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Welcome to the articles that were included in the Winter 2012 Newsletter. To subscribe please send an email to info@compositesuk.co.uk with Subscribe Composites UK in the subject line
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 National Composites Hub
Background
The UK Composites Strategy published by BIS in 2009 focuses on advanced composites where it is believed the UK can build a competitive advantage, increase our market share of existing sectors and ensure the use of composites in new industries.
The UKTI market report published in 2011 estimates that there are currently around 1,500 companies involved in the UK composites industry of which almost 85% of activity is undertaken by the 38 largest companies. Outside the top 38 companies the UK supply chain is made up of smaller firms supplying into a variety of industry sectors and export. SME companies are often innovative and forward thinking but lack the financial resource to fully develop new ideas – this is why collaborative working is critical to their future success. Collaboration needs to occur across the supply chain and also between large and small companies alike.
The global composites industry is becoming increasingly competitive. According to market experts, the global industry for composites materials is estimated to grow by 4-6% in the next 5 years. The two sectors that will drive this growth are anticipated to be aerospace and wind energy. Many competitor countries have recognised the strategic importance of composite materials and support their companies to develop capability to provide them with a global comparative advantage. Thus the UK is only likely to remain competitive by grasping commercial opportunities and building on the expertise and capability we already have to become a world class player. In order to do this we need a collaborative approach and improve joined-up activities. The UK Composites Strategy highlighted 4 key requirements:
• Leadership and coordination
• Value/supply chain development
• Technology development
• Skills development
The National Composites Hub has been formed to bring together the key national delivery partners to achieve this.
Purpose/Vision
The National Composites Hub is a sustainable coordinating infrastructure to ensure the success of the UK composites industry. It brings together collaborating partners who will deliver complimentary support to meet industry needs.
Operation/Mission
Based at the National Composites Centre in Bristol the newly established National Composites Hub brings together the industry support offered by the National Composites Centre and Composites Skills Alliance together with Composites UK the growing industry trade body. They will operate using shared industry information to ensure that all sizes and types of companies, as well as other organisations working in composites, are offered strong representation and the most effective support solutions for their businesses.
Industry Support
The partners bring together distinct support offers including:
National Composites Centre
• Providing world class technology development facilities
• Leading the wider national network of regional composite centres of excellence
• Feeding into High Value Manufacturing Technology Innovation Centre
Composites Skills Alliance
• Brings together the work of the Sector Skills Councils and the National Skills Academies to make sure that the necessary skills are available
• Generates quality assured and widely marketed composite training products
• Developing a growing training provider network drawn from FE, HE and industry
Composites UK
• Building sector information and understanding
• Providing supply chain and international trade opportunities in collaboration with UKTI
• Enabling collaborative industry programmes for technology, skills and trade opportunities
The Hub will be coordinated by a management group meeting on a monthly basis and comprised of representatives from the above bodies along with other relevant invited groups.
Hub Benefit examples
Members and affiliates of the NCC along with members of Composites UK will be provided with ready access to skills and training packages associated with their technology interests.
It will provide the infrastructure necessary to enable collaborative groups to understand and deliver shared technology trade and skills activities.
It will enable easy access to a joined up offer of fully integrated delivery from all partners ensuring cross-company needs are met.
The hub will produce a joint UK industry newsletter and manage a shared events programme, thus maximising dissemination impact and efficiency.
The Hub will be launched in early march through a focused event to be held at the NCC in Bristol.
More information can be requested from Composites UK on info@compositesuk.co.uk.
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 JEC 2012 – UK Country of Honour
The UK will be the Country of Honour for the JEC Europe 2012 show. The show goes from strength to strength each year with an increasing number of companies choosing to exhibit and visit the exhibition.
Composites UK, Composites Skills Alliance, UKTI and The National Composites Centre (NCC) are working together to coordinate a greater UK presence at the 2012 JEC exhibition. The aim of this is to raise the profile of the UK composites industry and demonstrate to the international market that we are ‘open for business’.
