From the Sector

STAMFORD, Conn. – At this year's Paris Airshow [Le Bourget, June 17-23] Hexcel will promote a range of carbon fibers and composite materials used to manufacture high-performance weight-saving structures in civil aircraft, engines, helicopters, and space applications.

Visitors to the Hexcel stand will see an Integrated Wing Panel demonstrator and an I-beam, both made with HiTape® carbon fiber reinforcements. HiTape® dry carbon reinforcements were developed for the automated lay-up of preforms and to complement a new generation of HiFlow™ resin systems, producing high-quality aerospace structures using the resin infusion process. The reinforcements incorporate a toughening veil to enhance mechanical properties and meet the structural requirements for aerospace parts. The I-Beam was manufactured using C-RTM (Compression Resin Transfer Molding) and was injected with Hexcel’s RTM6 resin in a process taking less than five minutes.

Hexcel honeycomb saves weight and enhances stiffness in composite structures, and the company provides a range of engineered core solutions that enable highly contoured parts with precision profiling to be produced to exact customer specifications. A sample part made from aluminum FlexCore® that is CNC machined on both sides and formed and stabilized with both peel ply and flyaway layers of stabilization will be on display.

Another honeycomb innovation is Hexcel’s Acousti-Cap® broadband noise-reducing honeycomb that significantly improves acoustic absorption in aircraft engine nacelles. The acoustic treatment may be positioned at a consistent depth and resistance within the core or can be placed in a pattern of varying depths and/or resistances (Multi-Degrees of Freedom and 3 Degrees Of Freedom), offering an acoustic liner that is precisely tuned to the engine operating conditions. These technologies have been tested at NASA on a full engine test rig and meet all 16 design conditions without trade-offs.
Another Hexcel technology to benefit aircraft engines is HexShield™ honeycomb which provides high-temperature resistance in nacelles. By inserting a thermally resistant material into honeycomb cells, Hexcel provides a core product with unique heat-shielding capabilities that allows for the potential reuse of material after a fire.

With 50 years of experience behind its comprehensive range of high-strength, high-strain PAN-based carbon fibers, Hexcel continues to innovate and is introducing two new fibers to its portfolio. HexTow® HM50 combines high modulus and high tensile strength, making it ideal for commercial and defense aircraft and engines. HexTow® 85 was developed specifically to replace rayon-based carbon fiber for ablative applications.

Another area of expertise that uses HexTow® carbon fiber is additive manufacturing, where Hexcel uses PEKK ultrahigh performance polymers and HexAM™ technology to manufacture carbon reinforced 3D printed parts. This innovative process provides a weight-saving solution for intricate parts in highly demanding aerospace, satellite and defense applications. HexPEKK™ structures offer significant weight, cost and time-to-market reductions, replacing traditional cast or machined metallic parts with a new technology.

Later this year Hexcel will open a joint research and development laboratory in Les Avenières (Isère), France with Arkema to develop carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic prepreg tapes for aerospace, space and defense applications. A spool of thermoplastic prepreg tape will be on display on Hexcel’s stand to showcase this cost-effective technology that enables lightweight parts to be produced in faster production cycles for future generations of aircraft.

Hexcel’s stand is located next to Hexcel’s official distributor for aerospace products, Groupe Gazechim Composites. In 2018, Hexcel and Gazechim formed a joint venture, HexCut Services, to provide aerospace and defense customers with customized kitting services that include Hexcel’s innovative carbon fiber prepreg, fabrics and adhesives. Pre-cut kits save customers time and investment, reduce inventory and minimize material losses through scrap reduction.

• Hexcel’s Composite Innovations For Aerospace, Automotive, Energy And Marine Applications At JEC World 2019 Hall 5 - Stand J41

STAMFORD, Conn. – At this year’s JEC World taking place in Paris on March 12-14, Hexcel will promote a wide range of composite innovations for customer applications in aerospace, automotive, energy and marine markets.

Aerospace Innovations

Hexcel’s HiTape® and HiMax™ dry carbon reinforcements were developed to complement a new generation of HiFlow™ resin systems, producing high quality aerospace structures using the resin infusion process. HiTape® was developed for the automated lay-up of preforms and HiMax™ is a range of optimized non-crimp fabrics (NCF). Both products incorporate a toughening veil to enhance mechanical properties, meeting the structural requirements for aerospace parts.

Visitors to JEC will see an Integrated Wing Panel demonstrator and an I-beam, both made with HiTape® reinforcements, and an Opticoms rib made with HiMax™ NCF. The Opticoms rib and I Beam were both manufactured using C-RTM (Compression Resin Transfer Molding). They were injected with Hexcel’s RTM6 resin in a process taking less than 5 minutes. The total manufacturing cycle for both parts was just 4.5 hours.

