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(c) AZL Aachen GmbH
04.03.2019

AZL demonstrates new Ultra-Fast Consolidator Machine at JEC World in Paris

After many years of successful cooperation on JEC World since 2015, the Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Production (AZL) renewed the cooperation with the JEC Group for 2019:

At the dedicated exhibition area called “Composites in Action - JEC Group in partnership with AZL” (Hall 5A, D17), AZL and its 9 Partner Institutes of RWTH Aachen University present their latest research and development results. The innovations covering the whole composite value chain including research results of AZL, Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT and Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and the Skilled Crafts as well as RWTH Aachen University institutes including the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL), the Welding and Joining Institute (ISF), the “Institut für Textiltechnik” (ITA), the Institute for Automotive Engineering (IKA), the Institute of Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Design (SLA). Following companies are sponsoring partners of this booth and will present their latest products and services: Hille Engineering, Maru Hachi, TELENE and Textechno.

After many years of successful cooperation on JEC World since 2015, the Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Production (AZL) renewed the cooperation with the JEC Group for 2019:

At the dedicated exhibition area called “Composites in Action - JEC Group in partnership with AZL” (Hall 5A, D17), AZL and its 9 Partner Institutes of RWTH Aachen University present their latest research and development results. The innovations covering the whole composite value chain including research results of AZL, Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT and Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and the Skilled Crafts as well as RWTH Aachen University institutes including the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL), the Welding and Joining Institute (ISF), the “Institut für Textiltechnik” (ITA), the Institute for Automotive Engineering (IKA), the Institute of Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Design (SLA). Following companies are sponsoring partners of this booth and will present their latest products and services: Hille Engineering, Maru Hachi, TELENE and Textechno.

This year, AZL is very proud to present a new machine system development at their booth:
The real machine setup of the “Ultra-Fast Consolidator Machine” will be shown at the AZL booth (Hall 5A, D17) which is one of three finalists for the JEC AWARD 2019 in the category “Industry and Equipment”.

More information:
SMC, AZL, RWTH Aachen AZL
Source:

AZL Aachen GmbH

Bushing heated via induction of the novel glass fibre production line (c) ITA
Bushing heated via induction of the novel glass fibre production line
21.02.2019

ITA at JEC World 2019: newly constructed induction heated glass fibre production line among other exhibits

At the joint stand of the Aachen Centre for Integrative Lightweight Construction (AZL) in Hall 5A, booth D17, the Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University (ITA) will demonstrate its expertise in the field of glass fibres, preforms and textile concrete 12-14 March 2019 in Paris.
The exhibits come from various fields of application and address the automotive, aerospace and mechanical engineering sectors.

At the joint stand of the Aachen Centre for Integrative Lightweight Construction (AZL) in Hall 5A, booth D17, the Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University (ITA) will demonstrate its expertise in the field of glass fibres, preforms and textile concrete 12-14 March 2019 in Paris.
The exhibits come from various fields of application and address the automotive, aerospace and mechanical engineering sectors.

  1. Innovative glass fibre research at ITA
    The newly constructed induction heated glass fibre production line enables increased flexibility in research. For the first time, glass fibres will be produced live at the ITA booth at JEC World. One of the innovations of the system is the inductively heated bushing. It features a flexible design and consists of a platinum/rhodium alloy (Pt/Rh20) for use in high-temperature glasses.
    The glass fibre production line was designed in such a way that new concepts and ideas can be tested quickly. The modular design allows a high flexibility, the induction system a significantly faster operability.
    Research and development projects can therefore be carried out faster and more cost-effectively.
     
  2. DrapeCube - Forming of textile semi-finished products
    The DrapeCube offers a cost-effective design for the production of fibre preforms from textile semi-finished products. It is used in the production of preforms for prototypes and in small series and is suit-able for companies active in the production of fibre-reinforced plas-tics (FRP).
    In the production of FRP components, the preforming process de-fines a large part of the subsequent component costs. In small- and medium-sized enterprises, this process step is often still carried out manually. This results in high quality fluctuations and component prices. Especially in the case of highly stressed structural components, the fluctuation in quality leads to oversizing of the components.
    Thus, the lightweight construction potential of fiber-reinforced plastics is underused. One solution is offered by the stamp forming process adapted from the sheet metal forming industry for shaping rein-forcing textiles. The textile is inserted between two mould halves (male and female) and automatically formed. Due to high plant and tooling costs, this process is used almost exclusively in large-scale production.
    The ITA has developed the DrapeCube forming station which offers a cost-effective alternative and is able to completely reproduce the current state of the art for forming textile half branches. The process steps will be demonstrated in a video at the booth.
     
