Spreading the Word! NCC successfully demonstrates AFP manufacture of CMC parts!

"Engineers at the National Composites Centre have completed what they say is a European first by manufacturing ceramic matrix composites (CMC) using automated fiber placement (AFP) technology, paving the way for the materials’ high-temperature capabilities to be unlocked within engines."

"While conventional nickel-based superalloys have a maximum continuous temperature of approximately 800°C, oxide-based CMC can operate at 1,000°C, with the higher operating temperature potentially improving the efficiency of aerospace engines and reducing fuel consumption and subsequent CO2 emissions."

"However, the widespread use of CMC is currently limited to high-value applications, such as heat shields and turbine vanes. Being able to process a more affordable version of the material using AFP technology will reduce the final cost of making CMC parts, the NCC team believes, making them a more appealing proposition for industries that require components that can withstand high temperatures. Furthermore, using an automated process has the potential to offer optimized control over material deposition and could prove a vital innovation to improve material consistency."

"The project team adapted existing AFP technology, typically used to process organic matrix composites like carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy materials, to process 3M’s material. They also investigated how process parameters such as speed, heat and compaction force influence the material deposition and quality. According to the NCC, identifying the optimal deposition parameters reduces the material variability, removing one of the largest challenges for CMC to be used more widely. This could also lower the cost of CMC and create less waste."

Source:#managingcomposites