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Thales Australia engages RPC Technologies Defence project
APPLICATIONS
Thales Australia engages Saudi railway station showcases composite roof RPC Technologies Defence project
PCT produced 1312 composite panels to complete the 26,400 m2 surface area of the Madinah Station roof.
DUBAI-BASED Premier Composite Technologies (PCT) has installed the composite panels making up the concourse roof at Madinah Station, part of Saudi Arabia’s Haramain High Speed Railway project. The Haramain High Speed Railway project links the cities of Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City. The work involves a 450 km rail link and includes the construction of four stations. PCT, a manufacturer of composite components for the architectural, transportation and boat building markets, was awarded the contract to build the concourse roof of the station at Madinah in 2012. PCT’s work has included the design engineering, manufacturing, delivery and installation of the composite cladding for the roof. Designed by Foster+Partners and Buro Happold, the Madinah Station roof design consists of a repetitive pattern made up of 41 panels that fit together to make one large square module of 27 m x 27 m in size. Each panel had to be lightweight, fire resistant, immune to extreme temperatures and weather conditions, and easy to install. Working alongside Foster+Partners and Buro Happold, PCT developed a
4
REINFORCEDplastics
composite solution to meet all requirements. The roof is built using a fire resistant composite of glass fibre and epoxy resin combined with lightweight foam core and is finished with glass mosaic coloured tiles. PCT produced 1312 panels to complete the 26,400 m2 surface area of the Madinah Station roof. The structure has been designed to use as much natural light as possible and the roof panels have diamond-shaped skylights incorporated into the design. Installation started in October 2013. A modular approach to the design with a high degree of pre-fabrication meant that all fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) parts were produced at PCT’s facilities in Dubai. Installation and final sealing operations were done on site. On the ground, four panels were pre-assembled to form a segment of approximately 100 m2 weighing almost 4 tonnes. Adjustable footing in three directions allows for easy on-site installation and fixation to the main steel structure. With no secondary structure in place, the largest span is 13.5m. PCT; www.pct.ae
JULY/AUGUST 2014
RPC TECHNOLOGIES has supplied composite materials to Thales Australia to achieve the required weight reduction in dashboard assemblies for a new Hawkei military vehicle. The Thales Hawkei must not exceed a weight target of 7 tonnes. The weight limit is dictated by the lifting capacity of the Chinook helicopter that will carry it into the field. Composites offer strength to weight characteristics together with exceptional corrosion resistance and lifelong performance. They also offer the ability to produce complex shapes to enable multiple components to be moulded into one part which also helps to save on weight and helps reduce manufacturing costs. Designers from Thales Australia rated these qualities highly when enlisting design advice for the manufacture of prototype parts for its Hawkei Protected Vehicle development. Thales has already delivered six Hawkei vehicles to the Department of Defence. These are currently undergoing testing under the LAND 121 Phase 4
project which will ultimately involve providing up to 1,300 protected light vehicles. Subject to successful testing, final approval of the project is expected in 2015. Thales, having seen the benefits gained from the use of composites during the prototype stage, is now considering extending the use of composites to other parts of the Hawkei. RPC Technologies has been working closely with Thales during this pre-production phase to enhance vehicle design and to incorporate additional improvements - the aim being to further reduce weight, increase strength and reduce cost. RPC Technologies has provided Thales with engineering support from concept to CAD modelling to FEA analysis and physical testing and validation capabilities. This has allowed the designs and composite material selection to be optimised for thickness to achieve optimum strength at a reduced weight and cost. RPC Technologies; www.rpctechnologies.com
Composites are helping restrict the weight of the Thales Hawkei.
www.reinforcedplastics.com
Thales Australia engages Saudi railway station showcases composite roof RPC Technologies Defence project
PCT produced 1312 composite panels to complete the 26,400 m2 surface area of the Madinah Station roof.
DUBAI-BASED Premier Composite Technologies (PCT) has installed the composite panels making up the concourse roof at Madinah Station, part of Saudi Arabia’s Haramain High Speed Railway project. The Haramain High Speed Railway project links the cities of Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City. The work involves a 450 km rail link and includes the construction of four stations. PCT, a manufacturer of composite components for the architectural, transportation and boat building markets, was awarded the contract to build the concourse roof of the station at Madinah in 2012. PCT’s work has included the design engineering, manufacturing, delivery and installation of the composite cladding for the roof. Designed by Foster+Partners and Buro Happold, the Madinah Station roof design consists of a repetitive pattern made up of 41 panels that fit together to make one large square module of 27 m x 27 m in size. Each panel had to be lightweight, fire resistant, immune to extreme temperatures and weather conditions, and easy to install. Working alongside Foster+Partners and Buro Happold, PCT developed a
4
REINFORCEDplastics
composite solution to meet all requirements. The roof is built using a fire resistant composite of glass fibre and epoxy resin combined with lightweight foam core and is finished with glass mosaic coloured tiles. PCT produced 1312 panels to complete the 26,400 m2 surface area of the Madinah Station roof. The structure has been designed to use as much natural light as possible and the roof panels have diamond-shaped skylights incorporated into the design. Installation started in October 2013. A modular approach to the design with a high degree of pre-fabrication meant that all fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) parts were produced at PCT’s facilities in Dubai. Installation and final sealing operations were done on site. On the ground, four panels were pre-assembled to form a segment of approximately 100 m2 weighing almost 4 tonnes. Adjustable footing in three directions allows for easy on-site installation and fixation to the main steel structure. With no secondary structure in place, the largest span is 13.5m. PCT; www.pct.ae
JULY/AUGUST 2014
RPC TECHNOLOGIES has supplied composite materials to Thales Australia to achieve the required weight reduction in dashboard assemblies for a new Hawkei military vehicle. The Thales Hawkei must not exceed a weight target of 7 tonnes. The weight limit is dictated by the lifting capacity of the Chinook helicopter that will carry it into the field. Composites offer strength to weight characteristics together with exceptional corrosion resistance and lifelong performance. They also offer the ability to produce complex shapes to enable multiple components to be moulded into one part which also helps to save on weight and helps reduce manufacturing costs. Designers from Thales Australia rated these qualities highly when enlisting design advice for the manufacture of prototype parts for its Hawkei Protected Vehicle development. Thales has already delivered six Hawkei vehicles to the Department of Defence. These are currently undergoing testing under the LAND 121 Phase 4
project which will ultimately involve providing up to 1,300 protected light vehicles. Subject to successful testing, final approval of the project is expected in 2015. Thales, having seen the benefits gained from the use of composites during the prototype stage, is now considering extending the use of composites to other parts of the Hawkei. RPC Technologies has been working closely with Thales during this pre-production phase to enhance vehicle design and to incorporate additional improvements - the aim being to further reduce weight, increase strength and reduce cost. RPC Technologies has provided Thales with engineering support from concept to CAD modelling to FEA analysis and physical testing and validation capabilities. This has allowed the designs and composite material selection to be optimised for thickness to achieve optimum strength at a reduced weight and cost. RPC Technologies; www.rpctechnologies.com
Composites are helping restrict the weight of the Thales Hawkei.
www.reinforcedplastics.com