Hexcel is exhibiting at the Aero India show in Bangalore, from February 18-22, (Stand B3.2) to promote a range of carbon fibers and composites that are benefiting Indian aerospace manufacturers for commercial aircraft, helicopters and space programs.

Hexcel has supplied carbon fiber fabrics, prepregs, honeycombs and adhesives to Indian aerospace companies for many years, including Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), National Aerospace Lab (NAL), Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO), Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre(VSSC) and TATA Advanced Materials.

Hexcel’s HexPly® M21E/IMA prepreg is used by TATA Advanced Materials to make spars and composite panels for the Airbus A350 XWB. The A350 XWB is the first Airbus to have a structure that is more than 50% composites and Hexcel is supplying the carbon fiber prepreg for all of the A350 XWB primary structures. The first A350 XWB has now been delivered to the first operator, Qatar Airways, and commercial flights will begin later this year. At the Hexcel booth at Aero India, visitors will see an A350 XWB lower panel made by TATA Advanced Materials using a range of Hexcel products.

Hexcel has added to its range of high strength and intermediate modulus carbon fibers by launching HexTow® HM63, a high modulus carbon fiber that has the highest tensile strength of any existing HM fiber. HexTow® HM63 provides outstanding translation of fiber properties in a composite, including superior inter-laminar shear and compression shear strength. HexTow® HM63 is therefore ideal for any high stiffness and strength-critical applications including space, satellites, UAV, commercial aerospace and helicopters.

Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) is a composite manufacturing process that allows high quality components to be produced, with good surface quality, without using autoclaves. Hexcel has launched HexFlow® RTM6-2 to provide the industry with a bi-component version of its highly successful RTM6 resin, making it easier to transport by air or sea outside Europe. With the same chemical composition as RTM6, HexFlow® RTM6-2 provides the same high mechanical properties from a short cure cycle,including high Tg. An added advantage is that HexFlow® RTM6-2 can be stored at +5°C for 12 months.

Hexcel has a long history of supplying composites for space programs and is proud to be associated with the ISRO Mars Orbiter Mission, located in Bangalore, that successfully launched a satellite which went into Mars orbit last September. Hexcel supplied the ISRO with HexPly® high modulus prepregs, HexWeb® honeycomb cores and Redux® film adhesives for the program’s lightweight composite structures. We congratulate the ISRO on their success.