Evonik presents ROHACELL® foam cores for aerospace composites and automated production
Innovation in part design and efficiency through automated production – these are the topics Evonik will present to the aerospace composites industry in Hall 5/Booth J40 at JEC World in Paris, March 3-5. Relevant to leaders in all industries, both processing time and cost saving considerations are critical in the evaluation of materials for their applications, as well as the solution’s ability to meet the highest performance requirements.
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 automatization when building complex structures like aircraft flaps, spoilers, gear doors and others produced in high volumes.
Innovative part design in a current application is on display in a partial composite helicopter main rotor blade produced by Van Horn Aviation (USA) for the 206B JetRanger helicopter. The blade was fabricated with a ROHACELL® 71HERO foam core and Toray carbon fiber, then autoclave co-cured. Cutaway sections on the blade enable visitors to view interior construction. Also presented will be a core section of an aircraft wing demonstrator featuring novel puzzle-joint connection design, from PRONAT AEROSPACE (Israel).
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.
"We first began manufacturing ROHACELL® in Darmstadt (Germany), then in 2008 we added our Mobile (USA) production facility, and since 2015 we have operated a facility in Shanghai (China)”, says Dr. Kai-Martin Krüger, head of Evonik's Performance Foams Product Line. “And this 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”, he added. “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 fiber composite cover layers, thus offering maximum mechanical performance at minimum weight. ROHACELL® is also characterized by its strength and stiffness, high temperature resistance up to 220 °C (428 °F) and excellent compressive creep strength at elevated temperatures. The rigid foam is used in aircraft, automobiles, ships, sports goods, electronics and medical technology. Today’s customers can access worldwide application technology support provided by a team of engineers, composite specialists and experts in sandwich design structures.
Company information
Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The focus on more specialty businesses, customer-oriented innovative prowess and a trustful and performance-oriented corporate culture form the heart of Evonik’s corporate strategy. They are the lever for profitable growth and a sustained increase in the value of the company. Evonik benefits specifically from its customer proximity and leading market positions. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In fiscal 2018, the enterprise with more than 32,000 employees generated sales of €13.3 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of €2.15 billion from continuing operations.
About Resource Efficiency
The Resource Efficiency segment is led by Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH and produces high performance materials and specialty additives for environmentally friendly as well as energy-efficient systems to the automotive, paints & coatings, adhesives, construction, and many other industries. This segment employed about 10,000 employees, and generated sales of around €5.5 billion in 2018 from continuing operations.
Disclaimer
In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.