2021 High-temperature nonwovens Technical Fibre Products Ltd (TFP, Burneside, U.K) introduces some of its new, lightweight veils designed for high-temperature performance in composites. The polyimide and basalt veils are part of TFP’s OPTIVEIL range and have been developed specifi cally to expand TFP’s selection of high-temperature materials. The polyimide veil is said to be the highest temperature-stable polymer veil that TFP manu-factures, with a maximum service temperature of above 260°C, signifi cantly higher than other polymers such as polyester and PPS, TFP notes. The material was developed as a high-performance insulation material for space applications, designed to o er the temperature stability necessary to withstand missions to Mercury and the sun, where spacecraft experience extreme temperatures. The basalt veil has been developed as a more temperature-stable alternative to TFP’s standard E and ECR glass veils. It is stable up to 850°C and retains its integrity when in contact with an open fl ame, making it suitable for applications requiring a fi re barrier. Basalt, like glass, also has a high resistance to acid and alkali, which makes it ideal for use in corrosive environments. In addition to increased temperature stability, TFP says these new materials also o er the uniformity and surface quality synonymous with the compa-ny’s OPTIVEIL and OPTIMAT ranges, which include Closed cell foam Elliott Co.’s (Indianapolis, Ind., U.S.) ElFoam rigid unfaced polyisocyanurate (urethane) closed cell foam products are available in 2, 3, 4 and 6 lb/ft 3 densities and supplied as blocks, sheets and custom shapes. With a temperature range of -297°F to +300°F and compatibility with polyester, vinyl ester and epoxy resins, ElFoam can be used in a variety of applications. It is also compatible with an array of processes including hand layup, spray-up, vacuum infusion, RTM, lamination, pultrusion and fi lament winding. Elliott Co. reports that ElFoam o ers high strength-to-weight ratios, good chemical resis-tance, superior thermal insulation, Class 1 fi re performance and low water permeability. It also can be machined, perforated and sliced. ElFoam products ship coast-to-coast, with short lead times and expedited service. Elliott Co. of Indianapolis Inc., Booth X47, elliottfoam.com carbon, glass, aramid, recycled carbon fi ber, metal-coated and thermoplastic nonwovens, to name a few. This quality of dispersion reportedly makes the materials suitable for a wide range of composite applications including surface fi nish, improving resin fl ow, adhesive carriers and imparting functionality where required, and in this case, high-temperature stability. TFP also exhibits its TECNOFIRE intumescent materials. These are said to deliver highly e ec-tive, integrated fi re protection at the surface of a composite without compromising the integrity of the structure. TECNOFIRE is easy to incorporate during composite fabrication, without additional processing steps, and enables the resulting structure to pass relevant industry fi re tests. Technical Fibre Products Inc., Booth Z40, tfpglobal.com we went heavy on innovation to make lighter materials Automated fi ber layup system Automation specialist Cevotec GmbH (Unterhaching, Germany) combines the traditional fi lament winding process with its automated fi ber patch placement (FPP) technology to improve the material e ciency of carbon fi ber composite tanks in fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and reduce their weight by 15% compared to legacy systems, all while achieving equivalent mechanical prop-erties. Conceptualizing the Samba PV from this process combination, the automated layup system locally reinforces the dome areas down to the equator region of the pressure vessel via customized carbon fi ber patches placed directly on the liner. These rein-forcements replace the high-angle helical layers (HAHL) in the fi lament winding process, but still facilitate a smoother sti ness tran-sition between the cylinder and dome sections for an optimized laminate design. First, the Samba PV system places the reinforcing fi ber patches at the dome area directly on a standard liner. Then the patched liners are transferred over to the fi lament winding process. This reportedly translates to a boosted capacity of existing winding stations by up to 20%. Cevotec GmbH, Booth W52, cevotec.com/en At Johns Manville, we’ve made history with our new IG-6 Series, polyamide-6 thermoplastic composite sheets that are lightweight, flexible and affordable solutions. It’s another example of how we find smart, breakthrough innovations again. And again. Visit JM Advanced Composites 10 CAM X 2021 OCTOBER 19-21, 2021 / DALLAS, TEXAS