Cygnet Texkimp, a British machine manufacturer and fiber processor, recently announced the launch of a high-volume production line for thermoplastic composite prepreg tapes.
According to Cygnet Texkimp, the Direct Melt production line is the world's first commercial composite production line that uses standard polymers from PP to PEEK as raw materials to produce high-grade thermoplastic prepregs on an industrial scale.
Andy Whitham, Technical Manager of Cygnet Texkimp, said: "Thermoplastic composites are attractive because of their light weight, high strength, chemical stability, sustainability and recyclability. However, due to the cost of raw materials and the complexity of existing manufacturing processes. It is used in all applications except high-end applications (ie aerospace vehicles, sports cars, golf clubs and wind turbines). The launch of Direct Melt is the company’s first offering to mainstream industrial markets including the automotive and construction industries. A technical route that uses standard raw materials to produce thermoplastic composites safely, efficiently, and in large quantities."
Andy Whitham added: “Direct Melt is able to mass-produce thermoplastic composites in a simpler, cleaner, faster, and more cost-effective way. By using granular standard polymers, we do not affect the quality and performance of the final product. Under the circumstances, the process is greatly simplified and shortened. The compact machine we developed can be easily placed in a relatively small manufacturing plant and can be operated without any special expertise."