Also among the Aerospace exhibits, Hexcel will display a composite petal for a satellite antenna, manufactured by Thales Alenia Space Italia. The petal is part of a set of 24 deployable structural elements that form the large area reflector assembly used on board Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observation satellites. Thales Alenia Space Italia selected Hexcel’s HexPly® M18 prepreg for this application, acknowledging the superior mechanical and outgassing properties provided.

Another Hexcel prepreg application on show is a “zero” frame, manufactured by Aerofonctions for the engine area of Daher’s TBM 910/930 single-engine turboprop aircraft. Hexcel’s HexPly® M56 prepreg was selected by Daher for the “zero” frame – a product developed for Out of Autoclave applications that provides the same high quality and performance as autoclave-cured prepregs, from a simple vacuum bag cure in an oven.

With 50 years of experience behind its comprehensive range of high-strength, high-strain PAN-based carbon fibers, Hexcel continues to innovate, and is introducing two new fibers to its portfolio. HexTow® HM50 combines high modulus and high tensile strength, making it ideal for commercial and defense aircraft and engines. HexTow® 85 was developed specifically to replace rayon-based carbon fiber for ablative applications.

HexTow® carbon fiber holds the most qualified carbon fiber positions on aerospace programs in the industry and is the best unsized fiber available on the market. It provides excellent bonding interfacial properties with thermoplastic matrices and is the best-performing fiber for 3D printing applications.

Additive manufacturing is another area of expertise for Hexcel, using PEKK ultra-high performance polymers and HexAM™ technology to manufacture carbon-reinforced 3D printed parts. This
innovative process provides a weight-saving solution for intricate parts in highly demanding aerospace, satellite and defense applications. HexPEKK™ structures offer significant weight, cost and time-to-market reductions, replacing traditional cast or machined metallic parts with a new technology.

Hexcel is well known for its range of weight-saving, stiffness-enhancing honeycombs and the company adds value by providing a range of engineered core solutions to customers from facilities in the USA, Belgium and the newly opened Casablanca plant in Morocco. Hexcel’s engineered core capabilities enable highly contoured parts with precision profiling to be produced to exacting customer specifications. An example of such a part will be on display at JEC. Made from Aluminum FlexCore®, the part is CNC machined on both sides, and formed and stabilized with both peel ply and flyaway layers of stabilization. Aircraft engines benefit from a number of Hexcel core technologies including HexShield™ honeycomb that provides high temperature resistance in aircraft engine nacelles. By inserting a thermally resistant material into honeycomb cells, Hexcel provides a core product with unique heat-shielding capabilities that allows for the potential re-use of material after a fire event.

Hexcel’s Acousti-Cap® broadband noise-reducing honeycomb significantly improves acoustic absorption in aircraft engine nacelles. The acoustic treatment may be positioned at a consistent depth and resistance within the core, or can be placed in a pattern of varying depths and/or resistances (Multi-Degrees of Freedom and 3 Degrees Of Freedom), offering an acoustic liner that is precisely tuned to the engine operating conditions. These technologies have been tested at NASA on a full engine test rig and meet all 16 design conditions without trade-offs.

HexBond™ – the new name in Adhesives

Hexcel’s range of high performance adhesives has expanded considerably following the company’s acquisition of Structil. The company has now decided to unite the range by marketing all of its adhesive products using HexBond™ branding. The comprehensive range of HexBond™ structural film adhesives, foaming adhesive films, paste adhesives, liquid shims, epoxy fillets and Chromium free liquid primers is suitable for a wide range of applications in combination with Hexcel’s prepreg and honeycomb products.

Automotive Innovations

Hexcel’s carbon prepreg patch technology provides an innovative way of locally stiffening and reinforcing metal parts, providing noise and vibration management functionality. HexPly® prepreg patches consist of unidirectional carbon fiber impregnated with a fast curing epoxy matrix that has self-adhesive properties, enabling it to bond to metal in a highly efficient one-step process. These key technology properties are demonstrated in an 18.5kg aluminum subframe (that is 50% lighter than steel equivalents), which was reinforced with 500 grams of HexPly® prepreg and tested by Saint Jean Industries. The part demonstrates a significant reduction in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Other benefits include lower production costs, energy savings, increased driver comfort, production flexibility and part count reduction. With this technology Hexcel is a finalist in the JEC Innovation Awards 2019 in the Automotive Applications category.

