin and hardener combination for
building molds capable (when tooling is
properly cured) of handling cure tempera-
tures as high as between 250˚F and 275˚F
(121˚C and 135˚C). Additionally, PRO-SET
M1019 surface coat, when applied to such
tools, is said to form a low-porosity, buff able
mold surface. www.prosetepoxy.com
INFUSION/RTM EXPERTISE
First-time IBEX exhibitor SYBO Compos-
ites (St. Augustine, Fla.) consults with
customers on composite product devel-
opment (concept through prototyping
and tooling fabrication to full production
runs). T e company claims wide experi-
ence in composite processes and applica-
tions, with greatest expertise in infusion
and resin transfer molding (RTM) and the
use of advanced reinforcements — carbon,
aramid and metal fi bers — such as those
off ered by Hardwire LLC (Pocomoke City,
Md.). T e company also produces parts
for U.S. Homeland Security projects and
builds the Islamorada line of 18-f /5.5m
fl atbottom fi shing boats for Chittum Skiff s
(Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) See “Engineering
Insights” on p. 54. SYBO’s facilities are
equipped with one 3-axis and two 5-axis
CNC routers for rapid prototyping and
quicker turnaround. www.sybocompos-
ites.com | CT |
Read this article online | http://short.compositesworld.com/kL25fW8T.
Contributing Writer
Ginger Gardiner is a freelance writer and regu-
lar CT contributor based in Washington, N.C.
raditional automakers are caught between a rock and a hard place. T ey need to reinvent
personal transportation in the wake of industry’s worst downturn since the Great Depres-
sion. And there is pressure from startups that are launching passenger cars and special-
purpose vehicles at lower price points (e.g.,Tata Motor’s Nano) or lower tailpipe emissions
(Tesla Motors’ all-electric Tesla Roadster, for one). Established automakers must innovate
or surrender marketshare. Further, much tougher fuel-effi ciency requirements are bearing down on all
automakers as governments try to curb CO2 emissions and consumers and fl eet owners demand greener
vehicles with lower cost of ownership.
Despite these challenges, OEMs are emerging from the recession on better fi nancial footing, and
upstart automakers and legacy OEMs alike are preparing to fi eld hybrid-electric and all-electric ve-
hicles. Composites have an unprecedented opening for substantial expansion in the automotive market.
CT closes out the year and looks ahead by asking experts who work in and around the auto industry
whether or not composites proponents will be able to seize that opportunity. T e
panelists, CT’s questions and their answers follow.
David Dyke, director of advanced engineering, Magna Exteriors and Interiors
(Aurora, Ontario, Canada).
Dr. Joerg Pohlman, managing director, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC
(Wiesbaden, Germany)
Martin Starkey, managing director — Automotive, Gurit UK (Isle of Wight, U.K.)
Donald Lasell, principal, T ink Composites (Palm Harbor, Fla.)
Peter Oswald, formerly VP marketing, Toho Tenax America Inc. (Rockwood, Tenn.)
Mike Shinedling, Dodge Viper program manager, in Chrysler Group LLC’s (Auburn Hills, Mich.) SRT
Performance Group.
Tadge Jeuchter, Chevrolet Corvette vehicle chief engineer at General Motors Co. (Detroit, Mich.).
William Harney, executive director R&D, Decoma International (an operating unit of Magna Interna-
tional, Aurora, Ontario, Canada),
Andy Rich, R&D engineer, Plasan Carbon Composites (Bennington, Vt.)
What factors most limit wider adoption of composites in automotive
applications?
David Dyke: Building of confi dence in engineers is a large challenge. Engi-
neers in today’s development process typically use computer-aided predic-
tive analysis to make decisions, and there is very little hand calculation, [as
in] the past. Predictive analysis of fi ber-reinforced polymers is a large chal-
lenge, due to fi ber orientation af er fl ow when molding with a random glass
matrix. Better sof ware-analysis tools to confi rm the engineer’s assump-
tions would greatly help in providing data for sound decision-making at a
reduced rate of risk. By removing the risk for the engineer, the decision for
wide use becomes a point of fact, not an opinion.
How will fi ber-reinforced polymers fare in a post-recession auto
market obsessed with cost and fuel economy?
Automotive Composites
Q & AForum
Will the unprecedented
automotive composites
opportunities be seized?
T
David Dyke
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Joerg Pohlman: [T e c]ost of carbon fi ber is too high for use in series
car applications. Series manufacturing processes and know-how are
unavailable at [the] OEM.
Martin Starkey: T e purchase of an automobile represents one of the
most signifi cant decisions we make
as consumers, and the products we
demand are a challenging blend of
cost, quality, design, [and] perfor-
mance. Quite rightly, the world’s
leading OEMs of en work on an
evolution approach rather than revo-
lution, each new model representing
a refi ned version of the previous one.
T is makes the adoption of any new
technology in automotive a cautious
one. T is is no diff erent for compos-
ites. As with other novel technolo-
gies that have managed to achieve this transition, we see an ever-
widening adoption of composites migrating down from supercars,
to the premium sector, to performance salons [sedans], etc.
Don Lasell: T e fi rst important enabler is the need to demonstrate the
ability to produce high-quality automotive components at excep-
tionally high volume. Obviously, the major enabler is cost. But,
demonstrating production of high-volume, quality components,
dimensionally stable, etc., is just as important. Once high-volume is
shown, then cost will rapidly come down with demand.
Peter Oswald: [Lack of] cost-eff ective materials, material forms and
fabrication techniques. [Lack of] damage detection for large struc-
tural parts in carbon fi ber composite.
Which automotive parts that are currently made of metal do you
think are best suited for conversion to composites, and why?
DD: T e military and aerospace markets have proven that compos-
ites are unmatched when used in structural applications. With the
need to lightweight vehicles, and the limitless options of being able
to locally reinforce composite parts, the obvious choice is to target
body-in-white for metals replacement. Ultimately, a combination of
body-in-white and body-in-black (composite material substitution)
is likely to be the fi rst wave of components to proliferate composites
alternatives.
JP: OEMs producing battery electric vehicles likely will focus on
weight savings by use of lightweight materials.
MS: Composites have some very specifi c advantages and disad-
vantages over their metallic counterparts, which means there is a
natural selection process that earmarks composites for some appli-
cations. For instance, lower tooling costs for composites means they
are viable for lower production volumes. Signifi cantly higher mate-
rial cost, however, eliminates high-volume or low-cost platforms.
High specifi c properties are naturally attractive to weight-sensitive
vehicles. Compared to steel, slow cycle times for composites limit
volume, but they are virtually unconstrained in the shapes to which
they can be molded, allowing part integration and design freedom.
DL: Automotive body structure seems best suited for compos-
ites. Ultralight weight enables signifi cant improvements in fuel
economy. Also, a well-designed composite-intensive vehicle will be
safer than any of its metal counterparts. T is has been proven in the
motorsports racing business. T e marketing of the value of carbon
fi ber in the vehicle will encourage many people to demand their car
have that material.
PO: For carbon fi ber composites, best targets for conversion are large
structural components that do not require Class A fi nish and off er bene-
fi ts from part consolidation. A good example would be the fl oor pan.
If you had an audience with the lead engineers of the world’s top
automakers, what would you tell them that they must understand
about composites to use them successfully?
DD: [To deliver] solutions that meet their aggressive mass-reduction
initiatives, they must think diff erently and change the paradigm
of current BOM/BOP [bill of material/bill of process] to consider
alternative materials and manufacturing processes. Once the initial
material comparison evaluation is complete, the OEM can run a
business case comparison of cost/performance/investment to deter-
mine future direction. Af er establishing direction, the OEM should
select a capable supplier/partner very early in the product develop-
ment process to take advantage of the supplier’s intellectual prop-
erty and development knowledge. Innovation is achieved by the
departure of past paradigms.
JP: New design principles and production technologies have to be
developed. Expertise has to be built up within automakers. T us, hire
experts who really understand the materials and the value chain.
MS: Composites are as eff ective and effi cient at replacing more estab-
lished materials as those materials are at replacing composites. For
example, if you try to apply a composite material to a steel design,
you make little of the true advantages and carry all the disadvantages.
For composite uptake to grow, the world’s leading OEMs will have to
re-invent car design, looking at how composites ca, be truly integrated
in the production of the vehicle. T is, in turn, will take an in-depth
understanding of not only composite design considerations, but
composite manufacturing processes as well.
DL: Automotive engineers need to
understand how to design with compos-
ites, what typical sections to use, how a
composite part will be manufactured
and assembled, who will manufacture
it, how to attach it, and what it will cost
to produce and tool up.
PO: T ink big! Simply replacing sheet
metal with composites will reduce
weight somewhat, but meeting
economic targets will be diffi cult,
particularly where Class A is required.
Large structural parts could off er
signifi cant weight savings [and] part consolidation savings as well
as fabrication and lifecycle savings.
What do you think the average car will look like in 20 years?
DD: Much diff erent due to technology, ,legislation and social
conscience. Using new technology to signifi cantly shif the drive-
train and propulsion systems, we will open up more packaging
space that was occupied by powertrain components of the
Martin Starkey
Donald Lasell
CT
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AR: In the short term, the early adopters will be those applications where
performance is more important than cost (such as high-end sports
cars). However, when fuel economy becomes a major driver to save
weight, the cost-benefi t analysis will start to move in our direction.
What, in your opinion, is the single largest hurdle to greater accep-
tance and use of CFRP in the automotive industry?
MS: Material cost. It will depend on the cost per pound of weight
saved ….. An average passenger car can usually aff ord $1 to $2
in cost for every pound saved. For a higher priced performance
car, that weight-saving value can be anywhere from $5 to $30 per
pound saved. With the high price of carbon fi ber, it’s very diffi cult
to save weight at the rate of less than $5/lb. Also, in addition to
weight, there is marketing value for a performance car to off er a
carbon fi ber part. Not so much in a conventional passenger car.
TJ: Net cost per panel is a real issue. We’d love to engineer every
panel we make with it. However, at today’s cost, it just doesn’t
offset the business case. With 100 years of industry inertia and
legacy costs, and an entire infrastructure
optimized around the steel solution, it’s
hard to see anything else. On the other
hand, when you clean the balance sheets
of 100 years of history and have a chance
to deal with the more-subtle aspects
of legacy costs, then that can affect
the business case for everything in the
corporation.
AR: Cost and manufacturing comfort. Cost is always a big chal-
lenge in the automotive market, especially in the higher volume
cars, but the challenge of making the OEMs feel comfortable with
these materials is hard to quantify. All the OEMs’ designers are very
familiar with the properties and the manufacturing processes for
metals, but we have rarely been given a part to bid on that was actu-
ally designed to be carbon fi ber. We have to educate the customers
most of the time, even the companies that have had some experi-
ence with CF. Any big company making cars has diff erent depart-
ments with diff erent levels of understanding of composites, and
they don’t always consult with their own composites experts before
they design a part. So we always see parts that are designed to be
sheet metal, and the customers will ask, “Can you make this in
carbon fi ber”? T is lack of comfort level … is a signifi cant hurdle
for the technology. Even where the costs make sense, car companies
are naturally hesitant to take a risk on using a material they are not
familiar with.
What technological challenges and/
or misperceptions must be addressed
before we see greater usage?
