News in TP Composites At JEC 2017 Show

Here are some highlights in thermoplastic composites from the JEC World 2017 exhibition in Paris this March.

• SABIC, Houston, has expanded its Udmax range of continuous-fiber thermoplastic tapes. The new materials are Udmax GPE (glass-fiber-reinforced PE) and Udmax CPA (carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon), the latter being SABIC’s first entry in continuous carbon-fiber tape. These can be used in applications including pipe, pressure vessels, and sporting goods.

• Dieffenbacher North America Inc. (U.S. office in Alpharetta, Ga.) announced that its new Fiberforge tape-laying system will be used by TxV Aero Composites—a joint venture of Victrex USA Inc. (U.S. office in Conshohocken, Pa.) and Tri-Mack Plastics Manufacturing Corp., Bristol, R.I. The two partners recently formed this venture in order to deliver PAEK composites for commercial aerospace applications like loaded clips and brackets, interiors, and seating.

The Fiberforge system is reportedly the world’s fastest tape-laying system. “It requires less than 1 sec per course integrated with downstream systems such as the handling robot and forming press. More than 1 million parts can be manufactured per year on just one line,” says Markus Geier, Dieffenbacher sales director.

• Xenia of Italy introduced a new family of thermoplastic materials reinforced with mixtures of carbon and glass fibers. The Xebrid family includes variable percentages of reinforcements in different polymer matrices; initial materials are based on nylons 66 and 12. While its main market is Europe, Xenia also plans to sell these materials in North America.