Honeycomb Sandwich Panel Technology

Tomasz Czarnecki, EconCore / email: Tomasz.Czarnecki@econcore.com

Matchmaking Event - RWTH Aachen 31 Jan 2017

Introduction: Sandwich construction by nature

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The efficient use of material and energy is a fundamental principle of nature.

Nature set the examples – let’s save resources

Section of a bird wing

Section of an iris leaf

Honeybee comb Section of a human skull

Sandwich in Construction and Transportation

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Stephenson 1830

Sandwich frame in locomotive by Stephenson

Important historical examples of sandwich construction in transportation

Bi-plane wing construction by Chanute

Chanute 1894, 1903 (Wright flyer)

Fairbairn 1845

Tubular Bridge design by Stephenson and Fairbain Sandwich metal wing design by Junkers

Junkers 1915

Sandwich construction today

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Aerospace Trains

Trucks

Cars

Building

Sandwich constructions are composed of

• Two thin facings (skins, liners)

• One thick low density core

• Bonding layers (adhesive)

Adhesive

Core material

Adhesive

Sandwich applications

Lower skin

Upper skin

Packaging

Recreational vehicles

Potential of Sandwich Construction

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Effect of the sandwich

thickness:

• Geometrical definitions

(symmetrical sandwich materials)

t

t

h

Economic advantage depends on low core material cost and low production cost

82.3 % weight saving

82.3 % cost saving

Core material types

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… but high manufacturing costs

Sandwich core materials

Homogeneous

support of the

skins

Foam cores

Structured (non-homogeneous) support of the skins

Punctual

support

Textile/pin cores

Regional

support

Cup shaped cores

Bi-directional

support

Honeycomb cores

Unidirectional

support

Corrugated cores

Core types

Best material properties

Conventional honeycomb production processes

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Thermoplastic honeycomb production by extrusion

Tubular honeycombs

Out-of-plane extruded honeycombs

From:

Tubus Waben, Polycore

Plascore, Hexacor

From:

Nidaplast, Nida-Core

Extrusion of single tubes

Collecting the tubes Cutting to a

honeycomb

Welding

to a block

Extrusion small honeycomb blocks

Extruder

Extruder

saw

saw

Welding to a bigger block

and cutting to a honeycomb

• require the production of blocks and the cutting from blocks

• result in a low degree of automation and in relatively high costs

Both processes

ThermHex: Continuous production process

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Aerospace Packaging Industry

Internal structure

and mechanical

properties

Production concept

and machinery

• Honeycomb cores from a continuous film through a step-by-step in-line process

Automatic production

Low production costs Best mechanical properties

Major cost reduction

New Honeycomb Cores

ThermHex Thermoplastic Honeycomb

• Automated in-line production leading to very low production costs

• Direct lamination of skins allows in-line production of panels

EconCore – Global Operations

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EconCore N.V. – ThermHex Waben GmbH

• EconCore N.V – technologies for cost efficient

production of honeycomb core and sandwich parts

• founded: 22.12.2005

• ThermHex Waben GmbH – production of

thermoplastic honeycomb cores

• production start: 01.04.2010

Production & sales

of honeycomb cores

Licensing and

technology development

EconCore’s licensees – references / applications

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ThermHex sandwich panel for heavy duty applications

ThermHex honeycomb with 0/90°

UD Glass fiber / PP composite skins

ThermHex honeycomb with woven

glass fiber / PP composite skins

Examples of thermoformed honeycomb parts

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ThermHex organosandwich – mechanical performance

Weight reduction

(=cost reduction) Rigidity increase

MONOLITIC PANELS ECONCORE HONEYCOMB TECHNOLOGY

ORGANO-SANDWICH PANELS

METAL SHEET ORGANO-SHEET

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ThermHex organosandwich – thermoforming/overmolding

Process

Preheating

(e.g. with IR)

Transfer of the Organo-

sandwich into the mould

Forming while

closing the mould Functionalisation/

overmoulding

Demoulding of the part

Pick up of the

Organo-sandwich

1-step

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Engineering thermoplastic based honeycomb developments

PROJECT 1:

Organo-Sandwich – lightweight and cost-competitive thermoplastic sandwich panels and parts

• Applications Development

• Converting process (e.g. thermoforming) optimisation

• Sandwich part functionalisation

• Down-stream integration of production process steps

HIGHLIGHTS: • Cost savings thru continuous sandwich panel and part production process / high

level integration • High rigidity at minimal amount of material resources • Reduction of weight and CO2 emissions • Environmentally Friendly • Short cycle, cost-efficient conversion into the final part

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ThermHex organosandwich – integration

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(FR / FST qualified) PC material

based honeycomb core

HIGHLIGHTS: • Not only for aircraft applications (larger volume applications in mass transportation

fit well) • Fire resistance performance competitive to conventional and expensive NOMEX

honeycombs • Competitive cost (due to continuous production process) • Temperature resistance enhancement / Physical performance adaptation compared

to conventional honeycombs

Engineering thermoplastic based honeycomb developments

PROJECT 2:

Development of engineering thermoplastic based honeycombs and sandwich panels as well as

development of related applications