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The Paris Air Show is the flagship event in the aeronautics sector, bringing together the major players in the global aerospace industry. The most recent edition in 2019 welcomed nearly 140,000 trade visitors from 185 countries and 2,453 exhibitors from 49 countries. Among the exhibitors at the 2023 show, you will find BORFLEX® in Hall 2B, Stand E32, at the ALTYTUD pavilion. The BORFLEX® Group stands out for its key role in the development of elastomer and composite technologies, specialising in the fibre placement process with its AFP and FIBERROLL® rollers, as well as in pultrusion technology.
This article explores the role of BORFLEX® in the aerospace industry and highlights the company’s expertise, ranging from formulation to small- and medium-scale production.
1- The role of BORFLEX® in the aerospace industry
BORFLEX® has established itself as a key partner in the aerospace sector thanks to its expertise in elastomers and composites. The group’s experts have developed product ranges that meet the specific requirements of this sector. Among these products is FIBERROLL® by BORFLEX®, which stands out as ‘the only comprehensive range in Europe’ dedicated to automated fibre placement (AFP). This advanced technology enables the automated and precise placement of reinforcing fibres, ensuring uniform distribution and thereby optimising the performance of composite parts.
In addition to fibre-laying solutions, BORFLEX® also offers a range of products specifically designed to protect equipment and aircraft under construction. The company is able to design stamping dies of any size for the manufacture of mechanical parts. Furthermore, BORFLEX® provides protection for probes using rubber and polyurethane solutions, tailored to different types and sizes of probe.
The BORFLEX® product range also includes a variety of flat, O-ring and moulded seals, ensuring that installations remain leak-free. These products are essential for maintaining the integrity of aeronautical systems and ensuring reliable and safe operations.
Whether it be stamping blocks, polyurethane covers to protect components during the installation of aircraft seats, fuselage protection parts, scaffolding or walkways used during construction, BORFLEX® offers a wide range of products tailored to the specific needs of the aviation industry. In addition, the company supplies intermediate components for construction and maintenance, profiles, and FIBERROLL®-brand AFP draping rollers.
Thanks to its expertise and diverse product range, BORFLEX ® meets the technical challenges and high standards of the aerospace industry, thereby contributing to the advancement of aviation and aerospace.
2- Fibre placement process
Fibre placement is an automated composite manufacturing process that involves heating fibres to very high temperatures and compacting them onto a substrate, such as an aeroplane wing, for example. BORFLEX® AFP rolls enable carbon fibres to be placed with precision to produce high-strength components. The rolls are manufactured using specific formulations, developed and tested by the BORFLEX® R&D teams.
The fibre placement process is crucial in the manufacture of composite parts. It involves orienting the reinforcing fibres precisely and optimally within the polymer matrix. This is where BORFLEX®’s AFP (Automated Fibre Placement) rollers, FIBERROLL®, come into play. BORFLEX®’s AFP (Automated Fibre Placement) rollers enable the automated and precise placement of fibres, laying them along pre-programmed paths. This advanced technology ensures a uniform distribution of the fibres, thereby maximising the mechanical performance of the final part.
FIBERROLL® is an innovative system developed by BORFLEX® which offers continuous fibre placement. This technique offers great flexibility and can be used for complex shapes, whilst maintaining excellent placement quality. A notable feature of the BORFLEX® FIBERROLL® range is its ability to withstand extremely high temperatures. Indeed, these rolls are designed for applications at temperatures reaching peaks of up to 500°C. This property enables BORFLEX® to meet the specific requirements of the aerospace industry, where components are subjected to demanding environments.
Thanks to this ability to operate under extreme thermal conditions, the solutions in the BORFLEX® FIBERROLL® range offer exceptional reliability and durability, whilst maintaining optimum performance. This technological breakthrough opens up new prospects in the field of aerospace composites, offering potential applications in areas where high temperatures pose a major challenge.
3- Pultrusion: a specialism in which BORFLEX® excels
In addition to fibre placement, BORFLEX® also excels in pultrusion, a continuous manufacturing technique for composite profiles. This process involves pulling resin-impregnated reinforcing fibres through a heated die, thereby allowing the resin to polymerise and the fibres to be consolidated.
BORFLEX® manages the entire production process, from resin formulation to the production of components in small and medium-sized batches. Thanks to its expertise in pultrusion, the company is able to manufacture bespoke composite profiles.
As well as pultrusion, BORFLEX® is also active in the field of moulded composites. Several moulding techniques are used, including SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) compression moulding, RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) low-pressure injection moulding and BMC (Bulk Moulding Compound) compression moulding.
You can find out about all the benefits of these different processes by clicking here: Composites | BORFLEX® – specialists in elastomer and composite solutions
SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) compression moulding involves compressing a mixture of reinforcing fibres and resin within a closed mould. This process enables the production of large parts with complex shapes, whilst ensuring an even distribution of the fibres.
As for low-pressure RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding), this involves injecting resin into a preformed mould containing reinforcing fibres. This process offers a high degree of precision and enables the production of components with excellent mechanical strength.
Finally, BMC (Bulk Moulding Compound) compression moulding involves compressing a mixture of fibres and resin into a mould. This process enables the production of small to medium-sized parts with high strength and high dimensional accuracy.
Thanks to its expertise in these various moulding techniques, Borflex is able to meet the specific needs of the aerospace industry by supplying high-quality composite parts that meet performance and reliability requirements.
4- Key points
The Paris Air Show provides BORFLEX® with an opportunity to demonstrate its leadership and commitment to the aerospace industry through its expertise in elastomers and composites. By offering advanced solutions such as AFP rollers with the complete FIBERROLL® range for fibre placement, as well as its expertise in pultrusion, BORFLEX® is at the forefront of innovation. The company is also active in the field of moulded composites, utilising various moulding techniques, thereby opening up new possibilities for the manufacture of bespoke components. BORFLEX® meets the rigorous requirements of the aerospace industry. With its ongoing commitment to innovation, BORFLEX® will continue to support the aerospace sector by offering advanced technological solutions for future challenges.
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