Innovation and efficiency through automated production are the topics Evonik will present to the aerospace composites industry at JEC World 2020 in Paris.
Evonik
Evonik showcasing ROHACELL foam cores at JEC World
Visitors looking to produce composite components in large volumes at the lowest cost can learn about a joint study by Evonik Industries, Composite Technology Center GmbH and Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V., on the use of rigid foam material in automated production.
Study results confirmed the advantages of using rigid ROHACELL foam, the closed-cell polymethacrylimide foam (PMI) from Evonik, and automatisation when building complex structures in high volumes.
Future growth
Almost 50 years ago, ROHACELL foam was introduced to the market as the first commercially available PMI foam and has been used as a core in composite sandwich structures. With proven performance backed by years of testing and certification, its use in composites grew.
Dr Kai-Martin Krüger, Head of Evonik's Performance Foams Product Line, said: "We first began manufacturing ROHACELL in Darmstadt (Germany), then in 2008 we added our Mobile (US) production facility, and since 2015 we have operated a facility in Shanghai (China. [T]his year, Evonik is significantly expanding its ROHACELL facility in Mobile and is also investing in a new, modern production facility in Darmstadt, which is scheduled to come on line by the end of 2021. Supporting market growth and providing customers with reliable local supply is our priority.”
More than lightweight
Composite sandwich parts combine lightweight cores with thin carbon-fibre composite cover layers, offering maximum mechanical performance at minimum weight. ROHACELL is also characterised by its strength and stiffness, high temperature resistance, and excellent compressive creep strength at elevated temperatures.
The rigid foam is used in aircraft, automobiles, ships, sporting goods, electronics and medical technology.