  3. Carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) preform
    The CFRP preform consists of carbon multiaxial fabrics formed by expanded polystyrene (EPS) to optimise draping quality. Preforms of increased quality can be produced by gentle, textile-compatible forming with foam expansion. For the first time, foam expansion was used to form preforms in such a way that the draping quality is improved compared to classic stamp forming.
    The advantages of the CFRP preform lie in the savings in plant costs, as the investment is much lower. In addition, the proportion of waste is reduced because near-net-shape production is possible. In addition, rejects are reduced, as fewer faults occur in the textile.
     
  4. Embroidered preform with integrated metal insert
    The 12k carbon fibre rovings are shaped into a preform using Tai-lored Fibre Placement (TFP) which is a technical embroidery pro-cess. For the further layer build-up, a fastener is not only integrated under the roving layers but also fixed by additional loops. The highly integrative preforming approach offers the possibility of reducing weight and process steps as well as increasing mechanical perfor-mance.
    Until now, inserts were glued or holes had to be drilled in the com-ponent. Bonded fasteners are limited by the adhesive surface. The bonding of fasteners into drilled holes results in high drill abrasion and thus high tool wear.
    The advantages of the embroidered preform with integrated metal fasteners are the reduction of scrap due to TFP preforming and the increase in the specific pull-out force. In addition, it is possible to automatize the production of integrative preforms. This makes the preform with integrated metal fasteners interesting for the automotive and aerospace industries.
Source:

Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University

Final report Heimtextil 2019 (c) Messe Frankfurt
11.01.2019

Heimtextil 2019: A lively start to the new furnishing season gives hope for a good business year ahead

The international home textiles industry has enjoyed a promising start at Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main, which finished Friday, 11 January. The challenging economic situation and uncertainty in the retail sector were countered by a positive and confident mood at the world’s leading trade fair.

The international home textiles industry has enjoyed a promising start at Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main, which finished Friday, 11 January. The challenging economic situation and uncertainty in the retail sector were countered by a positive and confident mood at the world’s leading trade fair.

3025 exhibitors from 65 countries* took the international trade fair for home and contract textiles to a 15-year high: ‘Exhibitors and visitors accepted the new trade fair concept with great enthusiasm and confirmed the trade fair’s position as the world’s most important meeting place for the industry. The quality of the decision-makers impressed the exhibitors, as did the number of new business contacts from 156 countries, especially international ones – thus enabling Heimtextil to set a new benchmark’, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. ‘Around 67,500 visitors* ensured that there was a busy atmosphere in the halls, despite a slight decline due to various reasons, such as difficult travel conditions on account of the storms in the alpine region and airport strikes in Germany’. [*For comparison, 2018: 2,975 exhibitors from 64 countries; 68,584 visitors from 135 countries, FKM-tested)]

3025 exhibitors from 65 countries* took the international trade fair for home and contract textiles to a 15-year high: ‘Exhibitors and visitors accepted the new trade fair concept with great enthusiasm and confirmed the trade fair’s position as the world’s most important meeting place for the industry. The quality of the decision-makers impressed the exhibitors, as did the number of new business contacts from 156 countries, especially international ones – thus enabling Heimtextil to set a new benchmark’, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. ‘Around 67,500 visitors* ensured that there was a busy atmosphere in the halls, despite a slight decline due to various reasons, such as difficult travel conditions on account of the storms in the alpine region and airport strikes in Germany’.

One topic that occupied both exhibitors and visitors was the current and future economic situation. A further challenge is the increasingly evident changes that are happening in trade. Increasing revenues and revenue shares in online retailing stand in the way of the efforts made by the stationary retail trade to maintain their inner-city businesses. ‘The small business specialist trade, but also department stores and multibrand stores, and thus the heart of our visitor target groups, are under pressure from the constantly increasing levels of e-commerce. With Heimtextil and our consumer goods fairs in general, we offer these retailers in particular clear perspectives and diverse inspiration in an ambiguous world’, continues Braun.

