Toray Composite Materials America, Inc., a leading manufacturer of advanced composite materials, has achieved NCAMP qualification for its next-generation, highly toughened prepreg system. The design allowable data, now available in the NCAMP database, enables aerospace and defense manufacturers to streamline material selection and certification.

"Achieving NCAMP qualification for our next-generation prepreg system is a significant milestone for Toray and reinforces our commitment to delivering high-performance composite materials," said Jeff Cross, principal director of defense programs at Toray. "This qualification provides aerospace and defense manufacturers with a reliable, FAA-recognized material system that reduces certification risk and accelerates time to market."

Toray completed a NCAMP five-batch qualification testing of its 3960 prepreg system in unidirectional (UD) format, with NCAMP reports approved. The 3960 prepreg system, featuring TORAYCA T1100 intermediate modulus plus (IM+) carbon fiber, delivers exceptional toughness, hot/wet, and tensile performance for primary structural materials used in aircraft, launch vehicles, and satellites. This qualification establishes a substantiated material baseline for these applications and reports are available to commercial and defense customers via the NCAMP website.

Toray, in collaboration with NCAMP, developed NMS 397, an FAA- and EASA-accepted material and process specification along with test plans for the 3960/T1100 prepreg system. All products can be readily procured to NMS 397. Testing for the 3960/T1100 plain weave (PW) format under NMS 397/2 is complete, with the report under NCAMP review and release expected soon.

A three-batch allowable dataset for the 3960/T1100 prepreg system with Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) processing was generated in support of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Modeling for Affordable Sustainable Composite (MASC) program. The dataset represents an industry-first public allowable for an automated fabrication approach. Fabrication and testing were managed by the National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR), further validating the performance and versatility of the 3960/T1100 system.

The 3960/T1100 prepreg system is part of a broader portfolio of Toray composite materials qualified for major aerospace and defense programs supporting both primary and secondary structural applications.