COMPOSITES EUROPE 2012 Blog

Technical principles, trends and innovations – in an international lecture forum, the COMPOSITES EUROPE trade fair will again present specialist lectures on current topics relevant to the industry in 2009. The COMPOSITES Forum will focus on all areas of composite applications. Topics range from crash-safe materials in the automotive field to sandwich panels in aircraft construction, from growth potential in the construction of wind energy parks to production and machining processes for composites. The programme features a total of 26 lectures and presentations in English and German.

From damage simulation to serial production
New technologies for the serial production of carbon-reinforced plastics (CRP) will be demonstrated by the IKV - Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung of RWTH Aachen. The IKV scientists developed three new process chains enabling the production of materials with a fibre content exceeding 50 percent in less than ten minutes.

The mechanical behaviour of CRP sandwich panels in practical tests is explained by the speakers from Fraunhofer IWM for CRP foam core sandwich panels. In its lecture, the Fraunhofer Entwicklungszentrum für Röntgentechnik (EZRT) presents non-invasive test procedures, from 3D computer tomography to radioscopy to thermography and ultrasonic techniques.

Dassault Systemes Simulia provides information on possibilities for FEM analysis of lightweight fibre composite structures. The use of the finite element method allows predictions on processes of damage and failure in supercritical load conditions.

The combination of highly elastic composites and aesthetically pleasing design is demonstrated by Huntsman and D3 who cooperated closely in designing a sophisticated carbon fibre chair moulded in four parts. Products from Huntsman’s Araldite series were used in the project. The two companies show how complex parts can be produced simply and cost-effectively using simple tooling technology.

The COMPOSITES Forum is located in Hall 4 and designed as an open lecture area. Admission is free for all trade fair visitors.

Special visitor attraction: The Product Demonstration Area
From a three metre high windmill to a racing car, from a resin infusion to an intelligent surface: With its special Product Demonstration Area, COMPOSITES EUROPE will again create a special visitor attraction in the autumn in Stuttgart when it will open its doors for the fourth time. Together with the exhibitors, it will once again demonstrate the potential and the innovative character of composite materials from 27 to 29 October.

Focusing on high performance materials
The special display that is being created in cooperation with the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University and the Federation for Reinforced Plastics (AVK) is focusing this year on high performance composites. The main feature will consist of composites that contain continuous reinforcing fibres, such as glass, carbon or aramide fibres.

Within the exhibition, the Product Demonstration Area offers visitors demonstrations of production processes, presentations of raw materials, intermediate and end products from various application industries as well as a variety of testing procedures for composite products.

Experiencing live production processes
In the Product Demonstration Area, visitors can experience the production of fibre composite units. The EADS subsidiaries Flugzeug-Union Süd and Airtech from Luxembourg will be providing live presentations of resin infusion processes. An insight into resin transfer moulding technology will be provided during the fair by the Euro-RTM Group.

Henkel AG, which will be represented at COMPOSITES EUROPE for the first time in 2009, will demonstrate its solutions from the sectors of structural adhesion, release agents and advanced resins. In the Product Demonstration Area, Henkel will present release agents for the improved release of composite parts from moulds.

ANDORIT will present a 3D scanner in Stuttgart, with which hardware can be scanned so as to be able to produce scale models at a later date.

High-tech products brought to life
The special exhibition focuses on production processes as well as on the end products, such as ice hockey bats, golf caddies and even racing cars. Consequently, EVONIK Industries will present at the special display the Evonik LWD Exige sports car.

With a preproduction impact tool of CRP, ADETE, the engineering services provider from Kaiserslautern, will present a typical machine building and plant construction application in the Product Demonstration Area. The original stainless steel construction in this tool has been replaced by a carbon reinforced plastic structure.

A particular highlight is also the three metre high windmill from Amorim Cork composites, which has a cork core.

Access to the Product Demonstration Area is free-of-charge for the visitors to COMPOSITES EUROPE.

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