RRP 20150301

MARCH/APRIL 2015
the voice of the composites industry worldwide
www.reinforcedplastics.com
From carbon ber to nanotubes
Carbon transforms wind farm access
Why not composites in ships?
Nano Energy
publishes original experimental
and theoretical research on all aspects of
energy-related research which utilizes nanomaterials
and nanotechnology. Manuscripts of four types are considered: review
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breakthroughs in the eld; full-length articles which report comprehensive
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topical issues or express views on the developments in related elds.
The editors welcome contributions on a variety of topics such as:
Batteries | Fuel Cells | Hydrogen generation and storage | Light emitting
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Research in energy will be at the core of science and
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of life for every one of us. My intention is that the
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communicate global research in green and sustainable
energy using nanomaterials and nanotechnology.
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Georgia Institute of Technology, 500 10th Street NW,
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Submit your paper today

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CONTENTS 1
March/April 2015
Volume 59 Number 2
pp. 57102
REGULAR SECTIONS
57
RP Rewind
58
Applications
66
Business
75
Technology
100 Events
Image: Innovation at JEC: Scott Bader exhibited

the Spanish Ariane 3 racing motorcycle at JEC.
It includes the companys Crystic gel-coated
and vacuum infused carbon ber Crestapol
1250LV resin composite body panel parts,
bonded with Crestabond structural adhesive.
Photo Scott Bader.
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FEATURES
82
From carbon ber to nanotubes: when size matters

Laurie Winkless
86

George Marsh
90

Stella Job
94
Characterization and simulation of structural fabrics Part 1:

A cross-industry review of approaches to composites engineering
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Reinforced Plastics Volume 59, Number 2 March/April 2015
RP REWIND
RP Rewind
Liz Nickels leafs through past issues of Reinforced Plastics to nd out what was happening in the PM industry of the
past.
5 years ago. . .
small London-based publisher, the maga- in composites shows worldwide. It is now
The automotive industry has started to take
carbon ber composites very seriously, said
editor Amanda Jacob, highlighting some of
the new partnerships between composite
manufacturers and automotive companies
this month. The latest partnership focusing
on the volume production of composites
for automotive use was Audi and Voith,
while fellow German car makers BMW
and Daimler (Mercedes Benz) had already
set up joint ventures to develop carbon ber
components for their vehicles with SGL and
Toray, respectively.
Asia led growth in global wind power this
month, growing 35.8 GW in 2010 bringing
total global capacity to 194.4 GWup 22.5%
from 2009, according to the Global Wind
Energy Council (GWEC). Asia accounted for
19 GW of new global wind power installations, driven by China, which installed
16.5 GW. With 42.3 GW of wind power,
China surpassed the US in terms of total
installed capacity.
However, the global wind power market
was down for the rst time in 20 years and
new installations fell 7% compared to 2009,
mainly due to a disappointing year in the
USA, as well as a slowdown in Europe. Unlike
previous years, more than half of installations were outside the traditional markets of
Europe and North America and the US saw its
annual wind power installations halve from
10 GW in 2009 to just over 5 GW in 2010.
zine was acquired by global media group

Elsevier in 1989 and since then has grown
in both content and readership to become
the industrys only truly global magazine,
read and respected by composites suppliers
and manufacturers all around the world. So,
happy 60th birthday Reinforced Plastics!
The magazine also featured the Earthrace
project, which aimed to break the world
record for circumnavigating the globe in a
powerboat using only biodiesel renewable
fuel. The eco-friendly vessel, designed by
LOMOcean Design and built by Calibre
Boats in Auckland, New Zealand featured a
hull composed of a composite carbon ber
and kevlar with a non-toxic anti-fouling
paint.
However, as it turned out, the rst
attempt at the global circumnavigation
record in 2007 turned out to be ill-fated,
with the boat several times encountering
mechanical problems. It later collided with
a Guatemalan shing boat, killing one of
the other boats crew. While the crew of the
Earthrace was later absolved of any responsibility, the delay forced the restart of the
record attempt, while more mechanical
issues later aborted it. In 2009 the re-named
and repainted powerboat collided with a
Japanese craft during anti-whaling operations. A salvage operation was abandoned,
with the vessel sinking the next day.
10 years ago. . .
The interest generated by JEC seems to

grow almost exponentially every year, said
editor Amanda Weaver, noting the growth
Reinforced Plastics celebrated its 50th anniversary. Launched in September 1956 by a
20 years ago. . .
time that this pre-eminence was recognized

and the composites calendar was rationalized. There is certainly room for a number
of composites events throughout Europe,
but why not aim to be complimentary,
rather than competitive. The JEC Company,
created in December 1996 as a subsidiary of
CPC, the Center for Promotion of Composites, has reportedly increased sixfold in
scope, network and number of employees
since then.
In India there was news that ber
reinforced plastic (FRP) has superseded
aluminum and steel as the material of
choice for making the roof, oor and window panels of buses in India. M/s PEETEE
Coach Builders used chopped strand mat
from FGP Ltd, Hyderabad, and polyester
resin from M/s Naphta Resins & Chemicals
Ltd, Bangalore.
An unusual application for glass ber
reinforced plastic was reported when an
aquarium was researching suitable materials
for its sh-carrying tanks. For this job special
tanks had to be built and fared onto the deck
of a boat that would be sturdy and not give
off any toxic or harmful substances.
The basic tank was constructed of marine
plywood reinforced with AFI Fiberglass
chopped strand mat and woven roving both
inside and outside. Polyester resin was used
on the outside and special solvent-free West
System epoxy with a ceramic epoxy owcoat was used on the inside. The material
turned out to be to be strong, light, durable,
long lasting, smooth on the inside and
above all environmentally-friendly.
0034-3617/http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.repl.2015.01.049
57
APPLICATIONS
Applications
[(159)TD.SARIEM]_$FComposite hatch cover approved for use in commercial ship
The rst ever approval of a structural composite part for a commercial ship was announced at the E-LASS (European network
for lightweight applications at sea) meeting
in Southampton, UK on 14th January. The
designer, Ragnar Hansen of Hansen Engineering, described the process which led to
approval being received from Panama Maritime Authority on 11th December 2014 for
retrot of FRP (bre reinforced plastic)
hatch covers to replace traditional steel
ones on a bulk carrier.
The design for the 17 [2_TD$IF]m 8 m FRP hatch
covers has several benets. It reduces
weight (typically [3_TD$IF]3540% of steel), resulting in fuel saving and/or increased cargo, as
well as easier crane handling and lighter
motors. No corrosion means better seal
performance, reducing risk of damage to
cargo.
[4_TD$IF]Approval for conversion has been given
for a 225 [5_TD$IF]m 32 m cargo vessel owned by
Danish shipping company Nordic Bulk Carriers AS. Hansen worked with classication
society DNV-GL and re experts at SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden to provide the design and risk assessment for the
conversion project specication developed
by Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. Tommy
Hertzberg, chair of E-LASS and a re researcher at SP, describes this as a breakthrough.
Panamax Bulk Carrier. Photo courtesy of Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.
The IMO SOLAS (International Maritime

Organization Safety of Life at Sea) regulations are based on steel and require structural materials to be non-combustible,
although an alternative design approach
with risk analysis has been possible since
2002. This is the rst time a composite part
has been approved using the alternative

design approach. A current IMO committee
is developing guidelines to help national
authorities to assess FRP designs.
For a fuller discussion[6_TD$ IF ], see Why not
Composites in Ships[7_TD$IF][8?.
[(159)TD.ENIM]Stella Job
58
APPLICATIONS
Scott Bader exhibited a range of new applications featuring its advanced composites
materials and adhesives at the JEC Composites show which took place in March.
New applications on display included the
Spanish Ariane 3 racing motorcycle which
includes the companys Crystic gel-coated
and vacuum infused carbon ber Crestapol
1250LV resin composite body panel parts,
bonded with Crestabond structural adhesive.
Also on show was a new design carbon
ber racing canoe for the Estonian Olympic
squad, also Crystic gel-coated and vacuum
moulded using Crestapol 1250LV infusion
resin.
New innovations
New for 2015 is GelTint, a fully automated, high speed gelcoat volumetric tinting
Spanish racing motorcycle Ariane 3, with carbon

ber reinforced body panel parts, molded by
Karbonius for ArianTech Ingenieria, S.L.
to rapidly full orders in 20 kg batches for a

pigmented gelcoat from the full RAL colour
range, with the new tinting system also able
to colour match to order from a suitable
sample provided. The new volumetric tinting system can pigment any gelcoat base
resin and brush and spray grades are offered
across the Crystic gelcoat range. Currently,
the GelTint service is only available to UK
customers, but plans are already in place to
extend the service more locally across Europe and beyond later in the year.
Scott Bader; www.scottbader.com
[(16)TD.ENIM]
and colour matching service developed by

Scott Baders R & D group, which was ofcially launched at JEC Europe. According to
Scott Bader, this new gelcoat service is able
D
[(147)TD.SARIEM] yneema chains could replace steel
DSM Dyneema has formed a partnership
with Load Solutions AS based in Bergen,
Norway to develop link chains made with
Dyneema ber.
The industrial link chains used for handling heavy loads and lashing cargo are
traditionally made of iron or steel. These
chains, called TYCAN, are made from webbings made of DSMs ultrahigh molecular
weight polyethylene (UHMwPE) ber.
According to the company, the chains
have economic, environmental and safety
advantages over traditional chains. DSM
Dyneema and Load Solutions came together because we both understood the overwhelming advantages of link chains made
with Dyneema, says Dietrich Wienke, manager of new business development at DSM
Dyneema. Our ber is the only ber in the
world capable of giving the TYCAN chains
what they need: superior strength at lowest
weight, unbeatable bending fatigue and
abrasion resistance, plus excellent outdoor
Because the ber has a density of less than one,

TYCAN is reportedly the only chain in the world
that oats on water.
performance and endurance even in very

harsh operating conditions.
Float on water
The ber also makes the chains resistant to
chemicals and seawater-proof, and because
Dyneema has a density of less than one,
TYCAN is reportedly the only chain in the
world that oats on water.
The chains can be wrapped over the edges

of cargo without suffering any damage and
withstand the sorts of shock loads that may
occur on ships sailing through very stormy
weather, without any stretching that might
cause the cargo to shift. Chains are also
more exible than ropes for holding heavy
loads, and it is very easy to shorten link
chains to the required length for any particular job, by doubling them back using
hooks.
The TYCAN chains can hold in place a
wind turbine wing weighing six tonnes, a
60-tonne battle tank, or even a 600-tonne
electrical mega power transformer, the
company says.
The chains have already passed the
rst and second levels of certication
by DNV GL, the international classication society, while full and nal certication of the chains is expected in early
2015.
DSM Dyneema; www.dyneema.com
[(147)TD.ENIM]
I[(148)TD.SARIEM] ACMI backs composite natural-gas vehicle fuel tanks

A research team led by the University of
Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) plans to
research the development affordable composite natural-gas vehicle fuel tanks under
the new Institute for Advanced Composites
Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI).
UDRI will lead the initiative for the
development of compressed-gas storage
vessels for the automotive and trucking

industry. The demand for compressed natural gas as a lower-cost, cleaner-burning
alternative to diesel and gasoline fuel for
vehicles continues to grow, said Brian Rice,
who heads the Research Institutes multiscale composites and polymers division
and will serve as director for the com-
pressed-gas storage initiative. In order for

natural gas fuel to be efciently and safely
used to power vehicles, the transportation
industry needs an affordable, lightweight
but high-strength compressed-gas fuel
tank. Our team will work to design and
develop tanks and manufacturing processes that can be mass produced at low cost
59
APPLICATIONS
[(16)TD.SARIEM]Scott Bader showcases new applications at JEC
APPLICATIONS
while minimizing energy use and waste

production.
Rice said the research and development
through the initiative will target semi-trailer trucks rst, followed by commercial box
trucks and, eventually, automobiles.
Besides developing materials and

manufacturing processes, the compressed-gas storage initiative team will also work to develop jobs to meet the
workforce created by the initiative, as well
as to educate and train workers to ll

them.
University of Dayton Research Institute
(UDRI);
www.udri.udayton.edu
[(148)TD.ENIM]
L
[(135)TD.SARIEM] ightweight canoes feature TeXtreme ber fabrics
APPLICATIONS
Canadian canoe manufacturer Swift Canes

& Kayaks has released a version of their
Keewaydin 16 model, featuring TeXtreme
Spread Tow carbon fabrics.
The company has also introduced its
Prospector 16 model built with a TeXtreme
hybrid fabric made of co-mingled carbon
ber and Innegra tapes at the Toronto Boat
Show.
Advancements in carbon ber technology are changing the way we design products, said Bill Swift, President of Swift
Canoe & Kayaks. It has changed the approach of the automotive, sailing, hockey,
cycling, and aerospace worlds, to name a
few, and its effect on the paddle sports
industry is growing exponentially. Using
TeXtreme creates an ultra-lightweight
canoe thats got an unmatched strength

to weight ratio. Using our signature resin
infusion process, the TeXtreme cloth generates a unique pattern on the hull thats
coupled with increased abrasion resistance compared to our standard carbon
cloth.
[2_TD$IF]Weight savings
The TeXtreme cloth generates a unique pattern

on the hull.
Using TeXtreme can achieve weight savings

of about [3_TD$IF]20-30% on the nished composite
parts, compared to when using conventional carbon ber reinforcements, the company says.
TeXtreme; [4_TD$IF]5www.textreme.com
[(135)TD.ENIM]
[(136)TD.SARIEM] ord develops carbon ber supercar

F
Ford has developed the Ford GT, a
lightweight aerodynamic vehicle which
makes extensive use of carbon ber
parts.
The parts include a carbon ber passenger
cell and body panels, while the front and
rear subframes are made of aluminum
encapsulated in structural carbon ber.
The car features the new twin-turbocharged Ford EcoBoost V6 engine which
produces more than 600 horsepower. The
supercar features rear-wheel drive, a midmounted engine, and a two-door coupe
body shell.
The GT is one of more than 12 new
Ford Performance vehicles available by
2020.
Ford; www.ford.com
[(136)TD.ENIM]
60
The Ford GT, a lightweight aerodynamic vehicle which makes extensive use of carbon ber parts.
APPLICATIONS
Lehmann & Voss & Co has developed new

composite materials for the production of
plastic gear wheels that are more resilient
even at elevated temperatures.
LUVOCOM 1-8181 and 1-8520 carbonber lled PA 66 have been especially developed for gear wheels subject to higher
loads. The materials strengths at room temperature and at 1208C have been increased
by approximately 100% compared with
POM, and they also have a specially
adjusted impact strength. The continuous
operating temperature is 1208C and 1508C
for short periods.
According to the company, plastic gear
wheels are displacing conventional metal
designs in many industrial applications due
to their good processing characteristics and
cost-effective large-series production, along
with high noise insulation, low weight,
functional integration and chemical resistance. Thermally resistant plastic gear
wheels are particularly in demand within
the engine compartment.
[(137)TD.ENIM]Lehmann & Voss & Co[2_TD$IF][3; www.lehvoss.de
APPLICATIONS
[(137)TD.SARIEM]_$FLehmann & Voss & Co develops new material for gear wheels
According to the company, plastic gear wheels are displacing conventional metal designs in many
industrial applications.
[(138)TD.SARIEM]_$F2H Offshore develops new composite pipe design

2H Offshore, an Acteon company, has
joined with oil and gas industry
leaders to develop a new design guideline
for
thermoplastic
composite
pipes
(TCP).
The aim of the Joint Industry Project (JIP)
is to improve the understanding and use
of composite materials in the offshore
industry.
It began in October and will take a year to

complete.
Our involvement in this JIP underlines
our commitment to supporting the use of
composite materials within the offshore
industry, said Tim Eyles, managing director, 2H. Composite pipes have many
advantages. Their good fatigue performance and reduced cross-sectional weight
may help to overcome technical challenges in the industry, especially in deeper

water and harsh environments. 2H has
experience in using composite materials
in risers and is committed to using emerging technologies to nd the best technical
solutions to meet the needs of our
clients.
2H
[(138)TD.ENIM] Offshore; [2_TD$IF]3www.2hoffshore.com
[(90)TD.SARIEM] ussia composite center to produce FRP buses

R
RUSSIAN ENGINEERING HUB the Nanotechnological Center of Composites and
Hungarian engineering company Evopro
have signed an agreement to produce modular buses with composite bodies.
The rst batch of 50 buses will be produced in 2015.
Production of composite modules via
vacuum infusion, RTM, and long ber injection will be powered by the Nanotechnological Center of Composites, and the
bus parts will be sent to Hungary for nal
assembly, including installation of engine,
chassis, gluing in glasses and installation of
other elements.
cost-effective way, from compact and manoeuvrable buses and trolley buses, which
could be compared to mini-buses, to capacious multi-section buses and trolley buses, said Csaba Meszaros, president of
Evopro Group. Apart from properties of
the body, clients will be able to choose type
of propulsion system: a bus can run on
diesel, CNG or electricity.
Weight reduction
The buses self-supporting composite bodies can
help reduce vehicle weight.
A modular approach allows the production of wide range of vehicles in the most
The buses self-supporting composite bodies can help reduce vehicle weight along
with fuel/power consumption and exhaust
fuels emissions.
61
APPLICATIONS
The role of the Nanotechnological Center is not limited to manufacturing. Company engineers are also involved in bus
body optimisation, said Mikhail Sto-
lyarov, general director of the Nanotechnological Center of Composites. We will

develop a complete set of design and process documentation allowing us to launch
licence manufacturing anywhere in the

world.
Nanotechnological Center of Composites;
www.hccomposite.com
[(90)TD.ENIM]
[(91)TD.SARIEM] ASA grant to create composite Lego in Space