HexPly® prepreg patch technology was also applied to a hybrid side sill demonstrator developed with Volkswagen and Dresden University to address future crash test requirements, specifically for electric cars. Combining fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) with metal, the hybrid construction allows for optimum performance including weight savings, enhanced safety, increased energy absorption, battery protection in a crash situation and production flexibility.

Hexcel will also display a lightweight CFRP transmission crossmember produced from Hexcel’s high performance HexMC®-i 2000 molding compound. The transmission crossmember was developed in partnership with the Institute of Polymer Product Engineering (at Linz University), Engel and Alpex. As the part connects the chassis together and supports transmission it has to be stiff and strong, resisting fatigue and corrosion. Hexcel’s HexMC®-i 2000 was selected as the best-performing molding compound on the market, curing in as little as two minutes to produce lightweight, strong and stiff parts.
To produce the transmission crossmember HexMC®-i 2000 preforms are laid up in Alpex molds and compression-molded in a v-duo press that was tailored for the application by Engel. Ribs, aluminum inserts and other functions can be molded into the part using the single-stage process, reducing component-count. Any offcuts from the preforms can be interleaved between the plies of material to provide additional reinforcement in key areas - meaning that the process generates no waste.

Other Automotive promotions on Hexcel’s stand at JEC World include a composite leaf spring manufactured by ZF using HexPly® M901 prepreg. In contrast to steel leaf springs, composite versions offer many advantages including weight savings of up to 70%, high corrosion resistance, optimized system integration and superior performance. HexPly® M901 prepreg reduces the cure cycle to below 15 minutes and provides 15% higher mechanical performance, with enhanced fatigue properties. It also operates at high temperatures, providing a Tg of up to 200°C following a post cure.

Marine Innovations

Hexcel has a comprehensive range of products aimed at racing yacht and luxury boat builders that include America’s Cup, IMOCA class and DNV GL-approved prepregs, woven reinforcements and multiaxial fabrics for hull and deck structures, masts and appendages.

At JEC World Hexcel will display an IMOCA yacht mast manufactured by Lorima using HexPly® high modulus and high strength carbon fiber prepreg from Hexcel Vert-Le-Petit. Lorima is the exclusive official supplier of masts for IMOCA 60 class racing boats.

Hexcel’s HexTow® IM8 carbon fiber has been selected as the highest performing industrial carbon fiber on the market and will be used by spar and rigging manufacturer Future Fibres to manufacture their AEROrazr solid carbon rigging for all the teams in the 36th America’s Cup.

Hexcel’s HiMax™ DPA (Dot Pattern Adhesive) reinforcements are non-crimp fabrics supplied pre-tacked, allowing multiple fabrics to be laid-up more easily in preparation for resin infusion. Providing an optimal, consistent level of adhesion, they allow a faster and more consistent resin flow, as well as eliminating the use of spray adhesive for a healthier working environment and lower risk of contamination. Simply unrolled and applied to the mold or core layer before the introduction of resin, HiMax™ DPA fabrics are widely used in boat building, where lay-up times can be reduced by up to 50%.

Wind Energy Innovations

Hexcel has developed a range of HexPly® surface finishing prepregs and semi-pregs for wind turbine blades and marine applications. Providing a tough, durable and ready-to-paint surface without using in-mold coats, these products shorten the manufacturing cycle and reduce material costs. HexPly® XF2(P) prepreg is optimized for wind blades and has a ready-to-paint surface, straight from the mold, saving at least 2 hours of takt time.

Polyspeed® pultruded carbon laminates were developed for load-carrying elements in a blade structure and are manufactured with a polyurethane matrix that provides outstanding mechanical performance in terms of stiffness and durability. The blade manufacturing process is optimized, with increased throughput. The pultruded laminates are supplied in coils as continuous cross section profiles.
HiMax™ non-crimp fabrics using E-glass, high modulus glass and carbon fibers are also available in a wide range of unidirectional, biaxial and triaxial constructions. HiMax™ fabrics have applications throughout the turbine, from the stitched carbon fiber UDs used in the main structural elements, to glass fabrics and hybrids for blade shells and nacelles. There are also specialist applications such as lightweight fabrics for heated leading edge de-icing zones.

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.

To receive an award at PERFORMANCE DAYS is the ultimate industry recognition. In selecting the winners of the (ECO) PERFORMANCE AWARDS, the jury handles with total integrity with no outside influence and is absolutely free in making its decisions. This season there are so many outstanding innovations at the exhibition that two awards are announced!

