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FET: New Senior Materials and Process Scientist (c) FET
R&D Manager Dr Jonny Hunter (left) welcomes Dr Kristoffer Kortsen, Senior Materials and Process Scientist
28.02.2024

FET: New Senior Materials and Process Scientist

Fibre Extrusion Technology Ltd (FET) of Leeds, UK has appointed Dr Kristoffer Kortsen as Senior Materials and Process Scientist. He will report directly to R&D Manager, Dr Jonny Hunter, who joined FET in early 2023 in a growing Research and Development team.

Kortsen’s main area of work is in Gel Spinning of UHMWPE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene). His contribution will help provide gel spinning expertise and equipment in the near future to a range of industries including medical, aerospace, defence aerospace and marine.

Fibre Extrusion Technology Ltd (FET) of Leeds, UK has appointed Dr Kristoffer Kortsen as Senior Materials and Process Scientist. He will report directly to R&D Manager, Dr Jonny Hunter, who joined FET in early 2023 in a growing Research and Development team.

Kortsen’s main area of work is in Gel Spinning of UHMWPE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene). His contribution will help provide gel spinning expertise and equipment in the near future to a range of industries including medical, aerospace, defence aerospace and marine.

He completed a Master’s in chemistry at KU Leuven, graduating magna cum laude in 2018. For his Master’s placement, he worked on the production of impact modifier additives for PVC at Kaneka Belgium. Continuing a partnership with this international chemical manufacturing company, he joined the Howdle group at the University of Nottingham for a PhD project looking into the industrial potential of scCO2 dispersion polymerisations for additive production. After graduating, he worked in the Shaver group at the University of Manchester, developing a holistic approach to plastics recycling and sustainability across the many stakeholders in the field.

Source:

Fibre Extrusion Technology Ltd (FET)

Graphic Toray
20.12.2023

Recycled carbon fiber: When a Boeing 787 turns into a Lenovo ThinkPad

Toray Industries, Inc. announced the successful development of recycled carbon fiber (rCF) derived from the production process of the Boeing 787 components using Toray’s advanced carbon fiber, TORAYCA™. The rCF, which is based on pyrolysis recycling process, has been integrated into the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 as reinforcement filler for thermoplastic pellets. Toray and Lenovo will continue to collaborate to expand the usage of rCF in other Lenovo products.

Toray rCF is the outcome of Boeing and Lenovo’s shared commitment to minimize their environmental impact. Boeing’s objective is to reduce solid waste going to landfill and produce recyclable materials, while Lenovo has been exploring materials to reduce the carbon footprint of their products. Toray rCF connects these visions by repurposing Toray’s high-performance carbon fiber from the Boeing aircraft production process into Lenovo’s ultra-light laptop PC.

Toray Industries, Inc. announced the successful development of recycled carbon fiber (rCF) derived from the production process of the Boeing 787 components using Toray’s advanced carbon fiber, TORAYCA™. The rCF, which is based on pyrolysis recycling process, has been integrated into the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 as reinforcement filler for thermoplastic pellets. Toray and Lenovo will continue to collaborate to expand the usage of rCF in other Lenovo products.

Toray rCF is the outcome of Boeing and Lenovo’s shared commitment to minimize their environmental impact. Boeing’s objective is to reduce solid waste going to landfill and produce recyclable materials, while Lenovo has been exploring materials to reduce the carbon footprint of their products. Toray rCF connects these visions by repurposing Toray’s high-performance carbon fiber from the Boeing aircraft production process into Lenovo’s ultra-light laptop PC.

TORAYCA™ is an established aerospace material known for its high strength, stiffness, and lightweighting properties. These qualities have led to its adoption in other applications such as electrical and electronic equipment housings, sports equipment, and other industrial applications.

