While the benefits of carbon fibre have long been known, production costs can be up to 10 times more than that of traditional materials, and difficulty in shaping CFRP parts has hampered the mass production of automotive components made from the material.

Nissan says it has found a new approach to the existing production method known as compression resin transfer moulding. The existing method involves forming carbon fibre into the right shape and setting it in a die with a slight gap between the upper die and the carbon fibres. Resin is then injected into the fibre and left to harden.

Nissan’s engineers developed techniques to accurately simulate the permeability of the resin in carbon fibre while visualising resin flow behaviour in a die using an in-die temperature sensor and a transparent die. The result of the successful simulation was a high-quality component with a shorter development time.

Executive Vice President Hideyuki Sakamoto said in the live presentation on YouTube that the CFRP parts would start being used in mass-produced sport-utility vehicles in four or five years time, thanks to a new casting procedure for the poured resin. The cost savings come from shortening the production time from about three or four hours to just two minutes, Sakamoto said.

The post Nissan Showcases new CFRP Process That Reduces Moulding Times by up to 80% appeared first on Composites Today.

The acquisition means Teijin will access the companies automotive composite technologies and further strengthen the companies solution development capabilities as a component supply partner of automotive OEM customers in Europe.

We are growing our automotive composites business with our proprietary lightweight, high-performance materials, and superior multi-material design capabilities served by our hubs in Europe, North America and Asia. Benet Automotive’s well-established technologies and sales channels will further enhance our capabilities as a tier-one automotive supplier and help spur further innovation. Akio Nakaishi, General Manager of Teijin’s Composites Business Unit

Teijin is targeting automotive composite business sales of approximately EUR 1.7 billion (USD 2 billion) by 2030.

The post Teijin Finalises Acquisition of Benet Automotive appeared first on Composites Today.

Mitsubishi Rayon will supply the large tow carbon fibre produced at its Otake Production Centre to the joint venture based in Denmark. The moulding and processing technologies of Fiberline, will be used to enable light-weight, price competitive composite laminates supply to the wind turbine blade market.

In recent years, the size of wind turbine blades have become longer as the widespread installation of off-shore wind power systems and the increasing importance of low wind site development demand more efficient power generation. Such large-sized wind turbine blades require carbon fibres replacing conventional glass fibres due to their rigidity and light-weight properties.

Carbon fibre composite laminates for wind turbine blades made using a pultrusion processes are superior in composite performance and process speed compared to other carbon fibre composite materials, this being reflected in the full-scale adoption of these by the world’s leading turbine manufacturer. Consequently pultruded laminates have become the industry standard. MRC will seek to expand its share in the carbon fibres wind turbine market through this joint venture.

The post Mitsubishi & Fiberline Team up to Create Wind Turbine Blades appeared first on Composites Today.

The factory is Mitsubishi Electric’s core production and testing site for solar array panels, structural panels and other satellite components. The new facility, which will commence production in October 2017, is expected to help the company continue growing its share of the global satellite market.

The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of satellite components, most notably structures made with advanced composite materials, including solar array panels,structural panels and antennas.

The company has a rich history of providing global satellite manufacturers with solar array panels, structural panels and antennas produced at its Kamakura Works. Over the years, Mitsubishi Electric has developed a substantial share of this market.

The new facility will introduce a number of advanced manufacturing machines, such as high-precision machining equipment and automated welding machines, which will help the factory to double its production capacity. Existing machines currently dispersed throughout the factory will be concentrated in the new facility. The realisation of seamlessly integrated production processes — from component and panel production to final testing — and improved productivity through the application of information technology, will further increase production efficiency, shorten production time, reduce costs and elevate product quality.

The post Mitsubishi to Increase Composite Satellite Production appeared first on Composites Today.

The longterm aim of the venture is to manufacture high-pressure hydrogen carbon fibre cylinders for fuel cell vehicles in the Japanese market, a world leader in the transition to hydrogen-based energy.

The plan would integrate and leverage the high-pressure cylinder manufacturing technology of Hexagon Composites, a leading manufacturer of carbon fibre-reinforced high-pressure cylinders, the comprehensive capabilities of Mitsui, including its customer assets and marketing know-how, and the capacity of Toray to supply competitive, high-quality carbon fibre and develop new technologies.

The development of lighter parts and materials to reduce energy consumption by transportation equipment, especially in motor vehicles, is seen as an important approach to the solution of this problem. The market for lightweight materials, such as carbon fibre, is expected to expand rapidly.

Hexagon Lincoln, Mitsui, and Toray are motivated to contribute to the Japanese government plans to make the 2020 Tokyo Olympics the starting point for the creation of a hydrogen society by commencing domestic production of high-pressure hydrogen cylinders as functional components for these fuel cell vehicles.

The post Companies Team up to Develop Japanese Hydrogen Market appeared first on Composites Today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=32&v=SIorJpr784o

The carbon fibre material creates a light and very strong rope like rod that is said to be ten times stronger than iron. Using computer technology the position of the carbon rods were calculated to respond to the seismic force and motion generated from north to south, and east to west.

