Hexcel is exhibiting at the Asian Aerospace Exhibition, taking place in Hong Kong from September 3rd-6th. Hexcel is a major supplier of composite materials to aerospace OEM's and subcontractors in the Asia Pacific region and will display parts manufactured by customers, while promoting the company's latest developments in composite materials.

In the year when we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first vertical take-off, Hexcel will display a Eurocopter EC120 vertical trailing edge section manufactured in China by AVICII-Harbin using Hexcel's HexPly® M18/1 carbon fibre prepreg. HexPly® M18/1 is widely used to manufacture helicopter structures due to its outstanding high temperature performance in wet conditions and low moisture absorption properties.

Hexcel will also display a Boeing 737 D-Nose manufactured by BHA Aero Composite Parts Co. Ltd, a partnership of Hexcel, Boeing and AVIC1 that is located in Tianjin, China. The D-Nose is manufactured with Hexcel's HexPly® F161 carbon fibre prepreg, a structural, heat resistant epoxy resin that cures at 180°C/350°F.

Hexcel will promote its new award-winning honeycomb solution for reducing noise in aircraft engines, particularly during take-off and landing. HexWeb® Acousti-Cap™ consists of a non-metallic permeable cap material that is embedded into honeycomb cells to create an acoustic septum core.  Hexcel's customers specify the sound dampening characteristics required, as well as overall core thickness, numbers of caps in a cell, and insertion depth.  The resultant product is an assembly that is tuned to the acoustic requirements thereby reducing some forms of engine noise.  This noise reduction can result in many benefits, including recurring cost savings due to reduced airport landing fees; increased fleet flexibility; improved cabin comfort; and fewer additional sound-dampening treatments in the fuselage that affect weight and cost. 

Other exhibits on the Hexcel stand will include a selection of HexMC® structural aircraft components manufactured by Hexcel in Kent, USA for new aerospace programmes. HexMC® is an innovative form of high strength carbon fibre/epoxy moulding material that enables complex shapes to be manufactured in composites that previously could only be machined, cast or forged from metal.  HexMC® offers low density, with good strength and high stiffness properties while providing weight savings that are comparable to those achieved with aerospace carbon/epoxy prepregs.