Ahlstrom-Munksjö is a global leader in fiber-based materials, supplying innovative and sustainable solutions to customers worldwide. Its offering includes decor paper, filter media, release liners, abrasive backings, nonwovens, electrotechnical paper, glass fiber materials, food packaging and labeling, tape, medical fiber materials and solutions for diagnostics.
History of the company
Ahlstrom was established in 1851 in Finland while Munksjö was born in 1862 in Sweden. Both companies originated from the forest industry but, during the years they developed focusing on diversified products.
In 2011 Ahlstrom celebrated its 160th anniversary. In 2017 Ahlstrom and Munksjö merged and took the name Ahlstrom-Munksjö, and now the Company has production facilities in more than 20 countries.
Ahlstrom-Munksjö is one of the leading companies involved with composite development, supporting several different industries to achieve effective solutions using lighter weight materials.
Innovation and efficiency
The Company’s aim is innovation, one of the latest products presented on the marine market is Ahlstrom-Munksjö HighFlow Carbon, an innovative fabric which optimizes resin infusion, enabling designers and manufacturers to deliver better lightweight composites for the marine industry.
Benefits are efficient resin infusion, complete resin wet out and minimal air voids while maximizing resin infusion, with process speeds up to 400% faster for the entire laminate construction. Customises infusion speed, without any restrictions to product construction and weight and reduces total cost by up to 15%
Recently, Ahlstrom-Munksjö introduced a new product from its HighFlow platform. HighFlow Marine glass and carbon fiber reinforcement fabrics are ideally positioned for the marine industry, delivering excellent resin infusion speed and minimizing air voids in the structure. Making the manufacturing process faster and more effective. HighFlow Carbon Fiber products are compatible with epoxy and vinyl ester resins.
“We have seen manufacturers moving from open mold to closed mold processes. HighFlow platform is our response to the industry change. It delivers unrivalled resin infusion speed, minimizes air voids and reduces costs by up to 15%”, states Pekka Helynranta, VP Building and Wind. “We believe that this new fabric will become the product of choice in vacuum infusion processes”.
HighFlow platform
HighFlow Marine Carbon Fiber is the second product launch from the HighFlow platform, a range of high performance reinforcement fabrics designed to deliver top performance for manufacturing lightweight composite materials. Reinforcement fabrics with customized infusion speeds, without limitation of fabric construction or weight.
“Our glass and carbon fiber HighFlow products open up clear opportunities in marine, but also in other composite applications where improved and tailor-made resin infusibility constitutes a clear benefit. We are already exploring additional applications outside of existing Wind Energy and Marine markets”, says Pekka.
The HighFlow Marine product range consists of several unidirectional and biaxial reinforcement fabrics, with various infusion speeds for marine manufacturing. They are currently available in both glass fiber and carbon fiber versions.
HighFlow Principle
- The flow direction is controlled by orienting the flow enhancing filaments
- The flow rate is controlled by diameter and interval of the filaments
- You can choose if you want only one direction or a more homogeneous by having 2 flow orientations
Benefits
- Providing new possibilities to tailor flow properties of almost any fabric
- The flow speed and direction can be chosen according to your infusion strategy
- The process window of infusion gets wider and quality risks are minimized
- Reduces the need for other flow enhancing materials and costs of manufacturing
- Ready solutions already available in glass and carbon fabrics
The tensile and flexural properties of laminate made with single layer of HighFlow are well within the requirements from DNVGL.
Whether for pleasure boats, super yachts, military boats or large ships, the keys to success in the nautical sector are the same: to maximize performance by reducing weight, costs and environmental impact.
The new High Flow offers the maximum performance in relation to weight for all nautical applications, the excellent properties of these materials for the composite allow the final products to reach their design targets while optimizing manufacturing process and minimizing environmental impact.
Wherever it makes sense, boat builders can use HighFlow to reduce waste and costs. The material allows design flexibility by combining the best mechanical characteristics combined with the best possible process ability. When auxiliary materials are not needed, like flow scrim and peel ply, also the amount of work related to removing them is reduced.
Furthermore, when consumables are reduced during manufacturing there is also less waste to be handled. This leads to more ecological footprint of manufacturing.
T&T Metalli e Compositi S.p.a.
T&T is the only Italian distributor of Ahlstrom-Munksjö and High Flow. A extended range of products from commonly used products (resins, gelcoats, mastics, catalysts, roving, mat, combined, multiaxial, etc.) to more advanced products.
The composite division of T&T Metalli e Compositi deals with the distribution of raw materials and accessories for the production of fiberglass products and advanced composites to companies both in the main sectors (industry, boating, transport) and in highly specialized market niches.
T&T is specialized in the distribution of advanced composites, through the guarantee of products with high technological content and constant attention to the development of new solutions and components, the Company can satisfy every request and provide high quality products and services
It is very strong in the technical customer assistance at different levels, as well as provide pratical demostrations of materials and application procedures, which are carried out on place.
