Hutchinson advances with new-generation composites

HUTCHINSON further strengthens its position as a major player in the thermoplastics and composites market. The company continues to invest in own part design and manufacturing. It likewise formulates its own materials. 

 

The Group’s third-generation composites match aerospace performance requirements, making them ideal for high-output production in tomorrow’s aerospace and automotive industries. The high-performance composites are ultra-light, strong, and highly innovative. They are also more environment-friendly and cost-effective than current technologies.  

 

Hutchinson supports its innovation initiatives with a high-tech technical center. It opened the Centre Technique Composite (CTeC), part of the Hutchinson Research Centre, in 2014.

 

CTeC director Bertrand Florentz said innovation is part and parcel of the approach at Hutchison. “Approaching the design of a composite part by integrating a large number of functions makes the use of composites all the more attractive from the cost viewpoint,” he explained.

 

Together with Peugeot Sports and Total, Hutchinson developed front and rear axles made of composite. By integrating the suspension and wheel guide, these eliminated the need for springs and wishbones, respectively. In addition to the suspension and wheel guide, the roll control and damping of road vibrations and rolling noise are incorporated.

 

Hutchinson’s new solution meets the builder’s strict requirements and enables us to drastically reduce the weight of the suspension function by 13.6 kg. This is consistent with the weight reduction strategy adopted by auto builders to comply with European regulations, which stipulate less than 90g CO2/km by 2020, with even stricter requirements to come. In terms of architectural gain, the part is more compact, and our technology enables a one-step assembly process instead of the usual 12 steps,”  said Mr. Florentz.

 

The company is working on other integrated parts to reduce the cycle times for the parts and their weight. This is exemplified in the innovative cockpit developed in collaboration with Airbus, which won a JEC Innovation Award in the Design category last year.

 

At this year’s JEC Europe 2015, Hutchison will present a new, even lighter instrument panel at at Stand D.31, Hall 7.3.

 

The company’s innovative composites and glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP) are also featured in new aerospace program. These are adopted in various comfort and safety applications, including the new air conditioning ducts, insulating wire-bundle brackets, or the new lightning protection for fuel-tank rivet heads.