Maximilian Hacker is 25 years old and the owner of BRComposites. He absolved his training as procedural mechanics of plastic and rubber technology, specialized in fibre composites.

 Activities previous to his self-employment:

1. Fischer & Entwicklung Landshut
2. Pilatus Aircraft Schweiz
3. Company with Formel 1 experience   (company name is not mentioned because of legal reasons)

CE: COMPOSITES EUROPE Team

MH: Maximilian Hacker

CE: Please introduce yourself. Who are you and what is your responsibility at BRComposites?

MH: BRComposites has exists for two years now. We are a young and very innovative company with a continuous strong growth. Furthermore, we think that  well-trained employees and to the original rules of craftsmanship are very important.

I am proud to say that we are already training employees. In my opinion there is still a lack of skilled workers in the composites industry.

We develop and offer individual production to our customers. Productions up to 10,000 standard parts are easily possible. In this way the volume of production is growing. Our production is done without autoclaves and everything is hand-made.

BRComposites

CE: So how did you experience the COMPOSITES EUROPE 2011 show? What are your impressions?

MH: This is the first time for BRComposites as an exhibitor at the COMPOSITES EUROPE. Actually we have been planning the first exhibition in 2016. At least that has been the conclusion of a family dinner. However, by coincidental, I got a phone call from the COMPOSITES EUROPE team the next day. During this conversation I received information about a funding possibility through BMWi. Because of the funding possibility and the sponsoring by Jost Chemicals, which is a close partner, we decided to book a booth for the COMPOSITES EUROPE 2011.

Mr. Hacker was reacting spontaneously when we asked him about his feelings as participant of the CE 2011. He was euphorically describing the exhibition as gigantic. The company had a huge success, a great number of good meetings and contacts. The booth was constantly busy because so many visitors were interested in their products. In his opinion, the exhibition service and the whole organisation was very commendable.

We closed the interview by talking about the presentation of innovations brought by BRC.

BRComposites presented flexible carbon protectors which is already used e.g. by the v. The jacket (have a look at the picture) in the background is specially made for extreme mountainbikers and is equipped with flexible carbon protectors. All visitors have been wondering what kind of material this is. However, we could not get any detailed information.

Thank you so much for the interesting and open conversation with Mr. Hacker.

In collaboration with the machinery manufacturer Voith, the Audi engineers are setting up the industrial-scale manufacture of fibre-reinforced materials for the series production of cars; their main goal is to develop a fully automatic process chain. With series production their ultimate target, both partners are devoting themselves not only to the creation of processing engineering and mass production methods for conventional fibre-reinforced plastics but also to the development of new and innovative high-tech materials.

The long flap of the folding top cover and the large rear side panels of the Audi R8 GT Spyder are made from CFRP. (Photo: Audi)

To date, Audi has only used CFRPs in its high-priced super sports cars such as the Audi R8 GT Spyder. The long flap of the folding top cover and the large rear side panels of the recently launched 560 PS version of the sports car are made from CFRP. The material is also used in the modified front spoiler, in the fixed rear spoiler and in the new rear bumper. These components account for total weight savings of 5.5 kilograms.

“Low-fat vehicles” featuring fibre composites will also be highlighted at the international Composites Europe (CE) trade fair, to be held from 27 to 29 September 2011 in Essen. The BMW partner SGL Carbon will be there to demonstrate its expertise. The company supplies the carbon fibres for the Megacity Vehicle. This is the first time in which CFRP parts have been used in large-scale series production. This takes the company a step closer to producing affordable lightweight vehicles suitable for mass production based on fibre composites – putting BMW a nose ahead in the technology race. This is shown by the efforts of the rivals who are doing all they can to catch up. Take Audi, for example: it has set up an interdisciplinary carbon fibre research unit at its Neckarsulm plant aimed at adapting the CFRP technology processes for use in series production. The sister marque Lamborghini has also set up a research unit for carbon fibre technologies at the new Advanced Composites Research Center (ACRC) in Sant’Agata Bolognese.

