At the JEC World trade fair in Paris, the Eurecat technology centre has showcased innovations for sustainable manufacture of lightweight composite structures for the energy transition in sectors such as aeronutics, the automotive industry and sports.
A range of manufacturing technologies have been harnessed to develop them including RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding), infusion, thermocompression and pultrusion which allow “efficient out-of-autoclave manufacturing, thus cutting energy use and significantly ramping up production rates,” says Mª Eugenia Rodríguez, Technological Development director in Eurecat’s Industrial Area.
In these innovation projects “we have sought sustainable and efficient development in terms of design, selection of materials and manufacturing together with end-of-life recovery and valorisation,” adds Eva Fité, Eurecat’s Head of Business Development Manufacturing.
At the fair, Eurecat also unveiled integrated solutions for printed electronics in structural parts to generate lightweight functional parts in thermoplastic and thermoset composite using compositronics, a technology which “makes it possible to reduce the weight of components and large structures and cut costs in assembly processes with the introduction of sensors during the manufacture of the composite,” points out Mª Eugenia Rodríguez.