MS: Processing and molding cycle
time are a big challenge in prepreg
applications when you get above
10,000 units/year. Conventional
forming methods like compression
and injection molding don’t utilize
all of the potential benefi ts of carbon
past. As a result, we can take advan-
tage of valuable real estate and turn
it into customer surprise-and-delight
features. Mass reduction, fuel effi -
ciency and consumer/customer-rele-
vant innovations will dictate architec-
ture decisions and material choices.
JP: A combination of lightweight mate-
rials will dominate car manufacturing.
CFRP will be a standard material. T e
need to save weight is coming from
legislation. I expect a high number of electric vehicles.
MS: T e only thing I can be sure of here is what the car won’t look
like in 20 years! I don’t think in the late ’80s, anyone would have
predicted the designs of today. T e only thing I believe would be
true is that consumer demands will be even more focused.
DL: Lots of Priuses, but there will still be a lot of pick-up trucks.
Aerodynamics only does so much — the mass must come down!
Also, I know most people would always
prefer a larger car. T ese could benefi t
from carbon fi ber lightening just as much
as the little
ones. Profi t
margins would
be higher too!
PO: In the U.S.,
the average car
would still have room for four people,
plus dog and luggage and golf clubs.
[T e] car would have lightweight body
structure (due to composites), be more
aerodynamic (due to composites) and
have a lightweight power unit and drive
train (due to composites). Internal
combustion is still likely to be the dominant power unit due to fl ex-
ibility, power and range, but CNG [compressed natural gas] fuel likely
will be more common.
We’ve mentioned CFRP along the way, but let’s focus on it:
There was a lot of momentum and innovative new uses of CFRP
on production automobiles in the 2003-2004 timeframe, but since
then, with the exception of the 50th-anniversary Corvette hood,
the Mustang Cobra, the Viper ACR, and Corvette ZR1, we haven’t
seen a lot of new CFRP applications on mass-produced vehicles and
virtually all of them have been on performance platforms. Will that
change? If so, how?
William Harney: Although carbon fi ber provides signifi cant and
necessary mass reduction for BEVs and PHEVs [battery-electric
vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles], the cost of carbon
fi ber becomes a greater issue when stacked up against the cost of
EV technology itself. T e paradox will to some extent be solved
with advanced D-LFT and other thermoplastic composites in the
medium term. New fuel-economy standards will create pull for
more composites, but they will be based initially on high-perfor-
mance glass with increasing use of thermoplastics.
Dr. Joerg Pohlman
Mike Shinedling
Peter Oswald
“Even when the costs make
sense, car companies are
naturally hesitant to take a
risk on ... a new material.”
— Andy Rich
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FEATURE | Q & A Forum
because they typically use chopped [instead of continuous] fi bers
and have greater minimum thickness requirements. Finding resin
systems with good adhesion to carbon and good processability is
also a challenge. T e current chemistry hasn’t delivered suffi cient
adhesion to the fi ber yet, but I believe
it will at some point. A big reason
more research isn’t put into solving
this issue is the cost of the fi ber. Once
carbon fi ber is more of a mass-market
material, there will be more research
and discoveries to solve the current
problems.
TJ: T e manufacturing process has a lot
of little technical issues, like cycle time,
labor time, consistent part quality, and
surface fi nish. Individually, these are
not insurmountable challenges, but the
combination of all these little issues coupled with the fact that it is a
nonstandard material to make a car, makes
for an uphill battle fi nding acceptance …
in a risk-averse market.
WH: T e biggest hurdle, once pricing of
carbon fi ber is at target, is the challenge
of modeling and designing CFRP compo-
nents and subsystems to interface with
a conventional body-in-white architec-
ture — particularly with respect to crash
requirements. One reason most CFRP
applications in niche vehicles are limited
to hoods and removable panels is that they are bolt-on. Once all
bolt-on opportunities are exploited, the going will get really tough.
How will CFRP fare in competition with workhorse composites like
SMC, BMC, GMT, LFT and D-LFT?
MS: In the near term, I would guess traditional glass-reinforced
composites will do better because of the current economic pres-
sures. In the long term, high performance composites should
have strong growth as carbon fi ber capacity expands and costs
are reduced.
AR: The less costly composites have all been around for a long
time, and very little has changed to make them “new.” They have
a 20 percent lighter SMC formulation or in-line compounding,
and they seem to have solved a lot of the paint pop issues, but for
the most part, it’s still the same SMC/GMT that has been around
a long time. It will have its niche in places where volumes are
more than 20,000/yr and less than 90,000/yr. In general, these
are not structural parts either, and never could be, due to the
inherent strength of the material. It’s a complementary tech-
nology, but not a direct competitor for carbon fiber in most
applications.
WH: T ere is still signifi cant opportunity and more performance
headroom in SMC and D-LFT components and advanced closed
structures that have yet to be exploited. T is includes high-perfor-
mance matrices, tactical local reinforcing, fi ber orientation and
composite-welding techniques.
What role will CFRP play in alternative powertrain vehicles —
hybrid electric, plug-in electric, and fuel-cell vehicles?
MS: Many new alternative powertrain vehicles are in the exclusive
niche market — Tesla, Fisker. Carbon will play a larger role in these
vehicles. For mass-market alternative vehicles ( theVolt, etc.), it is
still a question of cost per pound of weight saved.
AR: T e newer powertrains are a risk
in themselves, so car companies are
taking one step at a time. If they build
a new vehicle with a new powertrain
and a whole lot of CFRP, they have
signifi cantly increased their risk to
the success of that vehicle. I think
that’s why we are seeing CFRP on
gas-powered cars for the most part,
and [see] steel being used to make the
hybrids. T at may change as the risk of
both composites and hybrid engines
comes down.
What applications will see the greatest
growth in CFRP materials in the next fi ve
years? If there were no other barriers to entry
(price, availability, production speeds, etc.),
which applications on a typical passenger
vehicle would benefi t most from conversion
to CFRP?
MS: I see the greatest automotive growth in
Class A panels and exposed weave interior
trim on performance and luxury vehicles. If those barriers were
removed, applications might include front crush structures, front
cross members, seat structures, Class-A panels — actually the sky is
the limit. Carbon fi ber has incredible material properties and would
revolutionize the automobile if those barriers were removed.
TJ: We think we’ve pretty much overcome the technical challenges
and there’s no downside we see. T ere is a learning curve, obviously,
and new criteria you have to get used to, but integration into the
vehicle poses no technical challenges now if the other issues were
resolved.
WH: Bolt-on will be the fi rst wave, followed by body-in-white inte-
grated components, but the greatest growth will occur with high
mass-reduction opportunities on components like the vehicle front,
where you can lightweight without creating polar-moment (driv-
ability) issues. Also, CFRP will do well when compared against
metals in lifecycle analyses when the true energy cost of using one
system vs. the other is compared. | CT |
Read this article online | http://short.gardnerweb.com/sreWIza3.
Read CT’s Web-only featurette “Why CFRP?” | http://short.gardnerweb.
com/Uu6ivbCH.
Andy Rich
Tadge Jeuchter
“There is still signifi cant
opportunity and more
performance headroom in
SMC and D-LFT ... that have
yet to be exploited.”
— William Harney
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H
ow green are composites? T at question is asked more of en
than ever by consumers concerned with the environmental
impacts of manufacturing. “T e public has the perception
that composites, many of which come from oil, are not green and
are polluting,” observes Bill Kreysler, president of Kreysler & Assoc.
(American Canyon, Calif.). “But this is a myth. T ey can be much
greener than you think in the right applications because of their
strength and light weight.”
Life Cycle Assessment
ARE COMPOSITES
Methods for calculating the impact
composites have on the environment
are enabling data-driven comparisons
to traditional materials.
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FEATURE: Life Cycle Assessment
GREEN?Debunking that myth, however, is no simple task. Myriad fac-
tors determine a product’s environmental impact but manufactur-
ers increasingly use Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to help quantify
their products’ environmental footprint.
Also known as “cradle-to-grave” analysis, LCA seeks to deter-
mine and evaluate every environmental impact represented by the
manufacture, use and disposal of a product. Impact data give man-
ufacturers a convincing way to market a product as environmen-
tally sensitive and demonstrate to both customers and shareholders
their commitments to sustainability, says LCA expert Dr. Michael
Lepech, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Envi-
ronmental Engineering at Stanford University.
LCA gives composites a data-driven leg to stand on, says Cheryl
Richards, chair of the American Composites Manufacturers Assn.’s
(ACMA, Arlington, Va.) Green Composites Committee and the
global marketing manager for wind energy at PPG Industries (Pitts-
burgh, Pa.). “We can tout the advantages with real data — it fi nally
gives composites equal footing with traditional materials when you
consider all parts of the product’s life cycle.”
A MEANS TO DEFINE GREEN
LCA was popularized decades ago, when environmentalists raised
concerns about diminishing material and energy resources coupled
with a growing world population. First used in the food and beverage
industry, LCA has spread to other sectors, driven in part by the
European Commission’s Environment Directorate, which requires
manufacturers to monitor energy and raw-material consumption
and solid waste generation.
Today, LCA methodology is spelled out in the International Or-
ganization for Standardization (ISO) 14040 environmental manage-
ment series standard, which consists of four major steps: 1) goal and
scope defi nition (§4.2 ISO 14044); 2) inventory analysis (§4.3 ISO
14044); 3) impact assessment (§4.4 ISO 14044); and 4) interpreta-
tion (§4.5 ISO 14044). Each step, as noted in the following para-
graphs, presents considerable challenges, say LCA practitioners.
Goal and scope defi nition. According to Lepech, each LCA starts
by defi ning a goal and the “functional unit” of the study — that is,
the service provided by the material, component or system and its
performance characteristics. For example, to compare the impacts of
two desks — one made with steel, aluminum and laminate and the
other with wood — a researcher must defi ne a quantifi able unit in
A recent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) demonstrated that prefabricated
building panels, such as these (above) used in the house at left, from InnoVida
Holdings LLC (Miami Beach, Fla.), have less impact on the environment than
traditional wood-frame building materials and methods.
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ence, in part because the required data inputs,
while available for some processes, are absent
for others. Further, assumptions about data in-
puts and the relative weights of environmental
impacts diff er among the sof ware packages.
Interpretation. T is step is a challenge be-
cause assumptions about data input and the
relative weight of impacts also diff er among
those who use the sof ware. “Interpretation
of LCA results can vary,” confi rms Bob Mof-
fi t, product manager at Ashland Performance
Materials (Columbus, Ohio), who heads the
company’s green resin eff orts. “Some results
are weighted more than others, depending on
their importance to the manufacturer or end-
user,” he explains. “Some people might put
more emphasis on carbon dioxide [CO2] emis-
sions, for example, than solid wastes.” Given
the potential for interpretive variation, an LCA
study typically undergoes a third-party review
to ensure that the results are credible.
T e LCA provides a means for modifying
designs to optimize environmental friendli-
ness. In Lepech’s desk example, the wood desk
consumes more materials in total and produces more solid waste, but
more than 60 percent of the steel and aluminum desk’s total life cycle
energy use is taken up by the highly energy-intensive aluminum ex-
trusion process needed to produce the castors on the desk’s legs. T at
energy use could be decreased somewhat by increasing the amount
of recycled aluminum in the desk, he points out, or by eliminating
the castors. Likewise, the impacts of composite materials and manu-
facturing of en can be mitigated with judicious material selection or
small changes in design, he emphasizes.
