IACMI adds state-of-the-art fiber sizing line to its local Collaboration Facility
The 70-foot, modular system is designed to apply a variety of "fiber sizings," a very thin chemical coating that serves multiple benefits in manufacturing.
IACMI – The Composites Institute, in partnership with Michelman, a global manufacturer of advanced materials, has announced the addition of a state-of-the-art fiber sizing line to the IACMI Collaboration Facility in Knoxville.
The 70-foot, modular system is designed to apply a variety of “fiber sizings,” a very thin chemical coating that serves multiple benefits in manufacturing. This process is an essential step in making composites lighter, stronger, and more versatile. This unique equipment helps provide a faster path from research to commercialization, according to IACMI’s Chief Technology Officer Dr. Uday Vaidya, who also serves as the University of Tennessee – Oak Ridge National Laboratory (UT-ORNL) Governor’s Chair in Advanced Composites Manufacturing.
“I am both grateful and excited to have this line commissioned to benefit multiple stakeholders in the composites ecosystem we’ve built between IACMI, ORNL, UT, and industry,” said Vaidya. “We’re not only researching and developing sustainable composites innovations. With the Michelman line, stakeholders can customize their constituent materials for a tailored fiber-matrix interface, which is key to the properties/performance of the composite.”
Ohio-based Michelman manufactures chemical solutions for agricultural and architectural coatings, digital printing, packaging, and advanced composites for automotive and aerospace. Michelman’s equipment enables hands-on training for next-generation engineers and is the culmination of many years of collaboration with IACMI.
Click here to learn more about the new equipment.
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