Cannon launches the Nexus system, which includes a composite mould incorporating a thermoregulation system and associated controls. This technology exploits the physical properties of composites to improve the practicality of the mould. Composites are used as heating elements integrated into the mould. This allows for extremely rapid temperature increases (up to 30°C per minute) and much more precise localised temperature control than fluid-based systems, according to the manufacturer. This makes it possible to create different zones within the mould, in which temperatures are separated by gradients of less than a few millimetres, a level of precision suited to processes in which the chemical kinetics of the material must be precisely modulated.
Nexus is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 12 for Responsible Consumption and Production.
The POSSIBLE project for mechanically recycling rigid polyurethane and GFRP composites
Besides, Cannon will also present the POSSIBLE project (for “PrOduce SuStainabLE Industrial Bodies”), which aims to recycle and reuse polyurethane (PU) and PU-glass fibre composites, using them as secondary reinforcement materials in new composite formulations, at JEC World 2026. Cannon has developed the process in close cooperation with PU processor MAP S.p.A. and the University of Bergamo, with co-funding from the Italian strategic plan for the EU recovery fund NextGenerationEU.
Thermosets account for about 12% of global plastic production, with over 40 million tonnes per year. Polyurethane foams alone account for about 17 million tonnes of these, i.e. over 42%. But recycling them with traditional methods is almost impossible, and other methods are often too slow, too expensive or incompatible with existing PU manufacturing processes.
During the project, the team explored two complementary approaches. The first involved transforming rigid foam waste into micrometric powders, which were then dispersed into the polyol to form a slurry and dosed as a liquid component using a mixing head. The second involved using rigid PU granulate and polyurethane-glass fibre composite, introduced as a solid filler into the mixture using dedicated dosing systems combined with the FPL 36 IW mixing head for Interwet-LFI (Long Fibre Injection) technology patented by Cannon.
After testing these methods, the researchers concluded that it was possible to recycle rigid polyurethanes and GFRP composites by integrating them into production lines without having to implement invasive processes or radically modify formulations. The POSSIBLE project therefore represents a concrete step towards circularity in the field of thermosets, and Cannon is currently working on recycling solutions for PU and GFRP that will be brought to market.
Cover photo: Cannon Nexus composite mould with integrated heating system
source: Cannon/JEC
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