New high-density aluminum honeycomb combines exceptional formability, reduced manufacturing complexity and integrated venting for demanding aerospace applications
STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 22, 2026 – Hexcel Corporation (NYSE: HXL), a global leader in advanced composites technology, today announced the launch of its enhanced HexWeb® CRPAA-5052-F80-12.0 Vented Flex-Core® aluminum honeycomb, a high-density core material engineered to help aerospace manufacturers simplify the production of complex composite structures while meeting the demanding performance requirements of modern space launch systems. The new product will be showcased during CAMX 2026.
“As launch providers continue to pursue larger payloads, higher production rates and more advanced vehicle architectures, they need materials that help simplify manufacturing without sacrificing performance,” said Lyndon Smith, President, Americas & Global Fibers, Hexcel. “Our enhanced vented Flex-Core solution combines outstanding formability, robust mechanical performance and integrated venting capability in a single material. The result is a technology that helps customers reduce processing complexity, improve manufacturing efficiency and support the demanding requirements of next-generation space launch platforms.”
Traditional heavy-density honeycomb cores often require extensive machining and splicing to create highly contoured composite structures. Hexcel’s new 12.0 lb./ft³ Vented Flex-Core® is designed to reduce those challenges through a unique cell architecture that offers significantly greater flexibility and formability than conventional hexagonal honeycomb. The material can reduce or eliminate machining, minimize splicing requirements and lower overall manufacturing costs while enabling larger and more complex structures.
Manufactured from 5052 aluminum alloy and protected by Hexcel’s phosphoric acid anodized (PAA) corrosion-resistant coating, the material is capable of service temperatures up to 350°F (177°C). A key innovation is its integrated venting capability, which helps composite sandwich structures manage pressure differentials and outgassing requirements encountered during ascent and other demanding aerospace environments.
Beyond launch vehicle applications, the material is also well suited for high-temperature aerospace structures, including engine nacelles, where increasingly complex geometries and elevated operating temperatures continue to drive demand for advanced lightweight materials.
Available in both vented and non-vented configurations, the HexWeb® CRPAA-5052-F80-12.0 Flex-Core® expands Hexcel’s portfolio of advanced honeycomb solutions for space, aerospace and other demanding composite applications.
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About Hexcel
Hexcel Corporation is a global leader in advanced lightweight composites technology. We provide innovative, high-performance material solutions that are lighter, stronger, and tougher, shaping a world that moves farther, smarter, and more efficiently. Our broad and unrivaled product range includes carbon fiber, specialty reinforcements, prepregs and other fiber-reinforced matrix materials, honeycomb, resins, engineered core, and composite structures for use in commercial aerospace, defense and space, and industrial applications.
Contact
Matthew Bates | Director, Marketing & Communications | Matthew.Bates@Hexcel.com | 385-434-4736