As consumers demand more environmental information about
new products, LCAs are expected to grow in importance. Environ-
mental Product Declarations (EPDs), for example, inform purchas-
ers about the environmental impacts, based on LCA data prepared
in accordance with ISO 14025 guidance. EPDs are the equivalent of
the nutritional information now standard on food packaging. Rich-
ards says that many U.S. companies, particularly those in the build-
ing materials market, are scrambling to market products with green
labels, including not only EPDs but also the Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System,
developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, and the Energy Star
program, a long-standing joint eff ort of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
“Right now, building material specifi cations are listing LCA as
an option,” reports Gary Jakubcin, Owens Corning’s (Toledo, Ohio)
LCA process head and the cochairman of ACMA’s Green Compos-
ites Committee Life Cycle Inventory subcommittee. But he warns
that “in the near future, it might become a requirement for selling
your product.” Beginning Jan. 1, 2011, for example, EPDs will be
required for products sold in France. “Learning about LCAs and
performing them to document your product’s impacts is becoming
a business necessity,” he maintains.
order to compare the parts, such as the desk’s working surface area.
“T e functional unit is needed in order to establish a quantitative
equivalent between two comparable products or processes, so that
the impacts can be assessed,” Lepech explains. For an LCA that com-
pares building materials, the functional unit might be one board-foot
or other dimensional unit large enough to meet the project require-
ments for stiff ness. Although the LCA’s scope of investigation ideally
is cradle to grave, there are situations in which the scope may be lim-
ited, for practicality’s sake, without compromising study conclusions.
Inventory analysis. T is step requires legwork. Investigators
must determine all of the possible inputs to and outputs from the
functional unit that have an impact on the environment. Inputs
include the upstream impacts of raw materials (e.g., sand for glass
manufacture); the energy used to mine or extract the raw materials;
the fuel costs to transport the raw materials to the manufacturing
site; the energy used to transform the raw materials into the prod-
uct (e.g., from natural gas or coal); the energy use associated with
any recycled materials in the product; and so forth. Outputs include
the downstream impacts of air pollutants (e.g., greenhouse gases);
water pollutants; solid waste (e.g., disposal and/or recycling of the
product itself); any coproducts that can be benefi cially reused; and
more. For a list of published data sources for conducting life cycle
inventories, see “Learn More,” p. 39.
Impact assessment. Sof ware is available to help LCA inves-
tigators navigate the somewhat arduous process of the inventory
analysis and assessment steps, including SimaPro and ECO-it from
PRé Consultants (Amersfoort, T e Netherlands) and GaBi from PE
International (Stuttgart, Germany), among others. T ere also are
many options for limiting the scope of a study with a streamlined
or partial LCA that reportedly still provides suffi cient information
for assessment. T at said, the process remains as much an art as sci-
This generalized fl ow diagram shows the basic steps considered in preparing an LCA for a part made
in a manufacturing process.
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Primary
Materials
(e.g., ores,
biotic
resources)
Recycled
Materials
(open loop
recycling)
Primary
Energy
(e.g., coal)
Raw Material
Acquistion
Material
Processing
Retirement
& Recovery
Disposal Service
Use
Manufacture
& Assembly
Air pollutants
(e.g., Hg)
Water
pollutants
(e.g., BOD)
Solid Waste
(e.g., MSW)
Products
(e.g., goods,
services)
Coproducts
(e.g., recyclables,
energy)
recycling
reuse
remanufacture
36
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LCAs ENABLE COMPOSITES MARKETING
Several composite materials suppliers have conducted or partici-
pated in studies of their own products to facilitate green marketing
campaigns. Others, typically university researchers and students,
have conducted LCAs focused on the use phase to compare
composite products with those made from other materials.
An example of the former are studies conducted since 2006 by
Owens Corning on its internal processes. T e company’s core busi-
ness strategy includes reducing the negative impacts of its manu-
facturing operations, increasing the positive impacts of its products
and assisting customers in reducing their carbon footprints, says
Frank O’Brien-Bernini, the company’s chief sustainability offi cer. A
case in point involves Owens Corning’s Advantex E-CR corrosion-
resistant E-glass product. According to O’Brien-Bernini, an LCA
demonstrated that the fi ber’s total life cycle environmental impact
could be mitigated if the company replaced its glass melting fur-
naces with new units that use more fossil-fuel-effi cient gas/oxygen
fi ring technology. T e new furnaces were installed and now reduce
CO2 emissions by 40 percent, nitrogen oxides by 75 percent, sul-
fur oxide by 40 percent and particulates by 90 percent. At Owens
Corning, greenhouse gas emissions at plants equipped with the new
technology are, on average, 23 percent lower. Says O’Brien-Bernini,
“T anks to these LCAs, we can now transcend narrow, single-attri-
bute material comparisons, like recycled content, to represent the
true sustainability benefi ts of composite applications.”
Owens Corning recently worked with its customer Strongwell
(Bristol, Va.) to produce a “cradle-to-gate” LCA. T is partial study
stopped at Strongwell’s front gate and did not consider transpor-
tation to downstream customers or specifi c end applications that
might have required additional procedures (e.g., fastening). Nor
did it consider use and end-of-life impacts. It compared pultruded
composites with aluminum and steel for fi ve structural parts: grat-
ing, handrail, U-shaped channel, channel-and-tubing combination
and fl oor plate. T e functional units were 100 f 2/9.3m2 for the grat-
ing and fl oor plate and 100 linear f /30.5 linear m
for the handrail, channel and channel-and-tubing
combination. Developed by an industry consul-
tant who used SimaPro7 LCA sof ware, the study
examined the embodied energy of the raw materi-
als and processing needed to create each product.
Among the materials under consideration were
Advantex glass fi ber, a general-purpose polyes-
ter resin, A517I low-carbon steel, three grades of
aluminum (ranging from virgin to 80 percent re-
cycled content) and kiln-dried pine.
According to the study results, the embod-
ied energy represented by the composite parts is
lower when compared to aluminum parts made
with virgin aluminum and steel primarily be-
cause the composite delivers better strength-to-
weight. T e report assumes that as more recycled
content is added to the aluminum and steel, their
energy use and environmental footprint would
be closer to the composite components. As might
be expected, the wood materials had a signifi cant
advantage over composites, with a 50 percent lower embodied-
energy footprint. A take-home message from the report is that the
impacts represented by a composite part increase as its percent-
age of resin increases. T erefore, increasing fi ber content and/or
reducing styrene in the resin can “green” the product. Strongwell’s
environmental manager, John Barker, notes, “We have chosen LCA
for determining our environmental impacts because of its quanti-
tative nature and scope and because the resulting reports are peer-
reviewed for objectivity.”
Ashland’s Envirez 1807 bio-resin, made with soy oil and corn eth-
anol, was the subject of an LCA performed by consultant Jim Pollack
(Omnitech International, Midland, Mich.) for the United Soybean
Board (USB, St. Louis, Mo.). Pollack explains that LCAs of bio-based
materials involve evaluating additional factors, such as the ability of
the source plants to fi x nitrogen, how much fertilizer and fuel is re-
quired for cultivation and the sequestration of carbon within plants,
among others. “Because soybeans are nitrogen-fi xing plants, nitrous
oxide emissions from soybean fi elds are lower than for other crops.
T is helped keep the global warming potential [GWP] of the Envirez
resin lower than the equivalent petrochemical resin.”
T e USB LCA, like the Strongwell study, included only up-
stream and resin production impacts and stopped at the facility gate.
Downstream delivery, application and use phases were considered
equivalent and, therefore, out of scope. T e results showed that the
GWP for the Envirez resin, when compared to a petrochemical resin
(also manufactured by Ashland), was 4.1 kg/9 lb of CO2 equivalents
per kilogram or pound of resin produced vs. 5.2 kg/11.5 lb of CO2
equivalents for the petrochemical-based resin (“CO2 equivalents” is
a common LCA term that expresses greenhouse gas emissions, and
thus GWP, referenced to CO2). In terms of energy impact, Pollack re-
ports that Envirez consumes 2,567 fewer BTUs/lb of resin produced
during manufacture than the petrochemical resin. Moffi t says that
fact enables Ashland to state with confi dence that resins made with
renewables off er tangible environmental benefi ts for their customers.
Graphed data from an Owens Corning/Strongwell cradle-to-gate LCA that compared pultruded
composite components to similar products made from aluminum and steel shows the environmental
advantage of a composite handrail, due primarily to its greater strength-to weight-ratio.
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
SAFRAILSAFRAILTM TM FRP HFRP Handrail v s. S teel a nd A luminum H andrailandrail vs. Steel and Aluminum Handrail
Global Warming Acidifi cation Eutrophication Ozone Depletion Smog Metered Water Energy
Aluminum Handrail-100 Lineal Feet SAFRAIL FRP HANDRAIL-
100 Lineal Feet-Review 6-2-09
Steel Handrail-100 lineal feet
perc
ecnta
ge
Comparing 1p ‘Aluminum Handrail-100 Lineal Feet’, 1p ‘SAFRAIL FRP HANDRAIL-100 Lineal Feet’ Revision 6-2-09 and 1p
‘Steel Handrail-100 Lineal feet’; Method: TRAC/IMPACT 2002+/IPCC/Energy (Feb 09) OCVStrong V11.08/characterization
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A much-discussed LCA, performed by Lepech and a group of
his students at Stanford University, examined a fi sh tank for the
Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, Calif. T e aquarium wanted
a large, freestanding, seismic-resistant tank, approximately 20 f by
40 f by 10 f (6.1m by 12.2m by 3m), capable of sustaining a saltwa-
ter aquatic ecosystem for 20 years. A glass/polyester tank designed
by Kreysler’s fi rm was one option; the other was a concrete design
with a smooth “shotcrete” (sprayed concrete) lining. Lepech devel-
oped a detailed process fl ow diagram for both material systems.
For the concrete tank, the raw materials — including limestone,
gypsum, cement rock and aggregate — and the extraction activi-
ties associated with them were identifi ed, as were the raw materials
for the formwork (timber and glues to make the plywood) and the
reinforcing bar (pig iron and other metals to make the steel). Envi-
ronmental impact estimates were made of the equipment needed to
produce the concrete tank (cement mixer, pumps, etc.), maintain it
over its life span (cleaning equipment) and, fi nally, demolish it and
transport it to a landfi ll.
T e same process components were developed for the glass fi ber-
reinforced polymer tank, including the raw materials to produce the
fi berglass fi laments (sand, feldspar, sodium sulfate, borax, etc.); the
energy consumed to melt the raw materials and extrude and wind the
glass fi ber fi laments; and the raw ingredients and processing steps to
produce the polyester resin. Ashland was actively involved in the tank
study and provided resin process data to Lepech, notes Moffi t.
Lepech and Kreysler confi rm that the data showed the fi ber-
glass/polyester tank solution had signifi cantly less impact than the
concrete tank on many environmental fronts (see diagram on this
page) because the mining and extraction of the cement and other
concrete materials is not only energy-intensive, but it also involves
more shipping and generates more air pollution.
A recent LCA study funded by InnoVida Holdings LLC (Miami
Beach, Fla.) and conducted by Florida International University Col-
lege of Engineering and Computing (Miami, Fla.) compared the envi-
ronmental performance of InnoVida’s manufactured composite house
panels with conventional house construction methods. Two graduate
students, supervised by Drs. Yong Tao and Yimin Zhu, developed a
1,200-f 2/111.5m2 fi ve-room, single-story “patio reference house.” T e
conventional version featured masonry block reinforced by rebar and
cement grout, with gypsum wallboard over batt insulation on the inte-
rior walls. T e roof trusses were structural lumber beams covered with
plywood panels and R-30 batt insulation.