A key advantage of carbon fiber is the ability to retain its primary mechanical properties even after the recycling process. Toray is actively advancing recycling technologies and establishing a strategic business model for rCF. Given that the carbon footprint of rCF is lower than that of virgin carbon fiber, Toray is proactively recommending the adoption of rCF to reduce the environmental impact of customers’ products. This commitment aligns with Toray’s dedication to fostering a circular economy, thereby reducing landfill waste.

Source:

Toray Industries

Prof. Dr Tae Jin Kang (Seoul National University), Dr Musa Akdere (CarboScreen), Dr Christian P. Schindler (ITMF), from left to right. Source: ITMF
Prof. Dr Tae Jin Kang (Seoul National University), Dr Musa Akdere (CarboScreen), Dr Christian P. Schindler (ITMF), from left to right.
01.12.2023

Faster and cheaper carbon fibre production with CarboScreen

Faster and more cost-effective carbon fibre production - the technology of the start-up CarboScreen comes a good deal closer to this dream. The founders Dr. Musa Akdere, Felix Pohlkemper and Tim Röding from the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University are using sensor technology to monitor carbon fibre production, thereby doubling the production speed from the current 15 to 30 m/min in the medium term and increasing turnover by up to €37.5 million per year and system. This ground-breaking development also impressed the jury at the ITMF at their Annual Conference in Keqiao, China, and was honoured with the ITMF StartUp Award 2023 on 6 November 2023.

Dr. Musa Akdere accepted the award on behalf of the CarboScreen founding team.

Carbon fibres can only develop their full potential if they are not damaged during production and further processing. Two types of fibre damage occur more frequently during fibre production: Superficial or mechanical damage to the fibres or damage to the chemical structure.

Faster and more cost-effective carbon fibre production - the technology of the start-up CarboScreen comes a good deal closer to this dream. The founders Dr. Musa Akdere, Felix Pohlkemper and Tim Röding from the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University are using sensor technology to monitor carbon fibre production, thereby doubling the production speed from the current 15 to 30 m/min in the medium term and increasing turnover by up to €37.5 million per year and system. This ground-breaking development also impressed the jury at the ITMF at their Annual Conference in Keqiao, China, and was honoured with the ITMF StartUp Award 2023 on 6 November 2023.

Dr. Musa Akdere accepted the award on behalf of the CarboScreen founding team.

Carbon fibres can only develop their full potential if they are not damaged during production and further processing. Two types of fibre damage occur more frequently during fibre production: Superficial or mechanical damage to the fibres or damage to the chemical structure.

Both types of damage cannot be optimally detected by current means or only become apparent after production, to name just two examples. This leads to higher production costs. In an emergency, faulty production can even lead to plant fires. For this reason, and to ensure good production quality, the system is run at 15 m/min below its production capacity for safety reasons. However, 30 m/min or more would be possible. With the sensor-based online monitoring of CarboScreen, the production capacity can be doubled to 30 /min. This would lead to higher production, resulting in lower manufacturing costs and wider use of carbon fibres in mass markets such as automotive, aerospace and wind energy.

More information:
carbon fibers sensors Startup
Source:

ITA – Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University
 

Gerhard Lettl (AVK Board Member, C.F. Maier Europlast GmbH & Co. KG), Felix Pohlmeyer (ITA), Prof. Dr Jens Ridzewski (AVK Board Member, IMA Materialforschung und Anwendungstechnik GmbH), Tim Röding (ITA), from left to right © AVK
Gerhard Lettl (AVK Board Member, C.F. Maier Europlast GmbH & Co. KG), Felix Pohlmeyer (ITA), Prof. Dr Jens Ridzewski (AVK Board Member, IMA Materialforschung und Anwendungstechnik GmbH), Tim Röding (ITA), from left to right
23.11.2023

CarboScreen: Sensor monitoring for complex carbon fibre production

Felix Pohlkemper and Tim Röding from Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University are developing a technology with their start-up CarboScreen GmbH that makes complex carbon fibre production controllable through sensor monitoring. With the help of CarboScreen technology, it should be possible to double the production speed from the current 15 m/min to 30 m/min in the medium term. The doubling of production speed alone could result in an increase in turnover of up to €37.5 million per year and production plant. Felix Pohlkemper and Tim Röding were awarded third place in the AVK Innovation Award 2023 in the Processes and Procedures category for this ground-breaking development. The award ceremony took place during the JEC Roof Forum in Salzburg, Austria.