N
APPLICATIONS
An engineer from the University of Massachusetts in the US has been awarded a grant
from NASA to develop composite materials
for use in space.
The NASA Early Career Faculty Space Technology Research Grant program is designed
to accelerate the development of innovative
technologies in academia that address the
needs in Americas space program as well as
other government agencies and the commercial ight industry. Hansens grant is
worth approximately US$579,000 spread
over a period of three years.
Mechanical engineering assistant professor Chris Hansens project, entitled Design
and Fabrication of Aerospace-Grade Digital
Composite Materials, was identied by the
space agency as a technology that could
address the challenges in developing lightweight and multifunctional construction
materials and structures for use in future
science and human exploration missions.
Typical materials used on Earth to build
structures, such as aluminum and steel, can
be heavy and expensive to send into space.
Lightweight parts
A kilogram of material can cost up to
US$10,000 to y into space due to the fuel
requirements of the booster rocket, said
Hansen, who is the principal investigator
for the project. Thats why NASA is interested in funding research to develop very
strong yet lightweight components or
62
of composite materials followed by experimentation in order to manufacture parts

and test structures for aerospace applications, he said.
Material choice
Hansens goal is to create a range of onedimensional struts and two-dimensional plates

components that can be assembled into a panel,
sphere, cube, cylinder, boom, like space Lego.
building blocks made of ber-reinforced

composite materials.
Hansens goal is to create a range of onedimensional struts and two-dimensional
plates components that can be assembled
into a panel, sphere, cube, cylinder, boom,
like space Lego, where interlocking pieces
can be assembled in many ways to build a
whole range of structures from pressurized crew and laboratory modules to external trusses, nodes, solar arrays, antennas
and other components like those found
in the International Space Station.
My research aims to conduct fundamental computational design and optimization
He will use fabrication techniques such as

pultrusion and 3D printing to make the
composite materials. To create the struts,
he will use either carbon or boron bers.
Carbon bers are light and are excellent
in handling tensional load, but not compression, he said. Boron bers are slightly
heavier and more expensive, but perform
better with compression. Our choice of material will depend on the load applied to the
structure.
He adds: Another unique aspect of this
project is reversibility. Anything constructed can be taken apart again and the
pieces reused to make other new structures.
Once again, every kilogram you have to
send up into space is very expensive so if
you can harvest even half of the materials
already in orbit and reuse them to form a
new structure, that would be very helpful in
terms of time, energy and cost. NASA is
always interested in reducing the cost of
launches, reusing materials and reducing
a missions environmental impact for a
more sustainable future.
University of Massachusetts;
www.massachusetts.edu
[(91)TD.ENIM]
APPLICATIONS
[3_TD$IF]UK manufacturer Structural Science Composites Ltd (SSC) has developed a range of
glass ber reinforced manhole and drain
covers that are so lightweight that even
the largest can be lifted by hand.
The EN-approved SSC composite manhole and drain covers use Scott Baders
Crestapol acrylic resin transfer moulding
(RTM) resin in a patented Thrubeam design
which produces a stiffer beam in combination with the reinforcement.
The covers which are typically three to
four times lighter than an equivalent steel
or reinforced concrete cover but have load
bearing capabilities to meet BS EN124:1994
Standards Group 4 Class D400. This standard species that an access cover must be
able to cope with static loading from cars,
vans, lorries and HGVs if installed in areas
such as carriageways, hard shoulders, factory sites and industrial estates; to pass BS
EN124 Class D400 an access cover or grating must withstand a 40 tonne test load.
are also inherently non-corrosive, nonconductive, and avoid problems relating

to theft for their scrap value, which is a real
issue with metal covers.
After extensive new product development trials and testing different UPR and
epoxy resin systems, we were very pleased
that Scott Bader was able to develop a special grade of its Crestapol high performance
acrylic resin for SSC that met all our needs,
said Andrew Burton, general manager of
SSC. The custom Crestapol grade we now
use rstly provides a level of physical properties to match our Thrubeam technology
and meet BS EN124 test standards. Secondly, the resins rheology and very fast cure
rate at moderately elevated temperatures
enables us to manufacture our composite
covers consistently, and with a high level of
condence that parts will meet our quality
standards.
Scott Bader[5_TD$IF][6; www.scottbader.com
Non-corrosive covers
[4_TD$IF]The RTM process helps give the covers improved strength-to-weight ratio, surface
details and anti-slip nish. SSC covers
A SSC Thrubeam Crestapol GRP composite

pedestrian manhole cover in Londons Parliament
Square.
[(92)TD.ENIM]
[(93)TD.SARIEM] oray FRP used in Toyotas new fuel cell vehicle

T
Toray Industries carbon ber material
will be used for a range of parts in Toyota
Motor Corporations MIRAI fuel cell
vehicle.
In particular, carbon ber reinforced
thermoplastics (CFRTP) will be used in
a stack frame part, equivalent to the vehicle oor. To make the part, Toray and
Toyota, developed a material which
can achieve a short press molding time
suitable for mass production, by developing the characteristics of thermoplastic.
Toray says that is the rst time in the
world that CFRTP will be used for the

structural part of a (mass) production
vehicle.
Toray also supplied carbon paper for the
electrode substrate of fuel cell stack and a
high strength carbon ber for the high
pressure hydrogen tank.
Toray Industries; www.toray.com
Toray Industries carbon ber material will be

used for a range of parts in Toyota Motor
Corporations MIRAI fuel cell vehicle.
[(93)TD.ENIM]
[(94)TD.SARIEM] utoclave developed for F1 parts

A
Support service company AIC Group has
recently completed the design and installation of a new autoclave for a leading
Formula 1 team in the UK.
The autoclave is designed to operate at
temperatures of up to 4008C, while normal composites processing autoclave
operate at 2003008C. The autoclave
also reaches pressures of up to 7 bar
which it can achieves in 95 minutes.

It is electrically heated and has an internal
working size of 1.5 m and is 2 m in
length.
The autoclave is being used to cure composite parts on F1 racing cars.
AIC Group; www.aicservice.com
The autoclave is being used to cure composite
parts on F1 racing cars.
[(94)TD.ENIM]
63
APPLICATIONS
[(92)TD.SARIEM]1_$FComposite manhole covers can be lifted by hand
APPLICATIONS
[(95)TD.SARIEM]TenCate provides parts for space capsule
APPLICATIONS
TENCATE ADVANCED COMPOSITES has

provided heat resistant composites for the
heat shield and backshell structure of the
Lockheed Martin Orion multi-purpose crew
vehicle, which was successfully launched
this week.
TenCates materials replace the traditional titanium solution for re-entry and splashdown requirements, while saving weight
and cost. The composite heat shield design
allows very large composite structures to
be fabricated out of autoclave.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Orion

thermal protection group worked with TenCate Advanced Composites to develop a
special heat resistant composite resin for
the 16.5 ft (5 m) diameter heat shield and
the crew vehicle backshell structure of the
Orion space capsule.
Great honour
This weeks ight represents the culmination of a ve year development and qualication effort for a suite of materials used in
this extreme application. Further, as a result

of the heat shields large size and thickness,
the advanced composites used had to
achieve high consolidation using only a
low pressure vacuum bag only process, said
Steve Mead, vice president of marketing &
sales at TenCate Advanced Composites.
TenCate is honoured to be one of Lockheeds partners on this important space
program.
TenCate Advanced Composites; www.tencate.
com
[(95)TD.ENIM]
(96).SAREM aunch of 22 m composite workboat

[1_TD$IF]L
[2_TD$IF]UK-based CTruk, which designs and builds
composite marine craft, has launched the
CWind Sword, a 22 m multi-role composite
workboat built for offshore wind farm support.
CWind Sword will start work on a CWind
contract for electrics company EnBW on
the Baltic 2 wind farm offshore in the German Baltic Sea in December.
The CTruk MPC22 is a 22 m multi-purpose
catamaran with 7.5 m beam and 1.25 m draft
constructed from ber-reinforced plastic
(FRP) composite for weight-saving strength.
It has a 20 tonne exible payload capability and the ability to carry 24,000 litres of
fuel and is designed to deal with rougher
seas and longer transits.
New features
[3_TD$IF]New features on the vessel include a protected
controllable pitch propeller (CPP) system
which can give improved bollard pull and
service speeds. CTruks patented moveable
wheelhouse and modular deck pod system
will enable the vessel to full multiple roles.
CTruk; [4_TD$IF]www.ctruk.com
The CTruk MPC22 is a 22 m multi-purpose

catamaran with 7.5 m beam and 1.25 m draft
constructed from ber-reinforced plastic (FRP)
composite for weight-saving strength.
[(96)TD.ENIM]
[(97)TD.SARIEM] orlds rst all carbon ber drone

W
[3_TD$IF]Trident Design has developed the Carbon

Flyer, reportedly the worlds rst all carbon
ber personal drone which is controlled by
Bluetooth and features an onboard video
camera.
The airframe has been assembled using
carbon nanotube enhanced epoxy which
creates bonds stronger than steel welds,
the company says.
[2_TD$IF]The drone airframe has been assembled using

carbon nanotube enhanced epoxy which creates
bonds stronger than steel welds.
The Carbon Flyer features a low-drag deltawing design, dual high power motors with
differential thrust to steer and no fragile
moving parts. It is controlled via long range
Bluetooth 4.0 and a smartphone app.
The creators have made an Indiegogo
page to nance the development of the
drone.
Trident Design; [4_TD$IF]5www.trident-design.com
[(97)TD.ENIM]
[(98)TD.SARIEM] aine composites center tests biggest ever structure

M
THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINES Advanced
Structures and Composites Center has completed static strength testing of a 56 m
(184 foot) wind turbine blade made by
Gamesa.
The Gamesa blade was the largest tested
to date in the UMaine Offshore Wind Laboratory. During the testing, the blade was
subjected to loads in four directions to
prove the structure met international
strength standards.
64
We are honored to have served one of the

worlds leading wind turbine manufacturers, said Habib Dagher, director of the
UMaine Composites Center. This is the
biggest structure we have tested to date,
extending nearly 80% of the length of our
blade test lab.
Safe testing
The University of Maines facility, which
opened in 2011, can provide testing and
material characterization services for each

stage of blade development.
Our engineers, technicians and students did a great job designing, building
and operating the equipment needed to
safely rotate and test the 56 m blade, said
John Arimond, the business development
executive with the UMaine Composites
Center.
University
of Maine; www.maine.edu
[(98)TD.ENIM]
APPLICATIONS
Sport equipment manufacturer Unihoc

has developed what it says is the worlds
lightest oorball stick, weighing just
183 grams.
Floorball is an indoor type of oor hockey
which was developed in the 1970s in
Sweden.
The stick is reinforced with TeXtreme
Spread Tow carbon fabrics, which are
also used in Formula 1 racing, Americas
Cup, advanced aerospace, bicycles and
the NHL.
Floorball is an indoor type of oor hockey which

was developed in the 1970s in Sweden.
As the pioneer brand in oorball Unihoc

has always been aiming to bring the development of the sport and the equipment to new
sterman, R&D Manager
levels, said Johan O
at Renew Group Sweden AB, which owns
Unihoc. Together with TeXtreme we have
now been able to take a huge step in the eld
of low weight sticks, and at the same time
offer the best performance qualities on the
market.
The retail launch of the new Unihoc stick
is set for June 2015.
TeXtreme;
www.textreme.com
[(9)TD.ENIM]
65
APPLICATIONS
[(9)TD.SARIEM]Lightweight hockey stick weighs just 183 grams
BUSINESS
Business
[(139)TD.SARIEM]AIC forms new partnership with the AMRC
AIC Group announces a new partnership
with the Advanced Manufacturing Research
Centre (AMRC) based in Shefeld, UK.
AIC will install its latest Autoclave Management and Control Systems (AMCS)
into the AMRC and will provide planned
preventative maintenance and calibration
services.
[(139)TD.ENIM]
The AMRC runs two autoclaves, the larger

of which is 3 m in diameter and 5 m in
length. The smaller autoclave measures
1 m 2 m in size. These are used for extensive composite projects with their partners in
the composite industry. AIC currently service and maintain a signicant number of
AMRC partners composite autoclaves.
We are excited to have this new system

in place to help increase the efciency of
our autoclaves. We know AIC delivers quality and we are glad to have their support
and expertise, said Conrad Sdao at the
AMRC.
[(140)TD.SARIEM]Dassault Syste`mes part of new US composite center

3D design software specialist Dassault
Syste`mes has become a charter member
of the Institute for Advanced Composites
Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), the
122-member consortium awarded a US
$70 million grant by the U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE).
The new institute will focus on advanced
ber-reinforced polymer composites that
combine strong bers with tough plastics
[(140)TD.ENIM]
to yield materials that are lighter and

stronger than steel.
More efcient products

Dassault Syste`mes is proud to be a charter
member of IACMI and will have the
honor to work alongside partners in the
non-prot sector, universities, national
laboratories and private industry, as
well as the Department of Energys
Advanced Manufacturing Ofce to enable

innovation and competitiveness in the
U.S. manufacturing sector and drive
the development of more efcient products, said Bruno Latchague, senior
executive vice president, Americas market
and global sales operations, Dassault
Syste`mes.
Dassault Syste`mes; www.3ds.com
[(14)TD.SARIEM]Gurit wins bid for carbon ber body panels

Swiss automotive composite specialist
Gurit has been selected as the supplier
for carbon ber based automotive body
panels at a total contract value of more
than CHF30 million calculated on a multiannual basis.
Starting in the fourth quarter of 2015,
the new project will involve the industrial
production of exterior Class-A carbon
body panel parts using Gurits existing
open mold manual and its new press
technology.
[(14)TD.ENIM]
Manufacturing car body panels from

composite materials provide car manufacturers with greater design exibility when
compared with metal panel technology.
Benets also result from the combination
of material functionality and robust
processing along with signicant weight
savings.
Reducing curing time

Gurits hot compression molding production technology can signicantly reduce
curing time thus enabling more efcient

industrial production of small-scale series.
The new technology also offers improved
parts accuracy, a high-quality carbon look
capability and improved surface quality.
This project win represents an important
milestone in the strategic advancement of
our automotive exterior body panel business, said CEO Rudolf Hadorn. We have
been working hard to prove superiority of
our advanced press technology.
Gurit; www.gurit.com
66
BUSINESS
[(10)TD.SARIEM]
3A Composites expands foam production

3A COMPOSITES HAS increased production capacities of its AIREX PET core materials.
This follows increased customer demand,
new product launches, and penetration into new markets, the company said.
[(10)TD.ENIM]
3A Composites new product, AIREX

GEN2 is expected to further accelerate
growth, as it specically targets high volume applications.
We observe an ongoing substitution
of other core materials with PET foams.
Moreover, the introduction of GEN2 is

bound to accelerate this process and so it
was a logical step to scale up our capacities,
said Roman Thomassin, CEO of 3A Composites Core Materials.
3A Composites; www.3acomposites.com
[(10)TD.SARIEM]Carbon ber: Asia Pacic most promising

BUSINESS
A new report suggests that Asia-Pacic is the

most promising carbon ber market, with
demand in the region to grow at a CAGR of
around 14% from 2014 to 2019.
Asia-Pacic manufactured almost 40% of
the total global demand in 2013. It is estimated that Japan, and China were the biggest manufacturers of carbon ber in this
region, followed by Taiwan and South
Korea in 2013. In order to meet the growing
demand from end-users in Europe, the
leading manufacturers from the Asia-pacic
region are rapidly continuing to increase
their production capacities in Asia, mainly
in China.
Growing market
While North America still holds the top
share of 36.83% in the global carbon ber
reinforced plastic market due to increased
demand from the aerospace and defense
industries, Europe is the fastest growing market due to the increasing use of CFRP in
automotive and wind energy. The region is
projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.4%, from
2014 to 2019, with growing oil prices boosting the need for fuel efcient vehicles and
aircrafts. Although the development of electric and hybrid vehicles will raise the usage of
CFRP composites in the automotive industry, the wind power market, offshore drilling
and d
]FDI$_T[4 3 eeper oil and gas exploration will increase the penetration of CFRP in the energy
industry.
The new research report, Carbon Fiber
Market & Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic
[(10)TD.ENIM]
Asia-Pacic is the most promising carbon ber market, with demand in the region to grow at a CAGR
of around 14% from 2014 to 2019.
(CFRP) by Type, Fiber size, & Region, is

available from MarketsandMarkets.
MarketsandMarkets;
www.marketsandmarkets.com
Located in Fort Worth, Texas, TAC has a

team of over 100 employees and has over
138,000 ft2 of facilities.
According to ATS, TAC ts into its strategy to grow and diversify its customer
base, capabilities and geographic reach.
While ATS principally serves commercial

airlines and OEMs, TAC adds a focus on
regional airline and military customers.
TAC also specializes in advanced composite repair on Airbus, Bombardier and
Embraer eets, while ATS provides a range
[(102)TD.SARIEM]ATS acquires Texas Air Composites

Aviation Technical Services (ATS) has acquired Texas Air Composites (TAC), a Domestic 145 Repair Station specializing in
composite structural fabrication, support
and repair for regional, commercial and
military aircraft.
67
BUSINESS
of component, engineering and airframe

services on primarily Boeing product
lines. The Dallas Fort Worth is in close
proximity to ATS new heavy airframe
maintenance facility in Kansas City, Missouri.
[(102)TD.ENIM]
Repair expertise
Texas Air Composites is an impressive addition to the ATS team. Their expertise in
composite repair on a wide range of aircraft
models pairs well with our prociency in
component, engineering and airframe ser-
vices, said Matt Yerbic, ATS president and

CEO.
The TAC leadership team is staying in
place and will continue to run the business
as a subsidiary of ATS.
Aviation Technical Services; www.atsmro.com
[(103)TD.SARIEM]ChinaRussia alliance invests in carbon ber

BUSINESS
Russia-based Composite Holding Company

and state-owned China Hi-Tech Group
Corp (CHTC) have formed a strategic alliance to develop polymer composite materials for different sectors of industry in Russia
and China.
Both parties will reportedly invest over
US$500 until 2025.
The plan is to create a vertically integrated company to produce carbon ber based
polymer composite materials, including
raw materials, semi-products and nished
goods. The rst step is to establish a joint
venture aimed at composite materials production and trading, including technical
fabrics and prepregs. This joint venture will
be established in Shenyang, Liaoning,
China, before the end of 2014.
Further steps will be made in 20152016
and include the joint development of
[(103)TD.ENIM]
carbon ber reinforced plastics-based nished goods, as well as raw materials such
as PAN-precursor and PAN based carbon
ber. The companies will also invest in
facilities and equipment to produce these
products. They suggest that over 1000 jobs
will be created in Russia and China.
New developments
The strategic alliance of two companies
will stimulate new developments of composite materials to raise demand in China
and Russia and win a signicant share of
that business in PRC and Russia in future,
said Leonid Melamed, general director of
Composite Holding Company.
As expected, we will develop composite
business jointly and will win up to
20% of future market of carbon ber
based composite materials in China
(at least 7000 tons of forecasted 35,000

by 20202025), said Zhang Jie, board of
directors chairman of China Hi-Tech
Group Corp.
The Chinese carbon ber and composite
materials market is reportedly the largest in
the world, at 20%. The world market covers
50,000 tons of carbon ber based composite
materials while the Chinese market consumes over 10,000 tons of carbon ber
based polymer composite every year. It
has been predicted that the level of consumption of composite materials in China
will grow up to 35,000 tons per annum by
20202025.
Composite Holding Company; www.
hccomposite.com/en
China Hi-Tech Group Corp (CHTC); www.chtgc.
com/n150
[(104)TD.SARIEM]FRIMO and CMTT announce mixing head joint venture

FRIMO, a developer of mixing head systems
for reinforced plastics, has announced a
joint venture with Covelo Machine & Tool
Trade Co Inc (CMTT).
CMTT constructs and produces highpressure mixing heads and is also a
[(104)TD.ENIM]
specialist in materials selection process,

material matching, production methods
and surface treatments. With the joint
venture with FRIMO, CMTTs service
and repair scope will expand from Europe
to also encompass North America and
Asia, where FRIMO currently manufactures its technologies.