Composites UK is coordinating a large UK pavilion showcasing expertise from UK organisations over 200m2 of floorspace. We are currently looking to extend this to enable more companies to participate and meet the overwhelming response. In addition to the pavilion, over 30 other UK companies are taking individual stands at the show. UKTI TAP grants are available to support exhibiting SME companies and encourage growth in export opportunities. The forum sessions, innovation showcase area and technical sales sessions will further demonstrate UK capability.
The UK ambassador has been invited to present the JEC Innovation Awards and to be guest of honour at the evening reception on Tuesday 27th March.
Note - Companies sharing the pavilion:
Composites UK
National Composites Centre
Composites Skills Alliance
British Composites Society
Farecla
Surface Generation
SGS Carbide (UK) Ltd
BW Cutters
Aptec
Amber Composites
Andpak
Green Marine
Norco
NCCEF
For more details contact Composites UK - info@compositesuk.co.uk.
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 Zwick Roell 20th International Materials Testing Forum welcomed over 2000 visitors from around the world
Zwick Roell a leading global supplier of testing equipment, welcomed over 2000 visitors to the annual testXpo event which was recently held at the its Ulm, Germany headquarters.
The event featured an extensive range of materials and component testing demonstrations and provided an opportunity for visitors to discuss their specific interests with industry sector specialists. There were also opportunities to attend technical presentations covering many testing relating topics and important changes in international testing standards.
The launch of the new testControl II digital control system and associated intuitive software for the Zwick Allround range of static testing machines, once again demonstrated the company’s commitment to developing world class products incorporating significant benefits for the end users. The company also announced their initiative in the dynamic testing market with the introduction of a new controller and software for fatigue testing applications.
Other highlights included a fully automated specimen preparation and testing cell for steel reinforcement, a new range of video and laser non-contacting extensometers and their latest A-Flow machine for rapid determination of polymer melt flow properties. Zwick also demonstrated modernisation solutions for older generation testing machines where the replacement of the control system would give the machine a new lease of life and improved reliability.
Dr Stefan Roell the Group CEO, reported significant growth in the composites, plastics and medical sectors, with excellent sales into the metals testing market and rapidly increasing business in academic institutions around the world. He said that Zwick was acknowledged as a world leader in robotic testing systems which improve testing efficiency and eliminate possible operator error and that 2011 would conclude with order intake at a record high exceeding all previous years. The 21st testXpo event will take place in Germany from the 15th to 18th October 2012.
Website: www.zwick.co.uk
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 In 2 different projects the M2000 Material monitoring system was employed to help the operation of spraying resin and glassfibre controlling usage and waste.
Company A.
Purchased from MVP 4 M2000 material monitoring systems to run on each of their MVP chopper spray systems manufacturing a wide variety of products for the water and waste water treatment industry.
Tests were conducted to measure actual weights of each product being sprayed without using the M2000 monitoring system. It was found that each part being made was either above or below its target weight and in some cases twice the weight.
The M2000 monitors were installed and the operators started to follow the real time monitoring of the spray process so they could apply the correct amount of resin and glass at the correct ratio.
After running the M2000 monitors for a month they could already see large savings in resin and glass usage.
Based on a 12 month production run the company has conservatively estimated a saving in materials of 100K at the current pricing of resin and glass.
This figure is based on current production levels which if increased the savings would grow with them.
The company have installed a data link to the 4 M2000 monitors and plan to integrate the bill of materials and production planning with the aid of the information collect from the M2000 monitoring system.
Company B.
Purchased 2 M2000 material monitoring systems along with 2 new MVP Patriot FIT chopper spray systems manufacturing a variety of products for the water and waste treatment industry.
Prior to the installation the customer ran different high pressure spray equipment and no monitoring and hence the part thickness and weights varied between operations.
The low pressure Spray equipment and M2000 were installed and the first moulds sprayed showed the consistency of the laminate and the actual weight being sprayed.
The M2000 also shows a real time glass percentage being sprayed so the operators could adjust the equipment to give an optimum ratio of glass to resin to maximise strength. Running at levels of around 40% glass to resin ratio the wall thickness on many of the products was reduced, but still keeping the integrity and saving costs on the weight of the part.