The lightweight carbon fibre composite has also been used on the inside of the building which features white draped fabrics that replicate the exterior. The green roof is topped with another Komatsu Seiren product called Greenbiz, a porous spongy ceramic panel made using the waste material generated from carbon fibre production.

The post Kengo Kuma Protects Office with Carbon Fibre Curtain appeared first on Composites Today.

Integrating advanced fibres development functions previously handled by the Osaka Research Centre, as well related company-wide solutions development and engineering, the Technology Development Centre will serve as a core R&D base and nexus of cross-business solutions development to fortify Teijin’s capabilities in the high-performance fibres business and support its development of composite materials and solutions combining products and services.

The company is developing new solutions by integrating key capabilities among its diverse businesses and technologies. The Technology Development Centre will enable the group to rapidly address cross-business solutions development and oversee entire processes, from materials to end products and services.

The 7,700 m2 centre has facilities for test production and evaluation of super-tough lightweight structural materials, design and evaluation of smart wearables and a burn evaluation system for protective clothing (to be transferred from Osaka Research Centre in December). The centre is also equipped with facilities for design, test production, measurement, analysis and evaluation of materials, parts, products and services.

The Technology Development Centre will focus on developing solutions for high-performance composite materials and expanding its scope of monitoring services. Projects are already underway for smart wearables and super-tough lightweight structural materials to be developed by integrating high-performance materials and IT.

The post Teijin Opens New Technology Development Centre appeared first on Composites Today.

The Automotive Business Development Group launched on the 1st of April as a new entity directly under the Carbon Fibres & Composites Business Unit. It’s responsible for marketing thermoplastic CFRP formerly handled by Toho Tenax and the Teijin Composites Innovation Centre, which will now focus on developing technologies for individual projects.

Integrating and reorganising these functions will enable the Teijin to accelerate its CFRP business, especially in the highly promising automotive field. Teijin wants to become Japan’s leading provider of CFRP composites for automotive applications.

Current efforts are focused on developing automotive CFRP products for global automakers in Japan and other countries. Toho Tenax, which spearheads Teijin’s carbon fibres and composites business, is developing automotive-use products such as high-efficiency thermoset CFRP and rapid-curing carbon fibre sheet pre-impregnated with matrix resin.

The post Teijin Looking to Accelerate its Automotive CFRP Business appeared first on Composites Today.

The company has designed the fibre reinforced wood using its expertise in fibre-reinforced composites, including its own aramid fibres and carbon fibres by its subsidiary Toho Tenax.

Carbon fibre reinforced wood, laminated timber that includes layers of highly rigid, thin-walled carbon fibre, achieves twice the flexural rigidity of conventional laminated timber. CFRW offers enhanced durability and design qualities for use as structural beams. The targeted development of the advanced-fibre wood is expected to extend applications to medium-rise buildings. Teijin will continue developing the advanced-fibre wood technology by incorporating high-toughness aramid fibres, highly rigid carbon fibre and other hybrid materials.

Recent seismic disasters in Japan have increased the demand for the construction of safer architectural structures. Lightweight, highly earthquake-proof wooden structures are one possible solution. Wood is also valued as a structural material offering heat resistance, design possibilities and soothing natural appearances. In addition, Japan is working actively to revive its forestry industry. The new Legislation on Promotion of Use of Wood in Public Buildings, which was enacted in 2007, calls for the increased use of wood in low-rise public buildings, such as gymnasiums and public-service and local government buildings.

The post Teijin to Develop Advanced Fibre-Reinforced Wood appeared first on Composites Today.

According to reports on the Nikkei, General purpose carbon fibre used in sports equipment like golf club shafts, tennis rackets bikes is now trading at $25 per kilogram on the global market, thats 15–25% higher than its lowest price, set back in 2012

Carbon-fibre used for general purpose manufacturing was often used in high end sports utility bikes, but now is being used in smaller bikes and more often. As for industrial use, the demand growing for carbon fibre among makers of pressure vessels, as the shale gas market grows in the United States.

Discounting for carbon fibre used in the general consumer market, generally regarded as high quality and made by companies in Japan is on the decline with makers directly competing with Taiwanese and Korean rivals less and less.

The prices for high end carbon used in the manufacture of aerospace and automotive parts and relatively flat, as end users have long-term contracts with the big carbon fibre manufacturers. Demand for carbon fibre used by the aerospace industry accounts for 20% of the overall demand.

Prices of general-purpose carbon declined on the global market between 2011 and 2013, due to strong overseas competition, since then the prices have risen although the price level for general purpose carbon is “still so low that makers are unable to make sufficient profits,” according to a Teijin representative.

Some makers have said they wound not want to throw cold water on the momentum for the wider use of carbon by raising prices unnecessarily with Japanese fibre makers hoping to attract demand from end users by using carbon as an alternative to metals and other materials. The environment for export is improving because of the weaker yen. Some market watchers, therefore, expect that carbon fibre prices may not rise steadily.

The post Carbon Fibre Prices Increased by 10% in 2014 appeared first on Composites Today.