At NCC’s Thermoplastics Composites Technology Center, our team has the ability to quickly evaluate alternative manufacturing methods and different combinations of fibers and thermoplastics to create new hybrid thermoplastic composite materials. As a result, we’re able to remove the barriers on where thermoplastic technology can be taken. For manufacturers, that means helping them get their products to market faster without the overhead costs associated with thermoplastic prototype development.
For example, our Continuous Reinforced Thermoplastic Pultrusion line allows our engineers to combine as many as six different fiber materials into one tape/rod or pellet. Commercially, fiber materials are not readily available in the small quantities required for development work on new part concepts. NCC can provide these small quantities and combine virtually any continuous fiber reinforcement with any thermoplastic polymer to create new types of polymer reinforcement materials not available to the commercial market.
NCC’s state-of-the-art Thermal Analysis Laboratory is equipped with a Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA), Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA), and Thermomechanical Analyzer (TMA) from TA Instruments. The trio of analyzers quantifies the thermal characteristics of materials produced by the tape line. The data mined from this in-house analysis supports modeling and molding of prototype applications.
Other equipment includes:
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| Continuous Reinforced Thermoplastic Pultrusion line | Down acting compression molding Lawton 400-ton Press |
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| 150mm Lawton Plasticator | McClean Anderson Filament Winder |
| Discontinuous Fiber Preformer |
Find out more about how NCC can help your company today by contacting Lisa Novelli at lnovelli@compositecenter.org