Agy and A+ Composites showcase new S2 glass fibre thermoplastic UD tapes

 
 Lightweight S2 glass fibre composite rotor sleeve—picture courtesy of Alformet GmbH

Agy and A+ Composites will take advantage of CAMX to showcase the new class of ultra-lightweight, high-performance thermoplastic UD tapes that they launched during the summer. The solution incorporates Agy’s patented lightweight single-end S2 glass roving—launched in the spring—into UD tapes with LM-PAEK and PEI resin systems. The solution is in the running for a CAMX Innovation Award.

The UD tapes incorporate a resin system composed of LM-PAEK (Low Melt Polyaryletherketone) and PEI (Polyetherimide) from A+ Composites, which offer high thermal stability and chemical resistance, as well as reinforcement with Agy’s patented S2 glass roving, designed to be very strong and stiff. The tapes are available in thicknesses from 50 µm to 6 mm and with a fibre volume fraction between 35% to 65%. The material’s tensile modulus can reach 56 GPa and its tensile strength exceeds 1,700 MPa, depending on the fibre/resin and process used.

The advantages of UD tapes from Agy and A+ Composites lie in their high specific performance, as the continuous fibre alignment maximises load transfer in the UD direction, resulting in increased strength and stiffness. The UD tapes also offer high heat resistance and dielectric properties suitable for RF/radar-transparent structures. Besides, the thermoplastic matrix enables reheating, reshaping and repair to support sustainable manufacturing. Moreover, no curing cycle—heating, forming, cooling—is required, and the solution is compatible with automated out-of-autoclave methods, including ATL, AFP and press/stamp forming.

“We’re excited to showcase our new S2 glass-fibre advanced thermoplastic UD tapes at CAMX 2025—a milestone achievement from the strong collaboration between Agy and A+ Composites,” the 2 companies say.