Other cost savings for the company were less waste on the floor and spray booth due to the efficiency of the new spray equipment which employs the patented FIT (Fluid Impingement Technology). A basic calculation revealed over a 50% saving in overspray waste compared to the previous equipment they had in use.
The company also installed a data link to collect the information from each part sprayed to be used in costings and material purchasing.
Website: www.mvpeurope.co.uk
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 FORMAX appoints Andercol to distribute its extensive range of glass and carbon fibre reinforcement materials in Latin America.
FORMAX, a leading global manufacturer of glass and carbon fibre multiaxial reinforcements, is pleased to announce the appointment of Andercol as the new distributor of FORMAX materials to the Latin American market with immediate effect.
Andercol, part of the multinational Mundial Group, manufactures and distributes industrial paint systems and resins throughout Latin America. The company is based in Columbia but also trades throughout the continent, with significant sales volumes in Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela and Mexico.
The appointment will enable FORMAX to rapidly expand its sales of glass and carbon fibre multiaxial reinforcements within the growing Latin American market, as well as enhancing its service to existing customers, both technically and commercially.
Customers can receive information from:
Oliver Wessely, MD, FORMAX - Oliver.wessely@formax.co.uk
Felipe Rengifo Uribe - felipe.rengifo@novapol.com.br
Esteban Tous Ramirez - esteban.tr@novapol.com.br
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 East Midlands composites engineering firm Atlas Composites is following the map to success after earning a coveted aerospace accreditation and securing financial backing to continue its expansion.
Atlas Composites, based in Ilkeston, is one of only four composite engineering firms in the UK to achieve the AS9100 Rev C recognition standard for the aerospace, space and defence sectors, and is aiming to strengthen its position in the sectors further having recently become a new customer of Yorkshire Bank.
The firm, which was formed in 1997, has increased its staff numbers by 10 per cent over the last six months.
It now employs more than 60 staff at its 25,000 sq ft production facility on the Quarry Hill Industrial Estate and counts Airbus, BAE Systems, MBDA and Lockheed Martin among its client roster.
Managing director Shaun Moloney said Atlas Composites is well placed to build on its strong position in the industry having decided to become a new member of Yorkshire Bank’s Nottingham Financial Solutions Centre (FSC).
“We design and manufacture a diverse range of carbon, kevlar and glass fibre composite components for a wide range of industries, including the aerospace, defence, motorsport, energy and communications sectors,” he said.
“AS9100 Rev C recognition is not easy to achieve and is a benchmark of high quality in our field and attaining this puts us in a strong position to become the preferred supplier of major players in a host of industries. Only a select group of companies in the UK have earned this recognition and of these only four, including ourselves, are composite engineering firms.”
“We’ve enjoyed substantial growth over the last year or so, which has led to us adding to our team so we are really on a high having also won this accreditation. Our clients demand continuous improvement from their supply chain, and having Yorkshire Bank on board will give us the ability to plan for future expansion of the company and continue to lead the way when it comes to the design and manufacture of the next generation composite structures.”
Carl Dickinson, managing partner at Yorkshire Bank’s Nottingham FSC on Castle Meadow Road, said Atlas Composites is well placed to achieve further growth and success.
“Atlas Composites has built a strong reputation for designing and manufacturing diverse products for a host of high-profile companies across a wide range of sectors,” he said.
“Achieving this quality mark is a real endorsement of the high standards the company sets and the bank is delighted to be supporting Shaun and his team.”
Website: www.atlascomposites.com
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 Fatigue analysis of composites now a reality - Webinar available
Specialist fatigue software developers, Safe Technology, based in Sheffield, have developed an add- on module for the fatigue analysis of unidirectional composites. Safe Technology is renowned for specialist fatigue knowledge in metals, and this expertise has now been extended for the first time to composite materials. fe-safe/Composites is the first commercially available software for the fatigue analysis of composite materials and was developed in collaboration with composites specialist company, Firehole Composites.
You can watch a 45 minute introduction to this ground breaking new technology here.
For further information please contact info@safetechnology.com or visit www.safetechnology.com
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 Euroresins officially launched its new machinery division at the recent UK Composites Show, offering the UK composites market a full range of engineering and machinery solutions.
