Axson's prototype paste brings time and cost savings

Citation

(2000), "Axson's prototype paste brings time and cost savings", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 72 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2000.12772fad.012

Axson's prototype paste brings time and cost savings

Axson's prototype paste brings time and cost savings

Keywords Axson, Amber Composites, Epoxy, Pastes

French company Axson announces a major breakthrough in prototyping with an extrudable epoxy paste (SC261) that claims high speed, versatility and substantial material savings for prototype modelling applications.

The Axson SC261 paste is reported to be for applications involving a large number of prototype models with larger surface areas – the aerospace industry being typical of this application.

The new process is thought to bring major advantages in simplicity, speed and quality. The extrusion machine feeds a 1:1 resin-hardener mix directly to a variable-flow manual application nozzel. There is said to be no lengthy set-up procedure, and the product components come ready to use in 200kg drums.

The SC261 process reportedly requires just a single application (50mm to 60mm thick) of resin on a polystyrene preform on chipboard on wooden boards, forming a hollow body for milling. This makes for very substantial material saving and very fast modelling times, since the resin is stated to harden in 24 hours maximum at ambient temperature.

Because of the dimensional and thixotropic properties claimed (which allows adhesion to vertical walls), SC261 is believed to be suitable for modelling very complex shapes. Models in SC261 are said to have high dimensional stability and a homogenous surface quality with no porosities. The process is also stated to be operator-friendly since the product is reported to be non-toxic and no physical contact is required.

The SC261 paste requires a high-performance extrusion machine, which is why Axson informs us that it recommends a Dopag machine, an efficient, easy-to-use unit with hydraulic control and variable flow.

Details available from Amber Composites. Tel: +44 (0) 1773 530 899; Fax: +44 (0) 1773 768 687.