The Airbus A320 NEO is to be launched in 2015 and consumes 15 percent less fuel than the current model (photo: Airbus/Fixion).

The undisputed top model was the Airbus A320 NEO. The medium-haul aircraft featuring a new type of engine (NEO = New Engine Option) is to be launched in 2015 and its fuel consumption will be roughly 15 percent lower than that of the current model. One order placed by the Malaysian budget airline Air Asia attracted a great deal of attention: the airline ordered 200 Airbus A320 NEOs to the value of EUR 12.8 billion – the largest single order in the history of the EADS subsidiary.

The fact that the low-consumption aircraft is in such demand is due in part to its consistent use of fibre-reinforced composites to reduce weight. Components made from aramid fibre-reinforced plastics are used, for example, for the lower fuselage panelling. In addition, the front edge of the tail fin and the panelling covering the transition from the fuselage to the tail fin are made of glass fibre-reinforced plastic. The rest of the tail unit and most of the flaps are constructed from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). The A320 is therefore the first production civil aircraft in which this material is used for the entire tail unit.

Numerous Airbus suppliers will be coming together at the international Composites Europe (CE) trade fair in Stuttgart from 27 to 29 September 2011, underlining the significance of the event as a platform for fibre-reinforced composite solutions for the aerospace industry. Fibre placement systems and tape laying systems from MAG, for instance, are used for the production of fuselage parts, wing elements, turbine casings, stabilisers and other structural elements. The Preiss-Daimler group in partnership with Diehl Aircabin produces body shell parts for both Airbus and Boeing from glass fibre mesh and plastics using an innovative processing method.

SGL Carbon is also investing in this field. At the end of May the company opened an ultramodern pilot plant for researching into further potential applications for carbon fibres in the aerospace industry. The EUR 11 million facility is a central part of the “AirCarbon” project sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Technology (BMWi) in which, for the first time in Europe, industrial partners headed by the SGL Group are working specifically to develop carbon fibre reinforced innovations for the aerospace industry.

Composites are now firmly integrated materials in civil engineering and structural building work. Designers and architects use composites as fully-fledged materials alongside traditional materials such as concrete, marble, granite, steel and wood. In combination with conventional building materials, honeycomb structures in particular offer a wide range of benefits in comparison to using the standard material alone.  An example: Offering the same mechanical resistance and rigidity as natural stone, the weight of a sandwich structure consisting of a 28 millimetre honeycomb layer and a five millimetre thick layer of marble is a third of that of a layer of conventional natural stone.

In the drive to conserve resources and ensure sustainability, renewable raw materials are increasingly being used for fibre-reinforced and matrix resins. There is also growing interest in recycling and in reusing the materials for similar applications.  Experts believe that a new trend is emerging in the increasing use of thermoplastic composite reinforced plastics. Numerous exhibitors at the international Composites Europe (CE) trade fair, to be held in Essen in September, will be demonstrating the innovative force behind composite applications in the building industry.

Example – Dennert Poraver: Dennert manufactures this lightweight expanded glass granulate filler from recycled glass using a patented process. It is used as an aggregate in solid wall systems, in plaster, mortar, tile adhesives, textured wallpaper and façade profiles. Poraver is light, pressure-resistant, chemically stable, free of hazardous substances and is suitable for use as thermal and sound insulation. It is therefore used by the building industry for various purposes including reaction resin grout, polymer concrete, kitchen work surfaces and mineral foams. Roughly one million cubic metres are produced each year.

Use of Poraver in acoustic boards in a multi-purpose hall in Ochtendung in Rhineland-Palatinate (photo: Dennert Poraver)

The effects that composites have on the environment are also subject to scrutiny.  In response to this trend the AVK (Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V. (The Association of Reinforced Plastics)) took the initiative and formed a “Sustainability” team last year. The objective is to create a platform to discuss experiences and to learn more about the real impact composites are having on the environment and in turn the risks and opportunities they present us with. It is hoped that an evaluation of composites as an eco-efficient solution will be the outcome.