Felix Pohlkemper and Tim Röding from Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University are developing a technology with their start-up CarboScreen GmbH that makes complex carbon fibre production controllable through sensor monitoring. With the help of CarboScreen technology, it should be possible to double the production speed from the current 15 m/min to 30 m/min in the medium term. The doubling of production speed alone could result in an increase in turnover of up to €37.5 million per year and production plant. Felix Pohlkemper and Tim Röding were awarded third place in the AVK Innovation Award 2023 in the Processes and Procedures category for this ground-breaking development. The award ceremony took place during the JEC Roof Forum in Salzburg, Austria.

The production of carbon fibres is highly complex. In the current state of the art, however, the manufacturing process is only monitored manually by semi-skilled workers. However, even minimal fibre damage during production leads to a reduction in the quality of the carbon fibre. In extreme cases, it can also lead to plant fires. To ensure production quality, the production speed is currently limited to a maximum of 15 m/min. In fact, the production speed of the systems could be higher. The sensor-based online monitoring of Carbo-Screen makes it possible to increase the production speed to 30 m/min in the medium term. As a result of the increased production volume per system, the specific production costs of the carbon fibre are reduced, which can result in lower prices.

A reduced sales price would make it possible to use carbon fibres and their composite materials even more widely in traditional markets such as aerospace technology and wind energy, as well as for mass production in the automotive industry.

The CarboScreen online monitoring system is currently being developed for industrial use. It is to be validated at an industrial plant in 2024. CarboScreen GmbH was founded as part of EXIST funding and offers AI-supported sensor systems for carbon fibre production. The sensor technology continuously monitors the fibre throughout the entire production process. Deviations are detected automatically.

The winners of the AVK Innovation Award are honoured annually by the AVK Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe. Companies, institutes and their partners are honoured in three categories: products and applications, processes and procedures, and research and science.

Bac Mono Photo Hypetex
22.09.2023

Hypetex: Coloured carbon fibre replacing paint coating

•    First production supercar created with Hypetex coloured carbon fibre
•    Paint-replacement technology reduces weight to enhance performance

British car manufacturer Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) has created a unique Hypetex coloured carbon fibre version of its Mono R, reducing the weight by removing the need for paint.  

The original BAC Mono R was created to be lighter and more powerful than the standard model, with 343bhp and 555kg total weight, equating to a power-to-weight ratio of 618bhp-per-tonne. By removing the need for paint coatings in this version, the net weight of the exterior is reduced compared to a painted shell, resulting in a further improved overall performance.

The car’s body was created using Hypetex’s titanium carbon fibre twill, and finished with a crystalized lacquer, offering a unique aesthetic finish. The ultra-lightweight supercar can accelerate from zero to 60mph in less than 2.5 seconds.  

•    First production supercar created with Hypetex coloured carbon fibre
•    Paint-replacement technology reduces weight to enhance performance

British car manufacturer Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) has created a unique Hypetex coloured carbon fibre version of its Mono R, reducing the weight by removing the need for paint.  

The original BAC Mono R was created to be lighter and more powerful than the standard model, with 343bhp and 555kg total weight, equating to a power-to-weight ratio of 618bhp-per-tonne. By removing the need for paint coatings in this version, the net weight of the exterior is reduced compared to a painted shell, resulting in a further improved overall performance.

The car’s body was created using Hypetex’s titanium carbon fibre twill, and finished with a crystalized lacquer, offering a unique aesthetic finish. The ultra-lightweight supercar can accelerate from zero to 60mph in less than 2.5 seconds.  

