Hexcel is exhibiting at the Singapore Airshow (New Changi Exhibition Centre, 19-24 February) to promote its latest composite technologies for the aerospace industry and support its sales activities in the region. On the stand Hexcel will feature its full range of composite materials – from carbon fibre and fabrics, through to prepregs, honeycombs and the latest innovations.
In the Asia Pacific Region, Hexcel is well represented in Melbourne, Australia; Yokohama, Japan; Shanghai, China; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Bangalore, India; and Seoul, Korea, offering local Sales, Technical Support and Customer Care activities.
One of the technologies that Hexcel is promoting at this years Airshow is Out of Autoclave (OOA) processing which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of large, relatively flat aerospace structures. OOA processing offers significant cost reductions by eliminating honeycomb stabilization, the need for capital intensive autoclaves and generally reducing processing costs.
CTRM Aero Composites is a leading aerospace component manufacturer in the Asia Pacific that has worked closely with Hexcel to demonstrate the potential OOA Technologies for aerospace applications. CTRM has loaned Hexcel two technology demonstrator parts for the Singapore Airshow reflecting developments in this new technology:
The Middle Panel MP9 is an Airbus A380 Fixed Leading Edge Lower Panel (FLELP) manufactured using Hexcel’s HexPly® 8552 prepreg which contains Hexcel’s HexTow® AS4 carbon fibre. The part is manufactured using Hexcel’s Redux ® 319A film adhesive and has a HexWeb® HRH-36 honeycomb core.
The Inner Panel IP7 is also a section from the A380 wing, manufactured using OOA technology with Hexcel’s HexPly® carbon and glass prepregs, HexPly® bronze mesh, Redux® 319 film adhesives and lightweight HexWeb® HRH-36 honeycomb.
Other innovations promoted by Hexcel at the show include HexWeb® Acousti-Cap™, an award-winning honeycomb solution for reducing noise in aircraft engines, particularly during take-off and landing. HexWeb® Acousti-Cap™ consists of a non-metallic permeable cap material that is embedded into honeycomb cells to create an acoustic septum core. Hexcel’s customers specify the sound dampening characteristics required, as well as overall core thickness, numbers of caps in a cell, and insertion depth. The resultant product is an assembly that is tuned to the acoustic requirements thereby reducing some forms of engine noise. This noise reduction can result in many benefits, including recurring cost savings due to reduced airport landing fees; increased fleet flexibility; improved cabin comfort; and fewer additional sound-dampening treatments in the fuselage that affect weight and cost.
Hexcel is also promoting its HexMC® part manufacturing capability. HexMC® is an innovative form of high strength carbon fibre/epoxy moulding material that enables complex shapes to be manufactured in composites that previously could only be machined, cast or forged from metal. HexMC® offers low density, with good strength and high stiffness properties providing weight savings that are comparable to those achieved with aerospace carbon/epoxy prepregs.
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Background
Hexcel Corporation is a composites company. It develops, manufactures and markets lightweight, high-performance reinforcement products, composite materials and composite structures for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense, electronics, and industrial applications.
Hexcel is the largest US producer of carbon fibre, the leading weaver of structural fabrics and a major supplier of composite materials. Hexcel fibres, fabrics, resins, prepregs, honeycombs and adhesives are widely used in the aerospace industry. Regional jets, helicopters, aircraft engines and satellites are also major users of Hexcel materials.
With headquarters in Stamford (CT), USA, Hexcel is a global company, manufacturing in USA, Europe and Asia Pacific Region.
Hexcel joint venture manufacturing facilities in the Asia pacific region include plants which manufacture composite structures: BHA Aero Composite Parts in Tianjin, China and Asian Composites Manufacturing in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Malaysia.
Hexcel recently announced its plans to build a new prepreg plant in China. The new facility is intended to meet the strong demand for composites used in wind turbines. China is experiencing major growth in its wind energy market and the country plans to double the amount of energy it obtains from renewable sources by 2020; a strategy that will require a major increase in the number of wind power plants in the country.
With the support of Xeda (Xiqing Economic Development Area) Hexcel has secured a total floor area of 30 000m2 site in Tianjin, close to the facilities of major wind power customers. The plant building area will occupy approximately 8,000m2 and manufacture HexPly® epoxy resin prepregs, primarily for wind energy and industrial applications. Production at the new facility will commence in summer 2008.
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Contact: Rachel Woolerton
Tel: +44 (0)1223 838370
Rachel.Woolerton@hexcel.com