Honeycomb Sandwich Panel Technology
Tomasz Czarnecki, EconCore / email: [email protected]
Matchmaking Event - RWTH Aachen 31 Jan 2017
Introduction: Sandwich construction by nature
2
The efficient use of material and energy is a fundamental principle of nature.
Nature set the examples – let’s save resources
Section of a bird wing
Section of an iris leaf
Honeybee comb Section of a human skull
Sandwich in Construction and Transportation
3
Stephenson 1830
Sandwich frame in locomotive by Stephenson
Important historical examples of sandwich construction in transportation
Bi-plane wing construction by Chanute
Chanute 1894, 1903 (Wright flyer)
Fairbairn 1845
Tubular Bridge design by Stephenson and Fairbain Sandwich metal wing design by Junkers
Junkers 1915
Sandwich construction today
4
Aerospace Trains
Trucks
Cars
Building
Sandwich constructions are composed of
• Two thin facings (skins, liners)
• One thick low density core
• Bonding layers (adhesive)
Adhesive
Core material
Adhesive
Sandwich applications
Lower skin
Upper skin
Packaging
Recreational vehicles
Potential of Sandwich Construction
5
Effect of the sandwich
thickness:
• Geometrical definitions
(symmetrical sandwich materials)
t
t
h
Economic advantage depends on low core material cost and low production cost
82.3 % weight saving
82.3 % cost saving
Core material types
6
… but high manufacturing costs
Sandwich core materials
Homogeneous
support of the
skins
Foam cores
Structured (non-homogeneous) support of the skins
Punctual
support
Textile/pin cores
Regional
support
Cup shaped cores
Bi-directional
support
Honeycomb cores
Unidirectional
support
Corrugated cores
Core types
Best material properties
Conventional honeycomb production processes
7
Thermoplastic honeycomb production by extrusion
Tubular honeycombs
Out-of-plane extruded honeycombs
From:
Tubus Waben, Polycore
Plascore, Hexacor
From:
Nidaplast, Nida-Core
Extrusion of single tubes
Collecting the tubes Cutting to a
honeycomb
Welding
to a block
Extrusion small honeycomb blocks
Extruder
Extruder
saw
saw
Welding to a bigger block
and cutting to a honeycomb
• require the production of blocks and the cutting from blocks
• result in a low degree of automation and in relatively high costs
Both processes
ThermHex: Continuous production process
8
Aerospace Packaging Industry
Internal structure
and mechanical
properties
Production concept
and machinery
• Honeycomb cores from a continuous film through a step-by-step in-line process
Automatic production
Low production costs Best mechanical properties
Major cost reduction
New Honeycomb Cores
ThermHex Thermoplastic Honeycomb
• Automated in-line production leading to very low production costs
• Direct lamination of skins allows in-line production of panels
EconCore – Global Operations
9
EconCore N.V. – ThermHex Waben GmbH
• EconCore N.V – technologies for cost efficient
production of honeycomb core and sandwich parts
• founded: 22.12.2005
• ThermHex Waben GmbH – production of
thermoplastic honeycomb cores
• production start: 01.04.2010
Production & sales
of honeycomb cores
Licensing and
technology development
11
ThermHex sandwich panel for heavy duty applications
ThermHex honeycomb with 0/90°
UD Glass fiber / PP composite skins
ThermHex honeycomb with woven
glass fiber / PP composite skins
Examples of thermoformed honeycomb parts
12
ThermHex organosandwich – mechanical performance
Weight reduction
(=cost reduction) Rigidity increase
MONOLITIC PANELS ECONCORE HONEYCOMB TECHNOLOGY
ORGANO-SANDWICH PANELS
METAL SHEET ORGANO-SHEET
13
ThermHex organosandwich – thermoforming/overmolding
Process
Preheating
(e.g. with IR)
Transfer of the Organo-
sandwich into the mould
Forming while
closing the mould Functionalisation/
overmoulding
Demoulding of the part
Pick up of the
Organo-sandwich
1-step
14
Engineering thermoplastic based honeycomb developments
PROJECT 1:
Organo-Sandwich – lightweight and cost-competitive thermoplastic sandwich panels and parts
• Applications Development
• Converting process (e.g. thermoforming) optimisation
• Sandwich part functionalisation
• Down-stream integration of production process steps
HIGHLIGHTS: • Cost savings thru continuous sandwich panel and part production process / high
level integration • High rigidity at minimal amount of material resources • Reduction of weight and CO2 emissions • Environmentally Friendly • Short cycle, cost-efficient conversion into the final part
16
(FR / FST qualified) PC material
based honeycomb core
HIGHLIGHTS: • Not only for aircraft applications (larger volume applications in mass transportation
fit well) • Fire resistance performance competitive to conventional and expensive NOMEX
honeycombs • Competitive cost (due to continuous production process) • Temperature resistance enhancement / Physical performance adaptation compared
to conventional honeycombs
Engineering thermoplastic based honeycomb developments
PROJECT 2:
Development of engineering thermoplastic based honeycombs and sandwich panels as well as
development of related applications
Top Related