In contrast, the InnoVida house was constructed entirely of the
company’s proprietary 4-inch/101.6-mm thick sandwich panels for
the roof and exterior walls and similar 2.5-inch/63.5-mm thick pan-
els for interior walls. T e panels feature an insulating polyurethane
core with integral stiff eners between glass fi ber/epoxy skins. T e
panels were bonded onsite with Innovida’s proprietary adhesive.
Tao and Zhu developed a basic life cycle inventory of only the
raw material inputs and manufacturing processes necessary to create
one board-foot of panel vs. one board-foot of traditional masonry
construction. T en they calculated the GWP (in CO2 equivalents) of
both construction types using the ATHENA Impact Estimator, pub-
lished by the Athena Institute (Merrickville, Ontario, Canada). Al-
though the study’s scope was limited, it showed that if the eff ects of
3A Composites (Sins, Switzerland) has gone a step further and
developed an LCA tool called the Hybrid Core Calculator. T e tool
calculates a simplifi ed LCA, based on inventory data for typical
sandwich panel components, core and skin. Af er inputting data
on a project’s sandwich design requirements (panel size and thick-
ness) and the performance loads, the calculator quickly produces
environmental impacts for each phase of a core product’s life cycle.
It then displays energy consumption, greenhouse gas potential (in
CO2 equivalents), water consumption and other ecological indica-
tors, says the company. In one example, a double-decker city bus
with a composite sandwich (instead of steel) upper fl oor has 30 per-
cent lower weight, says 3A, and its ecological impact is reduced by
30 percent over the bus’ life cycle because of greater fuel effi ciency.
LCAS AND AUTOMOTIVE COMPOSITES
Krishnan Jayaraman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering
at the University of Auckland (Auckland, New Zealand) says that
end-of-life directives in Europe and Japan are forcing automotive
OEMs to apply LCA techniques to their manufacturing processes to
better understand the environmental eff ects at all stages of produc-
tion. In a recent paper, he and coauthor Xun Xu described a study
that compared automotive doors, hoods and trunk lids made with
steel, aluminum, fi berglass/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and
carbon fi ber/epoxy (30 percent fi ber volume). T e LCA results
showed that the carbon fi ber/epoxy panels had the lowest environ-
mental impact scores, primarily, says Jayaraman, because of their
lower weight and higher strength.
He notes, however, that in the event of a crash, the panel replace-
ment would overshadow the environmental benefi ts because alumi-
num and steel panels can be readily repaired. In another automo-
tive LCA, adds Jayaraman, a bumper beam made of unidirectional
fi berglass in a polypropylene matrix had a lower environmental
impact than a steel bumper beam. As was true with the previously
discussed bus fl oor, the lighter composite beam consumed less en-
ergy by enabling greater fuel economy over the vehicle’s useful life,
a key point emphasized by many LCA proponents.
ACIDIFICATION
CARCINOGENS
ENERGY
RESOURCES
EUTRO-
PHICATION
GREENHOUSE
HEAVY METALSOZONE LAYER
PESTICIDES
SOLID WASTE
CONCRETE
FRP
SUMMER
SMOG
WINTER
SMOG 80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
This spider diagram, which depicts the relative importance of many factors on
a single fi gure, superimposes the impacts of a composite fi sh tank on those
of a concrete tank proposed for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The composite
tank (green area) generated far fewer impacts for this application.
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FEATURE: Life Cycle Assessment
the bonding adhesive are ignored, the total impact of the composite
panel house is signifi cantly lower — by about 50 percent — than the
reference house. When the adhesive is included, the impact of the
composite panel house is 25 percent less than the traditionally con-
structed house. Zachary Waksal, InnoVida’s VP of business devel-
opment, says, “We are trying to change the construction paradigm
by using innovative composite technology that allows for greater
speed of construction, aff ordability and sustainability.”
Kreysler tells a cautionary tale about an LCA that compared real
stonework with a proprietary fi ber-reinforced (FRP) cladding mate-
rial engineered to look like stone. Says Kreysler, “It seemed on the
surface like the FRP solution had to be better,
when you considered the extraction of the
stone from the quarry, the shipping logistics,
not to mention part weight.” But the LCA
showed that the medium-density fi berboard
(MDF) used to make the molds for the FRP
parts made the composite solution much less
environmentally sustainable because of the
energy-intensive process used to produce
the MDF. “It proved that you have to look at
the entire process ... from beginning to end,”
Kreysler adds.
WHAT’S NEXT?
LCA is immensely promising and very new
to composites. “We’re at the start of the
journey right now,” says Richards. T ere is,
necessarily, much work to be done. Indeed,
the ACMA Green Composites Committee’s
Life Cycle Inventory subcommittee headed
by Jakubcin is focused on developing more
inventory data specifi c to composites,
something that is in short supply at present,
using a standard pultrusion process as the
fi rst model. ACMA also is in the process
of educating its members about LCAs and
their benefi ts. Green training sessions will
be held at its COMPOSITES 2011 trade
event, which commences Feb. 4, 2011,
in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (see CT’s ACMA
COMPOSITES 2011 show preview, p. 24).
T e most important factor, however,
is that LCAs need to come into wide use.
“Everyone in the composites industry
needs to get in the game,” says Owens
Corning’s O’Brien-Bernini. “T is is a posi-
tive thing for composites — it’s not emo-
tional anymore. We can now compete with
traditional materials on fact-based green
attributes.”
“Our industry needs to show the life cycle
benefi ts of composites,” concludes Ashland’s
Moffi t. “We’ve made some progress, but as an
industry, we need to do much more.” | CT |
Technical Editor
Sara Black is CT’s technical editor and has
served on the CT staff for 10 years.
THE SUPERIOR METHOD FOR MACHINING
LARGE AND SMALL COMPOSITE PARTS
The Best Composites Edge Finish:
Non-contact cold cutting, no delamination,
microcracks or edge fraying.
The Most Productive Machining Method:
Simple fixturing, high cutting speed, tight
corners, thin or thick machining of any
composite, and virtually any material!
5"
4"
3"
2"
1"
The Inventor and Global Leader in Abrasive Waterjet
Read this article and fi nd a list of LCA published data resources online |
http://short.compositesworld.com/UBYusVqz.
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iscontinuous glass fi ber-reinforced polypropylene
(PP) is a popular composite material in automo-
tive, building and construction, and lawn and garden
applications. It off ers a good balance of high stiff ness-to-
weight, broad chemical resistance, good weatherability, all-
around toughness and durability and, of course, low cost.
Maintenance of postmold fi ber length is critical to
achieving good mechanicals, and is what has moved glass/
PP from commodity to engineering resin status. Much work
in the past two decades has focused on getting longer fi bers
into the matrix prior to its being placed in a tool, and then
preserving that fi ber length during the molding process.
T is led to technology developments that drove an evolu-
tionary shif from precompounded short-glass pellets for
conventional injection molding to so-called long-fi ber ther-
moplastic (LFT) pellets (also precompounded) for injection
and compression molding and a more recent development,
the inline compounding of charges/logs of glass and resin
at press side just prior to placement of the charge into an
injection or compression press. Ironically, compression-
moldable, glass-mat thermoplastic (GMT) composite in
sheet form experienced a parallel but opposite trend. Origi-
nally off ered in continuous-strand, randomly oriented glass
mat, which delivered high mechanicals but exhibited less
than desirable glass penetration in deep ribs, bosses and
intricate design features, the material evolved to shorter
chopped-glass mats with optional unidirectional glass and/
or engineering fabrics for locations that required additional
stiff ness. Although molders now have access to all of these
diverse material forms and molding processes, no material/
process combination is without issues that tend to compro-
mise part design complexity, cost and/or mechanical per-
formance.
Award-winning composite pallet showcases new LFT molding process from South Africa.
MAINTAINING
FIBER LENGTH
IN COMPLEX
3-D DESIGNS
D
A LOMOLD LFT pallet (bottom) bears the brunt of a static load
totaling 4,124 kg/9,094 lb.40
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Four views of the highly complex, one-piece glass/
polypropylene pallet demonstrate the effectiveness of new
LFT molding process developed by LOMOLD Group of Cape
Town, South Africa.
Injection molding of short- or long-glass pellets
provides the opportunity for rapid cycle times, excel-
lent repeatability and reproducibility (R&R), and the
option to create extremely complex three-dimensional
(3-D) designs thanks to tooling action. On the down-
side, feedthroat issues limit the ultimate length of glass
that can be injected, and production volumes need to
be great enough to justify the high cost of equipment/
press time and tooling. Additionally, all the “plumb-
ing” and tooling action that enables production of
such complex parts also tends to break glass fi bers,
reducing mechanical properties in fi nished parts.
Because there is less fl ow with D-LFT and very
little fl ow with GMT in compression molding, fewer
fi bers are broken, so mechanicals are typically higher
than those achieved using injection molding. Ad-
ditionally, tooling and press time are less costly, it’s
easier and more economical to mold large parts, and
the process is fast and can be semi-automated. Simi-
lar to GMT, newer work in D-LFT allows fabrics and
unidirectional glass to be added to the charge as it’s
placed in the tool. However, compression molding is
unable to reproduce the intricate and complex 3-D de-
signs possible with injection molding. For example, in
ribs deeper than 55 mm/2.2 inches, glass bridging im-
pedes desired glass penetration. Further, the process
cannot produce through-holes. T ese must be cut or punched af er
removal. Unless the compression tool is equipped with shear edges,
parts also require edge trimming af er demolding. Each secondary
operation adds cost and time to the production process.
T e compression molding/GMT combination best preserves
the initial fi ber length and, therefore, typically achieves the high-
est mechanicals in glass/PP parts but also is most likely to limit de-
sign complexity. And, as a semifi nished good, GMT sheet can be
pricier than LFT and D-LFT materials. Unless higher mechanicals
and lighter, thinner parts are critical instead of just desirable, the
customer may be unwilling to pay the premium.
DESIGN COMPLEXITY AND HIGH MECHANICALS
Now, a new, modifi ed-LFT injection process called Lomolding seems
poised to render unnecessary the trade-off between 3-D design
complexity and fi ber length/mechanicals that is typically required
for large parts in PP/glass and other LFT composites. Ten years in
development by the LOMOLD Group (Cape Town, South Africa),
the patented process can rapidly produce large, highly complex parts
with the intricate design features of injection molding, yet maintains
post-mold fi ber lengths typically seen only in compression molding.
Fiber lengths of 10 to 50 mm (0.4 to 2.0 inches) can be maintained
with the new process vs. 3.0 to 4.0 mm (0.1 to 0.2 inch) for conven-
tional LFT injection.
T e process also can produce parts with higher mechanicals but
with thinner walls and lower mass, which presents cost-reduction
opportunities. Because it better preserves initial fi ber length, it also
improves low-temperature impact strength, a traditional weakness
of short-glass PP. Additionally, parts have higher mechanicals at el-
evated temperatures, greater dimensional stability at any wall thick-
ness, and enhanced creep and fatigue resistance. T e upshot is that
processors and OEMs get more out of the investment they’ve made
in the composite’s reinforcement system.
