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.

BUFFALO, New York – October 13, 2010 – Eastman Machine Company, a U.S. based manufacturing company specializing in cutting equipment, announces that it has appointed RH Schneidtechnik (Solingen), Germany, to represent its line of automated cutting systems, material handling equipment and design software.

RH Schneidtechnik specializes in cutting technologies, applications and engineering consultation for the composites, technical textile and apparel industries. RH Schneidtechnik’s central European location will enhance Eastman’s sales, service and support network for new and existing customers throughout Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands. Eastman and RH Schneidtechnik will coordinate efforts to establish a demonstration showroom and technical service support center servicing all European customers by the end of 2011.

Eastman has installed over 1000 automated cutting systems worldwide. Automated cutting systems offer optimum material yields while reducing labor and operating costs for manufacturers cutting single and multiple-ply composite and industrial fabrics in the aerospace, transport, marine, apparel and safety industries.

Equipment available from Eastman:

• Static Cutting Table – capable of marking, drilling and punching virtually any flexible material at speeds of up to 60 inches per second (152.4 cm/s).
• Conveyor Cutting System – continuous conveying cutting system designed for cutting pattern pieces that can exceed the length of the table with speed and accuracy
• Multi-Ply Cutting System – capable of cutting up to 5cm (MPC-5000) and 7cm (MPC-7000) of compressed material for high volume throughput
• A variety of straight and round knifes; rotary shears and end cutters suitable for hundreds of materials

For more information on RH Schneidtechnik, please visit www.rh-schneidtechnik.de or COMPOSITES EUROPE 2011 in hall C2 stand J17 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Eastman Machine Company (www.eastmancuts.com) established itself more than a century ago as a world leader in developing advanced techniques and innovative technologies for the cutting room. Today, Eastman delivers engineering-based solutions that make real differences to facilities using new and high-tech materials. Eastman’s world headquarters are located in Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. with sales offices, agents and distributors around the world. The company was established in 1888 and is a fifth-generation, family-owned business with a broad base of elite customers in the wind energy, marine, composites, military, aerospace and industrial fabrics industries.

Holland Composites Pavilion with the awesome glider.

and BioConcept Car – made by Natural fibres.

I also very happy to welcome www.Kunststoffe.TV on our show. They produced some nice little movies for their next Feature: COMPOSITES EUROPE
I Look forward to tomorrow. If you have impressions of COMPOSITES EUROPE or you would like to tell your favorite booth/product send us your comment.

Cheers, Frank!

The epoxy resin and polyurethane need to be mixed to just the right ratio to ensure that the inserts are properly bonded. To automate this process safely and reliably, the Hessian family-owned company Tartler has developed multi-component metering and mixing systems which meet precisely these requirements – for example a customised version of its Nodopox 200 M/U. With an output of less than 0.2 litres per minute and a mixing ratio accuracy with less than two percent deviation, the threaded bushes can be bonded to withstand the tensile force of over 20 tonnes.

The system has a decisive process engineering advantage: its uses the original packing drums of the material manufacturer.  It pumps the two high-viscosity components directly from the 200 litre drums, which contain no bubbles and some of which have been vacuum-filled.  Depending on the material used, this does away with the need for stirring the mixture and transfering it to the work dispenser.  The components can then be heated to the required processing temperature of up to 80° between the pump and the mixing head.

Siempelkamp Handling Systeme is also working on a process for automating the manufacture of rotor blades for wind turbines. The new development automatically brings together and bonds the core material and the covering layer – in a machine with a working width of three metres. All kinds of materials can be used for the core.

A large number of processing steps are still carried out manually in the composites industry, which is why the automation of product stages is now gaining in importance. Numerous examples will be on display at the international Composites Europe (CE) trade fair, to be held in Essen in September, where both Tartler and Siempelkamp will be showcasing their latest products.

In February 2009, the third generation of the permanently occupied Neumayer research station in the Antarctic inaugurated, with the target, to gather long-term and precise data of climate, geophysics and environment in the Antarctic. The operation is designed for 25-30 years, the entire project will cost 39 million €.Besides the main directions of meteorology, geophysics and atmospheric chemistry that are researched since the 1980s, there have been five years, research on infrasound and since 2005 on marine acoustics. All interior rooms of the station are composed of containers which are conjoined with each other, without adjacent inside walls or with a gangway connecting passage, depending on the room size and which all are adjacent to a central connecting passage. All bottoms, ceilings and walls of these living containers have been bonded with COSMOPUR 890/805 to a high strength connection onto the steel frame. The produced container has to withstand a load of 3.000 kg (certified by the “Germanische Lloyd”), cold resistance up to -60°C with sufficient flexibility and flame retardant properties of the adhesive according to Wheelmark (verification certificate of SEE-BG). COSMOPUR 890 / 805 by Weiss Chemie + Technik fulfils all these conditions.

