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Composites

Hexcel to exhibit composite technologies at Paris Air Show 2015

Hexcel will display a range of composite technologies, from carbon fibre, reinforcements and resin formulations to honeycomb with added functionality.

11th June 2015

Innovation in Textiles
 |  Duxford, Cambridge

Industrial, Transport/​Aerospace

Hexcel, a leading advanced composites company, is promoting a range of composite technologies, from carbon fibre, reinforcements and resin formulations to honeycomb with added functionality, at this year’s Paris Airshow that takes place from 15-21 June.

These composite materials are used increasingly in civil aircraft, engines, helicopters, and space applications for weight-saving, enhanced performance, design optimization and improved fuel efficiency, the company reports.

New carbon fibre plant

To meet the growing demand for composites in the aerospace industry, Hexcel is investing in capacity expansions at facilities in Europe and the USA.

Construction of the new plant will begin by September 2015. © Hexcel

Last month, Hexcel launched its new carbon fibre plant in France. This US 250 million investment in polymerization and carbonization lines will occupy a 37-acre site at the Osiris Chemicals Industry Platform in Roussillon in the Rhone-Alpes region.

The plant is part of Hexcel’s ongoing worldwide investment to create a diversified and robust supply chain to support aerospace customers’ growing demand for carbon fibre composites. Construction of the new plant will begin by September 2015, and it is expected to employ 120 people when fully operational in early 2018.

MRO technologies for composite repair

Hexcel’s stand at the exhibition is co-located with Groupe Gazechim Composites, an official distributor of Hexcel products, and their affiliate Composites Distribution. Hexcel and Composites Distribution are partnering to provide solutions for MRO that allow aircraft repairs to be carried out quickly and conveniently.

Hexcel and Composites Distribution are partnering to provide solutions for MRO that allow aircraft repairs to be carried out quickly and conveniently. © Hexcel

Hexcel’s range of products developed for composite repair includes HexPly M20 prepreg and HexForce carbon fabrics. HexPly M20 prepreg is said to provide high temperature performance from a low energy cure cycle at 120-130°C and can be processed in the field using vacuum bag and a heater blanket or hot bonder or in an autoclave.

RTM resins and prepreg

Hexcel’s newly launched RTM resin, HexFlow RTM230 ST, performs at high temperatures with superior toughness and has excellent high-rate impact resistance, according to the manufacturer.

Hexcel is also promoting HexPly M92, the latest generation 125°C curing prepreg designed to  combine superior hot wet performance up to 115°C, self-adhesion, high toughness, fire-resistance, low exotherm and a long out/tack life. On display will be a wing fuselage fairing door demonstrator manufactured by Embraer using HexPly M92 carbon fibre prepreg.

On display will be A wing fuselage fairing door demonstrator manufactured by Embraer. © Hexcel

HexPly M91 is a new high toughness and impact resistant epoxy prepreg from Hexcel that is used by Rolls-Royce to manufacture CTi fan blades for new generation lightweight turbofan engines. The blade, which is thinner and lighter than titanium fan blades, is currently undergoing flight tests and will be on display at the air show.

Carbon fibre and reinforcements

On the Hexcel stand, visitors will see an out-of-autoclave filament wound carbon composite structure manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space using Hexcel’s HexPly M56 and HexTow HM63 carbon fibre towpreg.

Hexcel’s HiTape advanced dry carbon fibre reinforcements are designed for the automated manufacture of preforms at very high deposition rates. The preforms are then infused with Hexcel’s RTM6 resin in an out-of-autoclave process. Parts produced with HiTape reinforcements and Hexcel’s HexFlow infusion resins can be up to 30mm thick with 58% to 60% fibre volume content.

Hexcel’s HiTape advanced dry carbon fibre reinforcements are designed for the automated manufacture of preforms at very high deposition rates. © Hexcel

Hexcel partnered with Stelia Aerospace, Coriolis Composites and CompositeAdour to collaborate on the design, manufacture and testing of a primary aircraft structure – a self-stiffened fuselage demonstrator panel – using HiTape. The resulting panel will be displayed at the exhibition.

Adding functionality to core

Hexcel has launched Hex-SHIELD, a technology product providing high temperature resistance in aircraft engine nacelles. By inserting a thermally resistant material into honeycomb cells, Hexcel is said to provide a core product with unique heat-shielding capabilities, that allows for the potential re-use of material after a fire at 1093°C/2000°F.

Acousti-Cap has been tested at NASA on a full engine test rig and meets all 16 design conditions. © Hexcel

Advancements to Hexcel’s Acousti-Cap broadband noise-reducing honeycomb have resulted in Multi-Degree of Freedom (MDOF) liners that are said to bring significant improvements in acoustic absorption capabilities in aircraft engine nacelles. Acousti-Cap has been tested at NASA on a full engine test rig and meets all 16 design conditions.

www.hexcel.com

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