Laboratory for composite materials

Technical data:

• Double gripper
• Jacquard attachment
• Weaving width 50 cm
• Creel for 3,456 bobbins

Production possibilities of technical fabrics:

• Two-dimensional fabrics
• Spacer fabrics (spacing up to 40 mm)
• Integration of matrix yarns in the textile semi-finished product
• Multi-layer fabric
• Hybrid fabric
• Functional integration
• Load-path-compatible production of hybrid fibre composites

Fields of application:

• Development of application-specific textile semi-finished products from hybrid material systems
• Provision of cost-optimised, sustainable high-performance composites with the highest possible biogenic content
• Combination of bioplastic, natural, glass, carbon and synthetic polymer fibres
• Recyclability

Technical data and equipment:

• Reproducible, industrial cutting of natural fibres, carbon fibres, hybrid fibres, brittle fibres (glass, basalt), viscoplastic fibres (thermoplastic synthetic fibres), etc.
• Transport of four yarns or rovings simultaneously via separate hoses
• Cutting capacity depending on fibre type: 5 to 25 kg/h
• Process-safe fibre length: 1-100 mm
• Infinitely variable cutting length in the running process
• Use of commercially available and newly developed polymer matrices (epoxy, polyurethane, etc.)
• Processing of 2-component resin systems
• Viscosity: < 3,000 mPas
• Component weight: up to a maximum of 400 kg
• Component size: up to approximately 1,000 mm x 1,000 mm

Fields of application:

• Resource-saving and low-waste production
• Production of large-area and complex components
• Cost savings through near-net-shape production
• Process steps such as creating a textile, cutting and draping are eliminated
• Unique component properties through targeted adaptation of the weight per unit area and the fibre cut length to the component geometry ("tailored composites")
• Local, specific property profiles of a component according to component load
• Unique combination of fibres that could not be cut industrially up to now with variable cutting length and simultaneous "resin application" (spraying wet fibres) in 2D, 2 ½ D and 3D applications
• Insertion of inserts into the component, such as fasteners, threads, etc.
• Reduction of investment and production costs
• Easy integration into existing production lines

Function: Water-jet cutting can be used to process practically all types of material with high precision, purely mechanically and without thermal input. For bioplastics and biocomposites, pure water is usually used for water-jet cutting; if required, a hard powdery material can be added to the water to achieve abrasive cutting processes.

Technical data:

• Working range of X/Y-axis: 2,020 x 1,020 mm
• Working range of Z-axis: 200 mm
• Cutting speed: 1 to 30,000 mm/minute
• Positioning and repeat accuracy: +/- 50 µm
• Pump pressure: 300 to 3,800 bar (infinitely variable)
• Support weight: maximum 1000 kg/m²