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Kit Concepts proves popular
Processing news
Self-reinforced plastics bridge the gap A NEW business established to mould complex components from self-reinforced plastics was launched at the Composites Europe 2006 tradeshow in Germany last month. Aptiform’s moulding process has been developed over several years in collaboration with industrial companies and universities. According to Aptiform, selfreinforced plastics bridge the gap between isotropic polymers and fibre-reinforced composites, with stiffness and strength values typically five times those of
Car body panels are one application for self-reinforced plastics.
conventional non-reinforced plastics, and because they do not include reinforcing materials like glass fibres they can be recycled more easily. At Composites Europe, Aptiform displayed a variety of moulded self-reinforced polypropylene parts, including painted automotive body panels and medical orthoses. Other potential applications include shuttering and formwork for the construction market, luggage and loudspeaker cones, personal watercraft, and protective equipment such as helmets. Aptiform has been created from the applied research work undertaken at NetComposites, a UK-based applied R&D, consultancy and information organisation. Aptiform; www.aptiform.com
Kit Concepts proves popular US DISTRIBUTOR Composites One has added more cutting equipment to increase capacity of its Kit Concepts service which provides composites manufacturers with pre-packaged fibreglass material cut to size. Composites One says that a growing number of composites manufacturers are using Kit Concepts for applications ranging from boat hulls to automotive parts and manhole covers. The pre-cut material is said to be ideal for customers using closed mould processes such as Light RTM (resin transfer moulding), as well as those using open mould processes.
14
REINFORCEDplastics
October 2006
“Three years ago, we developed the programme to help composites manufacturers bypass the time-consuming and error-filled task of manually cutting and loading fibreglass material,”explains technical sales representative Tom Hunter. “Each kit contains fibreglass material that is cut exactly to the customer’s patterns and CAD drawings. Cut material is then packed together in a single kit, and then placed in the order that they are used in the manufacturing process.” Composites One; www.compositesone.com
Self-reinforced plastics bridge the gap A NEW business established to mould complex components from self-reinforced plastics was launched at the Composites Europe 2006 tradeshow in Germany last month. Aptiform’s moulding process has been developed over several years in collaboration with industrial companies and universities. According to Aptiform, selfreinforced plastics bridge the gap between isotropic polymers and fibre-reinforced composites, with stiffness and strength values typically five times those of
Car body panels are one application for self-reinforced plastics.
conventional non-reinforced plastics, and because they do not include reinforcing materials like glass fibres they can be recycled more easily. At Composites Europe, Aptiform displayed a variety of moulded self-reinforced polypropylene parts, including painted automotive body panels and medical orthoses. Other potential applications include shuttering and formwork for the construction market, luggage and loudspeaker cones, personal watercraft, and protective equipment such as helmets. Aptiform has been created from the applied research work undertaken at NetComposites, a UK-based applied R&D, consultancy and information organisation. Aptiform; www.aptiform.com
Kit Concepts proves popular US DISTRIBUTOR Composites One has added more cutting equipment to increase capacity of its Kit Concepts service which provides composites manufacturers with pre-packaged fibreglass material cut to size. Composites One says that a growing number of composites manufacturers are using Kit Concepts for applications ranging from boat hulls to automotive parts and manhole covers. The pre-cut material is said to be ideal for customers using closed mould processes such as Light RTM (resin transfer moulding), as well as those using open mould processes.
14
REINFORCEDplastics
October 2006
“Three years ago, we developed the programme to help composites manufacturers bypass the time-consuming and error-filled task of manually cutting and loading fibreglass material,”explains technical sales representative Tom Hunter. “Each kit contains fibreglass material that is cut exactly to the customer’s patterns and CAD drawings. Cut material is then packed together in a single kit, and then placed in the order that they are used in the manufacturing process.” Composites One; www.compositesone.com