T e Lomolding process also duplicates several unique advantag-
es of injection molding: It is automated, fast-cycling, and has high
R&R. And company founder and CEO Pieter du Toit is quick to
point out that it is a closed-mold system, so resin is never exposed
to air as it is when D-LFT charges are moved from the ILC unit,
or when GMT sheet is moved from the oven into the compression
molding tool. T is eliminates a potential issue with hydroscopic
materials, such as nylon and thermoplastic polyester.
Further, the Lomolding process has no trouble producing deep
ribs, through-holes, and surfaces with complex geometry, and it
eliminates the secondary fi nishing associated with compression
molding. Like compression molding, however, Lomolding lever-
ages the benefi ts of lower molding pressures, which permit molding
against sof skins without tearing or damaging grain, and against
polymer fabrics or natural fi ber mats without melting or burn-
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1 Lomolder machine schematic: Pellets are
introduced and metered for delivery into the
tool using two pistons instead of a screw.
2 The Lomolder injection unit, coupled to the
clamping unit.
3 The control panel allows the process to be
monitored and adjusted precisely.
4 Packing and metering pistons replace screw
and hot-runner systems on Lomolder
machine.
5 In this view, the tie bars pulled back prior to
loading the pallet tool into the press.
6 This view, with platens open, shows the core
side of tool as it is sprayed with mold release
prior to the molding cycle.
7 As the cycle ends, the platens open, and
ejector pins push the part off of the tool.
8 A robot pulls fi nished pallet from tool
(ejector pins fully out).
9 The robot lays a pallet on a conveyor to cool
as it is moved away from press.
10 Demolded pallets cool prior to packing
and shipping.
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EXHIBITS | DEMONSTRATIONS | EDUCATION | NETWORKING | BUSINESS MEETINGS | AWARDS SHOWCASE
COMPOSITES 2011 connects the entire composites industry to
provide you the broadest range of education, cutting-edge products,
and innovative processing technologies—face-to-face and under
one roof. Find the information and expertise you need to meet the
growing demand for quality, cost-effective products in multiple
end-use applications. COMPOSITES 2011 offers in-depth education
and demonstrations focusing on real world applications and
innovations.
You’re invited to connect, learn and grow with the composites
industry at COMPOSITES 2011. Plan to Attend!
Connect. Learn. Grow.
FEBRUARY 2–4, 2011
FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA
www.acmashow.org
ing. A vented tool avoids air-entrapment that can lead to part poros-
ity and dieseling (burning of plastic as heated gases become trapped
between solidifying plastic and the tool).
Lomolding diff ers from conventional injection in two respects:
LOMOLD has customized the control systems and modifi ed the
melt-delivery system. Much like bulk molding, a large piston (rath-
er than a screw) is used as a plunger to force the melt into the tool
through a single gate (up to 100 mm/3.94 inches diameter; gate size
is determined by press size rather than size of shot). T e fi ll segment
of the molding cycle is short: a 16-kg/35-lb part can be injected in 7
seconds. T at’s a rate 60 percent faster than straight injection mold-
ing. Moreover, to injection mold a comparably sized part would re-
quire a tool with hot runners and at least eight gates.
Signifi cantly, the melt is delivered at 500 to 700 bar (7,250 to
10,150 psi). T is generates far less shear and, at 1/20th the melt veloc-
ity of conventional injection, uses roughly half of the latter’s clamp
tonnage (1,800 tons vs. almost 3,600 tons). All of this helps prevent
glass breakage and reduce shear heating. T e resulting reduction in
internal part stress also lowers the risk of post-mold warpage.
T e plunger/piston face closes off the mold’s bounding wall at
the end of the stroke, sealing the tool. During pack-and-hold, a
second piston meters out the next shot, so there is no lag between
fi nished part ejection (during mold open) and setup for the next
shot (once the tool closes again). Additionally, hot runners are elim-
inated, which saves capital tooling costs and material, which oth-
erwise would be lost as sprues. Lack of sprues shortens cycle times
and eliminates post-mold sprue trimming. Plus, Du Toit says, the
long glass fi bers help conduct heat away the center of the part. Use
of a single gate reduces the number of weld lines and strengthens
the weld interface because the fast fi ll means the material is still hot
when fl ow fronts converge. T e one downside of the process, at least
from an aesthetics standpoint, is that gate vestige is far larger than
with conventional injection. T e company, however, has exploited
this as a marketing tool by putting a large “L” on the piston’s front
face, which leaves an impression in the vestige — LOMOLD Group’s
equivalent of “Intel Inside.”
Although the bulk of parts likely to run on the system will be
glass-reinforced, Du Toit says the process is equally amenable to
carbon fi ber, natural fi bers or wood fl our, because resin temperature
can be closely controlled and shear-heating of the melt at the gate
is eff ectively eliminated. T is can help processors avoid the cost of
thermal-stabilizer packages when molding with reinforcements or
resins that are temperature-sensitive.
PROOF OF CONCEPT: ONE-PIECE PALLET
Af er investing considerable time, money and eff ort developing the
Lomolding process, the company looked for a good application
to demonstrate the process’ capabilities. It settled on a composite
pallet, the veritable “holy grail” of the materials-handling industry.
Designed in-house with input from materials-handling insiders, the
one-piece, 21 percent glass-reinforced LFT PP pallet has a complex
design and ribbing pattern and is intended to solve a host of prob-
lems that long have plagued plastic/metal and composite pallets,
totes and dunnage.
T ere are many reasons why composite pallets should long ago
have replaced wood: T e generally have far more repeatable dimen-
sions than hand-built wood pallets, and because it is easy to attach
tracking devices to the plastic, they are more easily adapted to au-
tomated warehousing systems. Composite pallets weigh less than
wood pallets, reducing shipping costs for outbound and inbound
legs without exceeding legal loading limits.
Wood pallets also can harbor insects and bacteria and, there-
fore, require costly fumigation and/or heat treatment before cross-
ing international borders. Composite pallets are immune to pests,
eliminating border treatments. And composite pallets are more sus-
tainable. Typically, one large tree produces only 6.4 pallets, many
of which are used once and then burned or landfi lled. Composite
pallets off er longer service life —10 years on average vs. three to
four years for wood. Finally, they are potentially tougher and, there-
fore, less prone to breakage or other damage. T us, they require less
maintenance (reusable wood pallets spend up to 25 percent of their
service life out of circulation awaiting inspection and repairs). In the
case of pallet rental pools, there is greater use of pallets at a given
point in time, since far fewer pallets are awaiting repairs.
Racking is the most important performance requirement for pallets,
because many pallet customers use racking systems in their warehouses to
maximize fl oor usage. Racking strength indicates how much weight a pallet
can carry over time while it is supported only on its edges in a rack. In this
photo, an edge-racked LOMOLD pallet (bottom) holds (2,790 kilograms/6,151
pounds) without cracking, breaking, or taking a permanent defl ection. 44
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Despite these benefi ts and numerous attempts to introduce new
designs during the past few decades, composite pallets have failed
to penetrate deeply into the materials handling and logistics indus-
tries owing to higher cost and, in some cases, lower mechanicals.
LOMOLD believes it has addressed the cost and performance
challenges through its unique design and Lomolding materials/pro-
cess technologies. T e company’s one-piece, 122-cm by 102-cm (48-
inch by 40-inch) pallet weighs only 16 kg/35 lb and can be produced
at injection molding rates, yet off ers impact strength of 2.03 J/cm
and tensile strength of 88 MPa/13,000 psi. Further, it can bear rack-
ing loads greater than 2,750 kg/6,000 lb with defl ection of less than
10 mm/0.4 inch, and it can hold a static load greater than 10 metric
tonnes/22,000 lb. It delivers mechanical performance and service
life far superior to comparably sized/rated wood pallets that weighs
60 percent more (40 kg/88 lb).
PALLET PROCESSING STEPS
For the pallet, the Lomolding process begins like conventional injec-
tion molding. Pelletized long-glass/PP is melted and transported via
a low-shear extruder into the metering section of the unit. Here, a
metering piston pulls back to prepare a measured volume of melt,
which is then sent on to a second packing piston, which rapidly,
but with low shear, forces the melt into the tool through the unit’s
single large gate. Upon mold close, as noted earlier, it seals off the
bounding wall of the tool.
T e tool used to form LOMOLD’s one-piece pallets weighs al-
most 25 metric tonnes/55,116 lb and — with 4,382 components,
including slides, gate, shutoff , and hardware — is said to be one of
the most complex pallet molds in the world. Total cycle time is only
70 seconds. Demolded and cooled parts can be packed for shipping,
with no secondary operations required.
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Peggy Malnati covers the automotive and
infrastructure beats for CT and provides commu-
nications services for plastics- and composites-
industry clients. [email protected]
Read this article online | http://short.compositesworld.com/fXjHZ1t4.
Read more about LOMOLD Group’s 2010 JEC award | “JEC 2010 Product Showcase” | CT June 2010 (p. 20) | http://short.compositesworld.com/GvkPByej.
Rapid cycling enables production of commercial pallets priced
competitively with wood pallets on a lifecycle-cost basis but with far
more functionality. Slots for radio-frequency identifi cation (RFID)
chip can be molded into the part, allowing easy tracking of the pal-
let and its contents throughout its use-life. T e pallet is fully recy-
clable at end of life, which is estimated to be a decade or longer.
Taken together, these accomplishments earned LOMOLD
Group’s pallet top honors in the Transportation category, during
the 2010 JEC Innovation Awards competition this past April. Not
content to rest on its laurels, the LOMOLD team has developed a
second, multipiece pallet that is lighter, has higher glass loading (for
higher performance), and provides greater
functionality and cost-savings. T ese fea-
tures make it suitable for export use and for
single-ownership or pallet pools, particularly
when shipping fast-moving consumer goods
(FMCGs) — commodities that are shipped
and consumed quickly, such as food).
T e company’s fi rst pallet production
plant, in Huzhou, China, is projected to go
online fi rst quarter 2011 and will produce sin-
gle- and multipiece pallets. Additional plants
for pallets and/or LFT pellets are planned in
Malta, South Africa, and the U.S. Other proj-
ects in the offi ng include pressure vessels and auto components.
T e company has found that its Lomolder injection unit works
equally well whether receiving and injecting material from a con-
ventional single-screw extruder that is fed precompounded pellets
from a hopper, or from a twin-screw extruder coupled to an inline
compounding (D-LFT) unit. T e company, therefore, sells its Lo-
molder injection molding systems fi tted for either LFT or D-LFT,
together with pultruded LFT pellets (olefi n and engineering plas-
tics) for the system, greatly expanding the number of processors
who can take advantage of the technology. Machines for both types
are produced by Chuan Lih Fa Machinery Works Co. Ltd. (Tainan,
Taiwan). Licensing opportunities are available. Additionally, the
company is South Africa’s largest rigid-plastics recycler (providing a
source of reprocessed resin for less-critical Lomolding applications)
as well as Africa’s largest producer of rotomolding powders. | CT |
Lomolding achieves post-mold fi ber lengths that
are usually only possible in compression molding,
but can reproduce design complexity usually
restricted to injection molding. Shown here is the
glass fi ber reinforcement that remained after a
ribbed section (see inset) was subjected to a resin-
burnout test. The result (top) shows the excellent
retained glass length and high glass penetration
achieved in complex ribs, which were positioned
more than 1 m/3.3 ft from the injection gate.
