Hexcel Introduces New Products at Paris Air Show
At this year's Paris Airshow (Hall 2B, stand F6) Hexcel Composites will promote its latest matrix systems and core products targeted at new aerospace programmes such as the Airbus A380 and A400M.
New Products
HexPly® M36 is a new matrix developed by Hexcel for the manufacture of aerospace primary structures. M36 was developed to assist the aerospace industry in its drive for cost-efficiency. This flexible resin system can be cured by autoclave, by vacuum assisted infusion plus oven cure, or by vacuum only and can be cured at 130° C. The tack and viscosity of HexPly® M36 are optimised for Resin Film Infusion, Semi-Preg, UD prepreg tape and woven prepreg.
HexPly® M21 is a third generation, tough epoxy matrix, designed to provide a prepreg with significantly higher damage tolerance then current second generation aerospace systems, particularly after high energy impacts. This has been achieved without compromising the mechanical properties of the matrix. The high residual compression strength of M21 provides effective translation of fibre properties and demonstrates good hot-wet properties at temperatures up to 130°C. M21 is Hexcel's recommended unidirectional prepreg tape for large volume structures in new aerospace programmes, and is currently undergoing qualification at Airbus.
HexPly® M25 is Hexcel's new modified phenolic resin system, developed for the aerospace industry. The very low flow and excellent fire behaviour of M25 lightweight glass prepregs make them ideal as a fire barrier in floor panels. In combination with M26 epoxy prepreg, M25 is undergoing qualification to Airbus specifications.
HexPly® M26 is Hexcel's new self-adhesive, self-extinguishing epoxy system, with a versatile cure schedule (100 – 150°C). M26 is ideal for aircraft sandwich structures as it is self-adhesive on foam and honeycomb and is self-extinguishing to ABD0031 requirements. M26 and M25 are Hexcel's recommended systems for aircraft flooring. M26 is also ideal for flying control surfaces and is being qualified for use on helicopter fairings by Eurocopter
Korex® and HexWeb HRH-36 are new lightweight core materials for aircraft flooring, providing weight savings of 20% compared with the current industry standard, HexWeb HRH-10. The new core materials provide increased durability and retain of most of the mechanical properties of HexWeb HRH-10, providing the ideal solution in weight sensitive applications.
Special Process: Hexcel has manufactured honeycomb for over 50 years and has used it experience to develop in-house honeycomb processing and core finishing expertise. We provide customers with drop-in parts to tight tolerance specifications which avoids them investing in costly equipment. Examples of the latest Special Process projects will be on display, including aluminium roll formed NC machined core for the PW 6000 engine; slotted HRH 10 heatformed core for engine sound attenuation and stabilised cores for the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Thermoplastics: For the first time, Hexcel Composites will be promoting thermoplastics following the company's recent acquisition of Applied Fiber Systems (Florida, US). Marketed under the TowFlex® trademark, Hexcel can now offer a wide variety of continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic materials that are flexible, drapeable and available with a wide range of reinforcements and resin systems. TowFlex® products provide many performance benefits including high toughness and impact resistance, chemical resistance and vibration dampening
Exhibits
Many customers have loaned exhibits for display on the Hexcel Composites stand at Le Bourget, including:
A spoiler concept for commercial aircraft, manufacturing using Resin Film Infusion (RFI) technology and developed by Hawker de Havilland in partnership with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures (Australia) and Hexcel Composites. The spoiler was manufactured with Hexcel's new HexPly® M36 resin, G926 5HS 6K reinforcement, EB6 binder, HexPly® M18 Towpreg and slotted HexWebTM HRH-10 honeycomb. This new spoiler concept is the result of multiple design and manufacturing trade-off studies, including a study of alternative processing technologies which consistently indicated that RFI was the most cost-effective option.
A semi-preg wing-skin demonstrator, manufactured by Airbus UK using HexPly® M36 resin and a non-crimp fabric woven from 12K and 24K high tensile strength (HTS) carbon fibre. Based on the lower wing-skin of an Airbus A321, the part is particularly complex, involving seven changes of thickness and three changes of lay-up. M36 semi-preg is highly cost-effective, requiring fewer consumables than UD or woven prepreg and providing up to 3 times higher deposition rates. The wing skin was manufactured as part of the UK DTI CARAD supported AMCAPS (Affordable Manufacture of Composite Aircraft Primary Structure) II Programme.
Airbus fuselage frame demonstrator, built by EADS Airbus, France, with new technology using RTM6, carbon spiral and carbon bias weave reinforcements.
Airbus A340 radome, manufactured by EADS Airbus, France. The sandwich construction uses HexWebTM HRH-10 regular cell and Flexcore honeycomb. HexPly® epoxy prepreg with quartz glass hybrid reinforcement is used for the skin materials.
A section from the NASA/ESA FIRST telescope mirror, built by Composite Optics Inc and manufactured with HexPly® 954-3 high modulus carbon fibre/cyanate ester prepreg. The HexPly® prepreg provides a constant fibre volume and resin content, enabling tight tolerance requirements and mass, stability and cost targets to be met. The FIRST (Far Infrared & Submillimetre Telescope) will play a major role in helping scientists to understand the origins of the universe after its launch into space in 2007.
Hexcel Corporation is the world's leading advanced structural materials company. It develops, manufactures and markets lightweight, high-performance reinforcement products, composite materials and engineered products for use in commercial aerospace, space and defence, electronics, and industrial applications.
Contact: Rachel Atkinson, Tel: +44 1223 838370, Rachel.Atkinson@hexcel-eu.com