Heimtextil made it easier for its visitors to access valuable inspiration and business momentum thanks to an optimised trade fair concept and the associated new hall structure. ‘The new concept brought more visitors to the stand’, was the feedback from Andreas Klenk, Managing Director of Saum & Viebahn from Kulmbach in Franconia about hall 8.0 which offered textiles editeurs and manufacturers of curtain and sun protection systems a common platform for the first time. ‘It was the right decision to merge the different segments. We had high quality discussions with respect to both export and domestic business, and are satisfied with the trade fair’.

As part of the new concept, Heimtextil expanded its unique product range across the entire exhibition site and also included the new hall 12, which has been an additional architectural highlight on the Frankfurt exhibition grounds since September.

Top international companies from the Bed & Bath Fashion segment presented their wares here. For the company Curt Bauer from Aue in Saxony, the première of the new hall was a successful one. ‘We're very enthusiastic about the new hall 12. The product range there was very well received. We are very satisfied with the quality of visitors to our stand. In addition to a good frequency of German visitors, we are particularly pleased about growth from China and Russia’, says Managing Director Michael Bauer.

Natural materials, PET and ocean plastics 
Heimtextil set a standard in terms of sustainability: after the first global climate protection agreement for the textile industry was signed by 40 leading fashion companies, organisations and associations at the World Climate Conference in Katowice last December, the focus in Frankfurt was also on environmental progress in the textile industry. Numerous exhibitors presented progressive solutions, for example in the recycling of PET bottles and ocean plastic as well as in the use of certified natural materials. ‘Sustainability was the theme for us at this year’s Heimtextil. Major media players visited us and the 'Green Tour’ guided tour stopped by. We presented many things, including our first vegan duvet and fair silk products, all 100 per cent produced in Austria’, says Denise Hartmann, Marketing Manager at Hefel Textil. The topics of water consumption in the textile industry and microplastics also increasingly came to the fore. The exhibitor directory ‘Green Directory’ alone contained around 150 progressive companies listing sustainably produced textiles. The offer was supplemented by its own lecture series as well as theme-specific tours, which provided valuable impetus and
underpinned the pioneering green position of the trade fair.

Sleep becomes new lifestyle theme
Heimtextil also focused on sleep as one of the upcoming lifestyle trends. While a balanced diet and sufficient exercise are now a natural part of a healthy lifestyle, restorative sleep is still neglected* although it is one of the most important building blocks for long-term physical and mental well-being. At Heimtextil, a number of new products and aspects came to the fore that help people become sensitised to and analyse their sleep behaviour and promote healthy sleep. Around the redesigned hall 11.0 and in the adjoining lecture area ‘Sleep! The Future Forum’, representatives from the national and international bed industry enjoyed attractive product presentations and superb speeches on the topics of sustainability, hospitality, sport and digital.

In addition to the renowned trend show, the trade fair also focused on contract business, particularly in the hotel and hospitality sector, as well as decorative and upholstery fabrics, digital printing solutions and wallpapers.

The next Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main – its 50th edition – will take place from 7 to 10 January 2020.

*According to a forsa investigation commissioned by the Techniker Krankenkasse

More information:
Heimtextil
Source:

Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH

© Techtextil, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
06.08.2018

Strong potential in Buildtech and Mobiltech sectors to be displayed at Cinte Techtextil China

This September’s Cinte Techtextil China will once again provide a strong barometer of the state of the global technical textiles industry, and in particular which sectors in Asia as a whole, and China specifically, are performing well. Two of these for certain are Buildtech and Mobiltech, with a number of leading global and Chinese brands exhibiting to eager buyers from these sectors.

Cinte Techtextil China is Asia’s leading biennial fair for the technical textiles and nonwovens sector, and will feature an expected 500-plus total exhibitors from around 20 countries & regions from 4 – 6 September. The fair offers products and technologies for 12 application areas* which cover the entire industry.

Buildtech benefits from Belt & Road and other infrastructure investment

This September’s Cinte Techtextil China will once again provide a strong barometer of the state of the global technical textiles industry, and in particular which sectors in Asia as a whole, and China specifically, are performing well. Two of these for certain are Buildtech and Mobiltech, with a number of leading global and Chinese brands exhibiting to eager buyers from these sectors.

