Spanish Presence

Tecnatom, Aernnova, IK4 Research Alliance, SENER, Future Fibres, Roberlo, the Advanced Center for Aerospace Technologies (CATEC), Applus+, Aciturri, the Foundation for Research, Development and Application of Composite Materials (FIDAMC), Aimplas, Sofitec, Intermas, Tecnalia, Tam Group, and Fiberflight, are the companies participating in this first Spanish Pavilion at the JEC COMPOSITES European Show.

In view of the growing interest in the Show, and the broad possibilities offered by the application of composite materials in such diverse fields as aeronautics, the motor industry, wind energy or the nautical sector, the Spanish companies participating in previous shows have decided to make a joint effort to give their presence a higher profile on this occasion, when the organization has chosen Spain to be the guest of Honour, due to its increasing importance in this market. Spain is the seventh foreign country in representation at the Show, after big names like Germany, the United Kingdom or the United States.

JEC is an organization devoted to promoting composite materials, and whose main activities focus on the celebration of annual Exhibitions in Paris and Singapore, Conventions and Forums, on developing Innovation schemes, and on editing a number of publications.

The Spain Pavilion benefits from the collaboration and support of the Spanish Foreign Trade Institute (ICEX); and the participating companies from Madrid will also be supported by PROMOMADRID.

● Exhibiting firms

-          ACITURRI: Aciturri, a world-class aeronautics provider with over 30 years’ experience, offers the market completed solutions in complex airframes covering the entire value chain.

Aciturri employs an extensive engineering team capable of providing a complete response in terms of both product definition and execution of processes as well as the most suitable tooling for each application. Aciturri’s experience in new development projects such as the A380, A400M, Falcon 7X and A350, as well as in its own R&D projects, has enabled it to position itself at the forefront of composite technologies: ATL, RTM, VARTM, Press-Moulding, etc.

-          AERNNOVA: Aernnova has ample proven experience and plenty of resources in the engineering and manufacture of composites. Organized as a specific division, Aernnova Composite manages three production centres: ICSA, in Toledo; Fibertecnic, in Vitoria, and Coasa, in Orense.

Among its capabilities the following are worthy of note: resin transfer moulding, filament winding technology, and manual lay-up. And among the products to which its capabilities have been applied: MLG doors, elevators, elevator feet, flaps, ailerons, spoilers, ramps… for the Airbus A-320, A-330/340 and A-310 and Embraer families of aircraft, Sikorsky helicopters, the Eurofighter aircraft…, as well as components and containers for Mistral, Hot and Milan missiles

-          AIMPLAS: AIMPLAS is a Centre for Innovation and Technology (CIT) which is recognized by the Ministry’s Science and Technology Commission and located in Valencia (Spain).

It is currently developing a series of new biomaterials to replace the plastic parts of railway carriage interiors. Specifically, the firm is analyzing the use of flax and canvas to reinforce plastic materials because of their rigidity and resilience, as well as their long history of cultivation and use in Europe. Finally, it promotes and coordinates the acquisition of new technologies, in terms of both equipment and knowledge, to meet the sector’s current and future needs.

-          Applus+: Applus+ A Multinational headquartered in Bellaterra (Barcelona), and a leading name in testing, inspection, certification and technological services. As well as operating in different spheres of the automotive industry worldwide, it acts as a strategic partner for the aeronautical sector and is a world leader in the field of non-destructive testing.

The activity of Applus+ in the composite materials sector focuses on fields such as structural testing (up to 15MN), tooling needs, non-destructive testing, material characterization, the manufacture of coupons or production process engineering and CFRP components, including the industrialization of pre-series.

Applus+ is certified by Airbus as a strategic laboratory for mechanical testing and by NADCAP for tests on composite materials. The company provides engineering, testing and certification services to leading firms in the aeronautical and wind energy sectors and works on European R&D projects focusing on the development of advanced composite materials.

-          CATEC: The Advanced Center for Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) conducts research into the mechanical and non-destructive characterization of composite materials and structures, as well as carrying out environmental and reliability testing, analysis of failure in service and manufacture of components.

These procedures are channelled through END systems such as Computerized Tomography by X-Rays, Infrared Thermography, Laser Shearography and Ultrasound. On the other hand, the structural testing area conducts mechanical tests through a variety of actuators (up to 600KN), a universal 4,000KN machine for static/dynamic testing (in conjunction with 2 digital video correlation systems for analyzing and measuring deformations) and equipment for the dynamic characterization of structures. The company also develops prototype and component design and manufacture programmes by Rapid Manufacturing in polyamide and reinforced polyamides as well as in metal, and manufactures test panels in composite materials using an autoclave.

-          FIBERFLIGHT: Fiberflight Systems is a company that is devoted to developing and manufacturing components and advanced structures in composite material. The company specializes in “one-off” or very short runs of parts, ranging from build-to-print to turnkey projects. It has broad experience in the construction of UAVs (including its own Victor line of micro-UAVs), and the design and manufacture of aerials and radomes. Despite its relatively small size, the company invests a great deal in R&D, which has enabled it to implement several of its developments in new and existing products, improving both quality and cost, giving its clients the edge in a competitive market.

-          FIDAMC: The Foundation for the Research, Development and Application of composite materials is a private, non-profit research centre, whose patrons are CDTI representing the Ministry of Industry, the Comunidad (Regional Government) de Madrid and the European aeronautical company EADS. It started out to become Spain’s Centre of Excellence in composite materials, and to support not only the whole aerospace industry but also other industrial sectors (automotive, wind energy, railway).

