Fiber and Interface Testing Systems Support Composites Development

Textechno (Mönchengladbach, Germany) manufactures testing instruments for the characterization of fiber-reinforced composite materials. Building on more than 75 years of experience in textile testing, the company has developed a portfolio of solutions supporting research, material development, process optimization and quality assurance across the composite value chain, used by industrial companies, research institutes and universities worldwide.

The company’s portfolio covers characterization of reinforcement fibers, fiber-matrix interfaces and tow and tape properties, providing customers with material data intended to support the development and production of composites.

For single-fiber characterization, the Favimat+ system determines properties including linear density, tensile strength, tenacity, Young’s modulus, elongation, cross-sectional area, crimp, friction and electrical resistance. By combining vibroscopic linear-density measurement with tensile testing on the same filament, the system is designed to provide mechanical property data for carbon, glass, basalt, ceramic and other reinforcement fibers, with automated fiber handling intended to support high-throughput testing while minimizing operator influence.

To characterize fiber-matrix adhesion, Textechno offers the FimaTest system for standardized single-fiber pull-out testing according to ISO 19375. The system is built to determine interfacial shear strength, interfacial fracture toughness and frictional behavior across fiber and matrix combinations, including thermoplastics, thermosets and inorganic matrices. An optional optical module measures contact angle directly on the fiber-matrix system under processing conditions, providing data on fiber sizing and interface performance.

For intermediate composite products, the RovingTest and TapeTest systems evaluate tow and tape characteristics such as width and thickness, spreading performance, friction, broken filaments and fluff, supporting optimization of downstream processes including weaving, filament winding, automated fiber placement and tape laying.