Cinte Techtextil China is Asia’s leading biennial fair for the technical textiles and nonwovens sector, and will feature an expected 500-plus total exhibitors from around 20 countries & regions from 4 – 6 September. The fair offers products and technologies for 12 application areas* which cover the entire industry.

Buildtech benefits from Belt & Road and other infrastructure investment

With a huge boom in national and regional infrastructure projects, the market for Buildtech products, especially geotextiles and construction textiles, is rapidly expanding. In particular, the government’s global Belt & Road project, as well as continued investment at home in highways, high-speed rail and more, is fuelling this expansion. According to CNITA, in 2017 China started 35 new railway projects, with additional private capital investment in this sector totalling some USD 53 billion that year. The same investment in highway construction increased 17.7%, while water conservation project investment by private firms reached a new record of USD 105 billion.

With this potential in the Asian market, it’s no surprise a number of new exhibitors will feature in the Buildtech sector at the fair, including FPC Technical Textile from Saudi Arabia, Kobe-cz from the Czech Republic, as well as Lenzing Plastics, while Johns Manville are one of the returning exhibitors this year.

  • FPC Technical Textile (Saudi Arabia) produce high-end specialty fabrics including PVC coated fabrics and fibre glass PTFE fabrics, and will focus on the latter at the fair.
  • Kobe-cz (Czech Republic) will showcase their nonwoven fabrics, mainly from glass fibre with temperature resistance up to 800°C.
  • Exhibiting for the first time at the fair with their Plastics division, Lenzing (Austria) will feature their technical laminates for building industries, roofing membranes, vapour barriers, isolation facings and barrier packaging, as well as PROFILEN® PTFE yarns, films and fibres at Cinte Techtextil.
  • Johns Manville’s (US) products on offer include polyester spunbond, PP & PBT meltblown, glass fibre nonwovens, micro glass fibre nonwovens, hybrid nonwovens, glass fibre needle mat and glass microfibers.

Mobiltech benefits from huge increases in automobile production in China

With new textile innovations and application possibilities spreading throughout the automobile industry, coupled with the fact China is the world’s largest auto producer, Cinte Techtextil is the place to see the latest products and technologies for this sector this September. Automobile production in China reached 29 million units in 2017, an increase of 3% year-on-year. Staggeringly, new-energy vehicle production grew by 53% last year, while SUVs and commercial vehicles increased 13.81% and 13.95% respectively.

With such strong growth in China, a number of leading international Mobiltech producers, as well as top domestic suppliers, will be at Cinte Techtextil this year, including:

  • Abifor (Switzerland): their focus at the fair is on products designed for automotive, construction and other technical applications, in particular their specialty hot-melt powders. The company has its own production unit in Shanghai, and reports that an increasing number of domestic customers are starting to focus on more sophisticated products.
  • SKS Group (Sweden): will showcase high performance single end yarn for automotive and industrial hoses, and single end cord for automotive and industrial belts.
  • Swisstulle (Switzerland): will have a range of products on offer for automotive, rail and aviation uses, including sunshade materials, nets, tube reinforcements and new possibilities for luggage compartment covers.
  • Windel Textile Far East (Germany): with production undertaken in China, this German firm offers textile greige, half-done and finished materials. They offer nonwoven, knitted and woven fabrics (substrates), and glass fibre solutions. At the fair, they will showcase substrates for adhesive tapes / wire harnessing tapes, and Maliwatt- and coagulated microfibre fleece for covering vehicle interiors.
  • Protechnic (France): they will feature hot melt thermoadhesive nets, webs and films, as well as laminating process in automotive and other industrial applications at Cinte 2018.
  • Kuangda Technology Group (China): having supplied products for global brands such as Volkswagen and Audi, this Chinese supplier will offer automotive interiors, including interior fabrics, seat covers and cushions at the fair.
  • Shanghai Shenda (ShanghaiTex Group) (China): specialising in automotive interior textiles, they manufacture a full range of products including grey car carpet, moulding car carpet, head liners (warp-knitting and nonwoven), seat belt, seat fabrics and more, and have supplied the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen and GM.

Cinte Techtextil China is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA). To find out more about the fair, please visit: www.techtextilchina.com.

