On May 19, Toray Advanced Composites Company (TAC) announced the introduction of a next-generation high-temperature laminate press at its NIJVERDAL plant in the Netherlands to enhance its production capacity for thermoplastic composites in high-performance applications.
Toray Cetex® reinforced thermoplastic composite laminates cover the high temperature performance applications of multiple resin systems including PEEK, PEKK and LMPAEK. The maximum curing temperature of the new high-temperature press can reach 400°C. It can produce laminate products of different configurations such as woven fabrics, unidirectional fabrics and mixed-material fabrics.
Laminates manufactured using the new high-temperature press can be fully cured in the press, eliminating the need for secondary layup and re-curing, enabling mass production of high-performance thermoplastic composite parts with high efficiency and low cost. The size of the laminate is 50% larger than the existing Toray Cetex® laminate of the same performance category. The increase in size expands the application range of high-performance thermoplastic composites, which can be used to produce more complex geometries of aerospace and industrial applications.
Toray Cetex® reinforced thermoplastic laminate's ply direction, thickness and type of reinforcement materials can be customized according to the end user's specifications. Additional functions such as anti-galvanic corrosion and lightning protection can also be integrated into the laminate to provide more product processing and performance advantages.