Weiss Chemie + Technik is a producer of adhesives and special cleaners for the manufacturing of PVC-, aluminium- and wood windows and doors.
They furthermore offer a wide range of products for the fields of industry, automotive, navy and trade. Meet them at COMPOSITES EUROPE in Essen  show (14-16 September 2010) in Hall 10-11/C04.

Webcams at Neumayer Station III: http://www.awi.de/NM_WebCam/

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.

Part1: 

Weight can only be reduced in truck bodies, trailers and containers if innovative materials are used extensively in side walls, roofs and flooring. Such materials are far superior to conventional materials such as steel sheeting and aluminum, particularly due to their light weight and stability. Fiber-reinforced plastics are pointing the way forward in this respect. These composite materials feature a low mass per unit area while offering optimum strength, even when layers are thin.
These materials may be integrated into all sections of truck bodies, trailers and freight containers and can widely replace materials such as aluminum and steel sheeting. The ultra-light, extremely sturdy composite material serves as interior and exterior face sheeting in sandwich elements which are used to build roofing and side walls. Floors are also lined with fiber-reinforced composite sheeting, so that they are able to withstand heavy loads. Such sheeting could serve, for instance, as anti-slip decking with granular aggregate.

Strong and lightweightThe robust, lightweight, high-tech material mostly consists of fibers and resin. The material’s physical and chemical characteristics are determined by the type of fiber and the fiber arrangement it features, such as woven fabric or multiaxial fabric, and by the kind of resin formulae used in production.
The result is a long-lasting, sturdy, ultra-light material which optimally reduces tare weight when used in trucks and containers, and, consequently, heavier payloads can be carried. Fiber-reinforced composites compare favorably with conventional materials regarding their typical use as face sheets in sandwich elements. Whereas steel 0.6 millimeters thick has an absolute weight of 4.7 kilograms per square meter, LAMILUX’s 2.0 millimeter-thick fiber-reinforced composite weighs just 2.7 kilograms. Aluminum 1.2 millimeters thick is also clearly heavier at 3.2 kilograms. This means using fiber-reinforced composites can reduce weight in sandwich facing by around 40 percent in comparison to steel and by around 15 percent when compared to 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.

Up to 92% of the fuselage of the A350 XWB aircraft will consist of composites made using the “Viper” machines.  These parts account for over 50% of the structure’s weight. 14 other MAG composites plants are also in use at Airbus and its European partners – four “Viper” and ten “Charger” ATL tape laying systems which are deployed to produce body parts, wing elements, jet engine casings, stabilisers and other structural components for the A320, A330, A340, A380 and A400M models.

MAG will be one of the exhibitors at the international Composites Europe (CE) trade fair, to be held from 14 to 16 September 2010 in Essen. Composite materials for the aerospace industry will play a major role here, with numerous companies servicing this segment.  Flugzeug-Union Süd GmbH (FUS) is one example; it supplies materials like vacuum films, separating foils, tear-off fabrics, liquid separating agents, sealing tapes and absorbent non-wovens to nearly all the major producers in the aviation industry. These are used to produce e.g. horizontal stabilisers and fins, wings, landing flaps, radomes, pressure bulkheads, interior fittings, doors, rotor blades and fuselage segments.

Tajima GmbH is presenting its machine technology for preform manufacture. Its TFP machines are distinguished by the fact that the fibres – be they CRP, GRP, or aramid – are arranged in the same way as later in the component itself. The size of the laying field, the number of heads and the fixing device for the carrier material can be individually adapted.  The Tajima machines are used to produce structural frame parts and also parts of the aircraft skin.

The Krempel group supplies prepreg materials with thermosetting and thermoplastic matrix systems, complex fibre-reinforced components, filament-winding tubes, extruded plastic profiles and plates to the aerospace industry. The composite materials have been fitted in different types of Airbuses for over 20 years now. The handles of the emergency exits in the Airbus A 320, for example, are made from Wacosit profiles manufactured by Krempel.

Roughly 100 customers in the aviation industry use adhesives, laminating resins and self-extinguishing materials in aircraft interiors supplied by Axson GmbH. Thanks to their self-extinguishing properties these materials are ideally suited for this purpose. A further company active in this field is Huntsman. The company has developed a new nano-hardened epoxy adhesive paste with good mechanical properties for joining and piecing together metal and composite aircraft structures.

For those who cannot wait until the technology show in Essen, an event will be held in just two months focusing on the latest developments in the aerospace industry. Aerospace Testing, Europe’s leading get-together for the aerospace industry, will be held from 18 to 20 May in Hamburg. The event brings together experienced developers and the leading trade suppliers: plenty of valuable technical information will be on offer.