HEXCEL CORPORATION Hexcel Corporation • 281 Tresser Boulevard, Stamford, CT 06901 USA • +1 (203) 969-0666
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------18 April 2016, Leicester, UK: Hexcel Reinforcements UK Ltd (formerly Formax), a leading manufacturer of composite reinforcements, will display a composite structure manufactured for a British automotive OEM at the Global Automotive Lightweight Materials (GALM) Europe 2016 conference this month. The demonstrator part was developed using Hexcel's HiMax™ carbon fibre multiaxial fabrics specifically optimized for high-volume composites manufacturing processes.
For mid- to high-volume series automotive production (10,000-100,000 units) composite parts require low cycle times. To help ensure the OEM's quality and cost targets for this project were met, Hexcel Reinforcements UK created a non-crimp fabric with the optimum balance between drape, stability and permeability. Using an automotive-grade standard modulus, high tow count carbon fibre the company engineered a biaxial fabric with tailored stitch patterns. The high drape HiMax™ reinforcement conforms to the complex mould geometry of the part, minimizing the defects typically seen with standard materials, whilst its permeability is optimized to enable the fast injection and cure times required for high volume manufacturing.
Hexcel will exhibit the composite structure, along with samples of the HiMax™ fabric, at GALM Europe 2016 in Birmingham, UK, on 26-28 April. Hexcel engineers will be available to explain how HiMax™ carbon fibre reinforcements can enable automotive OEMs to achieve high volume manufacturing of composite components.
Carbon fibre composites are playing an increasingly important role in the manufacture of automotive components. Hexcel is working with a number of major automotive customers to engineer fabrics that are able to be processed with the ease, speed and cost that the automotive market demands.
Hexcel's HiMax™ multiaxials combine excellent structural properties with good drape and handling characteristics and are used extensively in automotive components. The reinforcements are available in a wide range of fabric styles with weights per ply of 50-1200 gsm, fibre orientations from 22.5° through to 90° in up to four layers, and a wide range of fibre types from high performance fibres through to heavy tow materials The highly drapeable fabrics are suitable for parts with complex curvatures and the ultra-lightweight stitching is ideal for applications that require a Class A surface finish.
HiMax™ fabrics can be supplied with and without powder binder making them ideal for resin transfer moulding (RTM) and infusion processes. They are available in widths of 1270 mm as standard and up to 1650 mm wide on application.
Hexcel Reinforcements UK Ltd (formerly Formax) is a leading manufacturer of composite reinforcements, specializing in lightweight carbon fibre multiaxials and highly engineered glass fibre and aramid fibres. Hexcel acquired full ownership of Formax on 5 January 2016, following the acquisition of a 50% interest in the privately-owned company in December 2014. The purchase of the remaining interest in Formax will allow Hexcel to further advance dry reinforcements technology for future aerospace applications and provide scale for growing industrial markets.
Hexcel Corporation is a leading advanced composites company. It develops, manufactures and markets lightweight, high-performance structural materials, including carbon fibers, reinforcements, prepregs, honeycomb, matrix systems, adhesives and composite structures, used in commercial aerospace, space and defense and industrial applications such as wind turbine blades.
Hexcel Media Contact:
Rachel Owen
+44 (0)1223 838370
rachel.owen@hexcel.com
18 April 2016
Hexcel Corporation issued this content on 18 April 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 18 April 2016 20:03:25 UTC
Original Document: http://www.hexcel.com/news/market-news/pages/news-20160418.aspx
