#Composites

2019-07-11

New Consortium HAICoPAS targets innovative solutions for carbon thermoplastic composite structures.

Hexcel, Arkema and their partners are pleased to announce that their joint collaborative project “HAICoPAS” has received approval from Bpifrance and the support (grant of 6 million euros) of France’s Investissements d’Avenir program.

HAICoPAS project is a collaborative project with a total amount of 13.5 million euros lead by Hexcel and Arkema and their industrial partners (Ingecal, Coriolis Composites, Pinette Emidecau Industries (PEI) et l'Institut de Soudure), and academia lead by CNRS (PIMM (CNRS - Arts et Me?tiers ParisTech - le Cnam), LTEN (CNRS - Universite? de Nantes). This project follows last year’s announcement of the strategic partnership between Hexcel and Arkema to develop high performance PEKK/carbon fiber UD tapes targeting composite parts for primary aerospace structures.

The HAICoPAS (Highly Automatized Integrated Composites for Performing Adaptable Structures) project aims at optimizing UD tape design and its manufacturing process in view of its use in highly productive, cost competitive, composite part production. The HAICoPAS project also targets the development of a highly productive UD tape placement technology and a new system providing the ability to assemble final parts by welding with in line quality control.

The main market objective is lightweighting at competitive costs for such applications as primary aerospace structures, high volume automotive structural parts, and oil and gas pipes. The recyclability and environmental benefits of the thermoplastic materials and technologies developed within the project will be fully demonstrated and quantified.

The HAiCoPAS project brings together a consortium of complementary, high-level competencies from Hexcel (carbon fiber), Arkema (high-performance polymers) and a number of highly skilled small and medium enterprises (Institut de Soudure, Ingecal, Coriolis Composites, PEI) -- all widely recognized for their expertise in composites production equipment and processes.

The project also benefits from the scientific support of two laboratories: PIMM (CNRS - Arts et Me?tiers ParisTech - le Cnam) and LTEN (CNRS - Universite? de Nantes) which will develop the basic understanding for the optimization of the materials, their processing and long-term behavior in service conditions.

The HAICoPAS project aims to generate a complete supply chain able to:

Supply carbon/thermoplastic UD tapes produced by Hexcel or Arkema.

Provide the associated composite part manufacturing and assembling lines (SME Partners).

This new « material and process» supply chain will thus offer complete light-weighting solutions for the downstream aerospace, automotive and oil and gas industries.

Fewer pores, greater impact tolerance: Peter Dornier Foundation Prize 2026 honours material research on fibre-reinforced composite components for aerospace industry

Microscopically small pores that form during manufacture, or barely visible impact damage, can severely impair the load-bearing capacity and service life of fibre-reinforced composite components. Two young researchers have presented groundbreaking work in this field and will both be awarded the 2026 Peter Dornier Foundation Prize: Dr.-Ing. Benedikt Neitzel from the Technical University of Ilmenau for his doctoral thesis on pore minimisation in the RTM process, and Johanna Buschmann, M.Sc., for her master’s thesis, completed at the German Aerospace Centre, on the improved impact tolerance of 3D fabrics compared to 2D laminates.

JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 highlights Taiwan as a strategic hub for the global composites industry

The third edition of JEC Forum organized in Southeast Asia brought together 350+ participants from 22 countries for three active days of high-level Business Meetings, conferences, and networking, emphasizing Southeast Asia’s growing role in the global composites market. Held for the first time in Taipei from 23 to 24 June 2026, following the successful first editions in Bangkok, JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 confirmed its position as the region’s leading business platform dedicated to the composites industry.

MEL Composites supports ELA Aviation with advanced composite materials

MEL Composites is supplying advanced composite materials and process consumables to ELA Aviation for the production of its next-generation gyroplanes. The collaboration underlines MEL Composites’ growing role in advanced aerospace mobility, providing lightweight materials designed to improve aircraft performance, manufacturing efficiency and structural reliability.

Europe is committed to recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades

Starting in 2026, Europe’s wind energy industry has committed itself to ensuring that wind turbine blades do not end up in landfills once they reach the end of their service life. The EU-funded research project REWIND is exploring ways to reuse this composite waste. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are one of 13 project partners from seven countries.

PERFORMANCE DAYS announces new focus topic & forums for October 2026

With its upcoming October 13–14, 2026 edition, PERFORMANCE DAYS is placing the spotlight on one of the textile industry’s most important transformations: “Bio-Based Materials – From Fiber to Fabric”, a two-part Focus Topic exploring the future of bio-based innovation across the textile value chain. Part 1, presented in October 2026, will focus on fibers and next-generation material developments, while Part 2 at the March 2027 edition will shift the perspective toward dyeing, finishing, additives, and processing technologies.

Febratex 2026 to be the largest edition of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas with 10 exhibition halls

Febratex 2026 will be the largest edition in the history of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas. Dedicated to the textile and apparel manufacturing industries, the event will take place from August 18–21, 2026, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, with a strong focus on technology, sustainability, and business generation.