Few people have the opportunity to look to the future, especially from a business and technology perspective. However, for those attending the recent JEC World 2023, the future and direction of the composites industry was on full display throughout the show. This annual event brings together almost every link of the composites industry supply chain from around the world. The 2023 show attracted more than 40,000 visitors from 106 countries to see exhibits from some 1,200 companies. Everything from raw materials to fiber reinforcement technology, resin systems, processes and final product applications are fully displayed throughout the exhibition hall.
Sustainability, recycling and recycling
From the exhibits on the site and the exchanges with the participants, it was found that sustainability, recycling and recycling are still hot topics. These topics directly affect and influence the global business environment, and the composites industry does not exclude these impacts. To date, Europe has been more active in embracing and advancing sustainability efforts than North America. At JEC World, almost every larger booth and many smaller booths had some markers or displays specific to sustainable practices and products. Many fibers, fabrics, resin systems and processes promote their sustainability, recyclability and recycling properties; While some exhibitors either advertise the recycling capabilities of their products or display products produced using recycled materials. The interesting variation is that some of these products include the use of recycled carbon fiber and glass fiber.
Natural fibers and bio-based technologies
Driven in part by the sustainability movement, natural fibers such as flax, hemp, jute, and bamboo, as well as green and bio-based resin systems continue to gain status and support in composite applications. As demand and usage grow, along with improvements in processing and supply chains in this segment, these natural options show performance benefits and are potentially less expensive than carbon fiber or glass fiber. JEC World 2023 features a dedicated and greatly expanded floor space to highlight the use of natural fibers in composite materials such as flax and hemp, which includes examples of products that may or are being produced using natural fibers. In addition, there is an "Industrial Earth Showcase" area highlighting an impressive variety of applications, including sustainable entry into production of Marine, sporting goods and high-performance automotive parts.
Composite design, processes, and automation continue to evolve
Numerous advances in composite design, process and automation were evident at the show. The design system for fiber orientation and placement has been further developed and improved. In order to reduce cost and complexity and reduce waste while improving precision, quality and repeatability in the manufacture of composite parts, robotics and automation continue to make advances on the production floor. In addition, thermosetting resin systems, various molding materials, consumables, and other technologies, including systematic improvements to the molding process itself, bode well for continued reductions in processing time and costs.
Continuous development of fiber placement methods
Enhanced and improved fiber laying technologies were found at several booths, whether roving or tape laying, and the progress witnessed was impressive, as was the complexity of the resulting products. Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP) - A technique based on sewing a sewing machine or embroidery head to sew fiber reinforcement media onto an inclusive substrate to create complex preforms. TFP and fiber placement using robotic systems continue to show great progress and potential in a variety of applications. The basic premise of both techniques is the precise placement of fibers for augmentation at the location and level required by the application in a repeatable, cost efficient manner. This allows the creation of more complex shapes and structures without potential additional costs and the possibility of increased waste using traditional fabric reinforcement materials.
Exhibition ribbons continue to be popular
In the field of fabric formation and fiber placement for composite applications, the use of Spread Tow Tapes (STTS) continues to grow and become more popular. Ribbon splay is a method of taking roving (large bundles of fibers) and spreading out individual fibers to make thin ribbons and Orient the filaments more cleanly. The use of unfolded ribbons allows composite parts to have a higher fiber volume fraction (the ratio of fiber to the total volume of the part) and, in many cases, improves performance. The support industry has clearly noticed this spreading trend. Textechno, a Germany-based textile testing technology company, used JEC World to introduce its new TAPETEST machine. TAPETEST is a commercial test and evaluation system specifically designed to exhibit the detailed characteristics and quality of ribbons.
Differences between European and American trade shows
It is interesting to note some of the differences between JEC World and other composites focused shows organized in the United States. Depending on the metrics used, JEC World could be three to five times larger than the Composite and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) in Atlanta this fall or the Society for Advanced Materials and Process Engineering (SAMPE) event held earlier this year. Exhibtor booths at JEC World are typically larger and more detailed than at CAMX, SAMPE, or even other technical textile shows. Many of JEC World's booths focus more on applications than technology, and the United States tends to downplay applications to avoid creating competition. The use of composite materials will only continue to grow and gain global recognition, as evidenced by the wide variety of technologies, methods, and composite part applications on display at JEC World.