WATER – OUR RESPONSIBILITY, the current FOCUS TOPIC for the next trade fair on November 28-29th, seems to have spurred the PERFORMANCE DAYS exhibitors to peak performances. The trade fair has highlighted innovations every season for the past ten years, but seldom have there been so many outstanding new developments. So many in fact, that two awards are to be presented: the ECO PERFORMANCE AWARD for best sustainable development, and the PERFORMANCE AWARD for a new functional highlight.  

And the winner of the ECO PERFORMANCE AWARD is:
The jury is highly enthusiastic about the nomination of the ECO PERFORMANCE AWARD winner and described the award-winning fabric as the best ecological solution currently available on the market. This extraordinary laminate from Jou Jou Fish combines various sustainable technologies. Article "JYRNP0002 307" consists of 100% recycled nylon and is designed with a micro-porous membrane (functional performance 15K/10K) that is produced without solvents. This saves a lot of water, plus the fabric is made from pre-dyed fibres (solution-dyeing) and the DWR coating is applied using a dry-finish treatment. The only thing that could improve it: as the polyamide is currently produced from postindustrial waste products, it would be nice to have option of using post-consumer polyamides in the future.

And the winner of the PERFORMANCE AWARD is:
The PERFORMANCE AWARD recognizes another pioneering development. Never before has there been such a fine, yet still tear resistant, highly functional fabric. The winner is article "DPQ 1092 DWR" from Green Threads and with only 17g/m² an absolute lightweight. Particularly fine nylon yarns are used (7d and 4d); a 4d yarn has never before been used in functional fabrics. This plus the extremely good tear resistance clinched it for the jury. Another plus for the winner: this lightweight fabric can achieve with just 17 g comparable performance values to a 50g fabric; thereby, not only is the weight significantly reduced, but also the amount of raw materials and energy consumed in production. This is also a factor that protects the environment when the garment is disposed at the end of its useful life.

From 4 – 6 September, leading innovations and technologies from around the world will feature in the Shanghai New International Expo Centre for Cinte Techtextil China 2018. With a growing technical textile market in China and Asia, big industry names will come to showcase new products. The Belgium, Germany and Taiwan Pavilions are predicted to draw a crowd with their return, while the Czech Republic Pavilion makes its debut appearance.

Fresh innovation from the Taiwan Pavilion
The Taiwan Pavilion lives up to its reputation as one of the leading sources of industry innovation. Ten exhibitors in the Taiwan Pavilion will showcase a variety of innovations ideal for a number of industries. With advances in medical and hygiene product technologies, exhibitors Web-Pro Corporation will offer protective cover-all materials that resist pathogens and micro-organisms and multi-layered PE films for hygiene products, while Kae Hwa Industrial will introduce their developments in materials that protect against viruses. Four Elements Energy Biotechnology will showcase their multi-functional Masterbatch product, a unique FDA-qualified, anti-mildew and transparent plastic additive that repels bacteria.

Other exhibitors to watch out for in the Taiwan Pavilion include Ritex Machinery, who will display their Air Through machinery which can be applied to nonwoven fabrics for hygienic, medical and filtration uses. Everlight Chemical Industrial’s Evereco® adhesives introduce an eco-friendly solution with heat-resistance and other resilient properties. Also offering eco-friendly alternatives is TomLong Techstile and their TPU coated fabrics, ideal for waterproof and inflatable products.

Productivity and efficiency at the German Pavilion
Following high demand in the Chinese market, the German Pavilion returns with around 30 exhibitors, showcasing their expertise in efficiency in textile production. Highlights include Baumüller Nürnberg’s modular concepts and intelligent automations which allow flexible reactions to changeable market requirements. Edelmann Technology brings new high speed winder systems for increased production rates and new concepts for reducing contamination in products. ISRA Surface Vision will present 100% inline optical surface inspection methods for quality control and process optimisations. Another product to watch out for is Kufner’s xShield®, a lightweight, soft textile with 99% shielding efficiency against electromagnetic radiation.

Other big names in the German Pavilion include Autefa Solutions, Brückner Textile Technologies, Dornier Lindauer, IBENA, J.H. Ziegler, Kufner, Perlon and more.

Belgium Pavilion returns along with a Czech Republic debut
Organised by Fedustria (Belgian Textile, Woodworking and Furniture Industry Federation), the Belgium Pavilion will include textile recycling company Belrey Fibres, engineered fabrics by Pennel & Flipo for marine and rescue industries, as well as leading coating specialists Vetex who will feature a variety of functional tapes, and R&D institute Centexbel who carry out research projects across the entire textile and polymer production chain.

