Fibre processing company Cygnet Texkimp has supplied a 30-position pilot line PAN precursor creel to the $100m Australian Future Fibre Research and Innovation Centre (AFFRIC) at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia.

Texkimp’s creel forms part of the centre’s Carbon Nexus facility, which is said to be the world’s first dedicated carbon fibre research plant capable of producing industrial-scale quantities of aerospace quality carbon fibre, as well as enabling research into carbon fibre production and applications.

Developing research

The creel was delivered as part of a collaboration with US-based Despatch Industries. It features a mechanical compensator tension control and will be used to unwind and guide packages of PAN fibre into a carbon fibre production line supplied by Despatch Industries.

The aim of Deakin University’s facility, which is part-funded by the Australian Government and the Victorian State Government, is to attract the best experienced and early-career scientists from around the world to develop research into end-user applications for the carbon fibre industry, as well as working with carbon fibre manufacturers to advance production techniques and reduce costs through commercial trials.

Performance and quality

“Deakin University’s Carbon Nexus facility has exciting implications for the future of carbon fibre production, not only in Australia but throughout the world, and we are delighted to be part of it,” commented Chris Furphy, International Sales Manager at Cygnet Texkimp.

Steve Atkiss, General Manager at Carbon Nexus, said: “We have been impressed by the performance and quality of the equipment supplied by Cygnet Texkimp, and with the level of cooperation and support we have received.”

The creel was designed and tested at Texkimp’s UK headquarters in Northwich, Cheshire, before being shipped to Australia for installation and commissioning.

Cygnet Texkimp

Founded in 1974,Texkimp is an independent specialist creel designer and manufacturer. Cygnet Texkimp is part of Cygnet Group, an expanding specialist engineering group with expertise in designing, developing, manufacturing and selling engineered products into niche global markets.

The family-owned business concentrates solely on the production of creels and related accessories for the handling, unwinding, tensioning and guiding of all types of yarns, tapes and fibres from package to process.

www.texkimp.co.uk

www.carbonnexus.com.au