Source:

Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH

02.05.2018

Demand for European technical textiles attracts leading companies to Cinte Techtextil China

Exhibitors from eight countries have already confirmed to participate in the fair’s European Zone. They join an expected 500-plus total exhibitors from around the world. The 2018 edition of this biennial fair takes place from 4 – 6 September in halls N1 – N3 of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

While China retains its edge in terms of technical textiles and nonwovens production capabilities, in the eyes of Chinese buyers, European suppliers are still the leaders when it comes to technology and innovation. This was widely reported by European exhibitors at the previous edition in 2016 of Asia’s leading biennial trade event for the industry: Cinte Techtextil China.

Exhibitors from eight countries have already confirmed to participate in the fair’s European Zone. They join an expected 500-plus total exhibitors from around the world. The 2018 edition of this biennial fair takes place from 4 – 6 September in halls N1 – N3 of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

While China retains its edge in terms of technical textiles and nonwovens production capabilities, in the eyes of Chinese buyers, European suppliers are still the leaders when it comes to technology and innovation. This was widely reported by European exhibitors at the previous edition in 2016 of Asia’s leading biennial trade event for the industry: Cinte Techtextil China.

“In the Chinese market, buyers want good quality products, so overseas companies, and products with recognised quality certifications, have a lot of potential,” Ms Ping Chen, General Manager of IBENA Shanghai Technical Textiles commented. “As a leading German company in the industry, our products are welcomed by many buyers at this fair. It is also important to be in the German Pavilion as this signals to buyers that we have quality products, and it attracts more attention.” Swiss firm Sanitized AG had the same experience. “As a Swiss company in the European Zone I believe it’s an advantage, as some local buyers have more confidence towards imported products,” Mr Steven Liu, Sales Manager said.

Other exhibitors commented on the long-term trends in the Chinese market. “There’s a definite shift to more high-quality machinery in China that isn’t affected by what’s happening in the overall economy. Moreover, there are opportunities for overseas suppliers as there is still a gap between us and what Chinese companies produce,” Dr Joachim Binnig, Vice President, Head of Development & Technology, Autefa Solutions Germany GmbH explained.

Mr Roger Zhang, Sales Manager for German firm J.H. Ziegler Nonwovens and New Materials commented: “Our products are mainly for high-end Chinese customers, such as BMW and Audi. The Chinese market has gradually matured, but the production capability for high-performance products which are energy efficient and eco-friendly is still developing, so there is a lot of space for overseas brands to develop here.”

European Zone highlights
This year’s European Zone will feature around 30 exhibitors from eight countries, including Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, while further exhibitors can be found in national pavilions from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany and Italy. Some of the exhibitor highlights in the European Zone include:

  • Arkema (France): with brands including PMMA Altuglas, Rilsan, Pebax, Kynar PVDF and Bostik, they will present polymer resin for fibres and yarns, which apply to a wide range of applications, at the fair.
  • Dakota Coating (Belgium): specialists in thermoplastic and thermosetting adhesives, their polymer products, based on polyethylene, polyolefin or mixtures, ethylene vinyl acetates, co-polyamides, polyurethanes and co-polyesters, are suitable for automotive, building, heat transfer and sound insulation uses.
  • Lenzing Plastics (Austria): a new exhibitor at the fair, they are a leading manufacturer of polyolefin and fluoropolymer products, such as Thermoplast and PTFE products. One of their core competencies lies in the monoaxial stretching of films and filaments, and they offer special solutions in the fields of construction & insulation, medicine & hygiene, packaging and cables, as well as automotive and technical textiles. They will highlight their PROFILEN® PTFE product at the fair, and with its extreme durability and very smooth surface, it is highly valued in many niche applications in the technical and medical sectors.
  • Protechnic (France): leading manufacturers of hot-melt adhesives and plastic printed films, they will showcase hot melt thermo-adhesive nets, webs and films at the fair.
  • Trelleborg Coated Systems (Italy): another new exhibitor this edition, they produce high-performance, engineered coated fabrics. They offer a wide variety of substrates – from Kevlar® to silk – with a choice of weaving methods.
20th anniversary of the JEC Innovation Awards (c) GROUPE JEC - Thierry-Alain TRUONG
07.03.2018

20th anniversary of the JEC Innovation Awards

  • JEC Group pays tribute to the winners at JEC World 2018

The 2018 session of JEC World, the reference trade show organized by JEC Group, is in full swing and the focus is on innovation!
The JEC Innovation Awards ceremony, which took place on the Agora stage on Wednesday, March 7 at 5 pm, opened with a presentation by Yves Rossy, aircraft pilot and inventor of the first jet-powered wingpack. Then the jury revealed the names of the composite champions up for a JEC Innovation Award. Eleven winning innovations were chosen, out of the thirty finalists that had been previously selected from more than 100 applications from all over the world.

