#Composites

2020-02-20

Hexcel’s complete composite solutions for marine at JEC World 2020

At JEC World 2020, Hexcel will display components and models from marine composite specialists Gunboat and a leading U.K. superyacht builder, as well as showcase a new low-temperature adhesive film.

Hexcel offers a comprehensive range of DNV GL approved multiaxial fabrics, woven reinforcements, and prepregs aimed at builders of high-performance racing yachts and luxury yachts. Hexcel materials are used for hull and deck structures and for masts and appendages on the most advanced composite marine structures, including racing yachts for the America’s Cup and IMOCA class.

Innovations on display include:

Hexcel’s HiMax™ Carbon Multiaxials and PrimeTex® Woven Carbon Fabrics for Gunboat 68. A scale model of this fast, technologically advanced and elegantly designed sailing catamaran will be on display, illustrating how HiMax™ reinforcements are used to infuse the hull and deck structures of this stunning series-built yacht. Hexcel supplies an optimized package of carbon fiber multiaxial fabrics with fiber weights, fabric architecture, and product width specifically tailored to Gunboat’s epoxy infusion build process. Hexcel PrimeTex® fabrics are used as the outermost layer in the yacht’s construction with the patented fiber spreading process producing a flatter and more uniform surface finish.

New HexBondTM Low-Temperature Adhesive Film. HexBond™ 679 is a 250gsm epoxy adhesive film formulated to be fully compatible with the HexPly® M79 prepreg range. Fully cured in only four hours at 80?, this prepreg adhesive film system offers huge cycle time reductions, provides strong lap shear and peel strength performance, and delivers outstanding mechanical properties in foam and honeycomb sandwich structures.

HexPly® M79 Prepregs for Short Cycle Times. HexPly® M79 prepregs can be cured at 70 Celsius for eight hours or 80 Celsius for four hours, increasing build rates with reduced heating and cooling times. When combined with Hexcel’s innovative air venting grid technology, HexPly® M79 UD carbon tapes can be laminated with reduced debulking steps to produce void contents <1%, irrespective of laminate thickness. With consistently low void contents and improved mechanical properties, naval architects and marine design engineers are now able to further optimize highly loaded composite structures.

HexPly® XF2 Surfacing Prepreg and HexPly® SuperFIT™ Prepregs. Hexcel will demonstrate the exceptional surface finish provided by HexPly® XF2 surfacing prepreg as it exhibits a hardtop sun canopy section from a leading U.K. superyacht builder and a small-scale hull superstructure component.
HexPly® XF2 is a highly drapable single ply prepreg surfacing solution. With a tacky surface for excellent adhesion in the mold and an integrated structural layer providing huge lay-up efficiencies, HexPly® XF2 delivers a high-quality pinhole-free finish straight from the mold, reducing finishing and paint preparation time significantly.
The superstructure component on display also features carbon fiber HexPly® SuperFIT™ prepregs (semi-pregs) providing structural strength below the carbon fiber XF2 surface layer.

Hexcel’s SuperFIT™ products are only partially impregnated with one dry face and one tacky face for easy positioning in the mold, holding each ply to the next. The air pathways in the dry fabric face facilitate the removal of air or volatiles from the laminate, minimizing voids without time consuming debulking steps. For marine applications, the use of HexPly® M79 SuperFIT™ prepregs allow rapid cure cycles at low temperatures and are easy to process in conjunction with conventional HexPly® M79 prepregs.

HexTow® HM54 Carbon Fiber - Hexcel’s carbon fibers provide leading strength and modulus in highly demanding applications. Following the legacy of dependable HexTow® carbon fibers like IM2C, HM63, IM8 (which has been selected for solid carbon rigging for all teams in the 36th America’s Cup) and others used in marine applications, Hexcel has developed a new high modulus fiber, HexTow® HM54. This new fiber offers a higher stiffness that is ideal for applications like masts and foils in the marine industry.

Hexcel’s marine innovations will be on display on the Hexcel booth at JEC World 2020, Hall 5, Booth J41.

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.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

JEC World 2026 confirms its standing as the unmissable event for composites and their applications

JEC World 2026 confirms its position as the leading global event for the composite materials industry and its applications across multiple sectors, bringing together the entire composites ecosystem in Paris for three days of business, innovation, and collaboration. True to its Pushing the Limits motto, the 2026 edition delivered outstanding results despite travel disruptions worldwide. The numbers speak for themselves: more than 1,400 exhibitors from over 50 countries, including over 150 first-timers, presented a global panorama of products, equipment, and services across the entire composites value chain.

YKK develops concept EXCELLA® zipper tape using nonwoven fabric partially derived from used clothing

YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper series made from nonwoven fabric sheets created by fiberizing used clothing and other textile materials. Based on a proposal by fashion designer Yuima Nakazato, this item was created as a result of collaboration between Nakazato, Seiko Epson Corporation and YKK. The concept zipper was incorporated as a material component for pieces in the newest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” which was unveiled in Paris, France on July 8, 2026.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris highlights evolving global sourcing landscape

From 31 August to 2 September 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will bring together more than 1,000 international exhibitors at Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre. This edition reflects the new global balance of textile and apparel sourcing, highlighting a strong diversity of sourcing countries — some unexpected.

Dedicated car seat model of SHIMA SEIKI’s P-CAM® R Cutting Machine unveiled

Leading Japanese textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, showed a special version of its P-CAM® R multi-ply computerized cutting machine dedicated to the production of car seats for the first time, at a private exhibition held over two days on Thursday, July 2nd and Friday, July 3rd at the Kariya City Industrial Promotion Center in Aichi Prefecture.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.