The need to produce high-quality, complex and lightweight parts has resulted in various industries seeking ways to increase parts manufacturing, reduce investment costs and produce better results, says global synthetic and formulated polymer systems manufacturer and supplier Huntsman Advanced Technology technology director Philippe Michaud.

He points out that composite technologies have come a long way in a relatively short time. High-performance composites have also become a significantly attractive option for original- equipment manufacturers (OEMs) owing to their lightweight properties, while bringing performance advantages to numerous applications.

“Processing capabilities have been put in the spotlight, with the onus on the requirement for better, high-performance technologies.”
Michaud explains that, in the automotive sector, lowering vehicle weight is driven by the need to create improved fuel efficiencies and enhanced power-to-weight ratios.

He says government directives, which initially spurred initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, as well as a pull from the market and a push from the OEMs to deliver enhanced vehicle performance, have contributed to the significant growth in the composites market.
Meanwhile, he notes that more manufacturers are evaluating their carbon composites processing methods and realising the benefits of high-speed resin transfer moulding (RTM) for part-a-minute production.

“Huntsman’s resin systems for high-pressure RTM and com- pression moulding are already proving their ability to offer advanced processing properties and significant production time savings for direct processing.

“The high-pressure RTM enables production cycles as short as three minutes and the compression RTM provides even shorter cycles of less than a minute,” states Michaud.

Further, he says that, although levels of activity in the global electric vehicles industry have been high in recent years, there is a focus on making electric vehicles, which have heavy batteries, as lightweight as possible to achieve improved performance.
However, he admits that there are differences in opinion across the automotive industry concerning how much weight can be saved, although insight and widespread adoption of this technology shows that, when processed accurately, significant weight savings and the associated benefits of enhanced power-to-weight ratios will follow.
Meanwhile, the aerospace market, which is at a more advanced stage of using composites, has been enjoying the benefits of composites for many years.

“From a research point of view, the next technological challenges centre on the exploration of new processes that reduce manufacturing times, and new materials to enhance the technical performance in the fabrication, repair and assembly of aircraft components on short to medium-range airliners, such as the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320,” says Michaud.
Wind Energy Properties
Michaud says wind energy is another key market for composites, noting that blade manufacturers are focused on the continuous improvement of wind turbine performance.

“The requirements for developing higher-performance mate- rials, with the emphasis on lowering toxic risk, while sustaining favourable processing conditions, are another key area on which Huntsman is actively concentrating its efforts.
“Technical and market devel- opments over the past two decades have turned this once marginal application into a global giant, which is also fast becoming one of the world’s largest markets for composites.”
Michaud says wind energy is the preferred choice of power generation technology in Europe as the continent moves towards cleaner, renewable power which is expected to supply industry, business and homes with clean electricity for many years to come.
“With more than ten years’ experience operating in the com- posites market, Huntsman Advanced Materials’ research and development and technical team is continuously working to improve the structural integrity and mechanical requirements of the parts and products of tomorrow as the uptake of composites continues to gather momentum across industry as a whole,” he concludes.