Hypetex’s paint-replacement technology retains the visible weave, allowing for a bold design and a choice of colours without technical compromises, perfectly aligning with BAC’s initiatives to maximise performance whilst creating bespoke supercars. Paint generally adds 138 grams per metre squared, whereas Hypetex adds just 17 grams for the same area, offering an 8x weight saving.
This bespoke version of BAC’s single-seater Mono R was subject to BAC’s renowned BAC Bespoke programme, which ensures that no two Monos are the same. The client, a US-based collector, worked with BAC’s design team to design the car to their personal taste.   

Born out of Formula 1 technology, Hypetex offers manufacturers sustainable aesthetic materials with technical and efficiency benefits. This collaboration is an all-British success story, with the Hypetex carbon fibre body built by Formaplex, a leading UK-based manufacturing company who manufacture lightweight engineered solutions for top tier customers in Automotive, Aerospace and Defence markets. BAC’s supply chain is 95% UK-based.  

Hypetex continues to expand its growing portfolio of the use of coloured carbon fibre to add personalisation to the automotive field, with its material recently featured on the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.  

 

More information:
HYPETEX® carbon fibers
Source:

Hypetex

Professor Dr Thomas Gries with the award winner Flávio André Marter Diniz Hanns-Voith-Stiftung, Oliver Voge
Professor Dr Thomas Gries with the award winner Flávio André Marter Diniz
11.07.2023

Future cost reduction through ultra-thin PE carbon fibres

  • ITA Master's graduate wins Hanns Voith Foundation Award 2023

In his Master's thesis, Flávio André Marter Diniz, a graduate of the Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University (ITA), developed ultra-thin polyethylene (PE) carbon fibres with a filament diameter 2-3 times smaller than usual. In addition, the use of PE-based precursors will make it possible to reduce the price of carbon fibres by 50 per cent in the future, thus opening up a wide range of other possible applications in key industries such as wind power, aerospace and automotive. For this groundbreaking development, Marter Diniz was awarded the Hanns Voith Prize with the Hanns Voith Foundation Award in the category "New Materials". The prize is endowed with € 5,000 in prize money.

Flávio André Marter Diniz won the prize in the category "New Materials" for his master thesis entitled "Investigation of the stabilisation and carbonisation process for the production of ultra-thin polyethylene-based carbon fibres".

  • ITA Master's graduate wins Hanns Voith Foundation Award 2023

In his Master's thesis, Flávio André Marter Diniz, a graduate of the Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University (ITA), developed ultra-thin polyethylene (PE) carbon fibres with a filament diameter 2-3 times smaller than usual. In addition, the use of PE-based precursors will make it possible to reduce the price of carbon fibres by 50 per cent in the future, thus opening up a wide range of other possible applications in key industries such as wind power, aerospace and automotive. For this groundbreaking development, Marter Diniz was awarded the Hanns Voith Prize with the Hanns Voith Foundation Award in the category "New Materials". The prize is endowed with € 5,000 in prize money.

Flávio André Marter Diniz won the prize in the category "New Materials" for his master thesis entitled "Investigation of the stabilisation and carbonisation process for the production of ultra-thin polyethylene-based carbon fibres".

The use of carbon fibres in highly stressed lightweight construction solutions, such as today's growth applications of wind turbines or pressure tanks, has become indispensable due to their excellent mechanical properties and low density. High manufacturing costs of conventional PAN precursor-based carbon fibres make the material very cost-intensive. In addition, it is not sufficiently available. New manufacturing approaches that develop alternative raw materials and manufacturing processes can be a key and growth engine for further industrial composites applications.

