New Joint Venture Offers Composite Components For The Aviation Industry

Victrex and Tri-Mack Plastics Manufacturing Corporation founded the TxV Aero Composites joint venture. The venture intends to drive the commercial introduction of polyketone composite applications in the aerospace industry. Together, the companies want to advance the production of components based on new processes. The multi-million dollar investment includes the construction of a manufacturing facility in the United States.

Save up to 60% weight with PAEK composites

The new company is a provider of complete solutions for polyketone composites. "It is an exciting challenge to push new solutions for our customers in the aviation industry," explains David Hummel, Chief Executive of Victrex. “This investment will provide growth opportunities for both our customers and us. Our 'Aerospace Loaded Bracket' program is an example of how we can offer new shapes and components in addition to supplying materials, and how we can build a new supply chain.”

The aim of the venture is to offer a range of PAEK composites, ranging from customer-specific laminates to preformed composite inserts for hybrid injection molding. The offer should also include finished composite components and fiber composite components and component groups manufactured using the hybrid injection molding process. According to the company, these products can enable weight reductions of up to 60% compared to conventional solutions made of metals and allow continuous manufacturing processes and cycle times of minutes compared to hours for thermosetting materials.

Thermoplastic composites are in demand in aviation

One example is Victrex AE 250 Composites - a PAEK-based composite product family that can be processed at lower temperatures and enables the hybrid injection molding process. The strength of continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite materials is combined with the design flexibility.

“It is estimated that 35,000 planes will be built in the next 20 years. Thermoplastic composites are becoming a more affordable solution in the aerospace industry,”said Will Kain, President of Tri-Mack. (kj)