FRIMO; www.frimo.com
Covelo Machine & Tool Trade Co Inc; www.
cmtt.com
[(105)TD.SARIEM]GlassFibreEurope welcomes new EU measures against China

GlassFibreEurope, a trade organisation that
aims to represent the interests of European
glass ber manufacturers, says that it welcomes new EU trade measures that have been
taken against Chinese glass ber exporters.
The European Commission initiated an
interim review of the existing anti-dumping
measures on glass ber imports from China
on 18 December 2013, and a new anti-subsidy proceeding on 12 December 2013.
According to GlassFibreEurope, it established that Chinese manufacturers dump
glass ber at predatory prices to seize EU
[(105)TD.ENIM]
68
market share, and receive illegal subsidies

from the Chinese government. The European Commission notied parties of its intent
to impose new anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures in early October 2014. The
nal proposal to impose total duties which
are generally up to 2530% on imports from
Chinese producers was supported by EU
Member States on 26 November 2014.
Strategic sector
We welcome the decision by EU
Member States to support the European
Commissions proposal to impose trade

defence measures against Chinese glass ber manufacturers, commented Mauro
Malanchini, president of GlassFibreEurope.
Unfair competition from China has caused
considerable injury to European industry,
with the loss of European factories and jobs
in an important strategic sector. We hope
the new measures will restore healthy competition in the EU glass ber market for the
benet of producers and downstream users
alike.
GlassFibreEurope; www.glassbereurope.eu
BUSINESS
[(106)TD.SARIEM]
Hexcel acquires interest in multi-axial fabric manufacturer
[(106)TD.ENIM]
aerospace applications and provide scale

for its growing industrial markets.
This announcement follows a Joint Development Agreement under which the two
companies jointly develop non-crimp fabrics
(NCF) for Hexcel and its aerospace customers.
Growth commitment
This partnership demonstrates our commitment to growing our business, expanding
our technologies and strengthening Hexcels

position as a global leader in advanced composites, said Hexcels chairman, CEO and
president, Nick Stanage.
We believe this will open up new opportunities for us to develop our range of stitchbonded reinforcements to the benet of all
of our customers, said Formaxs MD, Oliver
Wessely.
Hexcel Corporation; www.hexcel.com
[(107)TD.SARIEM]Prepreg-ACM certied for marine applications

JSC Prepreg-ACM, part of Holding Company Composite, has had its basic carbon
and hybrid (with glass bre) multiaxial
fabrics approved for use in marine applications.
The certication was awarded by DNV
GL Group, which provides services in the
elds of certication, verication, independent evaluation and training of personnel.
[(107)TD.ENIM]
This international certication will help

Prepreg-ACM improve its opportunities and
market its products in the domestic and
international markets, the company says.
Continued certication of our glass and

carbon fabrics will make it possible to use
them in other elds, including the development of wind energy in Russia, producing
composite blades for wind generators, said

Igor Laskorunsky, sales manager for maritime at Prepreg-ACM.
In mid 2014 Prepreg-ACM also received a
certicate from the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping as well as Type Approval
Certicate for technical fabrics used in the
marine industry.
Holding Company Composite;
www.hccomposite.com
will be better aligned with RYASA, said

Kaman executive vice president and distribution segment president Steven J. Smidler.
We are grateful to the employees of Delamac for their commitment and service to
Kaman and believe the new ownership will
be benecial for all parties.
Kaman expects to record pre-tax charges
in the fourth quarter 2014 related to the
transaction of approximately US$4.5 million to US$5.5 million. Delamac was part of

the distribution segment of Kaman and
accounted for less than 2.5% of segment
revenues. Delamac distributes bearings,
power transmission products, lubrication
systems, and related parts and accessories
from 12 branch locations in Mexico.
Kaman Corporation; www.kaman.com
Wind energy
[(108)TD.SARIEM]Kaman sells Mexican unit

Kaman Corporation has sold its Mexican
distribution subsidiary Delamac de Mexico
to a power transmission engineering rm,
Rodamientos y Accesorios (RYASA).
The terms of the transaction were not
disclosed.
We did not have sufcient scale in
Mexico to achieve our long-term targeted
protability goals and believe the operation
[(108)TD.ENIM]
[(109)TD.SARIEM]TenCate to supply prepreg for all-composite aircraft

TenCate Advanced Composites North
America has signed a long term composite
materials supply agreement with US-based
Kestrel Aircraft.
The new, all-composite turboprop
Kestrel K-350 will use TenCates TC275-1
epoxy prepreg system, which has improved hot/wet strength retention and
can cure at either 2758F or 3508F. The
prepreg can be processed with a freestanding post cure for higher temperature
performance.
The Kestrel K-350 represents an allcomposite single-engine, turboprop aircraft
that can carry up to eight people at high
speed over long distances. TenCate is
pleased to be the composite supplier to
The new, all-composite turboprop Kestrel K-350.
69
BUSINESS
Hexcel Corporation has acquired 50% of

Formax UK Limited, a manufacturer of
composite reinforcements which specializes in the production of lightweight
multi-axial fabrics.
Formax is located in Leicester, UK with
estimated sales in 2014 of approximately
US$45 million.
With the acquisition, Hexcel plans to
develop knitting technology for future
BUSINESS
Kestrel Aircraft, said Joe Morris, president

of TenCate Advanced Composites North
America. This long term supply agreement
[(109)TD.ENIM]
represents the continuation of a long term

successful relationship we have had with
the Kestrel management team.
TenCate Advanced Composites

America; www.tencate.com
North
[(10)TD.SARIEM]61 million UK government boost welcomed by NCC
BUSINESS
The UKs National Composites Centre

(NNC) has welcomed an investment by
the UK government in the High Value
Manufacturing Catapult, a group of seven
technology and innovation centres focusing
on the commercialisation of UK manufacturing research.
Historically, the UK has always been
strong at early stage research, but has
often seen the commercial benet of its
inventions and innovations go overseas.
The High Value Manufacturing Catapult
is intended to bridge the gap between
[(10)TD.ENIM]
business, academia, research and government.

This is excellent news and particularly
timely for the NCC, said Peter Chivers,
CEO. Just a month ago the NCC formally
opened a BIS funded 28 million extension
to increase our capacity to support the UK
Composites Industry. Since its start-up three
years ago, NCC activity in accelerating innovation for UK business has grown rapidly due
to extremely strong industrial demand, supported by new capability investments funded
by the High Value Manufacturing Catapult.
Increase integration
The extended NCC facilities provide new
capacity to address the needs of high rate
composite manufacturing for the automotive industry and others, better meet
the needs of SMEs, increase integration
with universities and start delivering
training courses. The additional Catapult
funds will be used to invest in the new
equipment and capabilities to further accelerate the NCCs offering in all these
areas.
National Composites Centre; www.nccuk.com
[(1)TD.SARIEM]Samsung invests in recyclable composites

Samsung Venture Investment Corporation
has invested in Connora Technologies to
help it commercialize its Recyclamine recyclable epoxy thermoset technology.
Along with the recent investment, two
new members have join Connoras advisory
board: Andre Genton, former president of
Huntsman Advanced Materials, and Brendan Iribe, an entrepreneur known recently
for the acquisition of Oculus by Facebook.
Connoras Recyclamine technology is a
green chemistry platform that provides a
method of making and recycling composite
waste materials and products. Efciently
recycling composite materials should have
[(1)TD.ENIM]
a positive impact in the automotive and

aerospace industries, where the trend to
make lighter, stronger, and more energy
efcient vehicles is driving growth in the
use of carbon ber composite materials. In
these and other applications, carbon ber
parts are often made in high volumes, with
sometimes 2040% of the raw materials
going to waste. Since traditional thermoset
plastics are not optimized for recyclability,
current composite waste is intractable and
often disposed of in landll or by burning.
Reclaiming the expensive carbon ber
[from manufacturing waste] in a near virgin
state, and enabling OEMs to put it back into
their products will help lower their costs

over time, said Dr Rey Banatao, Connoras
CEO.
Connora is currently in discussions with
several auto and aerospace OEMs to develop
a specic Recyclamine Epoxy Resin system
for use in high-pressure resin transfer molding processes (HP-RTM), suitable to the
high-volume manufacturing methods being adopted by auto and aerospace manufacturers today. Epoxy resins are currently
the predominant thermoset plastic used in
performance carbon ber composites.
Connora Technologies; www.connoratech.
com
van der Meer, CEO of Airborne Oil & Gas.

Airborne Oil & Gas is qualied to supply
hydrocarbon containing offshore owlines
to Shell worldwide. Shell can accelerate the
implementation of our products across its
large footprint in the industry.
impact on the offshore industry, said Geert

van de Wouw, MD of Shell Technology Ventures. The ultra-lightweight, corrosion free
pipe systems can signicantly lower the costs
of a number of applications and enable new
applications.
Airborne
Oil
&
Gas
BV;
www.
airborne-oilandgas.com
[(12)TD.SARIEM]Shell invests in composite pipes

Netherlands-based Airborne Oil & Gas BV
says that it has added Shell Technology
Ventures BV as a company investor and
shareholder.
The company is one of the worlds largest
manufacturers of fully bonded thermoplastic
composite pipe systems for offshore oil & gas.
Shell Technology Ventures is a most welcome addition to our shareholder base, at
this phase of our development, said Eric
[(12)TD.ENIM]
70
Unique technology
Airborne Oil & Gas possesses a unique technology, with potentially game changing
BUSINESS
[(13)TD.SARIEM]
[1_TD$IF]Southern Spars to acquire Future Fibres
[(13)TD.ENIM]
our customers with a wider range of advanced rigging options[5_TD$IF].

Future Fibres rst entered the composite
rigging market after its founder Tom Hutchinson devised a better way to terminate
composite bers by continuously winding
PBO (Zylon) ber around two titanium
thimbles at any required length. Future
Fibres approach has allowed composite rigging to be used on every area of the boat and
not restricted to just aft rigging as it historically was before.
Depressed market
[6_TD$IF]The team at Southern Spars is excited about
the acquisition of Future Fibres[3_TD$IF], said
Richard Lott, CEO of Southern Spars. [7_TD$IF]The
mast and rigging market is quite depressed
after the GFC which has been putting pressure on Southern Spars and Future Fibres
business. However, the Future Fibres team
has developed some advanced mast moulding technologies which complement our
advanced computer-based rig design tools[8_TD$IF][9.
Southern Spars; www.southernspars.com
[(14)TD.SARIEM]_$FTenCate completes move to textiles with nal sale

Royal Ten Cate (TenCate) has agreed for
Platinum Equity, a US-based private
equity investor, to buy TenCate Enbi, a
supplier of components and materials to
leading companies (original equipment
[(14)TD.ENIM]
manufacturers) primarily in the printer

and copier markets.
The transaction is expected to close in
the rst half of 2015. The sale completes
TenCates strategy to become a materials
technology company focusing on technical

textiles.
[2_TD$IF]3Royal Ten Cate; www.tencate.com
[(15)TD.SARIEM]Toray marks place in European prepreg

Toray Industries has moved into the European market with its acquisition of Saati
SpAs European carbon ber fabric and prepreg business.
Toray plans to take over the assets of
Saatis plant in January 2015 and start
operation as Composite Materials Italy
Srl (CTI), a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Toray. Saatis American composite
business will still belong to the Saati
Group.
[(15)TD.ENIM]
Saatis carbon ber fabric and prepreg

business has been expanding rapidly in
recent years as a customer of Toray Groups
carbon ber-related companies, while
Toray is already engaged in carbon ber
polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor at its
French subsidiary, Toray Carbon Fibers Europe SA (CFE). It also runs a CFRP parts
business that uses carbon ber fabric at its
German subsidiaries of Euro Advanced Carbon Fiber Composites GmbH (EACC) and
ACE Advanced Composite Engineering

GmbH (ACE).
We are thrilled that Vestas has selected

TPI to be its rst outsource partner of Vestas
designed blades, said Steve Lockard, president and CEO of TPI Composites. From
Dafeng, China we will supply V110 blades
to China and export markets in a reliable
and cost-effective manner.
TPI has been building wind blades

to international quality standards in
China since 2008. The companys Dafeng
plant measures 35,000 m2 and is located
250 km north of Shanghai in Jiangsu
Province.
TPI Composites; www.tpicomposites.com
Global focus
The company says that this acquisition
strengthens its carbon ber composite materials business in Europe. Going forward, Toray
Group will transfer its technology to CIT
while aiming to expand the business beyond
Europe to acquire a more global focus.
Toray Industries; [2_TD$IF]3www.toray.com
[(16)TD.SARIEM]TPI to supply wind blades to Vestas
[(16)TD.ENIM]
TPI Composites has signed a multiyear supply agreement with Vestas Wind Systems A/
S to provide blades for the V110 wind turbine from TPIs factory in Dafeng, China.
Vestas launched its V110-2.0MW wind
turbine in the China market in October
2014.
71
BUSINESS
Southern Spars, part of the North Technology Group (NTG) and a specialist in carbon
ber spars and rigging, has acquired Future
Fibres, based in Valencia, Spain.
Future Fibres makes carbon cables,
masts, booms, spreaders and custom components.
[2_TD$IF]Future Fibres has long been an innovator
in the eld of advanced ber rigging[3_TD$IF], said
Tom Whidden, CEO of North Technology
Group. [4_TD$IF]With NTGs support, Southern
Spars now has the resources to provide
BUSINESS
[(17)TD.SARIEM]
Wind turbine rotor blade market to reach almost US$17 million
BUSINESS
The global glass and carbon ber wind turbine blade market was valued at US$9998.9
million in 2013 and is projected to reach a
value of US$16,982 million by 2019.
This represents a CAGR of 9.2% for forecast period from an estimated value of
US$10,914.3 million in 2014, says a new
report.
The report, Wind Turbine Rotor Blade
Market by Material (Glass Fiber, Carbon
Fiber), by Blade Size, published by MarketsandMarkets, denes and segments the
wind turbine rotor blade market with analysis and forecasting of volume as well as
value. It also identies the driving forces
and restraining factors for the market,
highlighting the latest trends and identifying opportunities.
New project
The wind turbine rotor blade market is driven by policy support from governments and
decreasing costs of wind power generation.
Governments across the world have been
pushing to include more renewable power
to their energy mix, an approach that is
driving many new wind power projects,
generating demand for wind turbine rotor
blades, the report suggests. The declining
cost per kWh of generating power from
wind is making it the most attractive renewable energy option. However, high capital
costs for such projects may act as a restraint
The wind turbine rotor blade market is driven by policy support from governments and decreasing
costs of wind power generation.
for the market, along with the use of expensive raw material required for manufacturing larger blades. Future growth projections
for the wind energy sector are very promising, indicating opportunities for in the rotor blade market, but the market is required
to handle critical challenges such as difculty in transportation to fully capitalize on
potential opportunities.
In 2013, Asia-Pacic was the largest

market for wind turbine rotor blades
and accounted for a market share of
54.13%. The use of carbon ber in blade
manufacturing is growing at a fast pace as
blade sizes are increasing in size.
MarketsandMarkets;
www.marketsandmarkets.com
[(17)TD.ENIM]
[(18)TD.SARIEM]_$FWood-plastic composite market to reach [2_TD$IF]1728.9 kilotons

The wood-plastic composite market is projected to grow from [3_TD$IF]1046.1 kilotons to
1728.9 kilotons between 2014 and 2019,
with a CAGR of 10.5%.
Wood-plastic composite plays an important role in the building and construction
industry in producing products such as
landscape timbers, railing, decking, fence,
window and door elements, panels, molding, roong, and siding, the report suggests.
Increasing demand for wood-plastic composites in the manufacture of building and
[(18)TD.ENIM]
72
construction products is estimated to boost

the overall wood-plastic composites market
over the next few years. Additionally, the
rising demand for wood-plastic composites
to manufacture several interior components of automobiles is projected to fuel
market growth.
Rapid pace
North America and Asia are the top-two
consumers of wood-plastic composite in
the world. US and China are key countries
in North American and Asian regions, respectively and these countries are growing
with CAGRs of 10.1% and 14.7% between
2014 and 2019. China, India, and Brazil are
also growing at a rapid pace because of the
rising domestic demand.
The report, Wood-Plastic Composite Market by Type, Applications [6_TD$IF]7and Region [4_TD$IF]
Trends & Forecasts [5_TD$IF](20142019) is available
from Research and Markets.
Research
and
Markets;
www.
researchandmarkets.com
BUSINESS
[(19)TD.SARIEM]
Industrial partners Safran and Albany have
inaugurated their new composite part
production plant in Commercy, Eastern
France.
Opened in May 2014, the plant makes
parts for new-generation aircraft engines
using composite material technology. The
rst application of this new technology
will be the production of fan blades
and cases for CFM Internationals LEAP
aircraft engine, which will power the next
generation of single-aisle commercial
jets, including the Airbus A320neo and
the Boeing 737 MAX. The 3D woven composite parts made by Safran and Albany
are very strong and light, which will help
reduce the LEAPs fuel consumption by
15% compared with current CFM engines,
the companies say.
The joint production plant has recruited
more than 90 employees, and by 2018,
it will have 400 employees on a 10 ha
(25 acre)
site,
including
27,000 m2
2
(291,600 ft ) of oorspace.
Industrial scale
This plant, the concrete symbol of the
partnership between Safran and Albany, is
the rst of its type in the aerospace industry, said Joseph G. Morone, president and
CEO of Albany International Corp. The
manufacturing technology that is being applied here on an industrial scale, and the
[(19)TD.ENIM]
BUSINESS
Inauguration of new Safran/Albany plant
The 3D woven composite parts made by Safran and Albany could help reduce the LEAPs fuel
consumption by 15% compared with current CFM engines.
products designed with this technology,

are truly innovative. And this specic
capability is the exclusive property of
Safran and Albany. So today is more
than just the inauguration of a modern
new plant. It marks the deployment of
a unique technology that will have a considerable impact on the market for many
years to come.
The two partners also inaugurated a twin

plant in Rochester, New Hampshire in
the United States, which will produce the
same 3D woven composite parts for the
LEAP engine. Safran and Albany have
invested a total of US$200 million in
these plants.
Safran Group; www.safran-group.com
Albany International; www.albint.com
Composites expanded by opening a second

facility in Sydney in 1980 to service the
Australian professional and amateur
boatbuilding market.
Recently the company has provided composite materials and engineering services
for the manufacture of commercial ferries,
road and rail transportation, industrial and
architectural applications, resulting in improved performance and reduced production time, while specically formulated
liquid and lled epoxy systems are now
supplied into the specialised elds of industrial tooling, electrical encapsulation, mining and automotive applications.
ATL Composites[2_TD$IF][3; www.atlcomposites.com.au
ed Kingdom, Italy and France. It realizes sales

of approximately s90 million with around 70
employees. All employees will on the closing
date transfer to the new owner.
Cathay Investments is a UK holding

company for a group of companies engaged in chemical distribution and
trading.
Royal DSM; [3_TD$IF]www.dsm.com
[(120)TD.SARIEM]_$FATL Composites celebrates 35 years

