Technology Overview
Why Thermoplastic Composites
Unlike all other composites, thermoplastics have the ability to be produced at high rates, lowering recurring part costs and providing the only viable path forward for manufacturers to meet the growing demand for parts while drastically reducing emissions.
- A large percentage of commercial aircraft components are composites. This will continue to increase as emissions and sustainability goals grow.
- Thermoplastic composites can be manufactured in 1/3- 1/5 of the time of other composites. Think minutes vs. hours. Which speeds up production time and lowers per-part costs significantly.
- Cost is further reduced with thermoplastic composites because they can be recycled and scrap can be significantly reduced.
Better Composites Manufacturing
High-Rate Enabling Production Methods
Proven manufacturing methods that significantly reduce fabrication times and produce uniform parts, including:
- Stamp forming
- Continuous compression molding (CCM).
- CNC Machining
- Multi-Axis NDI/CMM
Superior Assembly
Like metals, thermoplastic composites can be welded, bonded, and joined in various ways that create larger, stronger structures.
- Welding
- Adhesive bonding
- Co-Consolidation
- Mechanical fastening
More Geometries, More Possibilities
A wider variety of parts and structures can be produced, including straight, curved, and varied thickness parts. Common parts include:
- Brackets
- Angles
- Beams
- Ribs
- Skins
- Flat laminates
- Long Profiles
Material Outcomes
Highly reinforced thermoplastic composites materials we use are 60% reinforced by volume with continuous fibers. Options include:
- Unidirectional tapes – highest performance, maximum ply tailorability
- Woven fabrics – Easier to form, available as broad goods, lower cost
Frequently Asked Questions
What certifications do you have?
ATC is ISO9001/AS9100 and NADCAP Certified, CMMC/NIST SP 800-171 Compliant and ITAR registered.
What production forms do you use?
ATC works with prepregs (fully impregnated and powder coated), and consolidated laminates. Additionally, we manufacture laminates in house using a Continuous Compression Molding (CCM) and Press Molding techniques.
Do you supply thermoplastic composites materials?
We can supply laminates and we can also make our own laminates for projects that require them to produce the end-product.
What manufacturing processes do you do in-house?
We’re unique in that we go beyond forming. We handle all manufacturing processes in-house to ensure consistent results and nimble response times.
- Material Prep and formatting
- Lamination: Flat & Profile CCM
- In-House Tool Design
- Shuttle Press
- Roll Forming
- Stamp Forming
- CNC Machining
- Inspection: NDI, CMM, Laser, Microscopy, Mechanical
- Surface Preparation
- Priming, Painting & Edge Seal
- Assembly
In all cases we are approved to industry standards and OEM requirements. All parts are subject to a final inspection and certification to customer requirements.
Do you only make commercial airplane parts?
No. We produce thermoplastic composite parts for a variety of end-use cases including commercial aircraft, defense applications, UAVs/drones, space applications and more.