高性能不连续纤维复合管
自2016年以来，ntpt一直在利用其申请的方法生产高性能碳纤维管，用于制造薄铺层预浸料管。这种突破性的缠绕技术为复合材料设计工程师提供了在任何角度、在管的长度或厚度的任何一点上放置纤维层的自由，在提供如此高分辨率的工程能力方面是独一无二的。
高级复合材料结构
为了充分了解这种管子的行为和潜力，该公司正在与欧洲的技术大学和复合材料领域的研究和技术转让工作专家-瑞士技术中心-EPFL(Ecole PolyTechnology fédérale de Lausanne)合作。这一新项目-NTPT和EPFL的第三个重要合作研究项目-加强了他们对通过薄铺层技术提高先进复合材料结构性能的共同承诺。
这项为期四年的研究侧重于用于高性能应用的不连续纤维复合管，指的是NTPT为高性能管材提供更严格的公差、更大的重复性以及高度的定制和设计自由度的专有制造工艺。研究的关键创新之处在于将管状不连续纤维复合材料的潜力提升到一个新的水平。它将建立一个强大的科学知识库，并开发必要的技术工具，以制定设计规则，优化材料，并继续审视这一过程的成本效益，从而使公司能够更好地向业绩市场部门宣传其优势，并加快新项目和产品开发的初期阶段。
碳纤维复合管
碳纤维复合管可用于各种市场部门和应用：航空部门的薄壁管作为支柱或控制臂，汽车传动轴，桅杆和船舶部门的繁荣；滚筒和钢瓶用于工业应用；以及表演体育部门，特别是高尔夫，ntpt正在为其建立一个新的业务下的tpt高尔夫品牌。在更大的范围内，该技术可能适用于风力涡轮机SPAR和根组件的自动化制造。将在研究过程中开发两个组成部分：一个短期项目是风浪桅杆，将与专业风帆运动员特里斯坦·阿尔格特合作开发18个月，另一个是与一家的航空公司合作开发无人机管状结构的三年项目。
将研究纳入商业工作
NTPT正在启动一个令人兴奋的项目，这是研究和开发高性能复合管的下一个明显步骤。该公司已经建立了一个健全的平台来开展其零部件业务，并在今年取得了重大进展。现在是进入下一个研究阶段的时候了，这将使我们能够更容易地对新的应用程序和查询提供针对客户的答复，并更快地进入新产品的原型阶段。
NTPT已经成为众所周知的问题解决者和解决方案寻找者，而不是回避更具挑战性的简报。这一研究项目反映了该公司不断学习和深入研究令人兴奋的管件制造发展的愿望。该公司与合作伙伴合作的方式使其能够在整个四年的研究过程中将研究纳入商业工作，客户将在年内从早期发现中获益。
原文如下： NTPT, specialists in Thin Ply prepregs, preforms and parts as well as leaders in automation, are collaborating with the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne – Swiss Centre of Technology (EPFL) and other partners, to further demonstrate this proof of technology.
New research study into discontinuous-fibre composite tubes
Discontinuous fibre composite tubes for high performance applications
NTPT? has been successfully producing high-performance carbon fibre tubes using their patent-pending method for manufacturing tubes with Thin Ply prepreg materials since 2016. Offering composite design engineers the freedom to position fibre plies at any angle and at any point in the tube’s length or thickness, this breakthrough winding technology is unique in providing such high-resolution engineering capability.
Franois Mordasini, Chairman, NTPT
Advanced composite structures
In order to fully understand the behaviour and potential of such tubes, the company is partnering with EPFL (Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne – the Swiss Centre of Technology), the leading European technical university and specialist in research and technology transfer work in the field of composite materials. This latest project – NTPT? and EPFL’s third significant collaborative research programme – reinforces their joint commitment to enhancing the performance of advanced composite structures enabled through Thin Ply technology.
The four-year study focuses on discontinuous fibre composite tubes for high-performance applications, referring to NTPT’s proprietary manufacturing process for high-performance tubes, which offer tighter tolerances, greater repeatability, as well as a high level of customisation and design freedom. The key innovation of the study is to move the potential of tubular discontinuous-fibre composites to a new level. It will create a strong scientific knowledge base, and develop the technical tools required to create design rules, optimise the material and continue to look at the cost effectiveness of the process, thereby enabling the company to better communicate its advantages to the performance market sectors, and to expedite the initial stages of new projects and product development.
Carbon fibre composite tubes
Carbon fibre composite tubes can be used in various market sectors and applications: thin-wall tubes in the aero sector as struts or control arms, automotive drive shafts, masts and booms in the marine sector; rollers and cylinders for industrial applications; as well as for the performance sports sector, in particular golf, for which NTPT? is establishing a new business under the TPT Golf brand. On a larger scale, the technology may be applicable to the automated manufacture of wind turbine spar and root components. Two components will be developed through the course of the study: one short-term project is a windsurf mast that will be developed over an 18-month period in conjunction with professional windsurfer Tristan Algret, and the other is a three-year project with a leading aerospace company to develop tubular structures for UAVs.
Integrating research into commercial work
NTPT is embarking on an exciting project that is the obvious next step in research and development into high-performance composite tubes. The company has established a sound platform from which to launch its parts business, and made significant progress this year. Now is the time to move into the next stage of research, which will make it possible to more easily provide customer-specific responses to new applications and enquiries, and to move into the prototyping stage of new products more quickly.
NTPT? has become known as a problem solver and solution finder, not shying away from the more challenging briefs. This research project is reflective of the company’s desire to keep learning and digging deeper into an exciting development for tube manufacture. The way it collaborates with its partners enables it to integrate research into commercial work throughout the fouryear study, and customers will be benefiting from the early stage findings within the first year.