The aim of the work was to develop a new and cost-effective manufacturing process for high-quality ultra-thin carbon fibres using a polyethylene precursor. For this purpose, the sulphonisation process, which is time-consuming today, was to be significantly shortened. As a result, Mr. Marter Diniz produced novel ultra-thin polyethylenebased carbon fibres with a filament diameter < 3 μm with an excellent surface quality of the fibres without detectable structural defects. The fibre diameter is 2-3 times smaller than that of conventional PANbased CF. This provides the basis for mechanically high-quality material properties. At the same time, Mr. Marter Diniz was able to reduce the sulphonisation time by 25 percent. The developed material and technology set important milestones on the way to cheaper carbon fibres. With PE-based precursors, the price of CF can be reduced by 50 percent compared to conventional PAN-based CF.  

A total of five other young scientists were awarded in six categories (Drive Technology, Innovation & Technology/Artificial Intelligence, New Materials, Paper, Hydropower and Economic Sciences. This year, for the 10th time, the Hanns Voith Foundation awarded the Hanns Voith Prize to outstanding young scientists.

Source:

ITA Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University

(c) Sicomin
22.04.2022

Sicomin: Upcycled Carbon Fibre from Airbus with GreenPoxy to create Surfboards

Sicomin has confirmed that eco-surfboard specialist NOTOX will use GreenPoxy 56 in its latest line of R-CARBON boards. The new NOTOX R-CARBON boards are the first to use 100% upcycled carbon fibre fabrics recovered from a production waste stream at Airbus.

NOTOX, founded in 2006 and based in Basque, France, has partnered with Sicomin to use GreenPoxy bio-resins in several earlier flax, cork, and bamboo reinforced boards. In a quest to now produce the most sustainable carbon fibre reinforced boards possible, NOTOX has signed a formal agreement with Airbus Nantes to purchase defective carbon fabrics that were destined for landfill.

Sicomin has confirmed that eco-surfboard specialist NOTOX will use GreenPoxy 56 in its latest line of R-CARBON boards. The new NOTOX R-CARBON boards are the first to use 100% upcycled carbon fibre fabrics recovered from a production waste stream at Airbus.

NOTOX, founded in 2006 and based in Basque, France, has partnered with Sicomin to use GreenPoxy bio-resins in several earlier flax, cork, and bamboo reinforced boards. In a quest to now produce the most sustainable carbon fibre reinforced boards possible, NOTOX has signed a formal agreement with Airbus Nantes to purchase defective carbon fabrics that were destined for landfill.

The new NOTOX technology gives a second life to Airbus carbon fabrics that are declared unusable for aerospace applications due to short roll lengths, an inability to be pre-formed, or other defects. The upcycled materials are combined with Sicomin GreenPoxy 56 and Surf Clear hardener, producing an extremely clear, high gloss laminate with high mechanical properties. NOTOX use a precisely controlled wet lamination process with vacuum bag consolidation to wet out the upcycled woven carbon fabrics and minimise resin consumption in the manufacturing process.

In addition to selecting a high bio-content resin – GreenPoxy 56 derives 56% of its carbon content from plant sources – NOTOX has also sourced the most sustainable carbon fibre fabrics. Full life cycle analysis by NOTOX has shown that using waste carbon fabrics from Airbus is significantly more energy efficient than using other recycled short fibre carbon, confirming the importance of upcycling this key raw material.

More information:
Sicomin carbon fibers Upcycling NOTOX
Source:

Sicomin / 100% Marketing

12.01.2022

Cellulose fibres strengthen networks: Industry meets in Cologne, Germany, and online

Strict protective measures will make the industry meeting possible at the International Conference on Cellulose Fibres in Cologne on February 2 and 3, 2022. The latest innovations will be shocased: from hygiene and textiles to non-wovens and carbon fibre alternatives to lightweight construction applications. Online participation is also possible.

Cellulose fibres show an increasingly expanding wide range of applications, while at the same time markets are driven by technological developments and political framework conditions, especially bans and restrictions on plastics and increasing sustainability requirements. The conference provides rich information on opportunities for cellulose fibres through policy assessment, a session on sustainability, recycling and alternative feedstocks as well as latest development in pulp, cellulose fibres and yarns. This includes application such as non-wovens, packaging and composites.

