Porcher Industries, a manufacturer of textile reinforcements and thermoplastic composites materials, is working with Airbus Helicopters to design a carbon fiber reinforcement plastic (CFRP) rotor for the H160 helicopter.
According to Porcher, the H160 is the first civil helicopter with a composite structure making it lighter, more robust, more resistant to corrosion and fatigue, and with fewer maintenance needs.
The prepreg material was developed from a thermoplastic resin, and required special weaving and high temperature impregnation expertise, the company said. This project has allowed Airbus Helicopters to master the processing and production of a CFRP composite part.
This story is reprinted from material from Porcher, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
