W.S.G. Isaac Newton

Toray Advanced Composites (TAC) is a leading supplier of advanced composite materials for the aerospace, space, high-performance automotive, consumer and industrial markets. The thermoset and thermoplastic composites can be found in a wide range of applications worldwide. These materials are used for manufacturing lightweight structures for example in the latest generation of aircraft. In 1972, it started as TenCate Advanced Composites, and in July 2018, it was acquired by Toray Industries Inc., a Japanese multinational that is a world market leader in the carbon fibre market. Toray has multiple facilities around the globe and one in the Netherlands, in Nijverdal next to the train station, specialised in thermoplastics. The company has 150 employees, around 50 in the office and 100 working in 3-day shifts in production.

The performed assignment included an analysis of the sawing process of unidirectional composite laminates on the double beam saw shown in the picture. With woven fibres in a consolidated thermoplastic laminate sawing didn’t cause a major decrease in kerf quality, but with UD laminates critical fibre cut-outs and delamination occur. The goal is to find a solution to saw the laminates in the desired shape with no or less fibre cut-out and delamination, to obtain excellent kerf quality. Furthermore, it was investigated how to maintain correct orientation and avoid scratches. After consolidating, it is with UD laminates very hard to determine the 0 and 90 degrees visually. This is very important due to the anisotropic nature of the material. Lastly, due to a more efficient stacking of fibres space-wise, a lower matrix volume fraction is obtained. This results in better visibility of scratches on the surface of the laminate.

I liked the internship due to the combination of theory and practice. I had the freedom in the assignment to plan my own days. It was great to develop a plan for testing parameters and then perform experiments to validate the effect of those parameters. Furthermore, my colleagues were always very well-willed to help me by answering all my questions. The overall atmosphere in the company, in production and in the office, is pleasant.