Strict protective measures will make the industry meeting possible at the International Conference on Cellulose Fibres in Cologne on February 2 and 3, 2022. The latest innovations will be shocased: from hygiene and textiles to non-wovens and carbon fibre alternatives to lightweight construction applications. Online participation is also possible.

Cellulose fibres show an increasingly expanding wide range of applications, while at the same time markets are driven by technological developments and political framework conditions, especially bans and restrictions on plastics and increasing sustainability requirements. The conference provides rich information on opportunities for cellulose fibres through policy assessment, a session on sustainability, recycling and alternative feedstocks as well as latest development in pulp, cellulose fibres and yarns. This includes application such as non-wovens, packaging and composites.

Live at the conference, host nova-Institute and sponsor GIG Karasek GmbH will grand the “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year” award to one of six highly interesting products, ranging from cellulose made of orange and wood pulp to a novel technology for cellulose fibre production. The presentations, election of the winner by the conference audience and the award ceremony will take place on the first day of the conference.

The conference sessions reflect the current topics of industry and research. “Strategies and Market Trends” provides an overview of the rapid development of cellulose fibres and their technological progress across the fibre market. An analysis of the key cost components of these fibres to benchmark against current cost levels will highlight future opportunities and challenges for novel textile fibres. The session will conclude with an overview of the industry's recent strategies to defossilize the fibre market.

The session “New Opportunities for Cellulose Fibres in Replacing Plastics”, focusses on questions such as: “What impact does the ban on plastics in single-use products have on the industry?” and “What are the latest regulatory issues and policy opportunities for cellulose fibres?”. This part of the conference presents new opportunities for the replacement of fossil-based insulating materials with cellulose-based technologies suitable for use in a variety of applications, from aerospace to mobility and construction.
Institutefor Ecology and Innovation

“Sustainability and Circular Economy” highlights crucial issues with regard to the overall goal of keeping the environmental impact of cellulose fibres low. A core theme of the session is the responsible use of wood and forests. With this objective, the five speakers discuss the importance of circular concepts for cellulose feedstocks. Exciting insights into the important “Hot Button Report” are offered by Canopy. The “Hot Button” report enables the producers of cellulose fibres to better understand the impact their raw materials have on forests and the climate development worldwide.

The full conference programme is available at www.cellulose-fibres.eu/program.

Source:

nova-Institut GmbH

(c) AVK - Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e. V.
24.11.2021

The AVK – Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe – presents its Innovation Awards 2021

The AVK – Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe – has once again presented its Innovation Awards to companies, institutes and their partners. Three composites innovations were recognised in each of the three categories – “Innovative Products/Applications”, “Innovative Processes” and “Research and Science” – at the new event JEC Forum DACH on 23 November 2021, the first edition of which was held in Frankfurt.

“As usual, the submissions included a lot of very interesting and promising products and processes this year. The Innovation Awards highlight the outstanding efficiency, cost-effectiveness and sustainability of fibre-reinforced plastics as well as the companies and institutes operating in the sector,” explains Dr. Elmar Witten, Managing Director of the AVK. The jury of leading experts from the industry honoured the following innovations this year:

The AVK – Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe – has once again presented its Innovation Awards to companies, institutes and their partners. Three composites innovations were recognised in each of the three categories – “Innovative Products/Applications”, “Innovative Processes” and “Research and Science” – at the new event JEC Forum DACH on 23 November 2021, the first edition of which was held in Frankfurt.