ATL Composites says that 2015 marks its
35th anniversary as a producer of epoxy
resins and supplier of structural materials
to the Australian and Asian composites industries.
Initially established in New Zealand in
1977 to manufacture WEST SYSTEM epoxy
products for the Asia Pacic region, ATL
[(120)TD.ENIM]
[(12)TD.SARIEM]_$FDSM to sell resin distributor

Royal DSM, the global life and materials
sciences company, has reached an agreement with Cathay Investments for the sale
of Euroresins.
The transaction is expected to close in Q1
2015.
Euroresins is a distributor of products to the
composite resins industry with activities in
nine countries in Europe, including the Unit-
New strategy
[2_TD$IF]The sale of Euroresins is in line with the
strategic actions DSM is pursuing for composite resins.
73
BUSINESS
[(12)TD.ENIM]SARObama announces new US$250 million composites institute
BUSINESS
President Obama has announced the

new Institute for Advanced Composites
Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), a
Knoxville, Tennessee-based center focused
on developing next-generation composite
materials.
This follows on from the success of
3D printing manufacturing institute America Makes, which was launched in 2013.
The institute is supported by a consortium of 122 companies, including Dow, GE
and Toray, nonprots, universities and research laboratories such as Oak Ridge and
the University of Kentucky and the U.S.
Department of Energy.
It will focus on cutting-edge research on
advanced composites, such as carbon ber,
with a focus on advanced ber-reinforced
polymer composites, which combine
strong bers with tough plastics and are
lighter and stronger than steel.
The materials can then be used for a
broader range of products including lightweight vehicles with record-breaking fuel
[(12)TD.ENIM]
74
President Obama has announced the new

Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing
Innovation.
economy; lighter and longer wind turbine

blades; high pressure tanks for natural gasfueled cars; and lighter, more efcient industrial equipment, according to the Department of Energy.
Clean energy
Advanced composites are especially important for progressing clean energy genera-
tion and improving the efciency of the

nations eet.
In automotive applications, advanced
composites could reduce the weight of a
passenger car by 50% and improve its
fuel efciency by roughly 35% without
compromising performance or safety.
The aim is for the Institute for
Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) to work to develop lowercost, higher-speed, and more efcient
manufacturing and recycling processes for
advanced composites. It will also focus on
lowering the overall manufacturing costs of
advanced composites by 50%, reducing the
energy used to make composites by 75%
and increasing the recyclability of composites to over 95% within the next decade.
Institute for Advanced Composites
Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI);
http://manufacturing.gov/iacmi.html
Chem-Trend delivers composites

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high-performance Chemlease and Zyvax release systems
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of manufacturing conditions that can put production at risk.
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Water-based options for environmental and HSE benefits
Formula flexibility to accommodate a wide range of conditions
Easier introduction of new tooling into production
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Our experts are ready to provide solutions on siteanywhere in
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REINFORCING YOUR IDEAS
TECHNOLOGY
Technology
[(167)TD.SARIEM]Composite design tools at JEC
Anaglyph has shown its range of composites design and analysis software tools at
the JEC Show, which took place in Paris,
France in March.
LAP (Laminate Analysis Program) analyses any type of composite laminate subjected to in-plane loads and moments.
The software is used in preliminary design
for tailoring a stacking sequence and optimising the design by inspecting the laminate behaviour layer by layer.
CoDA (Component Design Analysis) deals
with preliminary analysis of sub-components
[(167)TD.ENIM]
Anaglyph has shown its range of composites

design and analysis software tools at the JEC
Show.
with Plate, Beam, Joint, Flange or Laminate

geometries.
Laminate Tools addresses the entire geometry, design, FEA pre/post-processing and
manufacture sequence of composites design
work. Laminate Tools interfaces with most
industry standards, both CAD and FEA.
Anaglyph has developed PLYMATCH visual technology for hand lay-up composites
manufacturing and repair. PlyMatch is an
alternative, or a complement, to existing
ply-placement methods.
Anaglyph; www.anaglyph.co.uk
[(168)TD.SARIEM]DIAB introduces new structural core

DIAB will be presenting its new Divinycell
HM-range structural core at JEC Europe
2015 which takes place in Paris from 10
to 12 March 2015.
Divinycell HM is capable of absorbing
high dynamic impacts and slamming loads
and is suitable for demanding applications
such as fast marine hulls.
Visitors to JEC Europe will also be able to
see DIABs new structural PET-grades, suitable for land, transportation and construction applications.
[(168)TD.ENIM]
DIAB will also be showing two new nishing options - GPL1 and GSC30/GRV2.
GPL1 features improved grooves and perforations to minimize resin consumption
and achieve additional weight savings,
while GSC30/GRV2 facilitates fast and reliable infusion, reducing cost and saving
labor.
New material
now, our R&D department is working on

a new structural core material with exceptionally ne cell structure, said Roger Jansson, products & marketing manager at
DIAB. When released at the end of this
year, we expect it to change the entire
concept of sandwich core materials and
take sandwich composite engineering to a
new level.
DIAB; www.diabgroup.com
The company also has news of an innovative news sandwich core product. Right
75
TECHNOLOGY
[(169)TD.SARIEM]Scott Bader launches new GRP coating for construction

Scott Bader has developed Fix-Rcryl 10, a
new roof repair and refurbishment glass
ber reinforced plastic (GRP) coating system.
The FIX-Rcryl 10 GRP roof coating system
comes ready to use, with no need for the
addition of a separate catalyst or mixing. It
is a single, cold applied, liquid resin product, used in combination with standard
chopped strand glass matting, easily applied by hand with a brush, roller or squeegee. The new repair system has been
developed to suit the UK climate, providing an instant waterproof repair seal
against rain. FIX-Rcryl 10 can be used
in dry or damp weather conditions and
[(169)TD.ENIM]
ambient temperatures ranging from 58C

up to 258C.
Weather resistant
The FIX-Rcryl 10 GRP roof coating system comes

ready to use.
FIX-Rcryl 10 is reportedly durable, strong

and weather resistant and is suitable for a
range of pre-installed at and pitched roofs.
It can be used to make repairs to most
commonly used roong materials including bituminous surfaces, guttering, brickwork, asbestos, concrete, felt, metal,
timber and glass ber.
The base resin and coating system uses a
low odor, low VOC, solvent based acrylic
resin, with a high solid content.
Scott Bader; www.scottbader.com
tion of materials presenting great variation

in mechanical properties based on
temperature.
With its 300-Newton air-bearing shaker,
the DMA+300 can analyze bers and
polymer lms, as well as monitoring the

polymerization of thermosetting polymers. The DMA+300 can also be equipped
with MULTITEST fatigue software.
Acoem; www.acoemgroup.com
[(154)TD.SARIEM]New analyzer for composite materials

Testing and protection specialist Acoem has
developed a thermomechanical test platform for polymers and composite materials.
The DMA+300, part of the companys
METRAVIB range, enables the characteriza-
[(154)TD.ENIM]
[(15)TD.SARIEM]Conductive Composites to make nickel plated ber for ElectriPlast

Integral Technologies Inc and its wholly
owned subsidiary ElectriPlast Corp has
signed an agreement with nickel plated
carbon ber (NiC) manufacturer, Conductive Composites.
The agreement establishes a relationship in
which Conductive Composites will establish
a separate manufacturing line, in a new facility, dedicated to producing NiC exclusively
for ElectriPlast. Integral will be supplying the
equipment, and Conductive Composites will
provide turnkey technical and operational
support in manufacturing the NiC.
Integrals patented ElectriPlast manufacturing technology produces an industry
[(15)TD.ENIM]
leading conductive thermoplastic pellet used

for a variety of EMI shielding applications in
the automotive, cable & wire, and consumer
electronics industries. The conductive ber
is a critical element in our product because it
needs to be lightweight, electrically conductive and cost competitive, said ElectriPlasts
CTO Mo Zeidan. We have experimented
with many conductive bers and our technical analysis is that Conductive Composites
NiC best meets those requirements.
Precise plating
Conductive Composites is reportedly the
only company that can customize the
plating with chemical vapor deposition

(CVD) technology, which allows more precise plating levels.
This is a signicant milestone and commitment for us, said Doug Bathauer,
Integrals CEO. We have extensively
researched a variety of conductive bers
critical for the manufacture of ElectriPlast
and found Conductive Composites to be
the ideal specialty nickel plated carbon
ber supplier for us.
Integral Technologies, Inc;
www.electriplast.com
Conductive Composites;
www.conductivecomposites.com
[(156)TD.SARIEM]Fraunhofer scientists research natural bers

Scientists at the Application Center for Wood
Fiber Research HOFZET at the Fraunhofer
Institute for Wood Research are researching
the potential of hemp, ax, cotton and wood
bers as cheaper and more sustainable alternatives to glass and carbon ber.
According to the researchers, variants derived from hemp, ax, cotton and wood are
about as affordable as glass bers, and have
76
a lower density than the pendants made of

glass or carbon. Moreover, when incinerated
at the end of their life cycle, the natural bers
produce additional energy without leaving
residues. However, their durability and stability dont attain that of carbon bers.
Therefore, depending on the application,
the scientists are looking into combining
carbon with various bio-based textile bers.
The bers typically exist as fabrics that are

placed on each other accordingly and are
embedded by the plastic matrix.
We use carbon bers in those areas where
the part undergoes intense mechanical
stress; in other areas, its natural bers, said
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Josef Endres, head of
the Application Center for Wood Fiber
Research. This way, we can leverage the
strengths of the respective bers and get rid

of the disadvantages to a great extent. As a
result, the parts are more cost-effective,
have an improved degree of durability
and acoustic properties and are substantially more ecological than pure carbon components, he says.
TECHNOLOGY
coatings are intended to ensure that the

bers can be combined and interact in
the best possible way with the matrix or
the plastic mass.
By ensuring that the bers bond to the
matrix optimally, we can increase the durability of the materials by up to 50%, Endres
claimed.
Surface treatment
Typically, engineers treat the surface of
the natural bers so that they can be run
more easily through the textile equipment, and can be processed as well as
possible into fabrics. While this is important for textile production, it is usually
counterproductive if composite materials
have to be processed. This is why, from a
[(156)TD.ENIM]
Disposal potential
A vehicle body made from cotton, hemp, and
wood.
The Fraunhofer researchers are also studying how the processing processes for these
new materials can be implemented on an
industrial scale and how the hybrid materials can be properly disposed of.
Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research;
www.wki.fraunhofer.de
materials engineering perspective, we

optimize the surfaces of the bers, said
Endres. Specialized surface treatments or
[(14)TD.SARIEM]Student develops tool to help composite layup

A PhD student from the University of Bristol has designed and developed a hand-held
laminating tool, called a dibber, for use in
the layup of advanced composite components.
The manual tool could be used by laminators to manufacture composite materials
in industries such as aerospace, car and
transport.
Processing aids and tools play an important part in the layup of composite reinforcements to complex geometries. However,
despite being frequently used by many industries no in-depth study of these tools or
how they are developed and applied has
ever been carried out.
The student, Helene Jones from the Department of Aerospace Engineering, worked
with experienced laminators to identify the
relationship between the workers and their
tools. This led to the development of a series
of prototypes, and then a nal design and
build using a colourless organic thermoplastic polymer, polyether ether ketone
(PEEK), to create the dibber.
Standardized process
The new tool allows for a range of geometries
and forming techniques and early trial results
with experienced commercial laminators
have suggested that the dibber can drastically
reduce time in a particular layup without
negatively impacting on nished quality.
The dibber also potentially allows for a more
standardized process in design and manufacture, especially if it is incorporated into
The manual tool could be used by laminators to manufacture composite materials in industries such as
aerospace, car and transport.
training. This could lead to a reduction in

costs and improve production rates.
Lamination is a highly skilled manual
technique. It was important to understand
why laminators create and use the tools
they do, said Helene Jones. A standardized
lamination process will be more successful
if it is based on the needs of individual
workers, the design, and the process of
manufacture. This could lead to a more
integrated design for manufacture and in
skills training.
Recently 200 dibbers were produced,
using injection molded acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), and examples distributed from the Centre for Innovative
Manufacturing in Composites (CIMComp)
stand at the Advanced Engineering Show

held at the NEC in Birmingham held last
month (1112 November). Feedback from
companies and establishments who have
been using the dibbers has been positive
and the dibber has also had collaborative
use in training demonstrations at the National Composites Centre (NCC).
The benets of working with the dibber
are that trainees can quickly adopt consistent methods during courses with the specically
designed
tool,
said
Paul
Shakspeare, head of training at the NCC.
This early competence is then able to be
translated into the workplace using the
same tool and techniques.
University of Bristol; www.bris.ac.uk
[(14)TD.ENIM]
77
TECHNOLOGY
[(123)TD.SARIEM]AIC builds autoclave for UK aerospace

AIC Group has been awarded a multimillion pound contract by UTC Aerospace
Systems to custom-build an 18 ft diameter
autoclave with control systems.
The autoclave is the rst of its size in the
UK and will enable UTC Aerospace Systems
Scottish facility to maintain, repair and overhaul larger nacelles systems tted to the
next generation of wide-bodied aircraft.
The autoclave features AICs balanced
vacuum system controlled by AMCS to very
accurate vacuum levels and is made of stainless steel lines. It will be delivered to the site
in sections after being hydrotested and
joined using a so-called golden weld which
is 100% radiographic tested.
Nigel Clifford (left), AICs Head of Sales and Andy

Hodge, UTC Aerospace Systems deputy general
manager at the contract signing.
[(123)TD.ENIM]
The autoclave will be operational by the

end of 2015 and will run on AICs Autoclave
Management and Control System (AMCS).
It will be maintained by AIC in a 10-year
program which includes 24/7 technical
support.
We are committed to maintaining the
high quality capabilities and services our
customers expect, said Steve Callan, MD
of UTC Aerospace Systems Aerostructures Prestwick Service Centre. This
new autoclave better positions us to be
a leader in the new large engine nacelle
products that have begun entering the
market.
[(124)TD.SARIEM]New cloud-based software for composite 3D printer

MarkForged has developed cloud-based 3D
printing software for its Mark One Composite 3D Printer.
The software allows engineers to access,
change and print models from any device
that runs Googles Chrome Browser.
We thought wed show part of the potential of the cloud today by rolling out a
cool new capability as we unveil our software, said Greg Mark, founder and CEO of
[(124)TD.ENIM]5SAR
MarkForged. As of today, the Mark One

supports embedding of functional electronics and metal structures inside our continuous composite 3D printed parts. Your
printer will notify you via the cloud
when it is time to place your inserts.
The Mark One can print outer contours and

curves in engineering nylon and lls each
part with close-packed reinforcement in

continuous carbon ber, Kevlar or berglass. The printer switches between two
nozzles during a print, creating berreinforced plastic parts with a strength-toweight ratio better than aluminum. The
print bed clicks into place with 10 micron
accuracy between operations to facilitate
multi-step processes like insert embedding.
MarkForged; www.markforged.com
Industrial Textiles; Most Innovative

Large Company; and Launch of the
Year.
Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology is
a radical innovation that delivers disruptive, game-changing, breakthrough materi-
als for soft body armor and hard materials

for helmets, vest inserts and vehicle armor,
the judges said. They also highlighted its
impressive implementation and excellent
market take-up potential.
DSM Dyneema; www.dyneema.com
Nylon printing
DSM Dyneema materials win awards

DSM Dyneema has won three awards for its
Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology platform, which develops ber for ballistic
applications.
The ITMA Future Materials Awards recognized the company for Best Innovation
[(125)TD.ENIM]
[(126)TD.SARIEM]Bird feathers similar to carbon ber

Scientists from the University of Southampton have discovered that feather shafts are
made of a multi-layered brous composite
material, much like carbon ber, which
allows the feather to bend and twist to cope
with the stresses of ight.
Feather shafts (rachises) have evolved to
be some of the lightest, strongest and most
fatigue resistant natural structures. However, relatively little work has been done on
their morphology, especially from a mechanical perspective and never at the nanoscale.
The scientists used nano-indentation, a
materials testing technique, on the feath78
Feather shafts have been found to be made of a multi-layered brous composite material, much like
carbon ber.
ers. It revealed that the number, proportion

and relative orientation of rachis layers is
not xed, as previously thought, and varies
according to ight style.
We started looking at the shape of the
rachis and how it changes along the length
of it to accommodate different stresses, said
the universitys Christian Laurent, who is
lead author of the study. Then we realised
that we had no idea how elastic it was, so we
indented some sample feathers.
[(126)TD.ENIM]
Aeronautical ndings
Previously, the only mechanical work on
feathers was done in the 1970s but under
the assumption that the material properties
of feathers are the same when tested in
different directions, known as isotropic
our work has now invalidated this.
The researchers tested the material properties of feathers from three birds of different species with markedly different ight
styles; the Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), the Bald
TECHNOLOGY
Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and the partridge (Perdix perdix).

