Hexcel will launch a new continuous carbon fibre for manufacturers seeking to maximise efficiency in primary and secondary aerospace vehicle structures at JEC World 2024 in Paris.

The increased composite tensile strength of new HexTow IM9 24K provides higher fibre performance and its 24K tow size enables higher line throughput and productivity.

Also being introduced is HexPly M51, a rapid-curing prepreg developed for the high-rate production of structural composite parts and designed for rapid hot-in/hot-out press curing.

HexPly M51 has a 40-minute cure cycle at 180˚C, reducing production times and costs compared to standard autoclave-cured prepregs. It also reduces the need for multiple sets of tooling and labour and is fully compatible with automated tape laying (ATL), automated fibre placement (AFP) and pick-and-place processes.

Aerospace

A new HAICoPAS aerospace demonstrator panel manufactured using new thermoplastic and carbon fibre materials will be displayed at JEC World 2024. This has been developed in a project with Arkema, Ingecal, Coriolis Composites, Pinete Emidecau Industries, Institut de Soudure and CNRS laboratories.

Lightweight structural UD PEKK/carbon thermoplastic composite parts were produced out of autoclave/in situ and assembled using a new welding technology. The demonstrator panel – made in collaboration with an industrial committee including Airbus, Safran, Daher, Hutchinson and ATC – will be on display at the JEC Mobility Pavilion.

In addition, Hexcel will showcase aerospace components manufactured with the latest generation of HexPly, HiTape and RTM solutions, including composite engine pylon covers, a liquid hydrogen tank demonstrator and a low-noise Airbus H160 helicopter rotor blade developed using a range of Hexcel reinforcements, prepregs, adhesives and honeycomb materials.

Marine

A scale model of a 220-metre-long sail-powered cruising yacht to be created by Chantiers de l’Atlantique (CDA) for customer Accor will also be on show. The masts used by the new ship for wind propulsion are manufactured using HexPly M9.6 prepregs to reduce the reliance on the engines and cut fuel usage. CDA and its consortium won a 2023 JEC Innovation Award for their work on this project.

HexPly M9.6 prepregs are also used to produce lightweight carbon fibre hydrofoil components, and Hexcel will display an AFS brand foil made by French company Foil and Co.

Sustainable sports

A dedicated zone at the company’s stand will display Elan and Blizzard skis made with HexPly Nature Range prepregs – industrial resins with a bio-derived resin content – while the Hopper, a prosthetic running blade made of discarded aerospace carbon materials will also be showcased.

The Hopper stems from a novel project aiming to improve accessibility to sport, mobility and autonomy for people with disabilities. Project partners Airbus, Salomon and the 3Dx lab of Dassault Systèmes worked together with Hopper to manufacture the affordable, easy to use and accessible carbon fibre running blade.

There will also be a collection of parts from Fairmat, demonstrating its 2024 JEC Innovation Award-nominated closed loop ecosystem for carbon fibre. Fairmat’s AI-driven technology uses robots to create 100% recycled CFRP chips using Hexcel prepreg waste. A versatile solution for diverse product applications, the chips offer low weight, strength and stiffness benefits, filling the gap in the advanced materials industry and ensuring valuable carbon fibre doesn’t go to waste. Hexcel is proud to support Fairmat and its recycling programme with almost all of its European-produced carbon fibre prepreg offcuts. The partnership led to more than 170 tons of prepreg material being diverted from waste to fulfil commercial product needs in 2023.

Hexcel will be at stand J41 in Hall 5 at JEC World 2024.

www.hexcel.com