Mass Transportation
Sustainable lightweighting for large-scale transportation
Cut weight, plastic and emissions with ampliTex™ and powerRibs™
There is an ongoing revolution towards cleaner mobility for the future. Bcomp’s solutions for sustainable lightweighting with ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ can cut weight and significantly reduce emissions from cradle to gate and during use phase. Expanding on the successful application of our technologies in large-scale production of automotive interior components, we now target the use of sustainable materials in mass transportation applications. The benefit of sustainable lightweighting has immense potential from aviation to ground transportation like buses or rail.
The future of sustainable aircraft
Previous projects for aircraft cabin interior have shown how parts made from ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ can save up to 20% in weight compared with conventional fibreglass. Possible applications include sidewall and ceiling panels, door frame lining and lavatory shroud. ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ have the potential to play a big role in semi- and non-structural parts, like partitions, overhead baskets, seat shells and internal liners. Other applications include ground vehicles, like buses or trains.
Meeting industry requirements
The aviation and other mass transportation sectors have stringent regulations when it comes not only to mechanical performance but most importantly to fire ratings and heat release values of a given material. Bcomp’s engineers have developed specific ampliTex™ reinforcement fabrics that comply with commercial aviation rules by providing a fire-resistant solution.
Benefits
Sustainable lightweighting
Projects for aircraft cabin interior have shown how parts made from ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ can save up to 20% in weight compared with conventional fibreglass. Even a small weight saving results in a drastic drop in emissions throughout the usual lifespan of an aircraft.
Fire resistant and fully customisable
The needs of our customers are as diverse and unique as themselves. Therefore, we do not confine ourselves to a standard portfolio only but offer a vast range of customisation. Depending on your application and the specific requirements for fire-resistance, we can provide you with a fully customised composite package that meets your expectations and unique needs.
CO2 neutral reinforcements
Bcomp’s flax fibres are CO2 neutral cradle-to-gate. Taking part in a natural cycle of biogenic CO2, the flax plant absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere during its growth and stores it for the entirety of its lifetime as a plant and composite reinforcement. Bcomp is proud and happy to support its customers with relevant LCA data.
High vibration damping
Flax fibres are natural talents when it comes to vibration damping. They outperform traditional composite reinforcements and deliver a very smooth and damp performance in a lightweight package.
Hybrid reinforcement fabrics
ampliTex™ reinforcements allow you to create lightweight parts and components without compromising performance. To combine the best of both worlds, we develop custom hybrid reinforcement fabrics that combine natural fibres with glass or carbon. On-demand solutions to fulfil your unique needs.
A Few Customer Highlights
They trust in our high-performance solutions to work towards a cleaner future.
Bcomp is excited to announce that Eberspächer, a Tier 1 supplier, has developed bus A/C covers using its natural fibre composite technology. It is a bold push towards the use of more sustainable materials in mass transportation applications and closely follows Bcomp’s successful entry into large-scale production of automotive interior parts.
Sustainable ampliTex™ Bus A/C Cover Unveiled at Busworld Europe
Sustainability
powerRibs™ and ampliTex™ are made from flax fibres that grow naturally in Europe without competing with food crops. By optimising the properties of the fibres mechanically and through fabric architecture, less material is used. At the end of their life, parts can be ground down into a new base material or used for thermal energy recovery without residual waste in the standard waste management system.
Manufacturing Process
Bcomp’s ampliTex™ is available as dry fibre or natural fibre prepreg from trusted partners, making it suitable for vacuum infusion, autoclave, prepreg compression moulding (PCM) or RTM processes. To match the stringent regulations of the aviation and rail industries, Bcomp also offers fire resistant natural fibre composite reinforcements.
Resin transfer moulding
Dry ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ reinforcements are fully suited to resin transfer moulding manufacturing processes. This opens new doors for parts manufacturers from all sectors to take advantage of the countless aesthetic opportunities and sustainable lightweighting benefits of our natural fibre composite solutions. Let us help you to replace glass and carbon fibres with a renewable and beautiful alternative.
Autoclace & prepreg compression moulding
Bcomp’s ampliTex™ natural fibre reinforcements are available as prepreg material from our trusted partners. By working in close collaboration with the best prepreggers, we can assure that ampliTex™ prepregs provide the best resin-to-fibre-weight ratio, ideal tack and our engineering team is here to support our customers with the right parameters for both autoclave and compression moulding production. Our ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ reinforcements can be used in the exact same moulds as carbon and glass fibres, making for an easy transition to a more sustainable material.
Get in Touch
Get in touch with us to discuss how our sustainable lightweighting solutions can help you decarbonise your products and move towards a circular solution.
Want to Join the Team?
Are you looking for a unique opportunity? Come and work with us! Bcomp is always looking for talented and experienced individuals that want to join us on our journey towards a circular economy and contribute with their technical and practical knowledge.
News
Applications
Our high-performance material solutions build on the exceptional properties of renewable flax fibres to replace standard engineering materials in areas from automotive to mass transportation and from motorsports to luxury yachting and sports without sacrificing any performance.
Automotive
Our solutions for large-scale automotive interior and exterior parts enable exceptional weight- and plastic reduction while introducing completely novel design opportunities.
Mass Transportation
Buses, trains, subways, and airplanes – thanks to our specialist products like fire resistant ampliTex™ natural fibre reinforcements, the benefits of sustainable lightweighting that have already convinced the automotive industry can also have an impact across the full bandwidth of mass transportation.
Motorsports and Supercars
Match the performance of carbon fibres with natural fibres thanks to our proprietary motorsport solutions. Improve safety and vibration damping while reducing environmental impact.
Sports
Natural fibres for enhanced performance and feeling. Sustainable and lightweight, our ampliTex™ flax reinforcement fabrics enable innovation in sports gear by increasing performance, delivering a signature feeling and reducing environmental impact.
Marine
From kayaks and sailing boats to ultimate luxury yachts, we provide beautiful, sustainable and vibration damping material solutions for both interior- and exterior applications.
Lifestyle
Luggage, designer watches, consumer electronics and luxury furniture, our sustainable natural fibre materials are extremely versatile and offer a distinct and customisable natural beauty and aesthetic while adding functional benefits.
Infrastructure
From bridges to entire building facades and interior structures, our ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ solutions can create architectural objects with extraordinary design and aesthetics while using a renewable material instead of conventional fossil-based materials.
Let’s Decarbonise the World Together!
You want to learn more about how our sustainable lightweighting solutions can help you decarbonise your products, you have a burning question, or you just want to send us some love – then wait no longer and get in touch.