In terms of engineering, we hope to
apply our future ndings in materials science to yacht masts and propeller blades,
and to apply the aeronautical ndings to
build better micro air vehicles in a collaboration engineers at the University, said
Laurent.
University
of
Southampton;
www.
southampton.ac.uk
[(127)TD.SARIEM]Award for multi-material system for car seats

Johnson Controls has received an innovation award for its CAMISMA carbon
ber-amide-metal-based interior structure,
which uses a multi-material system
approach to reduce weight and cost.
A Johnson Controls team, working with
a newly developed seat structure, succeeded in reducing the use of steel and
light alloys by replacing them with
multi-material systems. The CAMISMA
seats are more than 40 percent lighter than
conventionally manufactured seat structures made of metal and can be produced
at a better cost, the company says, also
reporting that the results of an initial
rear-impact crash test demonstrated that
the CAMISMA seat prototype satised all
of the strength requirements of current
seats built with a metal structure in
large-scale series production.
Johnson Controls has now successfully
tested the rst functional prototypes
under conditions similar to those in series
production, developing an industrial
manufacturing process for volume production with about 200,000 units per production line.
Although carbon-ber products generally offer outstanding characteristics, such

as great strength and design exibility,
they are too expensive for use in the
large-scale series production of vehicles,
said Andreas Eppinger, group vice president technology management, Johnson
Controls Automotive Experience. With
CAMISMA our goal was to create cost-efcient, sustainable access to carbon-berbased materials systems.
Sustainable solution
The CAMISMA carbon ber-amide-metal-based

interior structure.
The manufacturing steps required in assembly are substantially reduced through the
number of attachment parts needed, which
also saves cost. These seats will be available
in vehicles in 2019.
The CLEPA Innovation Award jury,
which recognised the company in the
Green category, reportedly called
CAMISMA
an
outstanding,
futureoriented solution for sustainable CO2
reduction.
Johnson Controls; www.johnsoncontrols.com
[(127)TD.ENIM]
ASTM standard provides testing for fractures
[(128)TD.SARIEM]ASTM has issued a new standard covering

interlaminar cracks, or cracks in between
layers, in laminated composite materials.
The ASTM standard D7905/D7905M is
entitled Test Method for Determination of
the Mode II Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of Unidirectional Fiber-Reinforced
Polymer Matrix Composites Using the
End-Notched Flexure (ENF) Test.
While fracture toughness tests exist for
Mode I and mixed-mode, no test currently
exists for Mode II. The Mode II test described in ASTM D7905/D7905M will be
used by industry and government for qual-
itatively comparing composite materials as

well as determining values to be used in
design, analysis and acceptance/rejection
criteria. Interlaminar cracks can cause serious damage to many types of structures and
products, from sports equipment to spacecraft.
Although we dont really think about it,
laminated composites are fairly ubiquitous, says ASTM member Barry D. Davidson, Ph.D., the Laura J. and L. Douglas
Meredith Professor in the department of
mechanical and aerospace engineering at
Syracuse University.
Critical failure
According to Davidson, delaminations
can occur in several different ways: during
manufacture, from damage during usage,
from unexpected overloads of a structure
or simply from normal service loadings over
extended periods of time.
Delamination growth represents a critical failure mode in structures fabricated
from ber reinforced polymer matrix composites, so there is a concerted effort in the
community to develop the tools and techniques to make sure that this does not
occur, he said.
79
TECHNOLOGY
[(128)TD.ENIM]
ASTM D7905/D7905M was developed by

Subcommittee D30.06 on Interlaminar
Properties, part of ASTM Committee D30

on Composite Materials.
ASTM; www.astm.org
[(129)TD.SARIEM]Mixers cope with low and high viscosities

Charles Ross and Son Company introduces
a range of multi-shaft mixers suitable for
large-scale processing of pastes, gels, dispersions, suspensions and slurries from low to
high viscosity.
The machines are equipped with two or
three independently-driven agitators working in tandem and are designed for heavyduty mixing under controlled temperature.
They can deliver a wide range of shear
levels.
The 2000-gal Triple-Shaft Mixer featuring a helical three-wing anchor agitator,
a high speed saw-tooth disperser blade
and a high shear rotor/stator emulsier.
This xed-tank design mixer is rated
for full vacuum operation up to 29.5 inch
[(129)TD.ENIM]
Hg. Stainless steel 316L wetted parts

are polished to a 240-grit nish. The
domed cover includes anged ports,
spray balls, an RTD thermoprobe and a
24 inch manway. A pneumaticallyoperated discharge valve, dimpled 100psig stainless steel jacket and rotary
vane vacuum pump can be supplied as
well.
Charles Ross and Son Company; www.mixers.
com
The 2000-gal Triple-Shaft Mixer featuring a helical

three-wing anchor agitator, a high speed sawtooth disperser blade and a high shear rotor/
stator emulsier.
[(130)TD.SARIEM]New braiding tech could re-think traditional designs

Sigma Composites, part of Sigma Components, has invested 50,000 in a braiding
machine that it says could improve component performance and improve on traditional designs.
The move is part of an ongoing programme of investments across Sigmas businesses to develop components for highperformance industries with capabilities
not previously available, as well as bringing
key capabilities in-house.
The new braiding machine will enable us
to braid both single and combinations of
[(130)TD.ENIM]
materials to offer new components with enhanced performance characteristics, said

Steve Barbour, MD at Sigma Composites.
For example, both thermoset and thermoplastic materials can be braided to create
strong yet light structures such as leak-tight
pipes. We are also exploring adding functionality such as condition monitoring and electrical conductivity into the braiding process.
New potential
This opens up a world of potential
for original equipment manufacturers,
allowing us to re-think traditional designs

for components used in industries as diverse as aerospace, automotive and energy,
as well as allowing us to add value by automating production.
The composite braiding machine is already being used for Sigmas new COMPipe
for aero-engines that reportedly offers
weight savings of over 50% compared to
traditional materials.
Sigma Composites; www.sigmacomposites.
co.uk
[(13)TD.SARIEM]Resin designed for surface mount connectors

Solvay Specialty Polymers has introduced
the Xydar MG-850 liquid crystal polymer
(LCP), a new specially designed grade suitable for new high-speed USB 3.0 surface
mount connectors. The material delivers
high ow, atness, and dimensional stability for new 12-gigabyte connectors that
target applications in desktop and laptop
computers, as well as tablets.
The connector industrys adoption of
advanced ne-pitch technology has
placed even more exacting demands
on materials, said Glenn Cupta, global
business
development
manager
for
electrical/electronics at Solvay Specialty
Polymers. Xydar MG-850 LCP offers
80
manufacturers exceptional performance

for these next-generation connectors, providing even tighter tolerances and lower
warpage compared to our standard LCP
material.
Improved warp resistance

Xydar1 MG-850 LCP is a 50 percent glass/
mineral reinforced polymer that lls thin
walls over long ow lengths. The mineral
and glass reinforcement package reportedly has improved warp resistance. It also
exhibits a heat deection temperature of
2718C (5208F) and infrared reow capability up to 2608C (5008F). The materials low
moisture absorption facilitates improved
IR reow performance, according to

Cupta.
The new injection moldable grade offers
performance advantages over competitive
low-warp LCPs, and doesnt suffer from
corrosion issues exhibited by other rival
material technologies, such as halogen-free
ame retardant polyphthalamide (PPA)
resins. Xydar LCP is inherently ame retardant, transparent to microwave radiation
and resistant to virtually all chemicals.
The material has an UL 94 V0 ammability
rating from Underwriters Laboratories of
0.2 mm without additives.
Solvay
Specialty
Polymers;
www.
solvayplastics.com
[(13)TD.ENIM]
TECHNOLOGY
[(132)TD.SARIEM]Solvay introduces glass ber compound for LED TVs

Solvay Specialty Polymers has launched an
improved version of its lavanta high-performance polyester (HPP) for the production of light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
for televisions and backlight unit (BLU)
applications.
Lavanta 5115 WH 224 is a 15% glass berreinforced polycyclohexylene terephthalate (PCT) compound developed specically
for LED electronic packaging applications
that use surface mount technology. The
injection molding grade can be molded at
a lower temperature (1258C/2578F) than
competitive PCTs and maintains 100% of
its maximum crystallinity. Cooler molds
[(132)TD.ENIM]
enable cycle times to be reduced, resulting

in lower energy use and reduced cost.
The compound also has high reectivity
(greater than 95%) with excellent whiteness
retention even after thermal and light aging.
The new PCT grade also has lower moisture
absorption and excellent dimensional stability compared to PPA. It has a tensile strength of
78 MPa (11,312 psi) and elongation of 1.6%.
Improved version
Solvay Specialty Polymers has launched an
improved version of its lavanta high-performance
polyester for the production of light-emitting
diodes (LEDs) for televisions.
Solvay plans to expand the Lavanta HPP

product series with an improved version with
greater whiteness and whiteness retention.
Solvay Specialty Polymers; www.solvay.com
[(43)TD.SARIEM]Spheretex completes Chinese deal with NMG Composites
[(43)TD.ENIM]
SPHERETEX, THE PRODUCER of laminate

bulkers, specialty core and reinforcement
materials, has signed an exclusive cooperation agreement for the sale of Spheretex core
materials with NMG Composites Co., Ltd. of
Tongxiang, Zhejiang, China. The company
says that the move is to increase the awareness and sales of the Spheretex products
through an exclusive agent in Greater China.
Based on sales and marketing experience
and distribution capabilities in the Greater
China market, NMG Composites Co., Ltd.
will look to establish Spheretex materials as

a preferred brand of volumized core materials. Under the terms of the agreement,
NMG will in close cooperation with the
team of Spheretex, Germany also provide
service, training and technical support for
customers in China.
Spheretex GmbH says that the Greater
China market is of great importance for
the company. NMG will store all Spheretex
products in its warehouses in Shandong and
Zhejiang Province and will ensure prompt
deliveries to customers, for the Northern

and Southern markets respectively.
Cai Zhengjie, President of NMG Composites Co, Ltd., adds that completing its
range of glass ber reinforcements, high
performance fabrics and structure core
materials with Spheretex core materials is
a considerable step forward for the companys growth and competence in the eld
of composites.
Spheretex; www.spheretex.com
NMG Composites Co. Ltd; www.nmgchina.cc
81
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FEATURE
From carbon fiber to nanotubes:

when size matters
Laurie Winkless
Laurie Winkless considers the role of carbon nanotubes in the ber-reinforced composites market.
Fiber-reinforced composites are everywhere, from glass-reinforced
plastic to epoxy resin lled with aramid ber. And the reason is
clear when compared to metals, composites offer a superior
strength-to-weight ratio. But the mechanical performance of these
materials is not dened by the individual bers when it comes to
determining damage initiation and growth in the composite, it is
the properties of the polymer matrix that dominate.
Arguably, the star of the composites show has always been
carbon ber the go-to material in whole host of sectors. Lightweight and strong, carbon ber reinforced polymers (CFRPs),
made using bundles of carbon bers, woven into laminates and
shaped, have found their way onto many mass-critical applications. They are used on everything from bicycles and F1 cars to
aeroplanes and spacecraft, with new applications appearing every
day. So what started out more than 30 years ago as a highly exotic
material is now rmly part of our everyday lives. But just how far
have ber-composites come since the development of Bakelite in
1907?
Enter nanocomposites
In the early 2000s, the lure of nanotechnology called, with hundreds of papers suggesting that various nanomaterials could be
used solve all remaining challenges for composites it was claimed
that the small size, high surface area and properties of nanoscale
additives could be used to create a new generation of composites.
For many additives, this early promise has delivered today,
manufacturers mix nanoscale metals, clays and other materials
with polymers to produce composites with nely-tuned properties
the additives can be used to change a materials color or opacity,
to make it more resistant to re or corrosion, and to produce
barrier materials or those with specic magnetic properties. In a
study from BCC Research, published in October 2014 [1], it seems
that the market for nanocomposites is growing by the end of

2013, global consumption had reached 190,562 metric tons (MT),
with an estimated value of over $1.2 billion. And the trend is
predicted to continue with consumption expected to reach a
value of almost $4.2 billion by 2019.
So, there is a strong economic argument for nanocomposites,
but what about from the viewpoint of a materials engineer or
scientist? What materials are we really talking about? Well, these
days, the most oft-quoted nanomaterial for use in composites is
carbon bers tough little sister the carbon nanotube (CNT).
CNTs are nanoscale tubes of carbon atoms which are formed when
single sheets of wonder material graphene roll up into cylinders.
Depending on how the individual atoms are arranged, CNTs can
behave either as a metal or as a semiconductor, making them of
signicant interest to the electronics industry. In terms of thermal
properties, CNTs are also remarkable, with measurements on
individual tubes showing that their thermal conductivity can be
up to ten times higher than that of copper [2]. But, for the most
part, it is their mechanical properties that have made CNTs famous
their tensile strength and elastic modulus outperform all other
materials they are the strongest and stiffest materials yet discovered. These properties combined have ensured a global research
race to incorporate them into composites, in order to enhance
mechanical strength or to tune the electrical or thermal properties
of a composite.
However, there are a number of challenges to using nanoadditives, and they occur at every stage in the supply chain.
CNT producers use a number of techniques to synthesize these
tiny tubes of carbon, from arc discharge, which uses direct current
applied between graphite electrodes, to chemical vapor deposition
(CVD), which uses metal catalysts and a range of carbon-rich gases
to grow CNTs. However, in all cases, it can be difcult to separate
out CNTs with specic properties, e.g. metallic or semiconducting
nanotubes this can then limit their performance in particular
E-mail address: laurie.winkless@gmail.com.

0034-3617/ 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.repl.2014.12.025
82
FEATURE
FEATURE
SEM analysis of delaminated surface. Neat composite laminates (a ber marks, b resin-rich region near the crack).
applications. When using nanotubes for large-scale applications,

another reality soon becomes clear producing industrial-scale
quantities of high-quality CNTs is not straightforward, and this
has a big impact on the end users of nanocomposites. Dr Tim
Young, from the UKs National Composites Centre says, The main
problem I have experienced (from a practical perspective) is the quantity
of production, which is more often in grams rather than tons.
But this is not the end for CNTs in composites. Despite these
challenges, many carbon nanocomposites have found their way
out of the lab and into products. And recently, research has turned
away from using CNTs in isolation in terms of utilizing their
mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, it seems the secret
to success is to use CNTs alongside larger bers.
Improved mechanical properties

The most widely used polymeric resins in the composites industry
tend to provide high stiffness but low fracture toughness. This can
result in delamination in the nal composite, which in many
applications, can result in catastrophic failure. In a paper published in Carbon [doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2014.07.084] [3], McGill
University researchers demonstrated that the inclusion of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in the matrix signicantly
improves its fracture toughness, leading to a new generation of
tougher carbon ber composites.
Their work focused on modifying the brittle thermoset resin
used in most carbon-based composites, and tested two different
formulations one where functionalized MWCNTs were mixed
with the resin. The other combined functionalized MWCNTs with
a more traditional acrylate-based toughening agent. By using Resin
Film Infusion (RFI), a technique from the aerospace industry
which produces rubber-impregnated composites, MWCNT-lled
resin could be owed through layers of carbon ber, to produce
laminated nano-enhanced composites.
The team carried out fracture toughness tests on both the
MWCNT-lled resins and on the nal laminates. The mechanical
properties of the raw polymer resins were only marginally improved by the addition of MWCNTs. But, it was in the nal
laminated composites that the improved mechanical properties
could be clearly seen those impregnated with MWCNTs exhibited signicant improvement in their delamination properties (up
to 143% in the case of Mode II fracture toughness). The team

suggest that this enhancement comes as a result of an even
dispersion of MWCNTs enabled by the carbon ber fabric acting
as a sieve. So, it is the combination of CNTs and carbon bers that
had led to improved mechanical properties. This research is still
lab-based, but further work on scaling up their system is in the
early stages of development.
Enhanced electrical conductivity

Also in 2014, a team of researchers from the University of Surrey
reported that they had developed a low-cost, large-area method for
production of a carbon-nanotube-CFRP composite, with superior
electrical properties. Thanks to their excellent mechanical properties and low mass, CFRPs are regularly used in aircraft chassis, such
as the Airbus A380. But their low electrical conductivity means
that they can only be used alongside metals, in order to avoid the
build-up of charges resulting from lightning strikes and air friction. So, the team from Surrey set out to nd a material that
retained CFRPs mechanical properties, while also being electrically conductive. Reported in Carbon [doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2014.03.
038] [4], they created a fuzzy ber composite which exhibited
electrical conductivity 510% higher than that of standard CFRP.
Fuzzy CFRP is comprised of carbon nanotubes grown directly
onto carbon ber. In order to do this, the team developed a novel
synthesis technique called photo-thermal-CVD, whereby the carbon ber substrate is water-cooled, while optical radiation is used
to heat the catalyst on the ber to a much higher temperature. This
facilitates CNT-growth while minimizing any signicant degradation of the ber.
The improvement in electrical conductivity is due to the fact
that the electron transport mechanism in the material moves from
charge-hopping (in standard CFRP) to Ohmic (in fuzzy CFRP).
Results showed that the out-of-plane conductivity increased by
510% and the in-plane conductivity by 330%. In addition, the low
temperatures used in this system means that sample throughput
can be much faster than conventional techniques, suggesting that
photo-thermal-CVD has the potential to be scaled-up considerably. And because standard industrial processes were used
throughout, the team are condent that their system is compatible
with existing bulk manufacturing techniques for CFRPs.
83
FEATURE
FEATURE
SEM images of (a) a bundle of carbon bers following CNT growth (low magnication), (b) a single carbon ber following CNT growth (high magnication).
SEM images of: (a) as-received glass bers; (b) A-MWCNT deposited glass bers with 3 min EPD duration; (c) A-MWCNT deposited glass bers with 10 min
EPD duration.
84
Published in Composites Science and Technology in November 2014

