Fulfillment of our role in manufacturing
As the social needs for recycling of all kinds of materials are growing, it is required that FRP, which is increasingly used, be manufactured considering reuse in advance.
The IHI Group has been actively developed CFRTP materials and applied them to aircraft parts as a solution to weight reduction in products.
In addition to that, we are working on developing technology to reuse the waste materials generated during manufacturing processes by cutting them into small pieces and turning them into “chopped materials.”
Recycling of FRP waste into new products
In this recycling method, the waste materials are just cut into small pieces. It is very simple.
Compared to the method of taking out and recycling only carbon fiber from CFRP, our method can be employed without damaging carbon fiber while keeping costs down.
There are also challenges that need to be overcome to realize this method. The key to solve them is to ensure stable quality.
The IHI Group has worked on simulations for molding chopped materials cut from waste materials and visualization of fine structures. We are now clarifying the molding method of recycled materials that can ensure stable quality, which was previously considered difficult.
Matsukura of the Corporate Research and Development Division, who leads the development of FRP recycling technology, says:
“In order to overcome the challenge of reducing material variations, I find it purely pleasurable to understand tendencies by repeating tests under various conditions and think of ways to compensate for them in the molding process. Balancing between stable quality and costs is a common issue for all recycled materials. We are confident that if we can overcome this challenge with FRP, it will open the door to other materials that have been considered difficult to recycle. In the future, we will contribute to the development of recycling technology by disseminating this recycling technology to the world. Further, while realizing sustainable manufacturing such that FRP waste is recycled into new products, we hope to respond to customer demand, such as reducing the weight of products or molding of complex shapes.”
We do fulfill our role in manufacturing and continue our insatiable challenge to build the system that enables our customers who use FRP materials to repeatedly utilize the resources.
Members in charge of the project
Izumi Matsukura, Akira Kobiki and Sho Murata: Technology Platform Center, Corporate Research and Development Division, IHI Corporation
Toyoharu Akimoto: Planning and Administration G., Aeronautical Composite Material Project Dept., IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd.
Fuki Tsutsui and Shota Uchikawa: Production Engineering G., Production Dept, IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd.