#Composites

2018-02-27

DORNIER presents machines and system solutions for efficiently manufacturing semi-finished composite fiber products at JEC

No expensive pressing processes: The tape weaving machine will make organic sheet production more efficient in the future (c) 2018 Lindauer DORNIER

DORNIER will present its Composite Systems® business unit at the JEC World composite materials exhibition in Paris from March 6. - 8. The machine builder continues to establish its reputation as a system partner for component, ber and polymer manufacturers for all matters relating to machinery and systems for manufacturing semi-finished textiles made from high-performance fibers.

Handcrafted single-item production, small lots – these keywords still characterize the production of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) in all sectors which count on lightweight, ber-based structural applications, including aerospace, automobile construction, machinebuilding and even architecture. This is why textile research institutions and sector enterprises are pushing to develop reliable, economical processes for manufacturing FRP components on an industrial scale. Their efforts are concentrated on new developments and advancements of machinery used to make semi-finished goods from carbon, glass, aramide and basalt for composites.

Carbon, glass, aramide and basalt: P1 roving weaving machines from DORNIER have woven semi-finished fibers for composites from high-performance bers for over 40 years (c) 2018 Lindauer DORNIER

For more than 40 years, weaving machines by Lindauer DORNIER GmbH are the benchmark for processing high-performance fibers like carbon. But with the innovations of its Composite Systems® division the highly respected family business now also covers a large portion of the semi-finished goods production spectrum for FRP components as well. “At the JEC, we are going to demonstrate that the expertise we have acquired over decades in building machinery for producing semi-finished goods has also been applied to production equipment”, says Dr. Josef Klingele, Product Manager for DORNIER Composite Systems®.

Weaving car and aircraft parts: The 3D rapier weaving machine from DORNIER is able to produce fabrics up to 25 mm thick (c) 2018 Lindauer DORNIER

Weaving organic sheets from tapes

It is common knowledge in the industry that carbon fabrics for aircraft wings, car parts and medical technology all over the world are produced on DORNIER P1 roving weaving machines. But meanwhile the machine builder also serves the very vibrant tape market with its own production plant.

The system is capable of producing dry and fully impregnated tapes in widths up to 600 mm and at speeds up to 30 m/min. Based on a special impregnation unit, the tapes now are impregnated with thermoplastic matrix material inline – previously this had to be done in a second step.

The uniform and controlled alignment of the bers for the impregnation process is realized by a complex spreading mechanism, also developed by DORNIER. “We obtain very high spreading values”, adds Dr. Klingele.

The finished tapes – this is where the system concept of Composite Systems® applies – then can be further processed on DORNIER’s tape weaving machine. This for example allows to produce woven organic sheets, more economically than before. The reason: fibers and plastic are readily combined in the tapes, they no longer have to be processed separately in an expensive step to make the organic sheets. The advantages for semi-finished goods and component manufacturers thus are shorter cycle times and lower production costs.

Machines and systems to customer specifications

The experts at DORNIER can draw on decades of experience in developing customized systems when building machinery for semi-finished goods. “Composite components are subject to enormous constraints; no two machines for manufacturing semi-finished goods are the same”, explains Klingele. Producers of components, fibers or polymers often rely on in-house developments and modified machines. But they usually don’t have the system building experience they need.

As they reach a dead end, they contact the machine builders, who can contribute more than just their CE certification expertise: “We have been building machines and systems with very high manufacturing depth for over 65 years – this vast knowledge cannot be acquired overnight.”

Short cycle times, lower manufacturing costs: With the tape production line from DORNIER, economical high-volume tape production is possible (c) 2018 Lindauer DORNIER

In order to meet customers’ requirements as completely as possible, DORNIER has established a technology center where specific system concepts for manufacturing semi-finished goods are tested, and customer trials are conducted. For example on 3D weaving machines, which weave in all three spatial directions.

The machine builder from Lake Constance, which invests eight percent of its annual turnover in research and development, with these units offers its pioneering response to the trend towards lightweight textiles for mobility. “In the future, 3D fabrics will become indispensable elements in cars and aircraft”, of that, Klingele has no doubt.

Fewer pores, greater impact tolerance: Peter Dornier Foundation Prize 2026 honours material research on fibre-reinforced composite components for aerospace industry

Microscopically small pores that form during manufacture, or barely visible impact damage, can severely impair the load-bearing capacity and service life of fibre-reinforced composite components. Two young researchers have presented groundbreaking work in this field and will both be awarded the 2026 Peter Dornier Foundation Prize: Dr.-Ing. Benedikt Neitzel from the Technical University of Ilmenau for his doctoral thesis on pore minimisation in the RTM process, and Johanna Buschmann, M.Sc., for her master’s thesis, completed at the German Aerospace Centre, on the improved impact tolerance of 3D fabrics compared to 2D laminates.

From carbon to canvas: DORNIER presents flexible and reliable weaving technologies for 3D weaving and dynamic markets at Techtextil

At Techtextil from 21 to 24 April 2026 in Frankfurt am Main (Hall 12.0, Stand D95), Lindauer DORNIER will be showcasing reliable and flexible weaving technologies for ever-changing market requirements. The machine and plant manufacturer will present retrofits for existing machines, the new TRITOS® FLEX 3D weaving technology, intuitive automation concepts and software solutions for data-sovereign networking of the weaving machine fleet.

40 years of the Peter Dornier Foundation: Four decades of non-profit commitment to people, culture and the environment in Lindau, Germany and worldwide

The “Haus Brög zum Engel” hospice, the historic farm “Haug am Brückele” and numerous other projects: for over 40 years, the Peter Dornier Foundation has been supporting social and cultural life in Lindau and beyond. The company-related foundation can look back on more than 500 projects it has supported in Germany and worldwide. It was founded in 1985 by Peter Dornier, founder and long-time Managing Director of the international machine and plant manufacturer Lindauer DORNIER, whose profits go into the foundation at a rate of ten percent annually via a holding company. In the future, the foundation intends to expand its commitment in an even more targeted way.

JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 highlights Taiwan as a strategic hub for the global composites industry

The third edition of JEC Forum organized in Southeast Asia brought together 350+ participants from 22 countries for three active days of high-level Business Meetings, conferences, and networking, emphasizing Southeast Asia’s growing role in the global composites market. Held for the first time in Taipei from 23 to 24 June 2026, following the successful first editions in Bangkok, JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 confirmed its position as the region’s leading business platform dedicated to the composites industry.

MEL Composites supports ELA Aviation with advanced composite materials

MEL Composites is supplying advanced composite materials and process consumables to ELA Aviation for the production of its next-generation gyroplanes. The collaboration underlines MEL Composites’ growing role in advanced aerospace mobility, providing lightweight materials designed to improve aircraft performance, manufacturing efficiency and structural reliability.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.