  • JEC Group pays tribute to the winners at JEC World 2018

The 2018 session of JEC World, the reference trade show organized by JEC Group, is in full swing and the focus is on innovation!
The JEC Innovation Awards ceremony, which took place on the Agora stage on Wednesday, March 7 at 5 pm, opened with a presentation by Yves Rossy, aircraft pilot and inventor of the first jet-powered wingpack. Then the jury revealed the names of the composite champions up for a JEC Innovation Award. Eleven winning innovations were chosen, out of the thirty finalists that had been previously selected from more than 100 applications from all over the world.

“JEC Group supports innovation. In 1998, it created the first award dedicated to composites, as a way to promote and reward the sector’s champions. Thanks to the work of JEC Group’s teams, the program has become an international benchmark. Each year, we receive more than a hundred applications from all over the world. Selection is now based on criteria like the level of involvement of the innovation’s partners in the value chain, the technical nature of the innovation, or its commercial applications,” explains JEC Group President & CEO Frédérique Mutel.
A new feature this year is that the jury revealed the winners during the ceremony, and the public could choose their favorite innovation before, during, and after the ceremony. So there is still time to vote! Votes are opened until Thursday March 8th, 5pm http://innovationawards.jec-world.events
Did you miss the ceremony?

11 AWARD WINNERS:
AEROSPACE APPLICATION

Winner:
AeroComposit, JSC (Russia) and its partner Solvay (United Kingdom)

  • Infusion technology for an aircraft wing

The use of infusion technology to manufacture primary structural components for an aircraft wing. The technology makes it possible to create extra-long, integrated composite structures with complex aerodynamic shapes.

AEROSPACE PROCESS 
2 tied winners!
Winner: Airbus (Germany) and its partners, BMW Group (Germany), Technical University of Munich (TUM) (Germany), Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH (Germany), Werkzeugbau Siegfried Hofmann GmbH (Germany), BASF SE (Germany), Foldcore GmbH (Germany), Neenah Filtration (Germany) and SGL Carbon GmbH (Germany)

  • Complex structural applications for MAI sandwich technology

Cost-effective production of a complex 2.5D structure made of thermoplastic composite sandwich, with very short cycle times: under 5 minutes for aerospace materials and 2.5 minutes for automotive materials.

Winner: M. Torres Diseños Industriales SAU (Spain)
Moldless process to manufacture one-piece parts
A new manufacturing process for oversized one-piece reinforced composite structures, without requiring the use of complete molds.

AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATION
Winner: Ford Werke GmbH (Germany) and its partners, Gestamp (United Kingdom), GRM Consulting (United Kingdom) and University of Warwick (United Kingdom)

  • Lightweight composite automotive suspension part

Structural suspension part made of lightweight composite, using a brand-new patented process for prepreg/SMC/steel overmolding that was designed using a new computer-aided engineering (CAE) technology.

AUTOMOTIVE PROCESS
Winner: Audi AG (Germany) and its partners, Voith Composites GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Dow Automotive (Switzerland), and Zoltek Corp. (United States)

  • Series production of a rear panel module made of carbon composite

For the first time, the potential of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is used to full advantage in series production with a new rear panel module and cost-effective production technologies.

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE
Winner: Komatsu Seiren Co., Ltd. (Japan) and its partners, Kanazawa Institute of Technology (Japan) and Nagase ChemteX Corporation (Japan)

  • Cabkoma cable made of CFRTP

Komatsu Seiren has developed a cable made of molded carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP), using a very cost-effective process that consists in polymerizing a thermoplastic epoxy resin in situ.

