Toho Tenax develops high-efficiency thermoset CFRP production technology

29 October 2014

Toho Tenax Co., Ltd., the core company of the Teijin Group’s carbon fibers and composites business, has developed a new technology—Tenax Part via Preform (PvP)—for highly efficient production of thermoset carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP). Toho Tenax is now working with automakers worldwide to develop commercial applications for Tenax PvP.

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The technology is based on a one-step “carbon fiber bobbin to preform” concept, utilizing Tenax Binder Yarn, which combines carbon fibers with a binder resin. The yarn can be processed by random fiber placement for isotropic behavior, and by aligned fiber placement in those areas, where higher mechanical performance is required. Both technologies—random and aligned fiber placement—can be combined to meet specific mechanical and/or cost needs.

Tenax PvP enables automated manufacturing to any desired geometry or form for load-conforming and weight-optimized preforms. Expensive intermediate steps are not necessary. Also, the technology helps to considerably reduce both carbon-fiber waste and manual labor compared to conventional preform production. The result is an automated, cost-effective solution for optimized manufacturing of CFRP components, with particularly attractive applications in the automotive industry.

Resin transfer molding (RTM) is one of the favored processes used in manufacturing CFRP for automotive applications. Toho Tenax has demonstrated the use of Tenax PvP technology in advanced high- and low-pressure RTM processes for typical both structural and visual automotive parts.

Teijin also offers Sereebo, the world’s first mass-production technology for thermoplastic CFRP, which raises production efficiency by significantly reducing molding time.