Fiberforge announces the release of new and improved Relay Station
Nov 05 2007
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO — Fiberforge introduces the latest generation of its patented Relay(TM) Station for the production of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite structures. The new Relay station produces parts up to six times faster compared with Fiberforge’s original system, all with increased flexibility and adaptability and a more user-friendly interface. The Relay Station rapidly lays up a multiply laminate out of unidirectional, fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite tape. The resulting product, a near-net shape pre-form, referred to as a Tailored Blank™, is then consolidated and thermoformed into a final part.
“Although our goal of rapidly producing tailored blanks has not changed, the mechanics are fundamentally different in our new Relay Station,” comments Fiberforge’s President and CEO, Jon Fox-Rubin. “Rather than making incremental changes to our prior layup technology, we leapfrogged it with a new, completely novel technique. The result is a much more robust and capable system with tremendous throughput.”
According to David Cramer, Fiberforge’s Chief Technologist, the new system is capable of processing well over one-million pounds of fiber-reinforced tape annually. If a part weighs 5 pounds, this means that a single Relay Station can generate over two hundred thousand parts every year. “The use of composites in volume applications has traditionally been limited by the time required to produce a part,” says Cramer. “Fiberforge’s latest generation Relay Station moves advanced composites closer to traditional materials, such as metals and plastics, in terms of volume throughput and automation.”
The Relay Station lays up laminates from a wide variety of fiber and resin types, and produces parts of varying thickness and with fiber directions tailored to maximize performance. The automated, programmable system significantly reduces the labor required to produce composite parts, and produces parts with a significant reduction in scrap compared to traditional methods—an important factor in reducing cost.
Fiberforge is a technology company commercializing a breakthrough manufacturing system that enables the affordable production of lightweight advanced composite parts at high volumes. Fiberforge’s proprietary Relay Station—protected with multiple patents and trade secrets—produces parts with high fiber alignment, high fiber fraction, and long fiber length at high speed with minimal scrap. Fiberforge’s technology and its tailored blanks are protected by US patents (6,607,626, 6,939,423 and 7,235,149), US patents pending, and International patents granted and pending.
Any projections and forward-looking statements in this release are based on best practice analysis and research from independent advisors to Fiberforge. The conclusions drawn, while the result of the best efforts of the staff of Fiberforge, are in no way a promise of delivery, and can, and will, be changed according to future input.
If you would like more information about the Fiberforge process, or to schedule an interview, please call 970-945-9377 or send an email to sgoldberg@fiberforge.com.