Frequently Asked Questions

Products made by combining two or more dissimilar materials such as fibers and resins to create a product with exceptional structural properties not present in the original materials (see Glossary).

The use of composites was pioneered by the aerospace industry, which sought high performance lightweight alternatives to traditional materials. The benefits were soon adopted by ground transportation industries (marine, rail and automotive) and for sports goods.

Composites are used in place of conventional materials such as metal and wood to achieve sophisticated designs with weight-savings and other performance advantages. Although composites are often used to replace metal or wood in existing designs, the maximum benefits are obtained in components that have been designed for composites.

Honeycomb is a lightweight core material, available in a wide range of materials and cell configurations, supplied by Hexcel in sheet form, in blocks for expansion by the customer or as Special Process components.

The forming, shaping, machining or bonding of sheets or blocks of honeycomb into profiled and complex shapes, for use as semi-finished components in the fabrication of composite parts and structures. Hexcel supplies customers with high quality components with precise dimensional tolerances which eliminate subsequent manufacturing stages and processes.

Hexcel has manufactured honeycomb for over 50 years and offers the widest range of materials and configurations in the industry.

Hexcel has a number of distributors worldwide for small quantities of honeycomb. Please contact your local customer service office for details.

Hexcel manufactures Honeycomb in Duxford, UK; Welkenraedt, Belgium; and Casa Grande, USA.

Honeycomb prices range from $1 to $500 per board foot, depending on the web material, resin, cell size and density.

Honeycomb is supplied pre-expanded in sheet form or in block form for expansion by the customer.

Please contact your local customer service center. It would help us to process your order more quickly if the following information is supplied:

Material type
Cell size
Sheet size (length, width, thickness)
Quantity

For more information on honeycomb selection please consult the Hexcel Honeycomb Attributes and Properties manual.

Please state: - Core material, eg. Aluminium with grade 3003, 5052, 5056; Aramid paper/Nomex (from DuPont); glass, carbon, etc.
- Cell size
- Required density
- Any special requirements, eg.:
Perforated (aluminium only)
Unexpanded (HOBE) - aluminium only
Slotted cells
Dimensional tolerances
- Application
- Mechanical performance requirements
- Dimensions required:
Length* x Width x Thickness

* always in the ribbon direction, ie. parallel to the flow of the foil Please note we may offer our nearest standard honeycomb sheet size to meet your size requirements.

Additional Information
When requesting a quotation please provide a contact name, telephone number and e-mail address in case additional information is required. If appropriate, please state the full material control specification, otherwise our offer will be based on releasing to our In-House standard.

Also advise:
- Invoice and delivery addresses
- Required delivery date and quantity for the order, or first drop.
- Total annual quantity and duration.
- Quantity per order with, if applicable, scheduled drops.

A sandwich panel comprises a core material (eg. honeycomb) sandwiched between two facing skins. Hexcel's sandwich panels comprise of a sheet of honeycomb core which is sandwiched between sheets of Aluminum or cured Prepreg laminates to provide an exceptionally stiff yet lightweight board. Hexcel has two ranges of panels. Fibrelam is a range of qualified aircraft flooring and interior panels, while Hexlite is a range of structural and interior panels for trains, ships and other industrial applications.

For Fibrelam Aerospace panels the minimum order quantity is 6 panels. For Hexlite industrial panels orders are accepted for 10 panels and above.

In Europe: for Fibrelam aerospace panels contact Aerocontracts for Hexlite industrial panels contact B&K resins.

In the US: contact Aerocontracts Inc. and Texas Almet

Contact details needed

The price depends on the materials used and the quantities required. However, as a rough guideline, price per square metre ranges from $45 to $400.

No. We can supply many finished items. For example , we manufacture fully-finished drop-in floor panels for many aircraft and also fabricate interiors for rail and marine applications. Send us a sketch or drawing with full details by post, fax or e-mail and we will either offer you a quotation or, if it's outside our scope of work, recommend a suitable supplier.

There are three standard lengths - 3658mm, 3048mm and 2440mm (equating to 12 ft, 10ft and 8ft). The standard width is 1220 (4ft). Thickness can be from 3mm upwards. We are happy to consider other dimensions for significant volumes.

Please see Fibrelam Qualified Products or the Hexlite Selector Guide.

Requests for quotations may be sent by post, fax or e-mail. If you are unsure of your requirements, our Customer Service or Technical Support departments will be happy to assist.

If you have already received a quotation, you may place an order with your local Customer Service center, by post, fax or e-mail. Please provide the quotation reference number with your order.

For Flat Panels (Hexcel honeycomb bonded between two facing skins) please provide:
- Panel dimensions: Length x Width x Thickness (define thickness as either the core or the bonded panel with skins).
- Any special dimensional tolerances
- Panel construction including:
-- Fibrelam or Hexlite designation (if known)
-- Skin type and thickness (including number of plies if a prepreg)
-- Adhesive (if known)
-- Honeycomb core type and thickness

For special process drop in flooring, shaped or 3D panels please provide as much information as possible. We may require a sketch or drawing of the component.

Additional Information When requesting a quotation please provide a contact name, telephone number and e-mail address in case additional information is required. If appropriate, please state the full material control specification, otherwise our offer will be based on releasing to our In-House standard.

Also advise:
- Invoice and delivery addresses
- Required delivery date and quantity for the order, or first drop.
- Total annual quantity and duration.
- Quantity per order with, if applicable, scheduled drops.