Visitors to Hall 5 Stand M72 will be able to see Cygnet Texkimp’s high-speed Multi-Axis Winder in action.
The Cheshire-based fibre handling expert and custom machine builder will showcase a full-scale working model of the technology which is used to wind fibres such as carbon, aramid and glass quickly and accurately into strong and lightweight composite parts for automotive, aerospace, rail, sailing, construction, wind energy.
The Multi-Axis Winder is capable of producing linear structures such as tubes and masts quickly by laying down multiple tows at once around an inner core. It is part of a range of high-speed winding products developed by Cygnet Texkimp and including the 3D Winder which is mounted onto a robot and can produce more complex, curved components. Both address the need for faster, lower-cost ways to manufacture consistent and repeatable composite parts.
“The Multi-Axis Winder is a good example of us pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in the fibre converting space,” says Luke Vardy, Managing Director at Cygnet Texkimp.
“In this case, we’re enabling composite part manufacturers to run dry fibres as well as pre-impregnated tapes at fast speeds with a high level of control and accuracy.
“The machine covers the same footprint as an average-sized car and we hope that having it working at JEC will generate lots of discussion with manufacturers considering alternatives to braiding and filament winding.”