In the field of carbon fiber with superior lightweight, Toray and Teijin will successively put new materials for aircraft on the market. The new product is easy to achieve mass production and processing, and the production cost of parts and components is expected to be reduced by about half in the future. Strive to increase the supply of existing models from around 2021, and provide full-scale supply to new-generation models from around 2025. It is expected that the technological innovation of Japanese companies will accelerate the popularization of aircraft with superior performance such as fuel efficiency.
The two companies will launch new products at the Paris International Aerospace Exhibition, the world's largest aerospace industry exhibition, which will open on June 17.
Carbon fiber weighs only 1/4 of iron and has ten times the strength of iron. Toray, Teijin and Mitsubishi Chemical three Japanese companies hold 60% of the global market share in this field, and they have also attracted much attention worldwide. Three Japanese companies produce composite materials that combine carbon fiber and resin, and supply them to aircraft parts manufacturers.
Toray mainly produces thermoset composites that become hard after heating. By adjusting the blending ratio of the resin, we have developed new products that can shorten the production period by 20 to 30%. The previous products were used for the main wing and fuselage of the American Boeing 787 passenger aircraft, but the production was relatively time-consuming, and only 10 aircraft were required per month.
In addition, Toray is also committed to the production of thermoplastic composite materials that soften after heating and can be easily processed into parts. The company has established a large supply system by acquiring Dutch manufacturers in the same industry.
In terms of thermoset products, Teijin has also developed new products to improve mass production, which will be supplied to large European airlines as early as 2020. In addition, thermoplastic products will be supplied to Boeing's next-generation models by 2021. Strive to increase the sales of aviation-related carbon fiber fields by three times to 2030, reaching about 100 billion yen.
If a series of new products become popular, the production cost of aviation parts is expected to drop significantly. Carbon fiber is mainly used in medium and large aircrafts of Boeing and Airbus Europe. With the launch of new products, the market may expand to small aircraft and commercial aircraft.