TAGS: Automotive High Heat Materials Thermoplastic Composites Cost Efficiency
Plastics processor Ensinger is investing in production capacity expansion for its composites division. Very soon, a high-performance double belt press will begin operation in Rottenburg-Ergenzingen.
The new facility enables the efficient production of thermoplastics composite materials.
Complex Work Steps in Single Production Line
The double belt press from Austrian plant manufacturer Berndorf Band Engineering can be adapted to the specific requirements at any time. Flexible combination of individual components such as heating and cooling modules, and also of a variety of press types, is possible. The modular construction permits the completion of complex work steps on a single production line.
Ensinger will use the new facility to mass-produce fiber-reinforced composites in a continuous production process, at temperatures of up to 400°C. By bringing the double belt press on stream, Ensinger is expanding its range of materials for demanding, high-temperature applications.
The Composites product portfolio includes – among other things – continuous fiber-reinforced semipregs and prepregs along with organosheets, i.e. multi-layer, fully impregnated and consolidated fiber composites. The double belt press can be used for processing unidirectional (UD) materials, UD cross ply materials, laminates and sandwich components with a variety of core materials such as foam or honeycomb. Combinations of textile and polymer matrix materials such as carbon, glass, aramid and natural fibers are also viable. Powder coating and film impregnation are available for impregnation purposes.
Lightweight Composites for Automotive and Aerospace Applications
The tailor-made, cost-efficient engineering composite solutions from Ensinger, which include flame-retardant materials, are perfect for automotive engineering applications and the aerospace industry, in other words branches of industry where functional, lightweight components are required. The sustainable polymer solutions are particularly suitable for passenger aircraft, drones and UAVs, where they replace thermosetting or metal structural parts and components.
“
By expanding the value added chain and our production capacities, we will be even better placed to meet the worldwide demand for thermoplastic composites. This investment enables us to use grown opportunities in all segments and to strategically position ourselves in the global market for thermoplastics,” says Daniel Grauer, who is responsible for international business development in Ensinger’s Composites division.
Source: Ensinger