Its main activities are to define, characterize and certify materials (fibres, resins and others), to develop and validate new structural concepts and new methods of structural analysis, to develop advanced manufacturing processes including the definition of tooling, test manufacturing for the validation of processes, destructive and non-destructive mechanical tests and development of specifications and technological support for the processes of industrial manufacture.

Principal technologies: Automation of thermostable and thermoplastic materials, RTM, LRI, Bonding techniques, Repair Methodology, 2D and 3D Preforms, Inspection, Structural and thermal testing, Polymerization control, Structural integrity monitoring, Hybrid Materials, Sandwich concepts, Structural simulation of testing, Simulation of manufacturing processes, Nanotechnologies, Flame Resistance of composite materials.

-          FUTURE FIBRES: Future Fibres Rigging Systems S.L., located in Valencia, has specialized for the last 10 years in the design and manufacture of rigging, ropes and tackle, cables and composite parts.

Future Fibres was a pioneer in Composite Rigging, which involves manufacturing rigging and ropes using a fibre called PBO (poly(p-pheylene-2,6 - benzobisozole)) as raw material. The company has recently succeeded in extending its range of products with other “composite” materials such as carbon fibre. It has broad experience in the nautical and engineering sectors. Also worthy of mention is the investment they make in R&D + Innovation.

-          TAM GROUP: TAM is a global airframe firm which manages full cycle projects involving the development, design, testing, certification and production of component parts in composite material using technologies other than autoclave (RTM).

TAM also offers product engineering, manufacturing and systems services; tooling manufacture; mechanical assembly and electrical cabling; industrial measurement and technical publications.

-          IK4 Research Alliance: The seven Technology Centres which make up the IK4 Research Alliance conduct affairs connected with the field of composites covering eight technological areas: Materials, Manufacture and Processes Technologies, Preform Technologies, Cutting and Mechanization Technologies, Inspection Technologies, Testing Technologies, Composite Material Structure Design and Structural Monitoring.

It is this diversity of technologies, each of which is deployed in any number of sub-areas, that enables IK4 to provide new solutions for all types of applications. The multidisciplinary teams collaborating in these projects provide specific technologies for customers from very different sectors, ranging from Transport and Energy to Biomedicine.

-          INTERMAS: Over recent years, Intermas Nets S.A has developed a wide range of mesh products for the composites industry, with the aim of providing this sector with specific products for each need.

Intermas meshes offer the necessary quality and reliability for the distribution of resins via infusion processes. The R&D department develops specific products for each customer, endowing the product with the necessary characteristics according to the manufacturing process.

 These meshes are being used in sectors like aeronautics and wind energy.

-          ROBERLO: The ROBERLO Group is a European manufacturer of chemical products for the automotive and construction industries with over 40 years’ experience. Currently, the ROBERLO Group is engaged in an expansion project intended to diversify the markets in which it is present, by focusing on the application of its traditional polyester based, vinyl ester based, epoxy or polyurethane based products for the treatment of surfaces, and applying them to new technologies and the Composites market in general.

Recent market studies have revealed that a number of the products used in vehicle manufacture and in the building industry could meet a wide variety of industrial needs perfectly.

-          SENER: The engineering company SENER invests in research, development and innovation in composite processing technologies and their application in the aeronautics, railway and automotive industries.
 
SENER carries out engineering and turn-key supply of manufacturing cells as well as research on process engineering and product development. In the turn-key project area, SENER specializes on automation of structural assembly processes and part production. SENER has acquired substantial know-how on precise handling and positioning of large composite parts, having successfully delivered production systems for wing stringer production and HTP assembly for the A350XWB. Regarding part production, SENER delivers turn-key equipment such as hot forming systems and pulltrusion machines for spar production among others.

SENER carries out research in manufacturing processes for optimising production of composite parts. It has a hot forming demonstrator that can be used as oven for developing out-of-autoclave processes and a pulltrusion machine with variable section die. The primary aim is to develop sustainable techniques for use in the aeronautics and transportation sector, focussing on automation & OOA (Out Of Autoclave) processes.
 
SENER carries out special analysis of aerostructures such as impact simulation and vulnerability analysis.

-          SOFITEC: SOFITEC is an integral aeronautics manufacturer. It offers customers product management on an integral basis, manufacturing aeronautical assemblies and parts in metal and in composite material.

Its capabilities cover: Engineering; 3- and 5-axis machining up to 12m in length: Thermally treated sheet metal; Final Processes; Manufacture of parts in composite material: autoclave, oven, RTM, infusion…; Assembly; Painting; R&D

-          TECNALIA: TECNALIA’s Aerospace Unit focuses on integral product development fully adapted to the customer’s specifications. Reducing weight without sacrificing performance, making engines quieter, finding new materials that are tougher, lighter and more easily recyclable, such as nanomaterials… These are some of the fields into which the Aerospace Unit puts all its efforts: Materials and manufacturing of metal and composite structures, CAD/CAE, DMU, CFD, RTM analysis and simulation, assembly, non-destructive testing, test and conventional benches, etc.

-          TECNATOM: TECNATOM is a Spanish engineering firm, offering its services to the following sectors: energy-generation (particularly nuclear energy), petrochemicals, renewables, aeronautics, railways, and the industrial sector in general.

It is mainly concerned with: The inspection and analysis of the structural integrity of systems, components and equipment; the training of operating personnel using total scope simulators; operating aid systems engineering for industrial plants; R&D + Innovation: Inspection in Service and Quality Control in Manufacture; public-private collaboration agreement with different universities and research centres, with technological SMEs, and clusters of hi-tech collaborating companies; Systems to control the structural integrity of components manufactured with composite materials.