A sandwich panel contains two major parts: skin and core.
Common skins we often see are FRP (also fiberglass), wood, and steel (usually aluminum).
A sandwich panel contains two major parts: skin and core.
Common skins we often see are FRP (also fiberglass), wood, and steel (usually aluminum).
Today, let’s have a look at a new kind of panel skin: TOPOLO new generation CFRT skin!
TOPOLO is experienced in designing and producing thermoplastic sandwich panels with composite materials. We introduced CFRT as the main material of sandwich panels and sheets (thermoplastic composite sheets).
CFRT is a new composite material used in modern industries like logistics, sports, pipes, and aerospace. Reinforced by continuous fiber and impregnated in a matrix of thermoplastic resin, the honeycomb sandwich panel is strong and recyclable, with high strength, high rigidity, and high toughness.
Combined with the high quality of our CFRT materials, the thermoplastic sandwich panels we produce are under strict control by the precise equipment of TOPOLO production line. From materials to final products, these honeycomb sandwich panels have to go through the following steps.
Preheating:
Raw materials (PP honeycomb or foam PP honeycomb core) are preheated and then fed into heating rollers. The thickness of the PP core can be set from 8mm to 50mm as per the materials and property requirements.
Laminating:
Under the rollers with high pressure and temperature, the honeycomb sandwich panels are further heated through the air heating system and form a certain structure with even thickness. During this process, the PP core is coated with sheet “skin” on both sides of the surface and becomes sandwich panels. In TOPOLO, these thermoplastic composite sheets can be made of woven fabric or CFRT materials. We can provide CFRT and fabric sheets from 2 to 9 layers as long as you need.
Cooling and cutting:
Finally, the structured sandwich composite panels are cooled by the isobaric cooling system and cut into specific shapes for various uses. In TOPOLO, the length of sandwich panels can be designed as long as 3.2m.
The whole process is efficient and energy-saving. It is an ideal choice for the production of thermoplastic sandwich panels with high strength.
Composite honeycomb sandwich panels made by CFRT (continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic) composites materials feel extremely smooth with excellent properties of lightweight and insulation. As the fibers in CFRT material are continuous and the resin impregnation of fiber tapes is more sufficient than that of regular thermoplastic composites, mechanic properties (tensile, bending, and impact resistance) of CFRT composites are much better than GMT or LFT composites.
Both CFRT and fabric sheets are available from 2 to 9 layers.
The length of panels can be up to 3.2m in either fabric or CFRT materials.
The thickness of honeycomb cores can be customized from 8mm to 50mm.
TOPOLO’s lightweight solution based on FRP and CFRT is effective in wide uses including delivery cars, refrigerated containers, air cargos, and other special containers.
Besides thermoplastic sandwich panels, our continuous fiber-reinforced composites can be also used in pipes, tanks, and especially in automobiles. TOPOLO is a professional designer of lightweight solutions for your exclusive boxes. We also provide lean engineering to improve your experience in comfortable vehicles.
CFRT refers to continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. So it can be seen as a new kind of FRP. In the name, we know that, as a reinforcement, continuous fiber is of course stronger than short or long fiber. CFRT is a newly developed composite material of high strength, high stiffness, and high toughness that is widely used in vehicles, aerospace, military, and electronics.