Hexcel Corporation will be promoting the latest composite solutions and applications developed for the aerospace market. From the newly launched HexTow HM63 carbon fiber to a HexTOOL display that demonstrates why composites are better than metal, the Company will also be offering valuable insight on HiTape reinforcements during a panel discussion on the latest textile technologies in the world of composites.

 

HexTow HM63 Carbon Fiber

Hexcel will be displaying a roll of PrimeTex 200gm fabric made with HexTow HM63 high modulus carbon fiber for aerospace applications at SAMPE Tech.

 

HexTow HM63 is a new High Modulus carbon fiber which has the highest tensile strength of any HM fiber and provides outstanding translation of fiber properties in a composite, including superior interlaminar shear and compression shear strength.  

 

It is ideal for any high stiffness and strength-critical applications including space, satellites, UAV, commercial aerospace and helicopters.  It also meets the special requirements for premium sports and recreation applications including F1, marine craft, bikes and fishing rods.

 

HiTape Aircraft Fuselage Panel Demonstrator

To demonstrate the potential of HiTape for cost and cycle efficient next generation aircraft primary structures, Hexcel has worked with Aerolia SAS and Coriolis Composites to design and manufacture an aircraft fuselage panel demonstrator to be displayed at SAMPE Tech.  This panel shows that parts made with HiTape and HexFlow RTM6 meet the high mechanical performance requirements, including toughness, for primary structures.

 

HiTape advanced dry carbon fiber reinforcements provide aircraft designers the benefits of automated processing with the cost-effectiveness of Out of Autoclave infusion technologies.  Parts produced with HiTape and Hexcel’s HexFlow infusion resins can be up to 30mm thick with a 58 to 60% Fiber Volume Content, resulting in mechanical properties that are as high as those achieved with primary structure prepregs.

 

HexTOOL Tooling Material

Also on display will be a composite mold tool for engine fan blades.  Hexcel’s patented composite tooling material enables the tolerance accuracy achieved with metals to be combined with the extreme lightness of carbon fiber composites. HexTOOL molds are easy to repair and are simple to modify. This new concept for lightweight, efficient large-scale tools is cost-effective compared with conventional composite tools and metal molds, especially those made from Invar. 

 

Hexcel’s display tool was manufactured by Sawyer Composite for CFAN using HexTOOL M61 tooling material. HexTOOL was selected by CFAN to manufacture composite fan blade layup tools for the GE90 and GEnx engines after a 22-month evaluation of composite tool technologies. More than 80 HexTOOL tools are presently in production use at their facilities with more planned.