Tenax non-crimp fabrics and braided fibres qualified for Airbus

The highly automated RTM solution incorporates Tenax Dry Reinforcements Non-Crimp Fabrics (DRNF) and Tenax Braided Fibres (DRBF) to form skins and stiffeners while maintaining existing product interfaces, allowing direct replacement of the all final spoiler components.

Tenax DRNF and Tenax DRBF have been developed for resin infusion and resin transfer moulding processes which can offer higher productivity and component integration than conventional autoclave moulding.

Tenax DRNF are created of bundled carbon fibre filaments being spread out in one direction in multiple layers with different directions, depending on the final component`s structural requirements. The fabrics have excellent fibre orientation which results in better mechanical properties than conventional woven fabric and reaches properties equivalent to aerospace grade thermosetting unidirectional prepreg. Tenax DRBF are applied within the spoiler component structure to act as cavity fillers, these materials have been qualified individually by Airbus specifically for this application.

The combination of the Tenax DRNF and Tenax DRBF achieve the Spirit AeroSystems criteria for aircraft component production such as effective process ability, productivity, and cost efficiency. A320neo spoiler components will be manufactured within a new high-volume production facility in Spirit AeroSystems, Prestwick, Scotland.

Teijin is intensively accelerating its development of mid- to downstream applications for aircraft, such as cost-effective carbon fibres with higher-tenacity and higher-tensile modulus, intermediate materials including Tenax Dry Reinforcement carbon fibre materials, carbon fibre thermoplastic unidirectional pre-impregnated tape (Tenax TPUD), carbon fibre thermoplastic consolidated laminate (Tenax TPCL) and thermoset prepreg.

Going forward, Teijin intends to further strengthen its carbon fibre and its intermediate material business as a leading solution provider for aircraft applications.

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