[doi:10.1016/j.compscitech.2014.09.007] [5], a team of Chinese
researchers looked to develop a material with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties at low temperatures. They did this
through a combination of glass-ber-reinforced polymer (GFRP)
and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs).
Glass ber reinforced polymer composites have been used for
decades in applications where stability is important they exhibit
high strength, high stiffness and low moisture absorption but
their low thermal conductivity has limited their applications in
many sectors. Back in 2009, several papers showed that the thermal conductivity of GFRP laminates could be improved by the
addition of MWCNTs, but ensuring even distribution of nanotubes
throughout the GFRP remained a challenge. To overcome this
limitation, the team led by Laifeng Li from the Chinese Academy
of Sciences used electrophoretic deposition (EPD) to disperse CNTs
in a liquid medium and onto the woven glasses layers using an
electric eld. By functionalizing both the resin embedded with
woven glass bers and the MWCNTs, a chemical bond could be
formed between them, ensuring a uniform dispersion.
The thermal properties of a range of GFRP-MWCNT composites
were characterized and shown to signicantly outperform standard GFRPs. For example, the thermal conductivity of the CNT
composite was found to be higher at both room temperature and at
77 K (55.4% and 70% respectively) than the GFRP. This huge
improvement was attributed to the enhanced interfacial bonding
between the bers and tubes and to the formation of conductive

paths by the MWCNTs across the woven glass ber surface.
Looking forward
This article has introduced just three recent publications in the
eld of carbon nanotube-enhanced composites, but many others
can be found throughout the literature. A number of challenges
remain to be solved before we are likely to see the widespread use of
carbon nanotubes in ber-reinforced composites. For example,
health and safety standards will need to be established for CNT
manufacturing, use and disposal [6], along with reliable and
repeatable characterization techniques which can be implemented
into existing composite production processes.
More generally though, the key to making CNT composites a
commercial reality is in the establishment of partnerships across
industry and academia by meeting the challenges at all stages of
the supply chain, the future of these high-performance nanocomposites looks bright.
References
[1] Global Markets for Nanocomposites, Nanoparticles, Nanoclays, and Nanotubes
Market report from BCC Research.
[2] S. Berber, et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. (2000), http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/
PhysRevLett.84.4613.
[3] V. Mirjalili, et al. Carbon (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2014.07.084.
[4] T.R. Pozegic, et al. Carbon (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2014.03.038.
[5] J. Lia, et al. Compos. Sci. Technol. (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/
j.compscitech.2014.09.007.
[6] M.F.L. De Volder et al. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1222453.
85
FEATURE
Tuning thermal properties
FEATURE
FEATURE

George Marsh
A new form of marine craft, one minute a veritable greyhound of the seas and the next a steady platform
for embarking from, has arisen over the last few years for serving offshore wind farms. Advanced lowweight composites are key enabler for these wind farm service vessels (WFSVs).
Among the most advanced are carbon composite vessels developed and produced by Danish Yachts A/S, which have been
established in North Sea service since 2013. This companys
radical SWATH (Small Waterplane Twin-Hull) design and carbon/epoxy sandwich structure have earned high praise from
users, but the four craft initially produced are regarded as rstgeneration and recently their design has been rened in a joint
programme carried out by Danish Yachts and composite engineering specialist Gurit AG. Fabrication of the resulting secondgeneration craft has since commenced at the constructors shipyard in Skagen, Denmark, and a fth vessel (i.e. the rst of the
second generation) was delivered to operator Odfjell Wind last
summer (2014).
As Danish Yachts digested feedback from in-service experience
with the rst four 25m Cat/SWATH craft (Cat because they can
also be operated as catamarans, see side bar), which have relied on
their light carbon/epoxy structures to enhance performance and
running economy at sea, it engaged Gurit to take a fresh look at the
structural design to see if it could be lightened further. Thanks to
this re-optimisation, a further 15% weight saving has been
achieved for the fth and subsequent craft. As David Olsen, a
Gurit structural engineer, explains,
By developing a more optimal structural arrangement, we
succeeded in safely reducing the skin and core thickness of many
panels. A nite element model of the structure enabled us to
identify crucial primary load paths and place appropriate support
structure there, while identifying less critical elements that could
be made thinner or, in some cases, eliminated altogether.
Also involved was a re-styling of the wheelhouse, both to
reduce its weight thereby lowering the vessels centre of gravity
and rolling moment and to enhance all-round vision from the
bridge.
Wave action nullied

A SWATH minimises the disturbing effects of wave action by placing
the vessels buoyancy, i.e. its hulls, below the sea surface and
therefore beyond the reach of wave-induced surface agitation.
The twin hulls are connected via sidewall struts to a deck/
superstructure that is held above the sea surface clear of the
waves. Thus, both the superstructure and the hulls ride clear of
the waves, respectively above and below the sea surface. Because
waves act mainly upon the cross-section of any vessel that is in the
same plane as the sea surface, and because this waterplane area is
relatively small in a SWATH, viz. the cross-section area of the narrow
sidewalls, the effect of wave action is minimised in these vessels.
Consequently a big advantage of SWATHs for wind farm work is
their steadiness when on station and their consequent ability to
safely transfer personnel and equipment to and from turbines in
higher sea states than conventional vessels can manage. (Up to
2.5 m signicant wave height.)
A further advantage of the Danish Yachts SWATHs in particular is that
they can also be operated in catamaran mode by de-ballasting the
hulls so that their increased buoyancy brings them to the surface. In
this conguration, the vessel can achieve the high transit speeds that
conventional catamarans are known for, albeit with the relatively
large waterplane area that is inherent in surface-tracking hulls. This
dual mode ability enables the craft to reach wind farms at high service
speeds travelling as a catamaran, then transition quickly to SWATH
mode to provide a stable working platform from which to access
turbines. On the Danish Yachts craft, hull buoyancy is adjusted with a
compression operated active trim system.
SWATH mode can also smooth the ride in rough sea conditions so
that personnel arrive on task ready for work rather than seasick and
exhausted. Progress is slower than in catamaran mode (c 15 kts as
against 22 kts, typically, for Danish Yachts rst-generation craft), but
the speed reduction can be worthwhile in terms of delivering
technicians in t condition to work.
86
FEATURE
smaller, less powerful engines that can be tted especially

important where local environmental limits apply, such as in
the EUs Emissions Control Areas (ECAs).
Yachting roots
Commercial vessel operators have even greater need of these

benets and some have shown themselves willing to pay extra for
the advantages that carbon composite construction confers. There
is a limit to this, however, and it is interesting to note that Danish
Yachts adoption of the infusion process for its Cat/SWATHs,
rather than the prepreg manufacturing technique with which it
produces premium yachts, has been made largely because of the
relative affordability of infusion.
As its name suggests, Danish Yachts experience with carbonbre is

rooted in the construction of high-end yachts, including superyachts. Although superyacht owners can afford to indulge themselves with the latest fashionable technologies almost irrespective
of economics, Danish Yachts has found that they do appreciate the
lower fuel and maintenance costs that durable, weight saving
CFRP structures provide, as well as lower emissions from the
FEATURE
Gurit had already supplied a full materials package for the hulls
and superstructures of the earlier craft. Materials for the infused
sandwich structures included PrimeTM 20LV epoxy resin together
with pre-cut, pre-kitted pieces of Gurit CorecellTM structural foam
in a variety of formats. To minimise resin uptake around the cuts
where the foam panels join, Gurit supplied knife double-cut
Corecell M foam. Pre-kitting greatly assisted the process of building all the 2D elements of the structure as well as the more complex
3D sections of the vessels submersible pontoon hulls, the latter
requiring a particularly thick layer of the structural foam.
The primary hull materials were laid up in female moulds and
vacuum-infused with resin in a single step that bonded, not only
the skins to the core, but also the edges of the core panels together.
A number of separate items were subsequently bonded to the
infused shell using Gurit Spabond 340LV, while Ampreg 22 was
chosen for secondary bonding and wet lamination.
Michael Nielsen, composite technical manager at Danish
Yachts, told RP that each vessels deck/superstructure is formed
chiey from at panels laid up on vacuum tables, subsequently
trimmed to shape and bonded together. Each hull, however, with
its complex curvature, is infused in two female moulds, one for the
lower portion of the hull and the second for the upper deck
portion. Emphasising the scrupulous care taken over the infusion
process, he explained,
It can take two to three weeks to prepare everything - the
pumps, vacuum lines, sealing etc - and then the critical infusion
step itself takes eight to ten hours. Initial cure takes place at around
room temperature, typically 20 deg C, and this is followed by a
post cure prole that takes the temperature up to 65 deg C and lasts
another seven to ten hours. Heating is by convection, hot air being
pumped into a large tented volume that contains the mould.
Precise zonal control, with extensive thermocouple monitoring
of temperatures, ensures that every part of the lay-up is fully
infused and cured.
Included in every hull lay-up is a ne outer glassbre grinding
layer. This can be selectively ground and polished after the hull is
demoulded so that a nal protective paint coating can be applied
directly. This avoids a requirement for a gel coat.
Satised with the working partnership enjoyed with Gurit over
the rst-generation craft, Danish Yachts CEO Patrick Von Sydow
once again appointed the composite engineering group to provide
structural engineering services and a full materials package for a
second-generation 32m Cat/SWATH intended for the oil and gas
and other industries as well as wind farm service. All the vessels are
designed to the International Maritime Organisations High Speed
Craft Code and comply with passenger carrying regulations under
classication societies Det Norske Veritas for the original four craft
and Germanischer Lloyd for the second generation. They are
engineered for a 25 year service life.
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In any case, operations manager Steve Smith bemoans the

tendency of vessel operators to focus too strongly on initial outlay.
As he puts it,
The industry looks at the acquisition cost, compared to GRP,
aluminium or steel, and assumes that carbonbre is more expensive. But this does not take into account life cycle costs.
Fuel savings can, he expounds, amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars over a service lifetime, and range is increased.
Meeting stringent environmental regulations is another cost saver.
Moreover, the Danish carbon vessels are designed to minimise
downtime for maintenance and repairs so that reliable operation
can be maintained 24/7, so enhancing productivity. The vessels
all-weather sea-going capability has become legendary. Michael
Nielsen cites a recent case in which a wind farm operator desperately needing to get technicians to a faulty turbine in weather
conditions that were keeping conventional WFSVs tied up in port,
was delighted when one of the Cat/SWATHs proved up the task
and carried out a successful transfer. This earned high praise from
the impressed operator.
Marketing manager Orazio Pollaci adds that executives conditioned to thinking in terms of costs associated with advanced
aircraft and Formula 1 race cars should bear in mind that outside
the premium material requirements of these sectors costs are lower
and falling. He suggests that by 2020 carbon materials will cost
80% less, in real terms, than they did in 1970.
Sandwich structure, too, has signicant benets in addition to
low weight. As well as being stiff and strong, it has structural
redundancy afforded by its two skins; thus for any accidental impact
to lead to water ingress, penetration has to be through both skins
rather than just one. Where damage does occur, repair techniques
that have become familiar with GRP are similar for CFRP. Steve
Smith quotes the case of one of the carbon Cat/SWATHs that was
damaged in a collision with a harbour wall during a storm. This had
produced a large crack in the hull, though only in the outer carbon
skin of the sandwich so that there had been no water ingress. A
specialist team managed to repair the structure, in a temperature
controlled environment achieved inside a tent set up temporarily
around the damaged area, within three days, a time which included
inspection and clearance by DNV.
Fabrication quality is important to Danish Yachts and to this
end the company nurtures its own skills. Laminators and other
operatives attend an in-house training school where, in addition
to fabrication techniques, they also learn that continual improvement and structural weight reduction are constant preoccupations
for the company. Shop oor managers note that laminators who
join from rms using GRP and other traditional composites enjoy
the cleaner and more comfortable working environments that
carbon fabrication offers.
Another company taking the SWATH route is British rm CTruk
Ltd, but in this case the structural laminate is predominantly
glassbre sandwich, again resin infused. CTruk argues that composite vessels usually have a fairer hydrodynamic shape than
welded aluminium competitors and that this, as well as the lower
weight, supports higher speed and fuel efciency, both of which
become crucial at longer distances. Like Danish Yachts, in taking
the SWATH approach CTruk has had in mind the UKs Round 3
requirement where the wind farms are further offshore and weather conditions can be harsher. Four years operating experience
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around Rounds 1 and 2 wind farms with the companys existing

composite catamarans, including the popular C20T, had sewn a
deep understanding of what the sea can do and managers knew
that vessel capabilities had to be extended, not least to cope with
waves of 2.5 m Hs (signicant wave heightj) plus, rather than the
prevailing 1.5 m industry standard.
SWATH was considered the best answer, easing motion in
signicant sea states to less than a third that of conventional
catamaran service vessels. The form enables successful transit in
high sea states, but for service at the most distant wind farms
CTruk craft can be davit lifted onto mother ships stationed near
the farms, where personnel are also accommodated. This echoes
practice in offshore oil and gas operations.
SWATH craft also require less force to hold the vessel against the
turbine transition piece during transfer of personnel and equipment. Skipper and joint owner with CWind of existing 20 m craft,
Stuart Richardson, says he has been particularly impressed with
the vessels ability to stick safely and reliably onto the turbine
ladder.
CarboCAT
Nevertheless, Swedish shipbuilder Kockums AB (part of the Thyssen Krupp Group) and design associate Fintry Marine AG of
Switzerland (no longer trading) decided a few years ago to avoid
SWATH complexities in developing a fast service vessel capable of
meeting onerous offshore requirements. However, they did opt for
carbonbre composite for the structure of their CarboCAT catamaran. The 23 m CarboClyde which began serving the Baltic 1
offshore wind farm in 2010, was billed as the rst commercial
workboat built entirely using a carbon composite construction
technique and fully classied by DNV.
CarboCAT was aimed at setting new standards for economy and
supportability, with claimed 20% lower fuel consumption and up
to 25% reduced maintenance costs, as well as increased service life,
high vessel productivity and reduced emissions. The shipbuilder,
well known for producing the fast carbonbre sandwich Visby
Class corvette and other naval craft, used its own Kockums Vacuum-Assisted Sandwich Infusion (KVASI) system to produce the
vessel. The strength and low weight of the structure were key to
providing a 25 kt service speed while carrying 12 to 24 technicians
and eight tons of material. The vessel is now part of the charter
eet of Opus Marine GmbH, operating mainly in German waters.
Other carbon service craft exist or are in prospect. Tuco Marine
in Denmark, noted for its CFRP boatbuilding skills, has developed
smaller WFSVs intended as daughter craft operating from mother
ships stationed at or near wind farms that are distant from land.
The companys new ProZero series includes 11 m and 13 m models
each of which is a dedicated service boat and crew transfer vessel
for offshore wind farms. Each can be lifted from a single suspension point using a davit on the mother ship, a capability facilitated
by the low weight of the carbon structure. Alternatively, the craft
can be launched and recovered by a slipway system built into a
mother ships stern.
Nova Scotia-based Trawlercat Marine Designs has directed a
series of designs at the global offshore wind farm industry. Its
20 m, 26 m, 30 m and 35 m catamaran workboats, dubbed Carbon-Cats, are vacuum-infused sandwich structures utilising carbon/epoxy skins with Kevlar foam core. According to a spokesman,
Carbon bre is ten times stronger than aluminium and less

than half its weight and once we discovered how to build these
craft competitively against aluminium equivalents, the decision to
use carbon was a no-brainer.
An interesting speed-enhancing feature of this design is a foil
system between the hulls which once a certain speed is reached, lift
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the craft higher out of the water to reduce hull immersed volume
and drag. Carbonbre was considered the only material strong and
resilient enough to withstand the high loads the foil system would
be subjected to over a prolonged service life.
TMD has been seeking a business partner to help it establish an
in-house build programme for its radical WFSVs.
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Stella Job1
With the use of ber reinforced polymer set to rocket in the automotive industry, Stella Job asks whether
the same is possible for ships.
Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been an accepted
material in boatbuilding and motorsport for over 60 years. Composites make up more than half the structural airframes of modern
commercial aircraft, such as the Airbus A350 XWB and the Boeing
787 Dreamliner. Their use is set to rocket in mainstream automotive as rapid manufacturing technologies are developed. FRP
applications in construction and infrastructure are growing since
early FRP bridges were installed twenty years ago. The weight
reduction achievable with composites is enabling applications
which would not be possible with metals, such as longer wind
turbine blades and deeper risers for oil wells.
So why not composites in ships?

While small leisure and workboats are predominantly made in
composites and there is increasing use of composites in naval
vessels, the regulations for larger commercial vessels either severely restrict or completely prohibit the structural use of composites.
These regulations are based on or refer back to the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations (see Marine vessel regulations explained).
The restrictions come down to combustibility. SOLAS requires
structural materials to be non-combustible and that has ltered
through to several other European and national regulations. The
P in FRP is for polymer, and no organic polymer will pass the noncombustibility test (ISO 1182), so that rules out FRP composites.
An amendment to the re safety chapter of SOLAS in 2002 known
as Regulation 17 allows for alternative design and arrangements to
the prescriptive requirements. In theory this amendment could
allow alternative materials to be used if equivalent safety can be
demonstrated. But despite extensive R&D projects and product
development, no structural FRP solution has yet been built for a
commercial ship.
1
Consultant working in the composites sector and member of E-LASS.
Why? Because the industry uses steel. Full stop. Shipping is

highly risk-averse, for good reasons the oceans are dangerous
places and ships are very expensive. Upfront costs of FRP are
usually higher than steel and there is surprisingly little consideration of through life costs, though that is beginning to change. An
experienced naval architect and composites expert commented to
me: The biggest problem is when the customer cant get his initial
build budget and his through life budget in the same place. The
nancial structures are often wrong.
From the regulators perspective there seems to be considerable
reluctance to be rst to approve structural composites, perhaps
because of a substantial lobby at IMO which resists change in this
area. However, an IMO Correspondence Group is currently working to develop guidelines for the use of FRP in ship structures
Cunards MS Queen Victoria. Photo used with permission Stella Job.