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Applications
Applications
INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE Meeting requirements for interior composites
Phot
ogra
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| W
illia
m C
.K. W
ong
(use
d by
per
mis
son)In a giant leap forward for the composites
industry, the 2009 update to the Interna-
tional Code Council’s (ICC) International
Building Code (IBC) explicitly permits the
use of fi ber-reinforced polymer (FRP) in
interior and exterior building construc-
tion. For the fi rst time, FRP can compete
with traditional materials on a relatively
level standards playing fi eld. T e IBC
code requires that, for interior use, FRP
must be fi re tested and meet both fl ame-
spread and smoke-obscuration criteria,
says John Rowen of Avtec Industries
(Hudson, Mass.). IBC Chapter 8 speci-
fi es the fi re test criteria, and IBC Chapter
26 requires that FRP components carry
an ICC-sanctioned label indicating that
the material has passed the required fi re
tests. T ese labels are affi xed only when
the material is listed with an independent
product safety testing organization that
has certifi ed the fi re test results (e.g, Underwriters Laboratories,
Southwest Research Institute, Intertek). When an FRP component
bears a testing laboratory’s label, architects and professional engi-
neers may call out the credentialed FRP in construction plans.
T e critical issue, of course, is how to produce FRP parts that
can meet IBC fl ame-spread and smoke-obscuration specifi cations.
Rowen and collaborator Nicholas Dembsey of Worcester Polytech-
nic Institute’s (WPI) Department of Fire Protection Engineering
(Worcester, Mass.) have developed some specifi c recommendations
for a “systems approach,” whereby fi re spread and smoke problems
are attacked simultaneously.
First, high-viscosity commodity resins are modifi ed with specifi c
additives to reduce the propensity of the fi nished material to com-
bust. Second, a fi re-retardant-coated surfacing veil that dramatically
suppresses smoke is added to the part layup, greatly reducing fl ame
and smoke generation. Use of both strategies in concert can produce
a part that passes the IBC Chapter 8 criteria, declares Dembsey.
“Bromine has been an excellent fi re retardant,” adds Rowen, “but
it produces a lot of acrid black smoke, so bromine additives can’t pass
the smoke obscuration criterion.” Under the new systems approach,
one should start with an economical commodity resin in which the
styrene content has been reduced to less than 27 percent. Methyl
methacrylate (MMA) should be added to reduce resin viscosity so it
will accept a high loading of aluminum trihydrate (ATH), anywhere
from 25 to 150 parts per hundred parts of resin. To accommodate
the high ATH fi ller loading, a fi re-retardant liquid-phosphorus
plasticizer, such as that manufactured by Supresta (Ardsley, N.Y.),
can be added to reduce resin viscosity.
Rowen and Dembsey stress that the ratio of resin to fi ber in the
part should be reduced as much as possible because more reinforce-
ment means less resin to fuel the fi re. T e glass content should be
38 percent or more, says Rowen. “Composite parts with less than
38 percent glass,” he explains, “are unlikely to pass the IBC tests, re-
gardless of how the resin is modifi ed.” He adds that typical chopped
strand mats should be avoided because they absorb a dispropor-
tionate quantity of resin. Woven materials, new high-density mats
or stitched woven roving mats should be substituted.
T e second step, the addition of an intumescent surface veil at
the part surface or just beneath the gel coat or painted surface, slows
burning and subsequent smoke generation, says Rowen. Avtec’s
FireWall veil, Technical Fibre Products Inc.’s (Newburgh, N.Y.)
TechnoFire and Regina Glass Fibre Tissue and Veil’s (Ballarat, Vic-
toria, Australia) FireShield are three available products. T e Avtec
veil provides not only the additional protection of an intumescent
additive, which forms an insulating char barrier layer, but it can,
depending on part design, enable a Class A surface as well.
Rowen and Dembsey have extensively tested their fi reworthy de-
sign thesis. A composite test panel constructed in accordance with
the systems approach was tested for fi re and smoke production, per
ASTM E84, “Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Character-
istics of Building Materials” (also called NFPA 255 and UL 723). T e
E84 test is of en referred to as the “tunnel test,” and it measures fl ame
propagation and smoke obscuration as compared to a sample of red
oak fl ooring. T e test panel produced almost no smoke and posted
a remarkable fl ame spread index (FSI) of 20 and a smoke developed
index (SDI) of 125, a vast improvement over a typical composite
part. T e use of this approach for composite building and construc-
tion elements should help FRP materials gain wider acceptance with
architects and engineers. Complete details of the test program can be
found at www.avtecindustries.com/news.html. | CT |
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New Products
Bio-fi ber composite makes debut
Thermoplastics compounder RheTech Inc. (Whitmore Lake, Mich.) has
launched a new bio-composite material called RheVision, a sustainable
alternative to traditional mineral- or glass-reinforced polypropylene. Rhe-
Vision uses bio-fi bers from waste materials (initially wood fi ber, fl ax fi ber
and rice hulls) to produce materials for use in automotive, consumer and
construction applications. The resin can be molded or extruded and report-
edly is easily colored. www.rhetech.com
ProductsNEW
Unsaturated polyester for wind blades
DSM Composite Resins (Schaffhausen, Switzerland) has developed Syn-
olite 1790-G-3, an unsaturated polyester resin system specifi cally formu-
lated for wind turbine blade applications. The new high-performance resin
reportedly was developed and tested in cooperation with wind industry
manufacturers. The low-viscosity resin system is designed for vacuum infu-
sion and is said to offer a range of performance improvements over other
commonly used unsaturated polyester and epoxy resin solutions. Reported
benefi ts include better wetout, room temperature cure with no necessity
for postcure, very low exotherm and fast through-cure in thin-laminate
parts. The new specialty resin is commercially available and will be pro-
duced in China and Europe. www.dsmcompositeresins.com
Mineral-fi lled liquid crystal polymer
Ticona Engineering Polymers (Florence, Ky. and Kelsterbach, Germany)
has added a new material to its family of inherently fl ame-resistant liquid
crystal polymers (LCP). Vectra T. rex LCP is designed for thermal forming
processes and offers high dimensional stability, good high-temperature per-
formance and chemical resistance. The material’s high melt viscosity and
melt strength make it well suited for extrusion and thermoforming. Initially,
the company is offering a 40 percent mineral-fi lled grade, Vectra T. rex 541,
which provides impact and notched-impact strengths that, the company re-
ports, are signifi cantly higher than those of other mineral-fi lled grades. Oth-
er benefi ts include a heat defl ection temperature (HDT) of 245°C/473°F, 20
percent improvement in impact performance vs. standard 40 percent min-
eral-fi lled LCP and melt viscosity up to three times greater than standard
40 percent mineral-fi lled LCP. Target applications include medical trays and
equipment, aircraft interiors (good fl ame/smoke/toxicity data has been re-
ported) and semiconductor chip carriers. www.ticona.com
Graphene oxide platelets
Nanographene platelet (NGP) manufacturer Angstron Materials Inc.
(Dayton, Ohio) has introduced a new high-quality graphene oxide product
that is available in a 0.5 percent water or solvent dispersion for processing
fl exibility. The single-layer graphene, with a thickness about 50,000 times
smaller than the diameter of a human hair (17 microns), is said to be the
thinnest, toughest material known. This single-layer graphene oxide is 0.34
to 1.0 nm thick and nearly transparent under visible light, making it suitable
for use in transparent coatings. It can be used to improve thermal, electrical
and mechanical properties of polymers and composites. It also enhances en-
ergy and power density in batteries and supercapacitors, enabling a higher
charge storage capacity. Its average x, y dimension, based on light scatter-
ing, is 530 nm. Element analysis shows that its oxygen content is up to 46
percent. The new platelets are in stock and next-day delivery is available.
www.angstronmaterials.com
CNTs in thermoplastic concentrates
Carbon nanotube (CNT) manufacturer Nanocyl (Sambreville, Belgium)
has expanded its line of masterbatches that feature its highly conduc-
tive NC7000 CNTs. PLASTICYL thermoplastic concentrates now include
new masterbatches for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and poly-
etherehterketone (PEEK) resins, along with proven masterbatches for
polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyamide, high- and low-density poly-
ethylene (HDPE and LDPE) and polybutylene terephthalate resins. When
incorporated into TPU or HDPE, the CNTs reportedly help produce more
durable materials that have a smoother surface and a greater resistance
to chemicals, abrasion and heat. The product also offers good conductivity
when integrated into elastomers, and it signifi cantly enhances the me-
chanical properties and durability in O-rings, conveyor belts and timing
belts. www.nanocyl.com
Turnkey infusion molding system
Magnum Venus Plastech (Kent, Wash.) has introduced their Flex Mold-
ing Process, a system that consists of injection systems, accessories and
seals designed to optimize infusion with a better control of production.
It eliminates large resin reservoirs and the need to premix resin, and it
reduces the use of consumable tubing and fi ttings by using a mix/meter
infusion system that provides a direct feed to the infusion membrane. Pre-
cision is enhanced by new accessories, including the Pneumatic Pressure
Vacuum Sensor (PPVS-Infusion) and the infusion-specifi c Turbo Autosprue
(TAS-14). Other features include a new “lockable” reusable bag mem-
brane, large-bore feed pipes that reduce costs and consumable waste, Uni-
versal Membrane Fittings that provide a secure connection for the valves
and a training package that covers the process, accessories and systems.
www.mvpind.com
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Injection-molded composite sheet
Injection molding machine manufacturer ENGEL (Schwertberg, Austria)
exhibited a new composite product, developed using carbon and glass fi -
ber sheets supplied by Bond-Laminates (Brilon, Germany), at the K 2010
plastics show in Düsseldorf, Germany (Oct. 27-Nov. 3). Designed to replace
metallic products in automotive applications, the organic composite sheets
were produced live at the show on an ENGEL duo 2050/500 injection mold-
ing machine. A polyamide (PA) thermoplastic resin was injected onto and
around sheets of glass fi ber or carbon fi ber. The system also allows for the
injection of polypropylene (PP). Tooling for the demonstration product at
the show — an automobile steering column — was provided by moldmak-
er Siebenwurst (Zwickau, Germany). www.engelglobal.com | www.
bond-laminates.com | www.siebenwurst-wzb.de
Continuous fi ber-reinforced polyamides
Rhodia (Paris, France) has introduced Evolite by Technyl, a product line
of continuous fi ber-reinforced polyamides for transportation and indus-
trial and consumer applications, including transport seating, car bumper
beams and front-end structures, racing bicycle frames, window frames
and tanks. The material features what the company says is the lowest
viscosity of any polyamide, which allows fi ber volume fractions as high
as 62 percent. Available as recyclable prepreg fabrics or consolidated
plates, Evolite can be made of glass, carbon and other continuous fi bers.
www.rhodia.com
Long-fi ber thermoplastic compound
PolyOne Corp.’s (Avon Lake, Ohio) new OnForce LFT long-fi ber thermoplas-
tic compounds are optimized for surface fi nish, stiffness and impact strength,
and are said to offer higher performance and better aesthetics than similar
products in applications that involve metal replacement and structural ele-
ments. They retain properties across a wide temperature range, from -20°C
to 160°C (-4°F to 320°F). Benefi ts include better high chemical, creep and
fatigue resistance and dimensional stability than
highly fi lled short-fi ber products and other long-
fi ber thermoplastics. The compounds are currently
available in a range of base polymer/reinforce-
ment combinations, including polypropylene,
polyamide 6.6, and thermoplastic polyurethane.
www.polyone.com
New aramid for armor
DuPont (Wilmington, Del.) has launched Kevlar
XP for hard armor applications. Initially targeted
to military and police helmets and tactical plates
used in ballistic protective vests, the material is
said to offer 20 percent greater ballistic perfor-
mance and increased protection, without sacri-
fi cing other performance requirements. For the
U.S. military‘s Advanced Combat Helmet, which
weighs almost 4 lb/1.8 kg, it reduces weight by
0.5 lb/0.23 kg. The new product combines Kev-
lar KM2 Plus fi ber and a new thermoplastic resin
that improves upon the original Kevlar technolo-
gy. Kevlar KM2 Plus will be produced at DuPont’s
new $500 million Kevlar facility under construc-
tion near Charleston, S.C. The site is expected to
be fully operational by the beginning of 2012 and
will help increase worldwide production of Kevlar
by 25 percent. www.kevlar.com
Wind blade repair system
Gurit’s (Zurich, Switzerland) new, trademarked RENUVO wind blade repair
system is designed to address many of the practical issues that have pre-
vented more effective and expedient maintenance programs. The system
reportedly provides the option to create a wider weather window for repair,
with a working temperature range starting at 5°C/41°F, and it is designed
to reduce structural repair time by 50 percent. Its low-odor, zero-VOC (sty-
rene- and amine-free), UV-curable resin systems prevents these problems.