Gabriel Thomas from Ticona GmbH, also The Managing Director of the AVK and Ben Drogt from DSM Composite Resins are the initiators of this team. 
The International AVK Conference traditionally marks the beginning of the COMPOSITES EUROPE.  This is the place where 500 international experts spend two days talking about relevant subjects regarding fibre-reinforced materials.

Also exhibiting at CE 2010 is the French company Nidaplast Composites, the designer of extruded polypropylene honeycomb materials, and who is a leader in terms of sustainable development.  Nidaplast’s goal is the reduction of greenhouse emissions and will therefore reveal a “CO2 balance sheet” for the first time showing the level of CO2 emitted during the life-time of thermo-plastic honeycomb structures.

The honeycombs are light-weight (95% hollow space) and are sandwiched between two panels, thereby making this sandwich structure economical and environmentally friendly. “Nidaplast honeycombs provide advantages for the protection of the environment: firstly their consumption of raw materials is low, and secondly they are lightweight. These factors contribute to lowering the level of greenhouse gases emitted during manufacture and also during transport,” explains Luc Nuttens, the company’s Head of Product Development.

The “CO2 balance sheet” confirms Nidapast’s commitment to providing its clients with solutions in the field of environmentally-friendly design. The “CO2 balance-sheet” was developed by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency ADEME and is a standardised method for the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions resulting directly or indirectly from an activity.

Part 2:

Food safe insulator
Sandwich elements feature exceptional insulation characteristics when a fiber-reinforced composite (GRP) is combined with PU or XPS foam. The decisive factor in this respect is the composite material’s low thermal conductivity, which also gives it a distinct advantage over steel sheeting and aluminum. It can thus be used to build effectively insulated refrigerated containers and refrigerated vehicle bodies. For example, the insulation effect in a sandwich element consisting of two-millimeter thick layers of GRP and a fifty-millimeter thick layer of polyurethane foam can be compared with that of a forty-millimeter thick cavity block wall. As the material is also optionally produced with a pore-free surface, it can also be used for temperature-controlled transportation, haulage of foodstuffs and in vending trucks. Fitted as an interior face sheet, it can be very easily cleaned and leaves no residues and is thus able to comply with strict hygiene requirements. LAMILUX fiber-reinforced composites are also food safe, which means they do not release toxic substances into foodstuffs. This quality is substantiated by test certifications.

Highly resistant and an attractive surface finish
In addition to these important features, LAMILUX materials also excel due to their long service life and their durability. When used as a component in sandwich elements, they provide such an efficient stabilizing effect that side walls and floors are easily able to withstand the high compressive and flexural stresses experienced in the trucking industry. GRP roofing will also not be dented as a result of a heavy hailstorm. Another advantage lies in the fact that if damage should still occur, even on a large scale due to an accident, the damaged parts can be easily repaired or whole GRP sections can be replaced. Excellent resistance to UV light, weathering and corrosion also ensure a long service life and color fastness. These outstanding characteristics have been demonstrated by extensive, internationally recognized test methods such as the XENO test, long-term weathering tests, and the salt spray test in compliance with DIN EN ISO 9227.
In addition to these physical and chemical properties, fiber-reinforced composites also impress due to their attractive surface finish. Besides high-gloss and high-grade finishes, the material can be manufactured in a variety of colors, such as those in the RAL and NCS color systems, or customer-specific colors. GRP offers the advantage that color particles are worked directly into the material during the production process. As a result, applying a subsequent paint finish is unnecessary. Moreover, the surface won’t chip due to corrosion or mechanical effects, unlike conventional paint finishes on steel sheeting or aluminum.

Experts are predicting that biopolymers (polymers based on starch, cellulose and PLA) will substitute roughly three to five percent of the roughly 15 million tonnes of plastics processed annually in Europe by the packaging industry in the next few years. In Europe, the annual demand for roughly 450,000 to 750,000 tonnes has been met by a supply of less than 200,000 tonnes.

