end-user marketing geosynthetics / advanced composites - TenCate

Working and developing together
TenCate already collaborates a good deal with
Fokker Aerostructures (tier 1), for example in
the case of Gulfstream aircraft. The company
is also involved as technology partner in the
development of materials and in their
application in the design of new generations of
aircraft. Examples include development consortia
such as TAPAS (including Airbus) and TPRC
(including Boeing). A multi-year agreement has
recently been signed with Toray Industries for
the delivery of carbon fibre for the production
of TenCate Cetex ® RTL (reinforced thermoplastic
laminate) composite materials. Continuous
fibre-reinforced thermoplastics are the primary
specialty of TenCate Advanced Composites.
Continuity in the supply of materials and
components is a positive indication for
customers. ‘OEMs constantly monitor the
developments cropping up in the supply chain,’
explains Group Director Dave Clarke. Delay in
aircraft building is often caused by delays in
the chain. OEMs consider it important that a
supplier such as Toray is right behind TenCate.
Customers and applications
Safety and reliability are paramount in
the aircraft and space industries. All
materials must continue to perform under
the most extreme conditions. However,
product specifications and demands differ
according to customer and application.
In commercial aircraft building it’s primarily
a question of low weight, high strength and
impact rigidity. When it comes to interior
applications, requirements concerning low
weight and fire-resistance go hand in hand
with aesthetic aspects. Radome producers
require non-conducting composites.
And whereas electrical transparency is important
in the communication market, rigidity,
outgassing and temperature performance
are what chiefly count in the space sector.
Outgassing relates to the discharge of gases
or solvents in the production environment of
In addition to their use in the space and aerospace industry, and in advanced armour, priority is given to the development
of new applications for composite materials. One example of this is composite materials for use in the medical sector
(X-ray tables).
satellite structures and must be as low as
possible. The temperature is extremely
high close to the Sun, but very low in space.
These huge differences in temperature
demand dimensional stability. Furthermore,
considerable costs are involved in a mission
to a planet such as Mars, so, when it comes
to choice of material, compromise is out
of the question.
Investment and training
TenCate Advanced Composites responds to
these demands by investing in R&D, in the
most advanced production resources, and
in highly trained employees. The group has
a broad range of specialist products, has
carbon-fibre-free chambers at its disposal at
the Morgan Hill facility, operates with short
delivery times and offers excellent technical
service. So customers choose composite
materials from TenCate on the basis of quality,
reliability and continuity. In the United States,
TenCate Space Composites leads the field in
composite materials for satellite programmes.
Replacement and sustainability
Thermoplastic composites are rapidly gaining
an important position in a rising number of
primary aircraft applications, such as the
fuselage and wings. There is also demand for
these materials for secondary applications, such
as interiors. To an increasing extent they are
replacing traditional materials such as aluminium.
This is understandable: they contribute to
significant weight reduction, which means lower
fuel consumption. More passengers can be
transported over greater distances at a lower
cost. This has an effect, for example, on the
number of stopovers for refuelling that have to be
made during long-haul flights. Use of composites
extends the life span of an aircraft. If the whole
body is made of composite, passenger comfort
increases because air pressure and air humidity
can be raised. With the TenCate Cetex ® product
line, Space & Aerospace Composites continues
to focus on the market for large commercial aircraft
and regional jet aircraft. However, TenCate
aims to increase focus on materials and components
for primary and secondary structures.
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