TenCate Advanced Composites, a leading supplier of advanced composite materials for the aerospace industry, is pleased to announce that the JEC 2014 Aircraft Interiors Innovation Award has been won for the Titanium Seat by Expliseat and its partners TenCate Advanced Composites, RocTool, Hexcel and A&P Technology.
TenCate Advanced Composites with the Dutch minister of Economic Affair, Mr Henk Kamp at the JEC Show in Paris.
Left to Right: Robert Lenferink, Winand Kok, minister Henk Kamp, Frank Meurs.
The Titanium Seat is the first composite aircraft seat to pass dynamic 16g crash tests and being twice as light as the nearest competition. This innovative seat is the most efficient economy-class seat for the Airbus A320 and Boeing B737 families. This prestigious award is awarded this afternoon at the JEC show in Paris, France, by Henk Kamp, the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs.
At four kilogram per passenger, this award winning seat reduces fuel consumption for potential savings of 200,000 to 400,000 Euro per year per aircraft. Its composite-titanium structure and simple assembly makes it the market's top-performing seat.
Optimal mechanical performance
TenCate worked closely with Expliseat's team to establish the best resin / fibre combination for optimal mechanical performance, while adhering to stringent FST requirements. TenCate Cetex® TC1100 thermoplastic resin was chosen to be the most suitable for this application in combination with Hexcel's compatible HexTow AS4 12k high-strength fibre, passing the most demanding tests for seat structures. The Titanium Seat development also involved RocTool's latest 3iTech technology, where inductor coils are directly integrated in a steel compression mould.
Advantages
The Titanium Seat provides five major advantages. Low weight due to its composite structure, resulting in fuel savings. Robustness with a subtle balance between composite and titanium. Industrial scalability using unique moulding technologies. Reliability with best-in-class composite materials. Above all, this innovative seat provides extra passenger comfort, since composite moulding provides complete design freedom.
The award will be presented during the 2014 JEC Awards ceremony at 5 p.m. Tuesday 11 March, during the JEC Show in Paris, France.
TenCate Advanced Composites is exhibiting at the JEC Europe exhibition in Paris between 11 - 13 March, hall 7.3 stand F18.
TenCate Advanced Composites is a leading prepreg manufacturer of thermoset and thermoplastic composites serving the aircraft, satellite and industrial markets. TenCate Advanced Composites has facilities in Europe and North America and representation in Asia.
Royal Ten Cate (TenCate) is a multi-national company that combines textile technology with related chemical processes and material technology in the development and production of functional materials with distinctive characteristics. Products of TenCate are sold worldwide.
Systems and materials from TenCate come under four areas of application: safety & protection, space & aerospace, infrastructure & the environment, and sport & recreation. TenCate occupies leading positions in protective fabrics, composites for space and aerospace, anti-ballistics, geosynthetics and synthetic turf. TenCate is listed on the NYSE Euronext (AMX).