Euroresins state that “the introduction of the Bufatec range of machinery is in response to a clear gap we identified within the UK market.”
Euroresins UK has always prided itself as being able to offer a ‘one stop shop’ - able to supply customers with a total package of materials with their extensive range of materials including DSM Resins, Bufa resins Gelcoats and Bonding pastes, as well as PPG glass, United Initiators catalyst, core materials, tools, PPE, and many other materials and equipment the customer may need.
Euroresins have recognised that the hole in the UK market has been that customers could not obtain from one source a complete package including application machinery, servicing and spares made under their own brand. This has now been rectified with the introduction of the Bufatec range of machinery and engineering solutions.
Bufatec are a sister company of Euroresins, and as such Euroresins are able to extend a truly unique integrated systems package to customers for all of their demands, including materials and machinery.
Exhibiting at the UK Composites Show, Euroresins received particular interest in their Gamma 4 bonding paste application machine, and their ES1 gelcoat keg spray application machine which were both showcased on their stand.
Website: www.euroresins.com
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 ‘Araldite’ boat is the first flax fiber prototype to enter and complete the legendary 6.50 Transat race
Demonstrating the possibilities of constructing a racing boat reinforced with flax fibers, the ‘Araldite’ has crossed the finishing line in the Transat 6.50 Charente-Maritime in 15th place. This is the first flax fiber built boat to take part in and finish the legendary race.
“The going was relentless and many competitors were forced to abandon because of the extremely harsh weather conditions, but in spite of the many challenges that were thrown our way, including an energy problem that forced us to turn back to Cape Verde for essential repairs, this race has given me one of the greatest challenges of my life,” said Thibault Reinhart, skipper of the ‘Araldite’.
“We set about designing the ‘Araldite’ with the firm intention of proving the possibilities of building solid and robust racing boats from environmentally friendly natural fibers. The idea was to bring flax fiber over to the other side of the ocean in this legendary race. By finishing in 15th place, flax fiber has just proven its worth in naval construction and thanks to the performance undertaken, many more boats may be built with this natural fiber in years to come. I’m very proud of the achievement and even prouder of this great boat.”
Having left La Rochelle on 25th September, Thibault Reinhart arrived in Salvador de Bahia on 2nd November after 28 days, 20 hours and 8 seconds at sea on board the ‘Araldite’.
Sponsored by Huntsman Advanced Materials, the boat takes its name from the company’s award winning range of Araldite® products. Huntsman also provided technical support for the project.
To develop the flax reinforced system, Lineo, a Belgium company specialising in flax reinforcements, provided the diverse fibers, specially treated to ensure perfect compatibility between the flax and an Araldite® warm curing system.
Huntsman and Lineo issued the necessary laminate mechanical properties used for designing the boat’s diverse parts. In total, flax fiber constitutes 50% of the boat’s structure, with the remaining 50% being reinforced with traditional carbon fibers.
Araldite®, Huntsman Advanced Materials’ flagship brand, is best known for adhesives in both key industrial sectors and the consumer domain, so this sponsorship is seen as a natural link for Huntsman.
Website: www.huntsman.com/advanced_materials
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 IDAC carries out a Blast Vent Panel Explicit Dynamics Analysis
Background
In recent times the need to protect ourselves from the hazards of explosive or ballistic attacks, either as a result of an accident or terrorist activity, has increased. This has led to the development of a number of products to help resist blast pressures, which often require analysis using advanced finite element modelling techniques.
One such example is the assessment of a blast panel which is designed to help vent blast pressures following an event within a structure. The blast panel is designed to deform plastically under blast loading, to enable the blast pressures to vent out into the atmosphere. The design of the panel is specific to the building and the threat, and would be fitted internally to the wall at risk. Generally the blast panels would be lightweight so that they fail quickly to enable adequate venting.
Moreover, because the buildings are often located in close proximity to other explosive facilities it is important that the external face of the blast wall is capable of resisting the applied blast load generated from a neighbouring facility and thereby avoiding sympathetic detonation and protecting personnel within the building.