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meet the speed requirement, where they are operated within their
own coastal waters.
which will facilitate assessment of new designs following the

Regulation 17 process.
Inland waterway vessels (EU)
Marine vessel regulations explained
Vessels operating on Inland waterways in the EU are covered by

2006/87/EC. This allows for alternative materials for hulls, and steel
or another equivalent material for bulkheads, walls and decks,
except in high re risk areas (e.g. engine rooms) where structural
materials must be non-combustible.
The IMO
The IMO is an agency of the United Nations responsible for safe,
secure and efcient shipping on clean oceans. It has 170 member
states and involves 63 intergovernmental organizations with
observer status (such as the European Commission) as well as
many NGOs with consultative status (such as the Community of
European Shipyards Associations (CESA), International Association
of Classication Societies (IACS)).
The IMO develops and adopts legislation, which is implemented by
the ag states (government agencies such as UKs Maritime and
Coastguard Agency, MCA). The ag state may entrust the
inspections and surveys either to surveyors nominated for the
purpose or to organizations recognized by it (SOLAS Chapter 1,
regulation 6). In practice these recognized organizations are often
classication societies, such as Lloyds Register, DNV-GL.2
Large yacht codes exist which allow for the use of structural
composites for leisure yachts which carry up to 12 passengers
and are 24 m and over in load line length. (e.g. UKs LY3) The re
requirements are not necessarily comparable to those in the HSC
code.
In 2010 the Red Ensign Group (UK with Crown Dependencies and
UK Overseas Territories) developed a Passenger Yacht Code (PYC,
now 4th edition 2014) for leisure yachts which carry 1336
passengers as an equivalent arrangement under SOLAS. At
present this makes no allowance for structural FRP, requiring
structural materials to be non-combustible.
Commercial ships (International)

The IMO International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS) is an international treaty originally adopted in 1914 in
response to the Titanic disaster, but amended many times since. It
species minimum standards for the safe construction, equipment
and operation of passenger ships which carry more than 12
passengers or cargo ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards
and operate in international waters.
Chapter II-2 on re protection requires structural materials to be
non-combustible. This would prohibit any composite with an
organic polymer matrix. However, a regulation which came into
force in 2002, Chapter II-2/17 for alternative design and
arrangements (Regulation 17) allows for alternatives to the
prescriptive requirements using a risk based design approach to
demonstrate equivalent safety.
Regulation 17 has been successfully used for some departures from
the prescriptive code in other respects. Several projects have
applied it for structural FRP, but it has not yet been accepted for
any FRP (or other combustible structural material) application.
For this reason the IMO sub-committee on Ship Design and
Construction (SDC) has a Correspondence Group developing
guidelines for the use of FRP in structures on SOLAS vessels. This
is a long and slow process and there remains a strong lobby of
opinion in the SDC that the prescriptive (non-combustibility)
requirements of SOLAS Chapter II must be adhered to, despite
the intention of the 2002 amendment to allow for alternatives.
High speed craft code (International)

The International Code of Safety for High Speed Craft (HSC Code)
has been in place since 1994, and allows for the use of composites in
vessels capable of a certain speed (dened by an equation related
to displacement). The code denes stringent but achievable re
tests and many vessels have been built to this code.
Passenger ships/ferries (EU)

Passenger ships/ferries operating in domestic (national) sea areas of
the European Union (EU) are designed to Directive 2009/45/EC. This
directive makes no allowance for structural FRP, requiring materials
to be of steel or another equivalent non-combustible material.
EU Directives cover vessels in European waters, and are often
followed but not mandatory for vessels which sail only in one
ag states national waters. Some ag states (such as Sweden,
Denmark and Turkey) have allowed ferries to be built using
structural FRP according to the HSC Code, though they do not
Small leisure and workboats (EU)

These are covered respectively by the Recreational Craft Directive
(RCD, 94/25/EC as amended by 2003/44/EC, soon to be replaced by
2013/53/EU) and Small Commercial Vessel Codes of Practice such as
the UKs recently updated Brown Code (2014). These allow for the
use of composites as long as they carry less than 12 passengers. In
some cases, for workboats, special service personnel can be
counted.
Why would you want to use composites in ships?

The weight reduction we typically associate with replacing traditional materials with composites has different implications for
ships. Of course fuel saving is an advantage, but despite the
uctuating price of oil, the increase in payload gained by structural
weight savings tends to be more attractive and have a shorter
payback. Ships are limited to about 290 m length and 32 m beam if
they are to be able to pass through the locks on the Panama Canal.
Most ports would involve similar limits. So to increase capacity in
cruise ships, the only way is up and the structural mass above the
waterline increasingly affects the ships stability. Hence lighter
structural materials allow for a bigger superstructure with greater
capacity.
A Swedish research project, LASS-C, looked at replacing the
superstructure of cruise ship Norwegian Gem in composite. The
payback period for the extra structural cost if you took the fuel
savings gained from the weight reduction was 5.9 years, but the
payback from income from the extra cabins you could build for the
same overall weight was 2.5 years. Likewise the payback on cargo
ships is quicker if you consider the potential extra payload rather
than the fuel savings. For naval ships, the exibility of the platform, the potential for extra weaponry and increased speed are all
attractions which can be gained through topside weight reduction
as well as reduced fuel consumption or increased range.
See http://www.imo.org/About/Membership/ and http://www.imo.org/

About/Pages/FAQs.aspx.
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Large yachts (specic to national authorities)
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class corvettes built of sandwich-construction carbon ber reinforced plastic (CFRP). The material provides high strength and
rigidity, low weight, good shock resistance, low radar signature
and low magnetic signature. The material dramatically reduces the
structural weight (typically 50% of a conventional steel hull). This
results in a higher payload carrying capability, higher speed or
longer range.
Whats the real issue with re?
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The 1,000-ton deckhouse of destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) is craned
toward the deck of the ship at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. The
deckhouse is primarily made from balsa-cored carbon ber using VARTM.
Photo used with permission U.S. Navy.
Corrosion resistance is an obvious advantage of composites over

steel in a marine environment. In addition, for military customers,
the potential to incorporate smart functionality and reduce magnetic, radar and infra-red signatures is of interest.
The improved thermal and acoustic insulation properties of FRP
are signicant in many applications, for example, cruise ship
balconies where thermal bridging is a problem, cabin partitions
where noise transfer must be minimized.
One very practical potential application is a hatch cover which
has been developed by Oshima Shipyard. These bulk carrier hatch
covers are 17 m by 8 m for each half and would weigh 36 tonnes in
steel, but just 12 tonnes in GRP. Most of the top reasons for
insurance claims for damage to cargo are related to hatch covers
problems with seals, corrosion, etc. The GRP covers would reduce
many of these problems, and allow for smaller, electric motors and
lighter craneage. The structural design by Norwegian consultant
Ragnar Hansen has been given approval in principle by DNV-GL
and is now seeking formal approval in relation to the re risk
assessment.
A huge problem in steel ships is corrosion in ballast tanks. The
tanks are integral to the structure of the hull, so structural beams
pass through them, creating complex surfaces that are very difcult to maintain. A fully composite structure could solve this
problem, but to suggest a composite hull for a large ship is a big
step from where we are now.
Composites are already used in commercial ships in several
applications including: masts and radomes, bathroom modules,
lockers, lifeboats, pipework. Complete composite valve and pipework systems are available which have a major benet in terms of
corrosion resistance for seawater cooling systems.
Superstructures for several naval ships have been built in composites in recent years, including two Zumwalt class destroyers for
the US Navy; the Steregushchy Class corvettes and a stealth frigate,
Admiral Gorshkov, for the Russian Navy; two corvettes for the
Indian Navy.
The Indian corvette superstructures were built by Kockums
naval shipyard in Sweden and followed the fully composite Visby
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Fire is a very real hazard for ocean going ships. You cannot
evacuate and have people stand in the car park while the re is
put out. If you are several days from port, the re must be contained if major risk to life and property is to be avoided.
Steel does not burn and stays stronger for longer in a re than
FRP, but it will ultimately collapse. After one hour of the ISO 834
standard re temperature curve uninsulated steel would retain
about 5% of its strength and stiffness. Also it readily conducts heat,
contributing to the spread of the re, so the use of steel is
dependent on good insulation.
While FRPs have inherent combustibility due to their organic
content, available materials have improved signicantly in the last
2030 years, as have re protection systems. Several approaches
have been developed to resist ignition and ame spread. However,
composites lose strength at a lower temperature in a re than steel
3 MW facade re test on a large composite surface, well protected by a

water spray on top. The only thing burning in the picture is a diesel tray
below the surface. From BESST project. Photo used with permission SP
Technical Research Institute of Sweden.
Are we getting closer?

While composite technologies are still rapidly growing and
developing into new markets, they have reached a level of
maturity, particularly in boatbuilding and aerospace. Issues such
as durability and repair are now well attested. The current
program to ret the Royal Navys Hunt class minehunters is a
good example. Their 60 m GRP hulls built in the late 1970s and
80s remain in excellent condition with a life of in excess of 50
years expected.
The IMO Correspondence Group developing guidelines for FRP
in ships is making progress, though the outcome is unclear as there
is reluctance amongst some members to allow Regulation 17 to be
used to justify an alternative to the prescriptive non-combustibility requirement.
Philippe Noury of DNV-GL in Norway has been involved in
research and in classication of marine composites for many years.
Referring to the High Speed Craft (HSC) Code, he points out that
FRP composite high speed vessels have been operated for about
25 years and have a positive service experience with respect to re
safety. Indeed, there has not been any serious re disaster or
frequent re incident for this segment. This proves that regulations work, that active and passive re protection systems in place
are efcient and reliable, and that the industry has plenty of solid
practical experience and solutions ready to be used for large
commercial ships. We are not starting from scratch. This adds
to the lessons learned from the last 10 years of R&D on the use of
FRP composites on large commercial ships.
Tommy Hertzberg of SP Fire Research in Sweden is engaging
with the European Commissions interest in standardizing test and
certication procedures for re behaviour of composite materials
on vessels. This could facilitate the use of composites in passenger
vessels and inland waterway and short sea shipping. Hertzberg
believes that the re test requirements of the HSC Code could be
adapted to cover short sea and inland waterway craft as the re risk
issues are comparable.
Tommy Hertzberg is also the chair of E-LASS,3 a European
network for lightweight structures at sea. As such he led a drive
to encourage the national authorities to support the work of the
IMO Correspondence Group in early 2014. The E-LASS letter was
supported by 85 organizations from across the world, indicating
the strong interest in opening up a way to see the benets of FRP.
Perhaps most inuential in pulling through change are the
shipowners and shipbuilders. As they see the economic benets
of using composites, which tend also to translate to environmental
benets, regulators will have to ensure that the systems are in place
to assess the safe use of composites. Mike Collier of Carnival
presented to national representatives at the IMO Maritime Safety
Committee in November 2014, expressing that Carnival, the
worlds largest cruise ship operator, is very keen to see the development of lightweight materials, particularly to reduce the weight
of cabins and their contents. The interest shown by Oshima in
developing the hatch cover is important, as is involvement in
composite research projects of several European shipyards, including Meyer Werft and Fincantieri.
E-LASS meets around twice a year with feedback from research
projects and regulation development related to light weight structures in the marine sector. If you are interested in joining E-LASS
please visit www.e-lass.eu.
Dome housing satellite equipment on MS Queen Victoria. Photo used with

permission Stella Job.
http://www.e-lass.eu/.
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FEATURE
does, though they can out-perform aluminium structures which

are accepted due to their non-combustibility. The critical factor for
structural composites in re is often to resist the collapse which
would occur as the heat deection temperature of the polymer is
progressively exceeded through the thickness of the structure.
In contrast to metals, composites are excellent insulators, so
resist the spread of re by conduction through a structure. An
engine room re aboard the GRP Royal Navy minehunter
HMS Ledbury in 1983 burnt for several hours with no damage
to adjacent compartments and no requirement for boundary
cooling. The insulating properties of the structural laminates
were sufcient to prevent either structural collapse or burn
through.
Composite panels are used for re and blast protection on
offshore oil rigs and have been engineered to provide two hours
or more of protection against jet re. Bruce McDonald at Lloyds
Register represents the International Association of Classication
Societies (IACS) on the IMO Correspondence Group. He said that a
major reason why he wants to progress the area is because composites have made oil rigs safer places.
McDonald added: FRP is not for everything, but there are
benets there. The materials technology is advancing and the re
risk can be mitigated. It depends on the right material choices.
Prescriptive requirements are crude but effective, but with the
current level of knowledge we have the capability to evaluate
alternatives. Prescriptive regulations are looking backwards. We
need to look forwards.
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Characterization and simulation of

structural fabrics Part 1: A crossindustry review of approaches to
composites engineering
Tom James
Director of Innovation, FORMAX
In past years, the role of the ber converter could be seen as relatively passive. Now, with increasing
demand for higher quality structural composites across all industries, the converters active
participation in the supply chain is essential. In this rst part of a two-part article Tom James, Director of
Innovation at multiaxial reinforcements producer FORMAX, provides some insight into this interaction,
and highlights an interesting relationship between manufacturing method, simulation strategy and the
availability of relevant material data.
As a converter, FORMAX occupies a prominent position in the
middle of the composites supply chain. In the sequence of manufacture we are rmly nestled between the ber manufacturer and
the molder. During the design stages of any project we work
closely with those toward the end-user and have dialog with
the car manufacturers, civil engineers, wind energy companies
and yacht designers. This position provides a good vantage point
from which to observe the engineering approach adopted by a
variety of customers working in a range of volumes and technologies from custom yachts to high-volume automotive production,
from cost-effective E-glass laminates used in corrosion resistant
subterranean pipes, to high-value weight sensitive parts in expensive pitch carbon ber.
FORMAX purchases ber, processes those bers and sells them
as a structural fabric for use in composite materials. In some cases a
large customer contracts with a large ber manufacturer and
instructs us to join the bers together with specied fabric architecture. Increasingly however, for other customers our role has
expanded to include an advisory service, where we leverage our
knowledge of processability, the performance of bers and 20 years
of experience developing bespoke fabric architectures to help
make the correct composite for the correct part. We have processed
more than 60 different types of carbon ber, 30 E-glass and 6
aramids, as well as S-glass, UHMWPE (Dyneema) and an increasing
number of natural bers. In recent years there has been an increase
in demand for us to perform the additional role of simulation
support, led by automotive customers and their need to simulate
process and performance during the early stages of product design.
One could argue that a structural fabric manufacturer offering

advice on process simulation and mechanical properties of a
nished composite is analogous to a our mill offering advice
on how a cake should be made, and how it will turn out. The way
the our is milled is important and can have signicant impact on
the density of the cake. But the wheat from which the our is
milled, the sugar, eggs, butter and jam and cream are arguably of
greater importance to the nal taste, and thats before we consider
the recipe and indeed how closely the recipe is followed on a given
day. However, in the same way as the our manufacturer will bake
and taste cakes as part of new product development, a forwardthinking fabric manufacturer will search for incremental gains in
processability and mechanical performance through the testing of
composite panels made from their latest fabric architectures.
This ambition, together with the increased demand for simulation of composites processing, led to FORMAX and the University
of Nottingham in the UK creating a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) in 2012 with the aim of increasing the company-wide
level of understanding of testing, characterization and simulation
of composites processing and performance. The KTP is led on the
academic side by Professor Andy Long and Dr. Andreas Endruweit,
and the KTP Associate based at the company is Liam O Sullivan, a
graduate of the University of Limerick, Ireland.
Composite engineering predicting how materials

deform and break, and how they are made
Manual calculation, iterative analytical methods and numerical
methods can be used within structural engineering to predict the
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FORMAXs position in the supply chain provides a good vantage point from which to observe cross-industry approaches to composites engineering and
manufacture.
stresses within a material and the resulting deformation when

subjected to load. The engineer uses accepted methods and a knowledge of the relevant material properties within a decision making
process, with the objective of ensuring that the right material is used
in the right place. The decision making process is typically repeated
and rened throughout the design process, from concept to manufacture, sometimes with different ber types, fabric architectures
and polymers. These methods allow a component to be designed
with reserve factors on failure and maximum allowable deformation. The level of condence or degree of certainty derived from the
use of these methods depends on the complexity of the problem, the
experience of the engineer and the knowledge of the structural
materials. Additionally, the use of these predictive methods allows
the optimization of a design before construction, by simulating
structural behavior of alternative materials and geometries.
The structural engineer has an additional duty of care to predict
how a given part will be manufactured, initially to check that
manufacture is possible using the available methods, and subsequently (together with the laminator or process improvement
engineer) to look for improvements in the manufacturing
process.
For structural components made from pre-made materials (e.g.
wood, metal) the prediction of the manufacturing process can be a
relatively straightforward assessment of the required access space
for machining or assembly and analysis of the effects of stamping
and joining. However, for structural parts made from molded
composite materials, the prediction of the process is typically
more demanding because the structural material and the component need to be manufactured concurrently.
The amount of time and resources devoted to the prediction of
process and performance of composite materials depends on the
value of the project, the level of optimization required for success,
the associated risk and the consequences of failure. Whatever the
case, there is a need for material properties within the design
95
FEATURE
The number of separate companies involved in these processes,

and hence the potential sources of information, depends on the
extent of vertical integration within the supply chain. Direct
processes with more integrated supply chains should in theory
be more straightforward for the engineer. Less direct processes
with less integration are more difcult. It is harder to derive the
properties of the nished composite material when many different
suppliers are involved.
The FORMAX approach to characterization and our

database of material properties
FEATURE
Multiaxial fabrics with optimized ber orientations and fabric architectures.
process, and a method of calculating useful design information

from these properties.
Composite material properties who provides them?

