Objective
Lightweight components and their energy-efficient production will form one of the most important key factors for the European industry to fulfil the ever increasing global demands. Nowadays, for 3D-shaped, multi-layered products based on flexible materials only specialized and semi-automated manufacturing equipment is available. The project “Integrated Process Chain for Automated and Flexible Production of Fibre-Reinforced Plastic Products (FibreChain)” aims at the development of worldwide first automated turnkey manufacturing systems for fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites (FRTC) addressing public and private transportation, mechanical, chemical and civil engineering as well as consumer goods.
FibreChain will generate 20.8 billion € in 5 years and promote a world leading European fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) industry. FibreChain will more than double the productivity by cost-effective, energy-efficient and flexible manufacturing of FRTCs products due to:
-Customised and yet highly automated production
-Multi-functional (laser) equipment
-Near-Net-Shape production (scrap rates down to 3%)
-Integrated measurement systems
-Knowledge and simulation models along all processes
A multidisciplinary consortium from 7 European countries with outstanding competencies in material, machine tools, manufacturing, laser technology, metrology, simulation and control will accomplish an integrated process chain and make available:
-Process-adapted prepreg materials with carbon, aramid, glass, basalt and natural fibres
-UD-prepregs to overcome drawbacks of fabrics and impregnation processes
-Energy-efficient out-of-autoclave production
-Laser systems and processes for integration of tape laying, cutting and joining
-In-situ integration of holes and inserts during thermoforming
-Integrated material/process data base, simulation and quality assurance system
Thus, OEMs and SMEs synchronise their production of FRTCs with the technological inputs from lean manufacturing systems.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Call for proposal
FP7-NMP-2010-LARGE-4
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Funding Scheme
CP-IP - Large-scale integrating projectCoordinator
80686 Munchen
Germany
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Participants (17)
7522 NB Enschede
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160 00 Praha
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CB21 6AL Cambridge
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5161BP Sprang-Capelle
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7440 AA Nijverdal
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71254 Ditzingen
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52457 ALDENHOVEN
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Participation ended
WF1 5PF WAKEFIELD
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64150 Abidos
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1442 MONTAGNY-PRES-YVERDON
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33805 MYTO
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91055 Evry
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3001 HEVERLEE
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IP22 3ER Diss
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OX16 4SU Banbury
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76571 Gaggenau
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16356 WERNEUCHEN BRANDENBURG
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