“As usual, the submissions included a lot of very interesting and promising products and processes this year. The Innovation Awards highlight the outstanding efficiency, cost-effectiveness and sustainability of fibre-reinforced plastics as well as the companies and institutes operating in the sector,” explains Dr. Elmar Witten, Managing Director of the AVK. The jury of leading experts from the industry honoured the following innovations this year:

Category “Research and Science”
First place in the “Research and Science” category was awarded to the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for its Bondline Control Technology (BCT). This innovative process is used for quality control and assurance of bonded joints. The core element is a porous fabric which is applied to a joining surface using an epoxy adhesive or matrix resin. Peeling away the fabric creates a chemically reactive and undercut surface and can also be used as a test to check adhesion to the substrate. BCT has potential in a variety of possible applications. For example, peel ply can be replaced by BCT fabric to produce composite components with an optimised joining surface. The cost-effective BCT peel test is suitable for coupon testing and process control. In addition, the combined adhesion test and surface pre-treatment can be used for quality assurance of bonded repairs on fibre composite structures.

Second place was taken by the Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University and its partners AEROVIDE GmbH, Altropol Kunststoff GmbH, Basamentwerke Böcke GmbH, TechnoCarbon Technologies GbR with “StoneBlade – Lightweight construction with granite for the wind industry”. This innovation enables manufacturers to reduce the amount of non-recyclable materials used in rotor blade construction. At the same time, it reduces the weight of these components and improves the mechanical properties relating to the stability of wind turbines. The innovative approach replaces glass-fibre reinforced plastic in the blade components with hard rock – a natural, cost-effective and recyclable lightweight material. The slabs of rock are cut and ground to a thickness of just a few millimetres and embedded in a fibre composite laminate with carbon fibre, which stabilises them for alternating load cases. The pre-stressed material is pressure-stable in the composite and can absorb tensile forces in the event of continuously alternating loads without any loss of stiffness.

Third place went to the Dresden University of Technology – Institute for Lightweight Construction and Plastics Technology (ILK) with its partner Mercedes Benz AG for the interdisciplinary development of a highly integrated inductive charging module for electric vehicles. The ultra-thin charging module was designed to make optimum use of space in the vehicle underbody without reducing ground clearance. An interdisciplinary approach was adopted for the development process. This involved the electrical, mechanical and process characterisation of high-frequency Litz wires, ferromagnetic foil and metal wire cloth as well as the creation of a simulation model. The result is a demonstrator for a charging system with a structural height of 15 mm and a total weight of 8 kg. It achieves a transmission efficiency of up to 92 percent at 7.2 kW nominal power and active air cooling. The hardware demonstrator was fabricated in a 3-step process using RTM and VARI techniques.

Overview of all the winners in the three categories:
Category “Innovative Products/Applications”
1st Place: “Traffic signs from Nabasco (N-BMC)” – Nabasco Products BV and Lorenz Kunststofftechnik GmbH, partners: Pol Heteren BV and NPSP BV
2nd Place: “Novel, ultratough vinyl ester resin for the construction of large marine vessels” Evonik Operations GmbH
3rd Place: “Air intake housing with a multi-material design for gas turbines” – MAN Energy Solutions SE, Leichtbau-Zentrum Sachsen GmbH and Leichtbau-Systemtechnologien KORROPOL GmbH.
Category “Innovative Processes”
1st Place: “In-mould wrapping” off-tool, film-coated, fibre composite components for exterior applications – BMW Group, Partner: Renolit SE
2nd Place: “Adaptive automated repair of composite structural components in the aviation sector” – Lufthansa Technik AG, Partner: iSAM AG
3rd Place: “Automated surface pre-treatment using VUV excimer lamps” – CTC GmbH
Category “Research and Science”
1st Place: “Bondline Control Technology (BCT)” – German Aerospace Center (DLR)
2nd Place: “StoneBlade – Lightweight construction with granite for the wind industry” – Institute of Textile Technology at RWTH Aachen University, Partners: AEROVIDE GmbH, Altropol Kunststoff GmbH, Basamentwerke Böcke GmbH, TechnoCarbon Technologies GbR
3rd Place: “Interdisciplinary development of a highly integrated inductive charging module for electric vehicles” – Dresden University of Technology – Institute for Lightweight Construction and Plastics Technology (ILK), Partner: Mercedes Benz AG

Submissions for the next Innovation Award can be made from the end of January 2022.

Source:

AVK - Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e. V.