The structural engineer needs to know the relevant properties of
materials under consideration for a given design program. An ideal
scenario for the engineer would include access to properties for a
range of composite material options, derived from a list of projectready component materials and processes. Where the budget
allows, in-house manufacture and testing of a range of materials
and processes gives the engineer good control and visibility over
the trial program, and avoids the scenario of vested interest
whereby the people trying to sell you materials are also sending
you information relating to its apparently superior performance.
Early in the design cycle however, the list of project-ready materials may not be dened due to ongoing commercial and technical
developments, and hence the property portfolio may not be
available. In such situations, and in smaller projects with little
budget or time for pre-selection trials, an in-house testing program
may not be feasible. In these cases the engineer calls on the
composite supply chain to assist.
Because of the compound nature of the materials, accessing
these properties is not always straightforward. With regards to
properties associated with processing, the onus is generally on the
respective material manufacturer to provide relevant data. The
polymer manufacturer provides the required data relating to mixing and curing, and the ber manufacturer can assist with sizing
information for textile manufacture and friction coefcients for
subsequent forming. The molder needs to understand how a
structural fabric will behave during offwind, cutting, preforming
and injection, and clearly the fabric manufacture is best placed to
provide these characteristics.
In relation to properties associated with the nal performance of
a composite, the situation is less clear. The properties of a composite material are derived from its constituent parts and inuenced by the processes involved in its construction. These include
those of the ber, sizing, polymer, pre-pregging for automated
ber placement (AFP) or automated tape laying (ATL), fabric
manufacture, secondary processing of fabric and nally molding.
96
Knowledge of composite material properties is required throughout the supply chain. In addition to the needs of the composite
engineer the ber manufacture wants to know how well a sizing
behaves within a textile operation, and subsequently as a composite with a polymer. The polymer chemist develops new formulations to improve on the properties of the combination of their new
product and (typically) someone elses ber. The molder wants to
know how drapeable the textiles are for a new part. From the
viewpoint of any single organization within the supply chain, the
provision of data for external needs has three clear aims: rstly, to
generate commercial opportunities through involvement in new
product development originating elsewhere in the supply chain;
secondly, to improve the offering of the supply chain as a whole
(in comparison with non-composite alternatives); and nally, to
develop internal knowledge of its own materials.
Within the Innovation Department at FORMAX, the specic
goals of material testing are simple: looking outwards, to assist
with specic enquiries for data as they arrive from customers or
suppliers; and looking inwards, to accelerate new product development through access to a fully comprehensive database of
properties of existing products. It sounds straightforward, but
the provision of this information can be more challenging than
one would think.
When considering the development of a useful and comprehensive material property database one has rst to consider which
properties are most relevant and attainable within budget, and
which could sensibly be ignored. Then, in the case of customer
support or supplier collaboration, the validity of existing data
depends greatly on the relevance of the selected textile, polymer
and test-panel manufacturing method to that in question. Furthermore, in addition to results from generic, in-house testing, a
database can contain sensitive, customer-specic information, the
publishing of which must be controlled.
Initially, the FORMAX materials database consisted of the fundamental composite material properties, generated from in-house
manufacture and testing of panels from our own fabrics and a
generic polymer matrix, presented in such a way that our customers
could use the data for the rst round of engineering design. Subsequent iterations of design led to the requirement to test the same
structural fabrics in the customers selected resin system, and manufactured by the customer with their selected process and personnel. Output from this round of testing is presented in such a way that
it may be directly input into nite element analysis (FEA) codes for
prediction of stress and deformation. Since 2012, this database has
grown to include fabric processability data, as well as performance as
a nished composite. This fabric processability data includes that for
drape, stability and permeability.
Fabric:
Composite:
Shear modulus
Tensile strength & modulus
Bending modulus
Compressive strength & modulus
Friction coefcients
Flexural strength & modulus
In-plane and through-thickness
In-plane shear strength & modulus
permeabilities
Interlaminar shear strength
Fiber utilization factor
In order to facilitate discussion related to the composite performance of the fabric architecture (in isolation from the ber and
polymer), a utilization factor is calculated by normalizing test
results for both for ber volume and ber properties.
To further enable discussion of data which may include that
which is customer specic, the database can be viewed through a
max-mean-min table only. Thus for a given fabric architecture,
the expected range of performance or processability is visible
without sight of the specics of individual test programs, bers
or polymers.
In addition to the KTP with Nottingham University, FORMAX
are actively engaged in ongoing activities with the National Physical Laboratory with the aim of improving the availability of data
for composite materials, and many related projects with key
composites groups at our local universities of Loughborough
and Leicester, and those further aeld, including Cambridge,
Imperial College, Bristol, Newcastle and Southampton.
Simulation methods and the complexity of their

application to composites processing
The structural engineers quest for increased certainty leads to an
appropriate mix of physical testing and simulation. Physical testing can be carried out at material, component and assembly levels,
with cost increasing at each level. Simulation in this context is a
form of computational mechanics, which is intended to reduce the
cost of added certainty, by revealing how the material will behave
without the need for expensive physical tests. This potential to
increase certainty and reduce costs has provided the business case
for improved predictive methods, and the development of more
sophisticated simulation tools intended to analyze both processing and performance of materials. In this section we will review
some of these methods, before focusing on the particular challenges associated with their use within composites processing.
The science of mechanics is the study of the behavior of materials when subjected to loads or displacements. Computational
mechanics is used at the very small scale where we model atoms
and molecules, as well as the visible scale where we employ
structural mechanics, computational uid dynamics and multiphysics to model solids, liquids and their interaction, respectively.
Structural engineers use structural mechanics, and in particular
the nite element (FE) method where we break a structure into
manageable bite-sized pieces in order to model the transfer of load
and deformation throughout. The theory of FE dates back to the
mid-1950s, and the rst known code was Nastran (for NASA) a
decade later, then Ansys (by Swanson Analysis Systems Ltd) in
1970. The arrival of the PC in 1984 led to the introduction of more
general use FE codes, and today their use in structural engineering
has grown with the decrease in cost of computing power. Codes
capable of modeling the behavior of composites have been
FEATURE
commercially available (via modules added to Nastran and other

codes) since the 1990s.
FE analysis of a composite material can be performed with the
approach that the laminate is made up from a number of individual layers which are individually characterized and bonded
together. The method treats each layer as an orthogonal material,
with denable properties in the X, Y and Z directions, and predicts
the overall laminate response using methods based on classical
laminate theory (CLT), the mathematics of which remain transparent to the user. There are many assumptions made, and many
pitfalls for the inexperienced user. This calculation method
mimics a laminate made up of unidirectional (UD) layers, rather
than multiaxial fabrics.
In an engineering design sense, the UD approach provides great
exibility in ber orientation, which is usually of greater interest
to those fortunate engineers ranking high performance (and creativity) in their nished parts above production efciency. For
those engineers pushed into considering the latter, the use of
biaxial, triaxial and quadraxial fabrics is of course commonplace,
presenting the engineer with the requirement to characterize the
(complex) multiaxial fabric architecture rather than the (relatively
straightforward) UD layer. The unit-cell approach (where a single,
repetitive block of fabric architecture is modeled by say Texgen or
Wisetex) is pushing modeling capabilities in this respect, with
methods for woven fabrics relatively established, and those for
stitched fabrics playing catch-up. To sidestep a somewhat laborious unit-cell approach, FE analysis of a multiaxial laminate is
sometimes performed on the basis of a lay-up of UD layers, with
the intention that any discrepancies between model and reality are
caught during the coupon testing phase, and are fed back into the
design as a calibration step. In a simplistic example, if the UDbased FE model predicts a laminate modulus of 10, and the coupon
testing of the multiaxial laminate gives a result of 9, the engineer
might reduce each of the individual lamina by a factor, starting
with say 10%, run an analysis of the coupon test itself, and repeat
until the model matches reality. Quite how well this coupon
calibrated material model performs against the more complex
geometry of the nal part remains to be seen (with baited breath)
at a later stage in the design process. A path taken by others,
perhaps with more work upfront but less anxiety later, is for the
mechanical properties of the multiaxial fabric to be derived
(through testing) and used within FE as if they were a single layer.
FE analysis of structural fabrics during forming is also possible,
but the problem has some added complexity. Within structural
mechanics, a distinction can be made between problems that are
linear and those which are non-linear. A linear relationship between a force and a displacement is, for example, that of a mass on
a spring, where the extension is proportional to the mass applied.
A non-linear relationship is as it sounds: a plot of cause against
effect is curved, rather than a straight line. Non-linearity can exist
in the material (e.g. plasticity or creep), the geometry (where we
have large strains or buckling) and the boundary conditions (e.g.
where our material is not supported rigidly but is instead merely in
contact with another surface, or impacting against it). The case of a
structural fabric being formed over a preform tool includes all
three of these non-linearities: the behavior of the textile
includes complex contributions from the interaction between
the stitch architecture and ber; the preforming action
97
FEATURE
FEATURE
FEATURE
Non-crimp fabric (NCF) preforming and draping represents one of the
hardest tasks for FE codes to solve the trinity of non-linearity. (Image
[modied] courtesy of Hellen, T.K. and Becker, A.A., Finite Element Analysis
for Engineers A Primer, NAFEMS Publication, Glasgow, 2013, ISBN 978-1874376-98-9.)
FE models can be used to identify the problem areas of a geometry, or

assess a fabrics suitability for a given part.
typically induces large strains; and the fabric-on-tool boundary is a

contact with friction. Solving problems with non-linearity in any
of these three aspects demands an iterative approach, where the
problem is broken into steps, and each step is solved in sequence.
The effect of this is increased computational time, and in some
cases the interaction with the user to ensure a valid solution is
found. Evidently, solving problems with non-linearity in all three
aspects (as we have to for composites processing) is an even more
demanding case. Some codes have been developed specically to
simulate the forming process, including PAM-FORM from ESI, who
are partners to the University of Nottingham for the KTP. Others
are being adapted (with the use of user generated material subroutines), including Abaqus from Dassault Systems.
FE modeling of resin ow can be performed with two primary
and related aims: rstly to assess the ll time of a given region, and
secondly to optimize the locations of resin injection and outlet
ports to minimize ll time and avoid dry spots. Non-linearities can
98
exist in the behavior of the polymer as well as the fabric due to

change in compression during injection (for vacuum infusion or
RTMLight). Codes like PAM-RTM from ESI and Polyworx exist as
off-the-shelf products. But once again the availability of relevant
data (in this case permeability in the principle directions, at a
range of volume fractions) for required fabrics, as well as the
accuracy of the result, greatly affects the level of adoption within
industry.
As previously mentioned, there are a number of factors which
typically inuence the simulation strategy for composites including the project value, required level of optimization, risk and
consequences of failure. It should now be clear that we need to
add further factors relating to the cost and capability of the
available simulation tools. In the case of composites performance
analysis, the situation is one of relative maturity and choice: there
are a number of software packages that, over 50 years or so, have
been validated, improved and had their graphical user interfaces
(GUIs) streamlined. Lower cost offerings are springing up and
open-source codes are available for the knowledgeable and brave.
Consider a custom, high-performance racing dinghy versus a
commercial ferry. The budget behind the engineering of the
dinghy would be signicantly less, the consequences of failure
are likely to be nothing more than the crew getting wet and losing
a race, but the time spent modeling structural performance could
be signicantly higher (per unit displacement) than that of the
ferry because of the level of optimization required to stand a
chance of winning on the water, the relatively low cost of capable
simulation tools and the availability of material properties. But
those engineers contemplating composites processes, especially
those with time-saving multiaxial fabrics, face a very different
simulation landscape where improvements need to be made in
Non-linear cube. (Image [modied] courtesy of Hellen, T.K. and Becker, A.A.,
Finite Element Analysis for Engineers A Primer, NAFEMS Publication,
Glasgow, 2013, ISBN 978-1-874376-98-9.)
the speed of analysis, as well as the available material data, before

such methods are in widespread use.
A paradox of composites processing and simulation

A conclusion from a recent technical meeting at FORMAX with a
UK-based high-performance car manufacturer and a leading academic in the eld of composites processing was that the more
sophisticated and automated the process, the more straightforward its simulation would probably be. Although relatively intuitive, the potential signicance of this outcome is worthy of
discussion.
The human hand is more difcult to simulate than a tool surface
or diaphragm membrane. Infusion is difcult to simulate due to
material permeability changes during the infusion. Defects are
hard to simulate due to the unknowns of size and location. The
more automated the forming process, the easier it is to simulate.
The easier it is to simulate, the more effective it is at reducing risk
through an increase in certainty before money is spent. The more
certainty that surrounds the process of manufacture, the higher
the quality of the nished composite (nothing can be guaranteed
many lessons are learned on the job after tooling is complete but
this is the aim). The higher the quality of the nished laminate, the
less defects. The less defects, the less we need concern ourselves
simulating them to assess their effect during the life of the part.
There exists within composites a virtuous circle of automation and
simulation, where an increase in the former reduces the complexity of the latter.
The converse is true. The less we are able to automate (through
no doubt well founded and sensible budgetary decision making)
the more difcult the associated simulation, and the more consistency depends on us humans behaving like robots, which we
dont. The less consistency we have in the process, the more likely
we are to see defects.
Currently, users of simulation for composites processing are
primarily limited to highly automated (typically aerospace using
AFP and ATL) or high-volume (typically automotive R&D) applications. Outside of these industries, and without the benet of
such process prediction, problems on the shop oor are solved by
those on the shop oor, often in retrospect and at high cost. Such
cases occur with remarkable frequency, and in elds of application
which may be surprising to some, such as high-performance
production cars and high-value yachts.
One could argue that the relationship between manufacturing
method, prediction strategy and the availability of relevant material data is always going to be loaded against the little guy. The
smaller the project, the less one is able to justify spending on the
getting the process right before you start. FORMAX does not
necessarily see it that way. With the improvement in simulation
methods for composites processing, and with better access to
relevant material data, we would like to be in a position to help
not only the next major automotive manufacturing program, but
also the customer building his next race-winning yacht.
Further information
FORMAX, headquartered in Leicester, UK, is a manufacturer of
composite reinforcements, specializing in the production of lightweight carbon ber multiaxials and highly engineered glass ber
and aramid bers.
Part 2 of this article will include specic case studies of composites forming methods in each industry sector and the simulation
of each, highlighting the benets of optimized materials and
simulation to process improvement and nal part performance.
FORMAX; www.formax.co.uk
99
FEATURE
FEATURE
EVENTS DIARY
Events
Diary
May 2015
48 May 2015
So Paulo, Brazil
Feiplastic
Website: www.feiplastic.com.br/en
59 May 2015
Milan, Italy
PLAST 2015
Website: www.plastonline.org
79 May 2015
Izmir, Turkey
4th International Polymeric Composites
www.kmoetkinlik.org/PK15/amac.php
911 May 2015
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Guangzhou Wood-Plastic Composites Fair
Website: www.chinaexhibition.com
Wed 13 May 2015
London, UK
Blade Manufacturing And Composites
Website: www.windpowermonthly.com
1821 May 2015
Baltimore, USA
SAMPE Baltimore 2015
Website: www.sampe.org
1821 May 2015
Orlando, USA
AWEA 2015
Website: www.windpowerexpo.org
1922 May 2015
Nitriansky, Slovakia
International Fair for Plastics Technology
and Chemistry
Website: www.incheba.sk
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2023 May 2015

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Chinaplas
Website: www.chinaplasonline.com
2325 June 2015

Munster, Germany
Kunststoffe Regional
Website: www.kunststoffe-regional.de
15 June 2015
Leuven, Belgium
EUSPEN 15th International Conference &
Exhibition
Website: www.euspen.eu
2425 June 2015

London, UK
Global Offshore Wind 2015
Website: www.renewableuk.com
23 June 2015
Chicago, Illinois
Plastics Financial Summit - Chicago 2015
Website: www.regonline.com
2425 June 2015

Bristol, UK
10th International Conference on
Manufacturing of Advanced Composites
Website: www.icmac2015.org
24 June 2015
Houston, USA
JEC Americas 2015
Website: www.jeccomposites.com
411 July 2015

Thessaloniki, Greece
NANOTEXNOLOGY 2015
Website: www.nanotexnology.com
36 June 2015
Casablanca, Morocco
Plast Expo
Website: www.plast-expo.com
912 July 2015

Bangkok, Thailand
InterplasThailand 2015
Website: www.interplasthailand.com
910 June 2015

Houston, Texas
Oil & Gas Polymer Engineering Texas 2015
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1720 July 2015

Colombo, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka International Plastic, Rubber,
Packaging, Printing & Foodtech Industrial
Exhibition
Website: 10times.com/sri-lanka-plastics
1112 June 2015

Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
International Conference on Tribology and
Interface Engineering 2015
Website: www.ictie.org
1517 June 2015
Telford, UK
PDM15
Website: www.pdmevent.com
1518 June 2015
Lisbon, Portugal
ICCS 18th International Conference on
Composite Structures
Website: sites.google.com/site/18thiccs
1519 June 2015
Frankfurt, Germany
ACHEMA 2015
Website: www.achema.de
1617 June 2015
Stade, Germany
International CFK-Valley Stade Convention
Website: www.cfk-convention.com
1617 June 2015
Telford, UK
PRE15
Website: www.plasticsrecyclingexpo.com
2022 May 2015

Johannesburg, South Africa
Afriplast Expo
Website: www.exhibitionsafrica.com
1819 June
Dresden, Germany
19th International Dresden Lightweight
Engineering Symposium
Website: leichtbausymposium.de/en
2022 May 2015

Riva del Garda, Italy
Fourth International Symposium Frontiers
in Polymer Science
Website: www.frontiersinpolymerscience.com
2126 June 2015

Dresden, Germany
European Polymer Congress 2015
Website: www.europolyfed.org/events/
european-polymer-congress
100
1218 July
Chengdu, China
ICCE-23: 23nd Annual International
Conference on Composites and Nano
Engineering
Website: www.icce-nano.org
1924 July 2015
Copenhagen, Denmark
ICCM20: 20th International Conference on
Composite Materials
Website: www.iccm20.org
613 August 2015
Busan, Korea
45th World Chemistry Congress (IUPAC2015)
Website: www.iupac2015.org
2024 September 2015
Warsaw, Poland
Euromat 2015 European Congress and
Exhibition of Advances Materials and
Processes
Website: euromat2015.fems.org
2224 September 2015
Stuttgart, Germany
COMPOSITES EUROPE 2015
Website: www.composites-europe.com
27 September 1 October 2015
Nice, France
10th European Congress of Chemical
Engineering
Website: www.ecce2015.eu
1317 October 2015
Friedrichshafen, Germany
Fakuma
Website: www.messe-sinsheim.de
1416 October 2015

Beijing, China
China Windpower 2015
Website:
www.gwec.net/china-windpower-2015
2629 October 2015
Dallas, USA
CAMX 2015: The Composites and Advanced
Materials Expo
Website: www.thecamx.org
46 November 2015
Guadalajara, Mexico
EXPO PLASTICOS 2015
Website: www.expoplasticos.com.mx
1720 Nov 2015
Paris, France
EWEA 2015
Website: www.ewea.org
1819 November 2015
Orlando, USA
PLASTEC SOUTH 2015
Website: www.plastecsouth.com
1922 November 2015
Dongguan, China
DMP - China (Dongguan) International
Plastics, Packaging & Rubber Exhibition
2015
Website: www.dmpshow.com
29 November 4 December 2015
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
2015 MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit
Website: www.mrs.org
610 December 2015
Dubai, UAE
4th Nano Today Conference
Website: www.nanotoday-conference.com
911 December 2015
Cologne Germany
Fire Resistance in Plastics 2015
Website: www.amiplastics.com
1520 December 2015
Honolulu, Hawaii, US
Pacichem 2015
Website: www.pacichem.org
2016
811 March 2016
Mexico City, Mexico
PLASTIMAGEN MEXICO 2016
Website: www.plastimagen.com.mx
1518 March, 2016
Johannesburg, South Africa
PRO-PLAS AFRICA EXPO 2016
Website: www.proplasafrica.co.za/EN
July 2016
2428 July 2016
Columbus, OH, USA
Microscopy & Microanalysis 2016
Website: www.microbeamanalysis.org
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