Dear Reader,

Welcome to our 13th edition of NewsLIGHT- the newsletter from the international AZL Lightweight Network.

In this edition, we are reporting about the first steps of our new studies - "Thermoplastic Tapes for SME Injection Molders" and "Composites in the Furniture Industry”. We are also looking forward to a successful follow-up project of Ultra-Fast Manufacturing of Tailored Composite Blanks.

Another Highlight will be the next Workgroup Meeting for “Composites in Buildings & Infrastructure” which will be a two-day event in Munich at the BAU 2019, world’s leading trade fair for architecture materials and system.

Enjoy reading the news from our Partner Companies, Partner Institutes and our joint Partner Network Activities.

Your AZL Team: 
Dr. Michael Emonts, Dr. Kai Fischer, Dr. Michael Effing

After the collapse of a drinking water pipeline in downtown Amsterdam, the capacity of the potable water supply network to the town center was significantly reduced. Insituform was contracted to reline a close to 100 year old pipe underneath one of the canals. More...

Derakane™ Signia™ resins—Unchanged Polymer Backbone Introduced in 1965 to combat corrosion in hot, wet chlorine environments, Derakane™ epoxy vinyl ester resins have become the industry standard for corrosion-resistant fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) equipment. More...

Electrically-conductive tool coating convinced the jury of the Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e. V . Great news for BÜFA Composite Systems!  More...

Conbility delivered the modular Tape Placement Applicator “PrePro 3D” to the Technology Center AIMEN in O Porriño, Spain...More...

The process costing software for intuitive process chain modelling and cost evaluation via drag-and-drop is now available in three pricing models...More...

Container box compression test comparing alternative solutions Sleeve packs made using EconCore’s honeycomb technology have set a new performance standard for the packaging industry, results from a recent compression test show. More...

Artificial intelligence minimizes component warpage – for maximum precision of plastic components. Product development and lightweight construction ... More...

A vision system inspects small lacquered parts in a cycle and learns to detect and rate optical defects. Essential are precise, but flexible adjustment options of the cameras. More...

Expected annual order intake for the world's first dielectric sensor technology for carbon composite high-volume applications - DEA288 Ionic – has already surpassed projections in the first... More...

With great success, SimpaTec invited to its event series MiDay (Molding Innovation Day) on September 18, 2018 into the „Stadthalle Balingen“. More...

Textechno GmbH & Co. KG is the world market leader of precision testing equipment for filament yarn and man-made fibres. It’s innovative composite testing instruments include the…More...

2018 was again a busy year. Van Wees has four note full items to share with the composites community. The MaX600/1800,  the biggest prepreg machine of the world, fabric impregnation on the UD600TPR and the order for a UD1200TPR machine. More...

Epoxy based Sheet Molding Compounds extend the applications of cost-efficient and sustainable high performance automotive components. Vestaro and ika have now shown the potential of this technology in a virtual application within the European funded project ALLIANCE..More...

The Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and the Skilled Crafts at RWTH Aachen University is cooperating with...More...

The aim of the project is the development of an innovative technology for the production and consolidation of complex... More...

CompositesReloaded - Small series production of FRP is either very labour-intensive or requires sophisticated automation solutions...More...

Recently, the BMBF research project TailCo was launched by the RWTH institutes MSE, ITA and SLA. The project goals were presented to a broad industry consortium during the kick-off and the product development process was worked out during the first workshop. More...

AZL Buildings and Infrastructure Workgroup meeting at the leading trade fair for architecture materials and systems, in Munich

The next meeting of the AZL Workgroup “Composites in Buildings & Infrastructure” is taking place at BAU 2019 in Munich to closely involve representatives of the building industry and to network with end-users and architects. After a successful second workgroup meeting, the AZL is taking the next meeting directly to the source of new input and feedback, to the BAU… More...

AZL started two new projects addressing thermoplastic tapes

In a study, AZL together with multiple companies identifies potentials and challenges of using thermoplastic tapes in injection molded components. In a follow-up project, AZL together with the established and extended consortium from the first project continue the development of a game changing machine system for manufacturing tailored composite blanks in high volumes at medium investment costs.… More...

"Composites in the Furniture"- AZL’s new Study

The study regarding the Furniture Market has started its first project phase. The aim is to identify potentials and future applications for composites in furniture. The first phase is addressing the furniture market segmentation and the application analysis… More...

New AZL Workgroup: "Advanced Thermoset Production"

AZL is expanding its existing Workgroup “High-Speed RTM Matrices” to a new Workgroup named “Advanced Thermoset Production", based on requests from various AZL Partners. The extension was motivated by numerous innovations in the area of thermoset processes which only can be partly covered by the so-far workgroup focus on RTM. The Workgroup “Advanced Thermoset Production” will address additionally to RTM… More...

JEC and AZL renew their Cooperation lasting since 2015

For the 5th time already, JEC and AZL join forces to realize a special exhibition during JEC World 2019 – We are looking forward to meeting you at “Composites in Action” in Paris. The purpose of the partnership is to jointly promote actual developments and insights regarding integrative lightweight production technology at JEC World to illustrate their benefits to the… More...

Joint Partner Study "Energy Storage Systems": Final project meeting at AZL

During our final project meeting of the joint partner market and technology study "Energy Storage Systems" on Nov. 27th 2018, AZL resumed the project results comprising all relevant energy storage systems and their function principles, used materials and production technology as well as the supply chains and markets. More...

AZL took part in the African Advanced Manufacturing & Composites Show

Managing Director Dr. Michael Emonts was invited to the African Advanced Manufacturing & Composites Show at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in South Africa as an international Keynote speaker. Dr. Michael Emonts’s keynote speech “Lightweight Production: a unique approach for the close collaboration between research and the international lightweight industry” represented the AZL and brought our vision from Europe to South… More...

What happened in the 5 AZL Industrial Workgroups?

5 AZL Workgroups meet every six months for technology- and product-related networking and initiation and definition of lightweight projects and initiatives involving composite industry and academia. Get your update here.

What happened in AZL Joint Partner Projects and Studies?

2 running Joint Partner Projects and 2 running Joint Market &Technology Studies allow participating companies cost sharing for pre-competetive R&D and market and technology analysis. Get your update on Joint Partner Projects and Joint Market and Technology Studies.

Laser in Composites Symposium | 9-10 April 2019

The Laser in Composites Symposium in Aachen presents the
latest developments and state-of-the-art-applications in laser
processing of composite materials.
Laser processing of composite materials has a wide range
of applications, e.g. in the automotive industry, aeronautics,
electro mobility and other fi elds of lightweight production.
Therefore, the focus of the symposium will be on the topics
laser cutting and drilling of composites and prepregs, laser
joining of thermoplastic composites and hybrid structures and
laser-assisted tape-laying processes as well as process control
and quality assurance.  More details & Registration

Innovationsforum Smart SHM

The future belongs to feeling components and structures in Structural Health Monitoring systems. SHM is the basis for the next technological generation. To support the necessary steps for the further development the RWTH Aachen University organise the Innovationsforum smartSHM in March/April 2019. More details.

Please note: Conference only in German!