In many cases the blast panels are made of stainless steel, with corrugations running top to bottom. They would be connected to the supporting structure with the use of steel sub-frame and mechanical fixings. A blast panel would be ‘rated’ to fail at a certain pressure, and designed by the manufacturer to resist an external dynamic pressure with some permanent deformation.
The blast panels considered in this case study were used in a variety of situations such as in explosive storage manufacturing compounds.
Analysis
IDAC were required to demonstrate how an explicit dynamic analysis could be carried out on a model of a steel vent panel made using pressed steel sections, and being subjected to an internal blast load. ANSYS Explicit STR was used for this purpose. The ANSYS Explicit STR program is based on the solver of the ANSYS AUTODYN analysis program and it is fully integrated into the ANSYS Workbench environment. The Explicit STR program requires a pressure time history load (an example of which is shown in the graphic to the right) to be supplied by the user. For more complex analyses, where the location and the weight of the explosive needs to be supplied, ANSYS AUTODYN can be used and the pressure wave can then be calculated by the software itself.
The geometry for this analysis was created within ANSYS and the quarter symmetry Finite Element (FE) model can be seen in the graphic to the left. The blast vent panel was made up of a single skin of steel plate which was spanning on to a supporting steel structure. The model was meshed entirely with membrane elements.
The vent panel material properties, loading conditions and constraints were provided by DGA, with the loading being supplied in the form of a pressure time history. The load was applied as a pressure on one face of the panel.
The results showed that the panel was capable of resisting the externally applied blast pressure but enabled venting in the event of an internal detonation. On inspection of the results it could be seen that the analysis had been successful in modelling the membrane action of the steel plate under dynamic loading.
The contour plots obtained from the analysis were used to indentify parts of the plate which were over stressed. The plots indicated in red where the stress within the vent panel had exceeded the material yield strength.
The graphics below show the total deformation contour plots of a quarter symmetry model at key intervals throughout the dynamic analysis.
Benefit
Having proven to DGA that ANSYS Explicit STR was capable of solving the blast vent panel, IDAC have carried out further analyses for DGA for other blast resistant elements such as blast door panels.
Patrick Goudkil of DGA says “We find it extremely useful to have access to IDAC’s FEA team as they have a vast amount of experience in using the software. It is very reassuring knowing that they are there if we need help in developing a model. Often it is just useful to speak to someone before we embark on a design because by talking it through with the IDAC team we are able to avoid potential problems and often we are able to provide a more efficient analysis.”
Website: www.idac.co.uk
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 A very traditional boat built using modern manufacturing methods
Composite Integration has supplied RTM and infusion equipment and expertise into a very wide range of marine applications including the Princess 40- the world’s largest production resin-infused vessel.
Alongside this large-scale work several smaller, but no less important projects have also been completed successfully including an important new boat for the well known yacht builders, Cornish Crabbers.
The all new David Thomas designed Cornish Crabber 12 is not only the latest addition to the eye-catching range, but is also features an entirely resin-infused structure.
Composite Integration were engaged in partnership with the Cornwall College based ‘Marine Innovation Service’ to introduce resin infusion into the company with the new boat as a real-life demonstrator.
With the London Boat Show as the deadline and led by process Coordinator Will Harris, the team was faced with the challenge of introducing a new manufacturing technique, training the workforce, specifying and delivering the necessary materials and equipment and building the first boat all within a period of a few months.
Composite Integration supplied the vacuum system and an injection machine that allows the resin to be mixed and injected under full control and with minimum wastage.
As well as ensuring cleaner and safer working conditions, this will also ensure that every hull is built to the same exacting engineered specifications. Weight and laminate quality are controlled and repeatable whilst wastage and work-place emissions are reduced.
The first boat was finished and launched for trials just a few days before Christmas and has exceeded all expectations.
Composite Integration Ltd are proud to be part of yet another triumph in the journey of Cornish Crabbers towards becoming an efficient and modern company whilst maintaining their reputation for quality and style.
Website: www.composite-integration.co.uk
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 New Training Courses for 2012
Having updated the UK’s National Occupational Standards for Composites in 2011, Dark Matter Composites Ltd (DMC) has taken the opportunity to update its training course content accordingly along with new courses to meet the demands of industry for 2012.
