Victrex and Tri-Mack Plastics Manufacturing have formed a joint venture called TxV Aero Composites to accelerate the commercial adoption of Paek composites applications within the aerospace industry. The multi-million investment included the establishment of a new US-based manufacturing facility, a polyketone center of excellence in the US.
The intent is to offer a range of Paek composites, from custom laminates to pre-formed composite inserts for hybrid molding processes, as well as finished composite parts and complete over-molded hybrid composite components and assemblies. These products can reportedly deliver weight savings of up to 60% over conventional metallic solutions, and offer continuous manufacturing processes and cycle times measured in minutes versus hours. One example is Victrex A 250 composites, a lower temperature processing Paek-based composite product family that enables a unique hybrid molding process. This innovation combines the strength of continuously-reinforced thermoplastic composites with the design flexibility and proven performance of Victrex Peek injection molding polymers.
The operation represents a great opportunity for Victrex to accelerate innovative and differentiated solutions for customers in the aerospace industry. With an estimated 35,000 new aircraft to be launched in the next 20 years, the aerospace industry is embracing thermoplastic composites as a cost-effective solution to support this growth. The efficient processing and performance advantages of Paek thermoplastic composites combined with state-of-the-art automated manufacturing will position TxV Aero Composites to meet the industry’s cost and weight challenges.