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Rolled unidirectional tape of dry carbon fibres for light-weight applications

Country of Origin: Germany
Reference Number: TODE20171117001
Publication Date: 22 March 2018

Summary

A German research institute, active in textile engineering, has developed a process including a pilot plant for demonstration for the production of a dry unidirectional (UD) material as a basis for multiaxial structures. The developed technology allows manufacturing a rolled UD tape of dry carbon fibres, which can be used for improved production of scrims. The institute is interested in a license and/or technical cooperation agreement.

Description

A German research institute, active in textile engineering, has developed a process including a pilot plant for demonstration.



The increasing use of carbon fibre materials, e.g. in airplane and automotive engineering, requires automated manufacturing solutions. The currently common prepreg solutions are expensive and not suitable for large-scale production. 



The new process including the developed plant technology allows manufacturing a rolled unidirectional tape of dry carbon fibres. The fibre spreading is realised in one to two planes. The tapes can also be made of different materials with different weights per unit area.

Thereby the homogeneous fibre tape consists of a large number of single tapes without transverse cohesion between them.



The development enables the improvement of processing of carbon fibres for composites. The unidirectional materials are suitable for use in various applications, they facilitate the production of new non-crimp fabrics on multiaxial machines/multiaxial multiply fabrics in a better quality as well as with higher productivity.



Main fields of application of the final product are:

- Shipbuilding

- Compressed gas tanks

- Construction and building products

- Wind turbines

- Aircraft constructions

- Automotive

- Sporting goods



The institute is interested in a license agreement and/or a technical cooperation agreement.



Main fields of application of the final product are:

- Shipbuilding

- Compressed gas tanks

- Construction and building products

- Wind turbines

- Aircraft constructions

- Automotive

- Sporting goods



The institute is interested in a license agreement to transfer of rights involving the authorization for using the licensed material

and/or in a technical cooperation agreement with a partner with specific technological capacities for a further development.

Advantages and Innovations

This technology allows improving the processing of carbon fibres for composites significantly. Thus, it is an efficient alternative to the existing prepreg solutions. 



The UD fabrics can be used for thermoplastic and thermoset fibre composites for lightweight applications. Compared to conventional prepregs, there is a shortened process chain. Thus, the process becomes faster and more cost-effective. The storage of the material is not limited in time and does not depend on cold storage cells. Compared to woven fabrics, the UDs offer a maximum material performance caused by the stretched fibre arrangement. The material is gap-free and has an uniform weight per unit area over the entire material width.



The UD fabrics offer a great flexibility concerning the structure of the fibre composite. Special functions can be integrated. The cycle times for the production of the components can be shortened.

Stage Of Development

Prototype available for demonstration

Stage Of Development Comment

A prototype machine for the production od samples is available.

Requested partner

The institute is looking for partners from industry, which deal with applications in the fields of:

- Shipbuilding

- Compressed gas tanks

- Construction and building products

- Wind turbines

- Aircraft constructions

- Automotive

- Sporting goods 



Tasks to be performed are joint further development, testing of new applications and adaptation to specific needs.