The new Czech Republic Pavilion organised by ATOK, the Association of Textile-Clothing–Leather Industry, will showcase three exhibitors who will provide solutions for technical yarn, fabric processing and nonwoven fabrics. These include: GF Machinery, showcasing R&D and production of special machines and lines for glass / basalt yarn and fabric processing; Retex’s nonwoven needle-punched and air laid textiles; and STAP, Europe’s biggest manufacturer of narrow fabrics.

The Cinte Techtextil China fair is recognised by European manufacturers as a gateway to the Asian market. With investment from China boosting the technical textile industry, and more Asian countries than ever developing their technical markets, Cinte Techtextil China 2018 is set to be a hub of business potential.

• 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.
 

For buyers that prioritise having the widest range of sourcing options in one place, their best bet is March’s Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics. Boasting pavilions from Japan, Korea, Pakistan and Taiwan, individual exhibitors from Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and Vietnam, not to mention 2,800-plus Chinese exhibitors, the fair is the largest gathering of Asian suppliers under one roof for the spring / summer sourcing season. To ensure convenience for buyers, international exhibitors are grouped by country or region, while Chinese exhibitors are located in product halls including fabrics for casualwear, functional wear / sportswear, ladieswear, lingerie & swimwear, shirting and suiting, as well as for accessories and denim.

In total, around 3,300 exhibitors will showcase their apparel fabrics and accessories at the fair, with the SalonEurope zone hosting premium suppliers from Europe – including pavilions and zones from France, Germany, Italy and Turkey – while the International Hall also houses other overseas exhibitors from the likes of Argentina, Australia, Peru the US and elsewhere.

Japan Pavilion keeps ‘Banshu-Ori’ tradition alive
Organised by the Japan Fashion Week Organization (JFW), the Japan Pavilion will house 22 exhibitors and also feature a Japan Trend Corner. After the immense popularity of this pavilion with buyers in previous editions, the organisers are in a good position to comment on the trends in the local market. “The now mature Chinese market tends to seek out very different types of products and purchase in smaller batches, which is a world away from the mass-production focus of the past,” JFW commented.

Included in this edition’s Japan Pavilion are three companies from the Nishiwaki region, which is famous for its ‘Banshu-Ori’, or Banshu weave. Banshu-Ori is a yarn-dyed fabric, woven into various patterns, such as checks and stripes, with yarns that are dyed before being woven by weaving machines. This tradition dates back to 1792, and will be showcased by Bon Co Ltd, Ueyama Orimono Corp and Kuwamura Co Ltd at the fair. Bon will showcase a range of new products using this traditional technique, including organic cotton fabrics, paper yarn fabrics and indigo items. Ueyama Orimono, which boasts Japan’s largest dyeing factory in Nishiwaki, designs its own fabrics in Tokyo, and will present cotton, cotton / linen and medium-thin yarn-dyed fabrics at the fair. Kuwamura will showcase fabrics based on 100% yarn-dyed cotton, as well as cotton and cotton-blend materials.

Taiwan Pavilion the place to find innovation
The Taiwan Pavilion, with over 40 participating companies, is a guaranteed source of innovation at the fair, with a number of exhibitors also offering eco-friendly options. Some of the highlights include:

• Keen Ching Industrial: they will have a number of their patented KCC-branded zippers at the fair including a durable double-coil zipper, an invisible zipper with a movable retainer box, a track type water-repellent zipper, a curved metal zipper and more.
• Handseltex Industrial: will showcase a wide range of products including lace, jacquard and mesh, made with the likes of organic cotton and recycled polyester with an eco-friendly production process.
• Paltex: the company’s ‘From Waste to Yarn’ regeneration system involves turning waste fishing nets and plastic bottles from the ocean into polyester and nylon fabrics, membranes and trimmings.
• Superwill: their unique gradient fabric combines specialty yarns and a special knitting process, and features a thickness that decreases from top to bottom. This design allows the fabric to be tailored to different garments.
• Tri Ocean Textile: will feature its own DreamFel® high-performance filament polypropylene yarn which is lightweight, durable and environmentally friendly, and used in sports & outdoor apparel and outdoor furniture.

The Taiwan Pavilion will be full of innovative textile solutions again this edition
The Korea and Pakistan Pavilions round out the Asian offerings. Nearly 60 Korean exhibitors will showcase predominantly manmade, fancy, knitted, acetate woven, tricot, jacquard, faux leather and printed fabrics, as well as lace and embroidery, for ladieswear, while other members will feature fabrics for sportswear and outdoor wear. Those from Pakistan, meanwhile, will feature in the Beyond Denim hall and offer a wide range of denim products.  

In addition to Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, four other textile fairs also take place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center: Yarn Expo Spring, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition, fashion garment fair CHIC and knitting fair PH Value.