Henkel has opened a state-of-the-art test facility for composites in Isogo-ku, Yokohama, Japan. This new composite lab will enable automotive customers from across Asia to work in closer collaboration with experts at Henkel to develop and test composite parts.
Composites are increasingly being used by OEMs to meet the demands for reduced vehicle weight, however products must be cost-effective and suitable for production of more than 10,000 parts per year. This often requires custom-formulated, fast-curing resins for use in short production cycles.
At the composites lab, engineers will be able to carry out trials with different test molds on Henkel’s own high pressure resin transfer molding machine, which includes a 380-ton press for trials close to series production conditions.
July 25, 2017