"Like most production machines, prepreg machines are becoming more sophisticated, automated and increasing their data collection capabilities," reports Keith McConnell, President of CDI, headquartered in San Diego, California.
"Companies are looking for easier to use machines, higher outputs, and lower cost processing."
Cost of materials is always a key focus for the composites industry, he notes, and the imminent increase in new carbon fibre manufacturers entering the market will be driving the fibre costs lower.
"However much of this new fibre is difficult to process and utilise as it exhibits large variations in its condition and consistency," McConnell says, "and this is driving a need for machines to be more ‘fibre friendly,’ which has been the core of CDI designs for the last 35 years."
There is also a large number of new manufacturing customers entering the market. This is driving a need for machine designs that are easier to operate along with strong technical support to enable customers to learn to utilise the machines to produce high quality, cost effective prepreg for their end product.
CDI introduced its TIP technology support package at the China Composites Expo in 2011 and McConnell reports that response to this has been very good. Primarily focused around prepreg manufacturing operations and related downstream activities, the TIP program is based on 10 modules which provide all elements of prepreg processing, from strategic market determination and facility layouts, to training on machine operation and material qualification.
Each TIP program is custom designed for the customer’s market, product and volume needs.
This article is an excerpt from the feature CDI – prepreg technology partner published in the July/August issue of Reinforced Plastics magazine.
You can read the complete article here.