Summer and winter grades of RENUVO MPS (Multi-Purpose System) and
RENUVO PP (Prepreg) are available to cope with most conditions, making
the system compatible with prepreg, epoxy infusion and polyester infusion
molding methods. The repair system includes RENUVO Lamp Technology
(available in “spot” lamp format and in a high-intensity confi guration) that
enables technicians to expose laminate patches to UV light and cure the
matrix in minutes, without the need for a postcure. Gurit says Germanischer
Lloyd (GL) certifi cation is pending. www.gurit.com
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New Products
Postprocessor upgraded for CATIA
Numerical Control Computer Sciences (NCCS, Irvine, Calif.) reports
that the latest version of its postprocessor, PostWorks, can be integrated to
run within CATIA V5. A universal postprocessor that can generate precise
NC code for a variety of machine makes, the program supports mills, lathes
and multitasking machining centers. In addition, the software is compat-
ible with several brands of CNC controls, including Heidenhain, Siemens
and Fanuc. PostWorks can convert complex 5-axis tool paths to NC code
and features a look-ahead function that automatically reduces excessive
rotary axis movement and prevents potential machine over-travel. Optional
features include software that simulates the material removal process and
machine movement while performing interference checking between all
relevant components of the machining environ-
ment. Besides CATIA, PostWorks is compatible
with NCL, UG and Mastercam. www.nccs.com
Multipurpose core fabric
Formax (Narborough, U.K.) launched its Mul-
tiCore product at the Composites Europe 2010
show (Sept. 14-16 in Essen, Germany). A multi-
purpose core fabric for the marine, automotive,
industrial and construction markets, the product
is a range of stitched fabrics that combine lay-
ers of reinforcement with infusible core materi-
als. The reported benefi ts include optimized resin
fl ow that enables controlled usage; high drapabil-
ity that allows for complex mold forms; uniform
and consistent behavior in the vacuum process;
and high-quality surface fi nishes. It reportedly can
be adapted to maximize performance for any ap-
plication with a choice of core materials, densities
and thicknesses. The reinforcements, offered on
either side of the core, include standard chopped
mats or continuous fi lament mats. The com-
pany’s multiaxial fabrics can be integrated with
the core fabric in the laminate design to provide
directional reinforcement and optimize strength.
www.formax.co.uk
Pourable high-temp foam core
Stepan Co.’s (Northfi eld, Ill.) newest STEPANFOAM pourable urethane
foam is a polyurethane/polyisocyanurate hybrid that reportedly combines
excellent fl ow capabilities with the ability to withstand temperatures of
at least 200°C/392°F in resin transfer molding (RTM) and autoclave cure
processes. In a thermogravimetric analysis conducted by the company to
determine the foam’s percent weight loss as the temperature increased,
polyurethane (PUR), polyisocyanurate (PIR), polymethacrylimide (PMI) and
the new HTC foams were compared. Weight data (measured as a percent-
age of weight) was collected as a function of temperature. As expected, the
polyurethane foam showed the fi rst signs of degradation as the temperature
increased, followed by the polyisocyanurate foam. From 200°C/392°F to
325°C/617°F, the HTC foam also outperformed the polymethacrylimide foam.
www.stepan.com
Ignition-resistant polymer coating
Industrial Technology Research Institute’s (Hsinchu, Taiwan) Reddex,
a non-toxic, fi re-resistant material, offers ignition resistance and fi re pro-
tection in one system. This inorganic polymer can be applied as a paint
and chars and burns, eventually converting into a bound inorganic porous
structure with low thermal conductivity, thereby insulating the structure
The formulation contains no halogen, sulfur or phosphor components. The
material will be tested in the U.S. within one year and ITRI expects it to be
globally commercialized within three years. www.itri.org.tw
Calendar
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Calendar
DEC
Dec. 7-9, 2010 Carbon Fiber 2010
La Jolla, Calif. | www.compositesworld.
com/conferences/carbon-fi ber-2010
Dec. 27-30, 2010 2nd Int’l Conference on Composites
Kish Island, Iran | http://ccfa.iust.ac.ir
Feb. 1-2, 2011 2nd Annual Offshore Wind Power USA
Boston, Mass. www.greenconferences.com
Feb. 2-4, 2011 COMPOSITES 2011
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | www.acmashow.org
Feb.16-18, 2011 Nano Tech 2011 International
Nanotechnology Exhibition
and Conference
Tokyo, Japan | www.nanotechexpo.jp/en/
FEB
Mar. 1-3, 2011 4th International Composite-Expo 2011
Moscow, Russia | www.mirexpo.ru/eng/
exhibitions/composite11.shtml
Mar. 7-9, 2011 25th Annual Commercial Aviation
Industry Suppliers Conference
Beverly Hills, Calif. | www.speednews.com
Mar. 15-17, 2011 Techtextil North America
Las Vegas, Nev. | www.techtextilNA.com
Mar. 22-24, 2011 ICMAC, the International Conference on
Manufacturing of Advanced Composites
Belfast, U.K. | www.iom3.org/events/
icmac2011
Mar. 29-31, 2011 JEC Composites Show 2011
Paris, France | www.jeccomposites.com
MA
R
April 5-7, 2011 AeroDef Manufacturing
Anaheim, Calif. | www.aerodefevent.com
April 12-14, Composites Manufacturing 2011
2011 Dayton, Ohio | www.sme.org/compositesAPRIL
May 16-18, 11th Int’l Conference on Wood and
2011 Biofi ber Plastic Composites
Madison, Wis. |www.woodandbio
fi bercomposites.org
May 22-25, Windpower 2011
2011 Anaheim, Calif. | www.windpowerexpo.org
May 23-26, SAMPE 2011
2011 Long Beach, Calif. | www.sampe.org
MAY
June 9-10, 2011 Composites in Fire
Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. |
www.compositesinfi re.com
June 20-26, 2011 International Paris Air Show
Le Bourget, France | www.paris-air-show.com
JU
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Showcase
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Showcase
Product & LiteratureSHOWCASE
Tel: 253-473-5000Fax: 253-473-5104generalplastics.gocomp.biz/26
Manufacturers and molders of
LAST-A-FOAM® high-density rigid
and flexible polyurethane foams,
fabricators of foam and plastics for
aircraft, aerospace, defense, industrial,
construction, nuclear shipping, marine,
and design modeling applications.
General Plastics Manufacturing Co.
PERFORMANCE PTFE RELEASE AGENTS/DRY LUBRICANTS FOR COMPOSITESPTFE Release Agents provide a superior release forcomposite molding and fabrication. These products aredesigned to give multiple releases between applica-tions. They have no discernible transfer, no migrationand contain no silicones. We offer a complete line ofEPONTM epoxy resins/curing agents as well as chillersfor composite forming.
For technical information and sample, call 203 743-4447
MILLER-STEPHENSON CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC.
California – Illinois – Connecticut – Canadaemail: [email protected]
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come to expect from
CompositesWorld
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2011 HIGH-PERFORMANCE FIBERSNovember 9-10 — Embassy Suites, Charleston, SC
2011 CARBON FIBERDecember 5-7 — Washington Marriott, Washington, DC
2011 INVESTMENT FORUMOctober 17-18 — Embassy Suites, Ft. Worth, TX
2011 HIGH-PERFORMANCE RESINSDate and location to be detemined.
2011 WIND & OCEAN ENERGY SEMINARApril 13-14 — Wyndham Portland Airport, Portland, ME
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
www.compositesworld.com/conferences
Join us for the
CompositesWorld Conferences 2011 Series
Marketplace
Marketplace
52
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Available in various temperature ranges
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Manufactured by:
MANUFACTURING SUPPLIES |TOOLING SERVICES/SUPPLIES |
Design, Development,
and Testing of
Composites for
Marine, Military, and
Commercial Applications
7705 Technology Drive Tel (321) 951-9464
W. Melbourne, FL 32904-1576 Fax (321) 728-9071
www.structuralcomposites.com
Structural Composites, Inc.
www.forcomposites.comComposites Industry Recruiting and Placement
COMPOSITES SOURCES14726 Avalon Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Phone (225) 273-4001 • Fax (225) 275-5807
Email: [email protected]
The Companies of North CoastCOMMITTED TO ADVANCING THE COMPOSITE INDUSTRY
www.nctm.com www.northcoastcomposites.com
Phone (216) 398-8550
CUSTOM FABRICATION |
To Advertise in the
Composites Technology
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contact Becky Helton
513.527.8800 x224
Workholding Solutions for Metal, Composites, Ceramic and Glass.
800-810-2482 • www.northfield.com
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Employees sought - part-time
account representatives, sales
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required. If you are interested or
would like further information,
please contact:
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Ad Index
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
A&P Technology Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Abaris Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Ahlstrom Specialty Reinforcement Bishopville . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
American Composites Manufacturers Assn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
AOC LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Ashland Performance Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
CCP-Cook Composites & Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Composites One LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 25
De-Comp Composites Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Duraplate Products Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Elliott Co. of Indianapolis Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48, 49
Flow International Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
General Plastics Manufacturing Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover
Gerber Technology Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Henkel Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 9, 11
Hexion Specialty Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Interplastic Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
LAP Laser LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
LMT Onsrud LP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Lord Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
McLube . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Mektech Composites Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Nida-Core Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
North Coast Composites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Precision Quincy Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Pro-Set Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Saertex USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Cover
SPE Automotive Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Superior Tool Service, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Technical Fibre Products Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Vestas Wind Systems A/S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Wisconsin Oven Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover
Wyoming Test Fixtures Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
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Engineering Insights
54
D
70% FIBER
VOLUME?
Double-baginfusion
ouble vacuum bagging was fi rst used in the 1980s to reduce
porosity and increase mechanical properties in prepreg and
wet-layup composite repairs. More recently, NASA and T e
Boeing Co. (Seattle, Wash.) applied its basic principles to vaccum-
assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) and infusion, achieving
aerospace-quality composites out of the autoclave. Unaware of the
NASA and Boeing eff orts, Russell Emanis tried double bagging
with resin infusion more than 15 years ago. Excited by the results,
this former composite process manager on Lockheed Martin Aero-
nautics’ (Forth Worth, Texas) F-22 program and now district sales
manager for JB Martin (St. Jean Sur Richelieu, Quebec, Canada),
developed his own process and subsequently recommended it to a
variety of companies, including SYBO Composites (St. Augustine,
Fla.) and Air Command International (Caddo Mills, Texas). Each
reports that the process has achieved lighter but stronger parts.