Germany in particular, however, is investing in expanding capacities. The first industrial PLA production plant in Europe is currently being set up in Guben in Brandenburg. The target of the Pyramid Bioplastics Guben GmbH project is to establish production facilities with a total capacity of 60,000 tonnes per year by mid 2012. The company has invested almost EUR 100 million in constructing the planned plant and facilities.

A “Biopolymer Application Centre” is also being established in conjunction with the Fraunhofer Institut for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) in Golm. A further project, initiated by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV), was also launched last year to investigate the use of biomass material in the form of biopolymers. The aim is to substitute synthetic polymers in packaging materials and foams using new techniques, and to create polymer and fibre additives with sought-after material properties. The results should be available by the middle of 2012.

The AVK experts are well aware of the development potential of the bio-materials. Sustainability and new materials will be the main topics of the discussion to be held by roughly 500 international experts expected at the international AVK Conference. This traditionally forms the start of the Composites Europe (CE) trade fair.

The second is a luxury sports car delivering  570 PS and accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds. It can achieve speeds of up to 325 km/h. The third combines both characteristics in a 4×4 electric roadster delivering 640 Nm. All three – the Rinspeed UC, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera and the Protoscar Lampo2 – have one thing in common: they are lightweight, fuel-saving and were all unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Autosalon motor show. Their low weight and fuel consumption are possible thanks to the use of fibre composites.

Weighing only 1,340 kilograms, even the Lamborghini consumes just 13.5 litres over 100 kilometres – a very low figure for a sports car. This is scarcely surprising as “Superleggera” means “super light” – the low weight being achieved by the extensive use of exterior and interior components made from carbon-fibre reinforced plastics. The Swiss engineers at Rinspeed enlisted the services of Esoro AG to help them complete the UC project. Esoro manufactures car parts weighing up to 30% less than their steel equivalents using their new E-LFT process. The eye-catching body of the Lampo2 with its striking rear wheel fenders is also made from composites.

Numerous exhibitors at the COMPOSITES EUROPE trade fair – including Spheretex GmbH from Hilden and First Composites GmbH from Neuwied – are actively involved in the automotive industry and will be presenting their new products for this sector.

Spheretex has a flat textile base made from woven, knitted or fabric-type fibres which is volumised by embedding thermoplastic microspheres. It is the core product of Spheretex. The resulting end products include side walls, floors, air deflectors, bumpers, flaps, doors and alcoves fitted in mobile homes, caravans, trucks and buses. In cars and SUVs the Spheretex material is used primarily in floor assemblies, spoilers, accessories and interior parts. Hand lay-up laminate, wet pressing, vacuum infusion, RTM and RTM-light are the main production methods used.

First Composites is involved in the production of Class A surfaces in integrated parts, i.e. sandwich structures incorporating sight carbon for the automotive industry. The company has specialised in the RTM process. The focus here lies on complex components which emerge more or less ready for assembly from the mould. Over the last few years it has built up the necessary expertise both in prototype production – such as show cars or concept vehicles – and also in the production of small and medium-size series.

One of these is Saertex GmbH & Co. KG from Saerbeck.  The company produces so-called non-crimp multi-ply fabrics.  These are characterized by stretched fibres within the individual plies, which optimally absorb mechanical forces such as pressure and tension.  Different mechanical strengths can be achieved by the fibre used, weight per unit area and angle combination.  Multi-axial multi-ply fabrics have been specially developed for the requirements of the sports industry and are used, in particular, in skis and snowboards.

Light, strong, flexible – these are the requirements that must be provided by sports equipment. 

Composites precisely fulfil these criteria and consequently have become essential where top level sports are concerned.  Whether helmets, hockey sticks, skis as well as boots and sticks, helmets, luge or bobsleds – no sport can survive without equipment of high-tech materials with fibre reinforcement. Atomic, Dynamic, Dynastar, Elan, Fischer, Nordica, Salomon or Völkl – virtually every reputable supplier of sports equipment depends on composite materials.  The manufacturers of composites are ecstatic – according to the latest survey by the Federation of Reinforced Plastics (AVK), twelve per cent of the composites produced in Europe are already being used in the sports and leisure sectors.