MARINE
Winner: Uljanik JSC (Croatia)

  • Composite cargo decks for a vehicle carrier

On the SIEM Cicero, a vehicle carrier with a capacity of 7,000 vehicles, glass-fiber reinforced composites are used for a number of the structures for the cargo decks, thereby considerably reducing the ship’s weight, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

RAILWAY
Winner: ELG Carbon Fibre Ltd. (United Kingdom) and its partners, Alstom Transport (United Kingdom), Magma Structures (United Kingdom), the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom), and the University of Huddersfield (United Kingdom)

  • A bogie frame made of optimized lightweight carbon fiber

This project has developed the very first carbon-fiber bogie frame that uses a recycled material, making it possible to overcome the obstacles to a commercial adoption of this type of structure.

SPORTS & LEISURE
Winner: BMW Group (Germany) and its partners EDAG Engineering GmbH (Germany), KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH (Germany), Chr. Karl Siebenwurst GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), TUM-LCC (Germany), Automation W + R GmbH (Germany), and FHG-IGCV (Germany)

  • A modular construction system for the rear swing arm suspension of a motorcycle

A modular system to produce a complex-shape swing arm suspension reinforced with carbon fiber. The system can adjust the mechanical properties on a case-by-case basis, for a competitive cost and weight compared to metal solutions.

SMART CITIES
Winner: MC Materiales Compuestos (Argentina) and its partners, Plaquimet (Argentina), Purcom (Brazil), IS Groupe - Composite Integrity (France), and G12 Innovation (Brazil)

  • The Wet Core Pod composite housing module

The Wet Core Pod is a composite housing module with an industrialization potential that can facilitate the most complex, costly and difficult step in a construction project.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Winner: Cetim-Cermat (France) and its partner, CETIM (France)

  • “3-in-1” line for producing recycled composites

A modular line that uses an innovative thermomechanical process to make large panels from recycled composites or plastics. The panels are then thermoformed into parts.
 

Source:

Dorothée David & Marion RISCH, Agence Apocope

27.02.2018

JEC GROUP MAKES PARIS THE WORLD’S COMPOSITES CAPITAL

On March 6-8, 2018, Paris will host the largest international trade show for advanced materials: JEC World, which is organized by JEC Group. For three days, more than 43,000 professional visits from some 100+ countries will gather at the world’s most innovative platform for the materials and products that are revolutionizing our century. “One field where France is a global leader is the field of composites!” says JEC Group President and CEO Frédérique MUTEL.

COMPOSITES ARE GOING STRONG
The share of composites in the global economy is growing. The market for these products is worth 83 billion euros, for a volume of 11.23 million metric tons of volume (2017 statistics). Analysts are predicting a steady 5% growth by 2021. From the industrial viewpoint, composites are developing rapidly, with new automated processes for high-volume production.

On March 6-8, 2018, Paris will host the largest international trade show for advanced materials: JEC World, which is organized by JEC Group. For three days, more than 43,000 professional visits from some 100+ countries will gather at the world’s most innovative platform for the materials and products that are revolutionizing our century. “One field where France is a global leader is the field of composites!” says JEC Group President and CEO Frédérique MUTEL.

COMPOSITES ARE GOING STRONG
The share of composites in the global economy is growing. The market for these products is worth 83 billion euros, for a volume of 11.23 million metric tons of volume (2017 statistics). Analysts are predicting a steady 5% growth by 2021. From the industrial viewpoint, composites are developing rapidly, with new automated processes for high-volume production.

INNOVATION IN COMPOSITES
“Innovation is there with the raw materials, such as better-formulated resins (and even recyclable ones like thermoplastics) and higher-performance fibers like carbon, glass and aramid. Moreover, natural materials like starch for matrices and flax, hemp, sisal and bamboo for fibers are being introduced. There is also innovation in the ways composites are being used, and with the creation of completely new things like drones, electronic devices, hydrofoils and flying taxis. Composites are currently making progress everywhere there is a need for low weight and performance. They offer nearly infinite possibilities. These are truly the materials of the century. Designers are adopting them in a broad range of fields like smart cities, infrastructure, networks, transportation, medical devices, sports & leisure and design. Composites materials expand the field of possibilities.” explains Ms. MUTEL.

