Toray makes new prepreg for aircraft structural components

In general, CFRP primary structural components, used for the main wings and fuselage of an aircraft, are manufactured using an autoclave process method by laminating prepregs sheets, which are carbon fibres impregnated in epoxy resin, on a mould and heating them in an autoclave by applying high pressure to cure the resin. While the autoclave method has an advantage of stable moulding for high performance, high quality CFRP components, it requires high initial capital investment, thus increasing the production cost of CFRP components.

To replace an autoclave method, Toray last year developed a vacuum pressure moulding technology, in which CFRP is manufactured with one atmospheric pressure under vacuum suction, and recently developed a prepreg that is suitable for this vacuum pressure moulding technology, said Toray in a press release. The new prepreg, enabled by a newly developed novel matrix resin, has mechanical performance – compression strength after an impact and tensile strength – equivalent to primary structural components of aircraft using existing prepreg and moulded with an autoclave method.

A test mould of 2 m component simulating part of an existing aircraft tail assembly is moulded using the new prepreg which showed that it has low porosity content compared with existing prepreg and confirmed that it is a CFRP component of a level that can clear strict quality control standards for aircraft components.         

Part of this successful development is attributable to the ‘Innovative Structural Materials Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion (SIP) programme’ a strategic innovation programme of the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation managed by Japan Science and Technology Agency.

Toray has set business expansion in growth fields and creation of new demand through development of new products as important tasks for the carbon fibre composite materials business in its medium-term management program ‘Project AP-G 2019.’ Under the corporate philosophy of ‘Contributing to society through the creation of new value with innovative ideas, technologies and products’ the company will continue to engage in development of new products by developing high performance CFRP and improving the processing capability. (PC)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India