Hexcel has announced its role as materials development partner for Institut de Soudure Group’s winning JEC project - the Innovative Solutions for Welding (ISW) of Thermoplastic Composites. ISW is a novel solution co-developed and patented by both Institut de Soudure Group (IS Group) and Arkema, providing high-performance welding for thermoplastic composites.

IS Group and Arkema were announced as the winners of the Aeronautics Category at the JEC Innovations Awards ceremony.

Hexcel and strategic alliance partner Arkema provided high-performance carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic (PEKK) materials for the high-quality welding targeted by the ISW process. ISW can also be applied to any other TP matrix (from PA to PAEK) and fibres such as glass or aramid.  

Developed to meet challenging performance and cost targets for thermoplastic composites in high-rate primary aerostructures, the innovative ISW solution allow weld joint performances of approximately 85 per cent compared to the co-consolidated reference, without any remaining heat transfer material or strip at the weld line after the operation.

In 2019, initial evaluations of the ISW solution were carried out at major OEM project partners Stelia Aerospace and Latecoere. From 2020 forward, the focus will be on maturing the new technology and bringing it to qualification in specific aeronautics projects.