Cannon Ergos collaborates with Boeing on recycled carbon fibre aircraft sidewall panels

Cannon Ergos, a company of the Cannon Group, a world leader in technologies, processing equipment and mould manufacturing for the composites industries, is working with Boeing on moulding trials for the feasibility of using recycled carbon fibre (rCF) for the fabrication of aircraft cabin interior sidewall panels.

The recovery and reuse of carbon fibre waste during production processes and end-of-life applications, such as automotive and aeronautics, has proved to be economically viable. This supports the implementation of the EU Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) to greatly reduce landfill disposal which is environmentally essential and is also in line with targets set by the EU Circular Economy Package for sustainable production practices.

“For several years, together with sister companies Cannon Afros and Cannon Tipos, we have successfully undertaken numerous projects that offer new life to recycled carbon fibre,” said Mattia Andolfatto, Project Manager R&D at Cannon Ergos. “By combining various technologies and production processes tailored for each application, we have been able to effectively process recycled carbon fibre whether impregnated with diverse resins, or already integrated within a thermoplastic matrix. The project with Boeing demonstrates the viability of fabricating interior sidewall panels with high-performance thermoplastics reinforced with recycled carbon fibre.”

The project’s latest stage involves Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (MCAM), a global supplier of high-performance reinforced polymers for which Cannon Ergos has designed, manufactured, and installed a customised and fully equipped thermo-compression unit.  This equipment was utilised to produce prototype sidewall panels with the new Kyrontex material. Typical resin matrices utilised for Kyrontex thermoplastic composite aeronautical applications include polyamide (PA), polyetherimide (PEI), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyaryletherketone (PAEK).

Cannon Ergos was created in 2012 by combining the competencies and know-how of Cannon Group’s Tecnos, TCS, and Forma businesses and is dedicated to manufacturing turnkey plants and machinery for polyurethane, composite and thermoplastic materials, and die-cast aluminium processing.

Today, Cannon Ergos’ R&D department, and technical laboratories support customers worldwide in developing innovative tailor-made technologies and production processes by designing, manufacturing, and installing customised facilities and stand-alone adapted thermoforming units for the following main industrial applications: automotive, aerospace, refrigerator insulation, building and construction insulation, technical components and medical equipment, wind power, sanitary, furniture and consumer and industrial goods.

 www.cannonplastec.com