“MAKE IT REAL” AT THE 2018 JEC WORLD TRADE SHOW
To present the latest trends and innovations, the 2018 JEC World has even more surface area, with 68,000 square meters. The 1,350 exhibitors (from carbon fiber producer to auto builder, from designer to decorator, from research fellow to aircraft manufacturer) will display their latest advances. All stakeholders will be present at the show. JEC World received more than 40,000 professional visits last year, and is expecting 43,000 this year!

THE NEW “MUST” THINGS TO SEE
This year, JEC World will have four planets. Besides the aerospace, automotive and construction planets, there will be a new “Make it real” planet, which gives a preview of designer creations to be exhibited at the Ghent museum starting in October 2018. “We will show the many aspects of composites, and how these materials are being gradually incorporated into everyday objects,” adds Ms. MUTEL.
This year’s JEC World will feature a new “Composite Challenge” program that gives the floor to ten PhD students, who will be given five minutes to pitch their research projects with the help of a single slide. “True to its mission, the JEC Group has set up this new program to share the latest research on composites. But it is not just a way to share the most advanced knowledge, it also helps to bridge the gap between academics and the industry and to identify the industry’s next generation of leaders,” she says.
JEC World will also be the occasion to launch Flax & Hemp Fiber Composites, A Market Reality: The Biobased Solution for the Industry, a new book published by JEC Group on the use of plant-based materials.

KNOWLEDGE & NETWORKING PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY JEC GROUP
The trade show will host well-known speakers, including Dirk AHLBORN, the CEO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, a company that is reinventing transportation with high-speed travel (up to 1,300 km/h, or 808 mph), and Yves ROSSY, aircraft pilot and inventor of the first jet-powered wingpack, with which he is able to reach speeds of up to 300 km/h, or 186 mph. The Startup Booster program will pay tribute to startups, and the JEC Innovation Awards program, to innovations. For the first time, the public will be invited to vote on these two programs!
Six new conferences will also address the latest technical advances that are moving the sector forward, and a Composites in Action program will present live demonstrations throughout the show, in three different places.

More information:
JEC World JEC Group
Source:

Dorothée DAVID & Marion RISCH, AGENCE APOCOPE

JEC Group Source: www.agenceapocope.com
JEC Group
30.05.2017

Innovations that will change the future of Building and Construction to be rewarded at JEC Innovation Awards in Chicago, June 20-22, 2017

Composites use in Building and Construction will be highlighted at JEC newest event dedicated to this specific Composites Industry next month in Chicago, IL, USA. The numerous and diverse benefits that these innovative materials bring to the Building Industry will help overcome the coming challenges such as, urbanization, increase of natural disasters (floods, storms, tsunamis, earthquakes…), along with the decrease of non-renewable raw materials and the high standard levels set by the society in terms of lightness and fluidity. Composites Materials bring answers and opportunities to tackle those issues in sustainable, durable and reliable manners. Solutions like ease of fabrication (Owens Corning), structures durability (Biteam), anti-seismic reinforcement (DowAksa), use of end-of-life products such as recycled bottles of water (Premier Composites Technologies), aerial forms (Optima Projects Ltd) or again energy saving (Armageddon Energy).

Composites use in Building and Construction will be highlighted at JEC newest event dedicated to this specific Composites Industry next month in Chicago, IL, USA. The numerous and diverse benefits that these innovative materials bring to the Building Industry will help overcome the coming challenges such as, urbanization, increase of natural disasters (floods, storms, tsunamis, earthquakes…), along with the decrease of non-renewable raw materials and the high standard levels set by the society in terms of lightness and fluidity. Composites Materials bring answers and opportunities to tackle those issues in sustainable, durable and reliable manners. Solutions like ease of fabrication (Owens Corning), structures durability (Biteam), anti-seismic reinforcement (DowAksa), use of end-of-life products such as recycled bottles of water (Premier Composites Technologies), aerial forms (Optima Projects Ltd) or again energy saving (Armageddon Energy).


Following its strategy to address every Composites End-user, the JEC Innovation Awards will reward these 6 Composites Innovators in Building & Construction that will change the way we build.
If the majority of submissions relied on glass fibers, which is common in the Construction field, we see an increased interest in carbon fibers, especially for structural applications. And similarly to all sectors of the composite industry, thermoplastics are gaining in importance in Construction. Therefore, to promote the growing use of composites as a construction material, 6 categories are awarded, covering a large panel of applications and possibilities.

Source:

AGENCE APOCOPE