Resin Infusion & Light RTM
Considering the current requirement to reduce costs, improve quality and exposure limits/concerns relating to styrene, the new ‘Resin Infusion & Light RTM’ course includes the full range of infusion technologies and low cost closed moulding technologies in a one week intensive course. As industry sectors such as marine recover and general industry grows in its use of composites, this course is ideally placed to address current and future industry needs for low cost consistent composite products.
Advanced Composite Repair
With the increased use of composites and the need for acceptance of structural composite repairs, Dark Matter Composites have revised their ‘Repair of Composites’ course and introduced an ‘Advanced Composite Repair’ course. Composite repair is often an afterthought or conducted as a maintenance activity, whereas Dark Matter Composites considers it as a process in its own right. It is a multi-disciplined process that requires extensive control to ensure reliability. Key process stages such as dust generation/control, surface preparation, material identification and laminate specification are often taken for granted. However, this is not necessarily the case and Dark Matter Composite’s cross sector course highlights and addresses these issues.
Laminate & Tooling Design
The move from metal to composite parts across a number of industry sectors, as well as the continual advances within the composites industry, requires accelerated training in order to address shortfalls in the experience of personnel. Over the last 5 years Dark Matter Composites engineers and designers course has proved to be the most widely used and accepted course to fulfil this need. To meet industry needs, the ‘Laminate and Tooling Design’ course follows on from previous courses. Delegates address further issues relating to composite engineering by applying key theory to design problems to achieve solutions in a structured manner. For those familiar with the pre-requisite courses, the new course sets the bar even higher.
‘Anticipating industry needs keeps us at the forefront of composite training. The level of investment required to develop and run these new courses in terms of technical content, course structure, tutor training and tooling is extensive, but it is an investment that we are committed to which makes our provision world class and second to none.’ Rodney Hansen, Managing Director, Dark Matter Composites.
Full course information is available on the company website www.darkmattercomposites.co.uk.
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Cutwel are the UK and Ireland agent for Karnasch and YG-1, manufacturers of high end quality precision tools for cutting Composite materials.
Established in 1996 Cutwel Ltd are a leading supplier for cutting tools used in the Aerospace, Defence, Automotive, F1 Racing, Rail, Medical, Power Generation, Offshore, Sports, Leisure and many other established manufacturing areas.
Cutwel have a well established technical department that use time served engineers with a wealth of knowledge in the manufacturing industry, they can give sound clear advice and make best choice tooling recommendations
The knowledge of these engineers is paramount to getting the best use from these precision tools , they play a very important roll in the correct cutter selection giving knowledgeable advice and educating users on the latest products available for machining composite materials.
A prime example for keeping customers up to date on the latest technical advancements on cutting tools is the hardness comparison and coating charts. Diamond is the hardest natural known material to man with technical advancements in manufacturing processes Karnasch are able to manufacture cutters from CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition). They are the world’s first supplier with a complete range of CVD Tools - for increased tool life and performance over PCD tooling. They allow materials like carbon fibre with an abrasive wear nature to be machined more consistently with the added benefits of good and long tool life.
CVD - High end super finish cutter
Karnasch Hardness Comparison Chart
Karnasch Coatings Chart
The Cutwel technical department can always advise customers on the correct selection of cutting tools. Selecting the correct tool for any cutting application can reap significant rewards in terms of tool life, surface finish, reduced machine cycle times and tool cost savings.
Having the correct understanding of what tools are made from can play a huge part in any manufacturing process. Diamond cutters can increase tool life from 50 -250 times that of conventional carbide, CVD can increase tool life even further!
The correct cutter geometry tools can prevent delamination and increase productivity
YG-1 offer prime examples
Use Carbide drills with Diamond Coating.
• Special Point Type to improve hole quality for Composite Materials
• Minimized burr and delamination at entry and exit of hole.
• Increases cutting performance
• Long tool life and increased production by Diamond Coating.
Advantages of Solid Carbide Router for Composite Material
• Lower cutting resistance and reduced temperatures.
• Reduce delamination and burrs when machining Composite Material.
• Excellent abrasion resistance by adopting diamond coating
Website: www.cutwel.net
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