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The JEC 2003 offered solutions for the industry

N. Markaide, l. Palenzuela, e. Ipiñazar.
Fundación Inasmet15/05/2003

JEC 2003

The 2003 Edition of the JEC Composites Show took place in Paris Expo at the door of Versailles Exhibition Centre during the past 1-3 of April and was oriented more than ever towards solutions in composite material to the technological challenges demanded by the industry. A survey held during the last year found that 55 percent of the visitors of the fair were actively seeking suppliers and that 75 per cent of the 55 percent had found innovative technological solutions.

This year the exhibition has risen 20 per cent of surface from 25,000 square meters to 29,500 square metres, due to the high demand of the exhibiting companies according to data provided by Fréderique Mutel, general director of the JECthat organizes the event. Thus, the evolution of the annual event for companies involved in the composites indicates that the size of it has doubled in five years. This year was attended by more than 20,000 visitors, of which 71 percent are Europeans, at a fair in which 850 exhibitors with 880 companies, of which 87 are new this year, coming from 85 countries have presented their latest products and primary products. The internationalization of the Salon continues year after year with 74 per cent of international exhibitors compared to 72% for the year 2002. The presence of Australia which has also been guest of honor of the Hall this year.

Audio visual of this year novelty consisted in the installation of a set of live television from which industrial discussions focused on the world of the composite could continue and that they could follow from different monitors strategically distributed over the surface of the fair.

In this way, the debates generated by the papers presented at each of the three days celebrated throughout all the fair could follow live:

Applications in the automotive sector
Applications in the shipbuilding sector
Applications in the construction sector.

In each of these three days, the presence of international companies expressed the importance of the properties of material composites for the industrial challenges of these sectors.

Played a role, in the automotive sector it did on the importance of recycling currently used plastic components, resulting in an environmental improvement that increases the competitiveness of European industry.

Another important aspect also highlighted in the presentations was the effort to obtain pieces of lesser weight without detriment of mechanical properties with a view to a reduction in energy consumption and thus a derivative environmental improvement.

In the nautical sector, it is estimated that demand growth will be of more than 6 percent annually until the year 2005 (for the United States first.) (World market). In the internal market, are consumed already more than 151,000 tons of composite materials. In France, an estimated annual consumption of 18,000 tonnes. The fiberglass used as a reinforcing agent is replaced gradually by carbon fiber, which allows the manufacture of parts of greater responsibility such as masts, helmets or castillajes.

The construction sector appeared as one of the sectors in which the composites materials are bursting with great strength and presented applications of reconstruction of unique buildings that stressed the usefulness of the properties of the composites materialshigh mechanical strength and light weight, in some situations in which a reconstruction with original materials, concrete and steel, would not have been possible.

Televised debates could be followed live at the fairgrounds

In the nautical sector are consumed already more than 151,000 tons of composite materials.

What's new

In the chapter on news, had to highlight the presence of groups of companies from different countries allowing them access to a stand, situation that under normal conditions and on an individual basis would not be possible due to the high costs. In this way, countries such as India, Canada, Brazil, Germany, United States.Italy, Mexico, United States, Britain and China had a common area in which their products were exposed.

The breakdown by products can be seen in the accompanying graphics.

In the chapter on new products can be highlighted the following innovations:

Industrial products

New composites reinforced with glass fiber and decorative as the TPO or furs textile applications. Rovidecor. (Chromarat composites)
A new sandwich of five layers composite reinforced with aluminium or mats of glass for the construction of concrete walls. (Alkus)
New applications in aeronautics of Rohacell structural units. (Degussa Röhm Performance Plastics)

Raw materials

New non-chlorinated ignifugantes based on amónicos polyphosphates Exolt PA (CLARIANT)
Unidirectional thermoplastic prepregs in carbon/PA or carbon/PPS (SCHAPPE TECHNIQUES)
New process that combines the manufacture of composite parts made with reinforcements of fiber and a system of bas epoxy, called Conti Duo (VANTICO AG) expandable

Industrial equipment

Adaptive pneumatic scissors that can cut any fiber without effort (BETTCHER INDUSTRIES)
A robot checking of composites by non-destructive methods. "Maxi Bacchus" (METALSCAN)

As new applications are also presented the use of plastic materials for the manufacture of bodice for aesthetic purposes.

In the field of monitoring, the use of optical fibre in the manufacturing of composites materials opens a range very big in the automation and intelligent manufacturing possibilities given that allows to transmit real-time parameters such as temperature and mechanical stress.