TenCate Cetex® remains the aerospace industry’s lightweight, durable material of choice. Leading the way in thermoplastic composites for over 25 years, TenCate Cetex® is flying today in more than one million parts, from structural components, wing leading edges, engine pylon structures, cargo flooring, acoustic structures, to interior galleys and seats.

PROPERTIES OF TENCATE CETEX^®
THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES:

> Rapid assembly
> Short cycle times
> Weldable
> Recyclable
> No freezer storage
> Chemical resistance
> Excellent FST properties

TenCate Cetex® offers outstanding mechanical properties, is durable, strong, and lightweight, and is qualified to major aircraft manufacturers’ specifications.

KEY PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES FOR PROVEN AND RELIABLE VOLUME PART MANUFACTURING:

> Compression molding/thermoforming
> Overmolding
> Advanced Tape Placement (ATP)

Visit Toray at JEC World, Booth J30, Hall 5, to see Daher's Airbus A380 engine pylon cover made from TenCate Cetex® TC1100/PPS with Toray T300J fiber.

Thermoforming is the process of heating up a thermoplastic sheet, or laminate, and forming while the material is still pliable.

This can be done locally or in a one-part or a two-part mold.

The sheet is heated above the melt temperature after which it is transferred above the bottom half of the mold. Once placed, the sheet can be formed by one of the following processes:

> Single bend forming

> Stamp forming

> Vacuum forming

> Deep drawing

> Compression molding

> Continuous compression molding

The high-quality consolidation of TenCate Cetex® thermoplastic composites in both UD tape and RTL formats allows for simple heating and forming processes that take minutes.

Request a processing guide here

Frank ten Napel (Nijverdal, NL)

Frank returned to TenCate in 2015 after 10 years in the sheet metal industry. His work today focuses on strategic, commercial, and technical activities, fueling his passion for progressing thermoplastic composite use, especially that of recycled thermoplastic composites.

“Although TenCate Cetex® thermoplastic composites have been in flight for over 30 years, the last 10 years can clearly be bookmarked by a maturation of the supply chain,” he says. “An ever increasing adoption of thermoplastic processing capacity in the market enables a further growth of the market. As TenCate Advanced Composites has now joined the Toray family, the exciting next step is transforming thermoplastic composites into a mainstream material in aerospace and other demanding industries.”

Frank holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and marketing from Windesheim University of Applied Sciences in Zwolle, the Netherlands, and specializes in thermoplastic composites. He particularly enjoys cases where production methods unique to thermoplastic composites are combined, such as stamp forming, various welding methods, and injection overmolding, as he feels combined methods bring out the best in the material.

Frank lives in Zwolle where he enjoys squash, golf, renovating his house, and traveling with his wife. They are close to achieving their personal goal of visiting all 48 countries on the European continent.