DOUBLE BAGGING DEFINED
T e basic technique is to apply two discrete vacuum bags, an inner
bag, next to the laminate, and an outer bag, which is sealed to the
tool outside of the sealed inner bag perimeter. From there, however,
the technique’s details and explanations of why it works diff er with
almost everyone who uses it. T e most successful applications use
what Emanis calls a venting layer to separate the inner and outer
vacuum bags, “Otherwise,” he explains, “they will suck down
together and act as one bag.” But the means to do so range from
a solid tool (caul plate) to fl exible material (breather cloth, fl ow
media or noncrimp fabric). Practitioners also diff er about when
and how much vacuum to apply to each bag, but Emanis believes it
is essential to split the two main vacuum functions, assigning vola-
tiles extraction (removal of entrapped air, ambient moisture and/or
solvents) to the inner bag and then using the outer bag for compac-
tion. All who use the process agree it improves volatiles extraction
and compaction, and they report lower void content and higher
fi ber volume.
GRASS ROOTS DOUBLE-BAG INFUSION
Emanis’ double-bag technique was developed while he worked to
mitigate infusion’s high labor cost at Lockheed Martin. Emanis
fi rst took infusion in this direction when he tried to help his wife’s
company make small composite dishes for satellite TV applica-
tions. “We were pursuing an RTM Light type of process that was
tight enough to give us the stiff ness and cost we needed,” Emanis
explains. He tried placing dissolving resin bags — small polystyrene
fi lm bags fi lled with resin — into deep draw corners with bagging
fi lm on top, to act as pressure concentrators. Once the resin was
fed in during infusion, the bags would dissolve and the extra resin
was there to wet out the problem areas, but Emanis still could not
generate enough consolidation. A second bag enabled him to apply
the pressure he had been seeking and squeeze resin out from the
laminate under the inner vacuum bag.
Emanis’ process is unique, however, in that he applies two discrete
vacuum pressures: T e inner bag pressure is set for the optimum resin
fl ow, given the materials and infusion setup. Vacuum pressure in the
outer bag is defi ned to achieve desired fi ber volume and is applied
only af er the laminate is completely infused. At this point, the resin
feed valve is closed and Emanis opens a valve installed in front of the
resin feed shutoff , giving the resin two out-fl ow paths (from the resin
inlet and the vacuum inlet with catch pots) as the outer bag applies
A double vacuum-bag system and tight process control enable repeatable fi ber
volumes of 60 to 70 percent and improve the consistency of infused laminates.
SYBO Composites uses double-bagged infusion for the Islamorada 18’
fl ats fi shing boat because it enabled production of an extremely lightweight
260-lb/118-kg hull, which enables owners to fi sh in shallower waters.
Sour
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compaction pressure. Emanis says this setup consistently achieves
close to 70 percent fi ber volume (see “Learn More.”).
LIGHTER, STRONGER, CHEAPER
On a recent composite box structure for a military application,
Doug Smith, founder and owner of Air Command International
(ACI), says double-bag infusion enabled ACI “to beat our custom-
er’s weight specifi cation by almost 50 percent while still meeting
strength and rigidity requirements.” ACI’s part weighs 6.4 lb/2.9 kg
vs. the customer’s request for 11.6 lb/5.3kg. T e box uses JB Martin
6-oz/yd2 (203 g/m2) carbon fi ber 2x2 twill, 6-oz/yd2 3K carbon fi ber
plain weave, and 3oz/yd2 (102 g/m2) fabric made from Innegra fi ber
(Innegrity, Simpsonville, S.C.) on either side of a closed-cell foam
core with fl ow media next to the Innegra on the tool-side skin.
ACI infuses this sandwich with a newly developed 4505 toughened
epoxy ambient-cure infusion resin from Endurance Technologies
(St. Paul, Minn.). T e box passed empty and weighted drop tests.
In the latter, a 35 lb/16 kg weight was placed in the box and it was
dropped 48 inches/1.2m. T e box survived undamaged.
Smith comments that double-bag infusion enables a higher fi -
ber-to-resin ratio. “We did a lot of our own testing in-house,” he
explains, “to develop our own process method that works best for
us.” Additionally, trial runs defi ned exactly how much resin is need-
ed, and reduced the amount of resin used in production, avoiding
wasteful overages.
Most of the parts ACI makes are small, under 4-f by 8-f (1.2m
by 2.4m) in size, but the process also handles ultra lightweight
18-f /5.5m hulls that SYBO Composites manufactures for Chittum
Skiff s’ (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Islamorada fl ats boat. At one time, the
hulls were infused with a single vacuum bag, but SYBO switched
to double bagging, says CEO Dana Greenwood, because “the more
weight we take out of the structure, the less draf the boat has, which
enables it to go into shallower water and access fi sh others can’t.”
SYBO started with a hull that weighed 320 lb/145 kg and dropped
that to 280 lb/127 kg by optimizing core and other materials. “Dou-
ble bagging enabled us to reach 260 lb /118kg without having to take
materials out that we need for performance,” Greenwood claims.
SYBO notes one additional benefi t. “For us, the ability to put an
intensifi er where the bag is not compacting the laminate suffi ciently
is key.” Intensifi ers are silicone rubber inserts placed between the
inner and outer vacuum bag in areas where resin tends to pool or
where the bag tends to bridge (see drawing, this page). SYBO uses
ENGINEERING CHALLENGE:
Develop a method for vacuum infusing a laminate that increases
its strength but reduces its weight by simultaneously reducing the
laminate’s void content and increasing its fi ber volume beyond that
possible with conventional vacuum-bagging regimes.
DESIGN SOLUTION:
The double-bag infusion technique, which splits the two main vacuum
functions, assigning volatiles extraction (removal of entrapped air,
ambient moisture and/or solvents) to the inner bag and then using
the outer bag for compaction.
Illustration | Karl Reque
Vacuum Resin feedBag-separation media: Breather and/or wire screen
Vacuum
Intensifi er (helps eliminate bridging)
Resin feed
Spiral wrap
Inner bag seal
Outer bag seal (at mold periphery)
Overlapped peel ply accounts for expansion
induced by intensifi er
Excess resin, due to bridging
Part layup
MOLD TOOL
Optional breather/fl ow
media
Peel plyTacky tape
Inner bag
Outer bag
Peel ply
SYBO COMPOSITES’ DOUBLE-BAG INFUSION PROCESS
(Bagging design includes intensifi er)
Spiral wrap
CO
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Engineering Insights
56
Read this article online | http://short.compositesworld.com/SpGmPFm9.
Read the full results of Russell Emanis’ side-by-side double-bag infusion
test | http://short.compositesworld.com/gviPUXrX.
Read more about vacuum control | http://short.compositesworld.com/
CUzqBZ7Q | http://short.compositesworld.com/BR0GsK6J.
Read a detailed backgrounder on double-bagging developments since the
1980s | http://short.compositesworld.com/gNwNt7sV.
Contributing Writer
Ginger Gardiner is a freelance writer
and regular CT contributor based in
Washington, N.C.
Big Blue L-100 vacuum bag fi lm from Airtech (Huntington Beach,
Calif.), which has more than 350 percent elongation and the extra
toughness necessary in large infusion projects.
SYBO also uses Ashland’s (Columbus, Ohio) AME 6001 vinyl
ester infusion resin as well as epoxy infusion resins from Endurance
Technologies and engineered fabrics from JB Martin and Owens
Corning Composite Materials (Toledo, Ohio). Greenwood cautions,
“We stay under 19 in. Hg vacuum pressure … to avoid resin outgas-
sing.” He has found that highly styrenated infusion resins tend to
“boil” at around that pressure. “It looks like you have a leak in the
bag,” says Greenwood, “but, of course, that’s not the problem at all.”
Lower vacuum pressure during infusion reduces the propensity for
problems. “Your goal with vacuum pressure in the inner bag is really
only to pull resin through the laminate and achieve wet out,” says
Emanis. “Using a second bag to achieve compaction reduces the risk
for moving materials around and vaporizing your resin.”
DOUBLE BAGGING SOLVES PROBLEMS
A typical double-bag infusion for a 20-f boat hull starts at the keel
and fl ows outward, using vertical feed lines to achieve wet-out to
the top edges. “Of en you end up with a resin-rich laminate lower
in the boat and a drier laminate as you move up the hull sides,” says
Emanis. Similarly, there is a change from vacuum pressure to hydro-
static pressure on the fi bers as the resin front moves forward. He
illustrates, “If you take a fl at piece of plate glass with fi ber under
vacuum on top of it, and you measure the thickness of the fi berglass
before and af er the resin fl ow front, you will see that it is thicker
behind because there is no vacuum pressure lef there to hold it
down.” Emanis asserts that even with full vacuum, the pressure
diff erence in the bag could be 15 in. Hg over 4 f /1.2m. In other
words, the pressure in the bag drops even when the vacuum gauge
at the pump reads 29 to 30 in. Hg. Emanis believes double bagging
overcomes this because there are no eff ects from fl uid dynamics in
the outer bag; it acts purely to achieve compaction, pushing the inner
bag down. T e outer bag enables a positive pressure not possible in
the inner bag and, Emanis contends, is also the cheapest insurance
against a blown bag and laminate inconsistency.
PROCESS CONTROL REQUIRED
Emanis points out that those who use the process must be attentive
to infusion process and environmental variables. Few processors, he
observes, recognize that a change in barometric pressure can vary
infusion results. T e key is to identify the average barometric pres-
sure for a given climate and geographic location, and account for
it when specifying a part’s materials and process. Emanis explains,
“If your part requires a 980 mbar [28.9 in. Hg] pressure to achieve
the specifi ed fi ber volume, and you know the average pressure is 965
mbar [28.5 in. Hg] where you are operating, you’re probably not going
to hit your specifi cation consistently.” Further, measuring the diff er-
ence in vacuum is not possible with typical vacuum gauges. Emanis
uses an absolute pressure gauge, which measures the exact pressure
in mbars and to within 0.001 in. Hg. (See “Learn More.”) Unlike dial-
type vacuum gauges, absolute gauges are unvented (venting report-
edly introduces errors) and incur no delay, providing a more accurate
understanding of pressure-change dynamics. Emanis notes, “I can
repeat a particular laminate time and time again, consistently.”
Likewise, changes in ambient temperature and moisture and any
diff erences between resin and tool temperatures will change the res-
in fl ow profi le, making it impossible to replicate results consistently.
Stored core and reinforcement materials must be protected against
ambient moisture absorption and/or dried before infusion to avoid
outgassing during infusion and cure, which causes voids. Even light
can elevate temperature, if only a little, causing resin to react more
quickly. According to Emanis, “If you test panels … in a very well lit
lab and then move to a dimly lit open shop to run the full infusion,
you won’t get the results you tested for.” | CT |
An Islamorada 18’ fl ats boat hull, with inner bag
vacuum infusion setup in place, in preparation for
double-bag infusion.
The Islamorada hull, after placement of the
outer bag, is ready for application of discrete
vacuum pressure to each bag.
This close-up of a vacuum line for outer bag
shows how it is sealed where it exits to its vacuum
source.
Sour
ce |
SYBO
Com
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