High Performance Composite Materials from Toray

Download the PDF selection guide for more information about Toray's range of composite solutions.

Global materials technology company, Toray Advanced Composites supports the use of engineered composites materials in a broad range of applications, which range from high volume automotive applications to high-temperature oil and gas applications.

The composite materials are used in a number of industrial markets such as

• Heavy Industrial
• Wear Applications
• Rods and Tubes
• Recreation
• Robotics
• Medical

In addition, Toray materials help in reducing weight and thus boost fuel efficiency in numerous transportation industries, including automotive trucks, rail, and bus. Moreover, Toray’s high-performance composites provide a novel option to the conventional metals and non-reinforced plastics, which are generally employed in the oil and gas market.

Thermoset Prepreg Technology

The advanced composite prepregs, which are based on thermoset, are provided in both fabric and unidirectional tape form that range from slit tapes to 64” wide fabrics. Both direct impregnation and film impregnation are used by Toray to meet the specific handling and processing needs of each individual customer. The thermoplastic composite prepregs are available in a number of forms, such as fabric-based prepregs or semi-pregs, fully impregnated unidirectional tapes, pre-consolidated and oriented stacked laminates of 1-25 plies, and resin systems including PPS, Nylon, PEEK, and PEI.

Bulk Molding Compounds

For compression molding, Toray provides a wide range of chopped fiber bulk molding compounds. These molding compounds use thermoplastic matrix resins such as PPS, PEEK, and Nylon, or thermoset matrix resins like epoxy or cyanate esters.

Compression Molded Parts

Toray also provides prototyping, CAD/ CAM, vertically integrated tool design, and full manufacturing capabilities.

Advanced composites offer the following benefits:

• Corrosion resistance
• High strength and stiffness
• Weight reduction
• Exceptional toughness and fatigue resistance
• Ability to optimize strength and stiffness
• Ease of fabrication via common molding processes
• Thermoplastic based tapes and laminates
• Composite surfacing films
• Syntactic foam products
• Compression-molded parts
• Thermoset-based prepregs of glass, carbon, and other continuous reinforcements

Industrial

Transportation

In the automotive industry, the two main considerations are large-scale production and weight reduction. The quick stamping processes developed specifically for use with thermoplastic composite materials help in meeting these high volume requirements. When compared to metallic and injection molded parts, continuous fiber-reinforced materials provide equal strength and stiffness with reduced weight. Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic (CFRT) materials exhibit better structural properties when compared to thermoset composites in terms of impact, cost and sustainability, part cycle times and other properties.

Energy

In any industrial setup, improved cycle time and reduced downtime happen to be important aspects. Advanced materials that are resistant to corrosion can minimize this downtime. Also, quick assembly techniques and lightweight structures can cut down infrastructure expenditures related to pipeline component replacement. Moreover, thermoplastic composites are used in the wind industry to produce blades and nacelles.

Electrical

Toray provides unique, durable, and lightweight solutions for advanced electronics, such as tablet computers and smartphones. Additionally, carbon fiber reinforced blades are particularly useful in large-scale structures, where both strength and stiffness are required.

Other Applications:

Industrial

With exceptional strength, stiffness, and low weight properties, the composites are suitable for a wide range of markets. Presently, composites are being utilized to produce tennis rackets, golf club shafts, bicycles, fishing rods, boat paddles, hockey sticks, and cricket bats, among others.

Medical

Toray also manufactures advanced prosthetic and orthotic medical devices.

Thermoset Materials Selection Guide

Product Chart

Design and Part Services

The CCS Division of Toray specializes in designing and producing compression molded composite parts. CCS develops highly beneficial parts from the properties of molding compounds and is quite an expert in high tolerance, geometrically complex parts.

For intricate structures made of titanium or aluminum, compression molding offers an alternative solution. Standard reinforcements comprise of glass and carbon fiber; however, other reinforcements are also possible.

Materials Selection Guide

Bulk Molding Compounds

Toray's elaborate lab and testing capabilities enable quick development, customization, and database development in a short period of time and with minimum costs, unlike other material suppliers. Toray's extensive expertise in thermoplastic and thermoset resins, various reinforcements, and part design makes it a suitable partner for its customers.

Advanced Composite Materials for Aerospace

The aerospace sector relies on innovation from the supply chain for new processes and materials. Toray Advanced Composites’ customer focus on custom-made systems, integrated with Toray’s all-inclusive laboratory and testing capabilities, allows fast development, customization and database development. Toray’s extensive experience in thermoset and thermoplastic matrices, numerous composite fibers and part design are ways the company provides customer value. Well-established in the industry for providing enhanced fiber and resin solutions, Toray supplies innovative customer-oriented products to the market.

Toray’s wide-ranging advanced composite materials product varieties include:

• Syntactics
• Film adhesives
• Thermoset UD tape and prepregs
• Thermoplastic UD tape, prepregs and laminates
• Bulk molding compounds (BMC)
• Resin transfer molding (RTM) resins
• Toray AmberTool^® prepregs

Conclusion

Toray Advanced Composites has recently acquired Performance Materials Corporation (PMC) and its subsidiary division, Baycomp. Both PMC and Baycomp hold a niche market in the thermoplastic composites industry. With this latest acquisition, Toray has now extensive thermoplastic composites experience with global manufacturing capabilities.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Toray.

For more information on this source, please visit Toray Advanced Composites.