Centexbel is the Belgian Competence Center for Textiles and Plastics. Since more than 10 years, the centre is active in the development of composite materials in projects at EU and regional level. As a collective research center, Centexbel has as mission to promote the competitiveness of industrial companies by encouraging and supporting innovation with five complementary activities. These activities include applied research and development, knowledge dissemination, standardization, testing and certification. One of the five technology platforms existing at Centexbel is the textile and composite platform that is equipped with modern machines to realize prototypes and demonstrators of fibrous reinforcement structures for composite materials.
Composites:
- Polymer Resins and Additives
- Fibers: Glass Fibers, Carbon Fibers, Aramides, Basalt
- Comingled Yarns
- Short Fiber Compounds
- Long-fiber-reinforced Compounds
- Molding Compounds
- Unidirectional Tapes
- Structural reinforcement Materials 2D and 3D structures
- Biobased and natural materials
- Laminates and Sheets
- Fabrics
- Fillers and Reinforcers
- Presses
- Injection Molding
- Tape Winding and Placement
- Weaving, braiding, embroidering, knitting
- Prototyping of reinforcements
- 3D printing of composites
- Light RTM
- Impact testing
- Testing equipment
- Conductivity testing
- Microscopy/SEM
- Chemical characterization
- Technical Support
Centexbel is involved in many projects at European, national or regional levels
H2020 Bio4self project:
The goal of the project is to develop fully biobased composite materials based on high performance nanofibrillar PLA fibres. To produce these composites, a low melting PLA matrix is combined with a high tenacity, higher melting PLA fibre.
Bio4self Newsletter 1
Bio4self Newsletter 2
Bio4self Newsletter 3
Centexbel's concept for a biobased self-reinforced composite material receives the prestigious JEC World Innovation Award in the category “Sustainability”
Mécatech Comp2blades project: Composite development with complex architecture for wind turbine blades.
Skywin VIBRA project: Support of Braiding process by virtual engineering
Interreg NWE Cobracomp: Braided textiles to improve the competitiveness of composite materials industry in NWE
Materials
- Fibrous material (fibers, filaments, yarns, fabrics)
- Thermoplastics and Thermosets
- Biobased polymers
- Natural materials
Machinery and Tooling
- Platform equipped with machines for braiding, weaving, knitting and embroidering
- Light RTM
- 3D printing of continuous filament composites
Production
- Prototyping of structural reinforcements can be realized on our platform by braiding, weaving, knitting and embroidering
Process Optimization and Consulting
- Execution of tests with various fibrous materials (GF, CF, Basalt, Polymers)
- Technologic consulting services
Centexbel offers:
- R&D activities for manufacturing companies
- Testing: chemical, physical, microbiological, burning behavior
- Technical support for Material and Process development
- Project building expertise
Contact details
Bernard Paquet
R&D manager Technical Textiles & Composites
+32 4 296 8238
bp@centexbel.be
Company details
www.centexbel.be
4460 Grâce-Hollogne
Belgium
