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subsidiary in Taiwan, and, at the show, announced two new subsid-
iaries, one in Japan and the other in Germany. RocTool also called
attention to a "100 percent ecological" luggage shell that features
fax fber reinforcement. RocTool credited a 10-bar/145-psi vacuum
bagging system for much of the success, and called it "ideal" for nat-
ural fber-reinforced composites, and the system's heating and cool-
ing quickly prevents degassing. Guichard also revealed that 3iTech
technology recently broke a world record time by heating a mold
from 60°C to 160°C (140°F to 320°F) in 5.3 seconds.
Used in transport interiors since the 1970s, honeycomb-cored
sandwich panels form luggage bins, lavatories, galleys, tables, trays,
partitions, doors and trolley carts as well as shaped sidewall and
overhead panels. SMTC (Boufere, France) announced its launch of
DYNATECH thermoplastic sandwich panels, based on its acquisi-
tion of Foamed In-situ Termoformable Sandwich technology from
FITS Technology (Driebergen, Te Netherlands), headed by inven-
tor and CEO Martin de Groot.
SMTC's automated, inline panel-making process enables poly-
etherimide (PEI) to be foamed in situ as a core (with a vertical
cell structure) and then receive fber-reinforced PEI skins that are
"welded" to the core. Te resulting panels are reportedly easily ther-
moformed and then edge-sealed. Notably, DYNATECH panels re-
quire no potting, a key to weight savings (see "Learn More").
Arkema (King of Prussia, Pa.) made waves at the show with the
introduction of Elium liquid acrylic thermoplastic. It is transformed
using the same processes as composite thermosets, but results in
parts with thermoplastic polymer chains. Elium resins are said to
polymerize quickly and can be used to design structural parts as well
as aesthetic elements in automotive, transportation, wind power,
sports, and building and construction applications. Arkema told
CT that Elium is engineered for reactive closed-mold processes,
including RTM, infusion and Magnum Venus Product's (Kent,
Wash.) Flex-Molding Process. Further, they require activation with
peroxide. Ofcials at the show said Elium ofers impact properties
equal to or better than epoxy. |
CT |
Read a much expanded version of this article online | short.
compositesworld.com/JECParis14.
See Dow Automotive's VORAFORCE 5300 epoxy's 60-second cycle time
video online | www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgtjkpySvhY.
Read more about delayed-onset cure in polyurethanes in "Processing
within the PUR cure window" | short.compositesworld.com/PURinauto.
For background on FITS technology see "Thermoformable Composite
Panels, Part II" | short.gardnerweb.com/WTBKM1Jl.
Read more about SMTC's DYNATECH sandwich panel concept online |
short.compositesworld.com/DYNATECH.
Read more about the status of styrene and cobalt in "Composites Watch"
(p. 15, this issue) and online | short.compositesworld.com/SCExit.
0614CT ShowJEC-OK-switchphoto.indd 23 5/20/2014 11:01:31 AM