Next Generation filament winding

This project will enable a step-change ina current manufacturing process called wet-filament winding where a significant reduction in the consumption of solvents can be achieved in conjunction with reductions in the volume of waste material generated. This in effect will transform the workplace in terms of air-quality and significantly reduce emissions to the atmosphere. In the new manufacturing technique, a conventional resin bath in not used.
Instead, the components of the resin system are mixed on-demand and dispensed using the optimum volume to impregnate the fibres. Productivity and quality-imporvements will be obtained by:
- a reduction in the impregnation time via fibre spreading.
Proof-of-concept experiments have shown that the properties of filament wound composites produced using the new technique are equivalent to or better than those obtained using conventianal wet-filament winding. The socio-economic benefits of this proposal are very significant. A recent site trial has demonstrated that the so called clean filament winding technology can be retrofitted easily on conventional filament winding machines. The Exploitation Plan for the project consists of three strategies:
- new build;
- Retrofit;
- End-users in the consortium.