LOFITH Composites ha compartido esto
Fully agree with Fedor here: the idea that thermoplastic composites are “more expensive” than thermosets is a legacy myth. A few fast truths from the field: • TP resins are no longer boutique. They now come from massive polymer value chains, with competitive and stable pricing. • Anisotropy isn’t a barrier anymore. Chopped UD, forged flakes, and modern non-wovens deliver near-isotropic performance with outstanding impact resistance. • Thermosets still carry huge hidden costs. Frozen storage, out-time scrap, cure cycles, autoclaves. TP avoids all of it: heat, form, cool, repeat. • Circularity is real and economical. Offcuts and end-of-life parts can be re-melted or rebuilt into new materials without downgrading. • The supply chain has exploded. More CFRTP options, more resin families, more processing routes than ever before. At COREX, once customers experience the speed, toughness, and recyclability of CFRTP, they rarely look back. Great post, Fedor — this shift is accelerating.
ex-CEO and CTO at Anisoprint • Continuous fiber 3D printing for manufacturing of optimal composites • Disruptive technology at the additive manufacturing market • Future of manufacturing visionary
Still think thermoplastic composites are more expensive than thermosets? Let me prove you wrong. This claim shows up everywhere in our industry. But when you look at materials, supply chains, and processing, the opposite is usually true. → THE POLYMER ITSELF Thermoplastics belong to the world’s largest polymer industry, far bigger than thermoset resins. Plastics power automotive parts, consumer goods, packaging, electronics, appliances, industrial components. High volume → competitive pricing → strong supply chains. Thermosets sit in niche markets: adhesives, coatings, specialty resins, aerospace prepregs. Much smaller scale. Thermoplastics aren’t “premium” by nature. They’re just newer to composites. → THE HIDDEN COSTS OF THERMOSETS High-performance thermoset composites are chemically reactive systems: - Must be stored frozen or refrigerated - Tight shelf life limits - Manufacturing must happen before expiration - Require curing cycles (often autoclave) Cure time = downtime = cost Everyone in aerospace or automotive has stories of expired prepreg scrap or production delays from freezer issues. Thermoplastics avoid all of this. No curing. No refrigeration. No shelf-life stress. Just heat → shape → cool → repeat. → REUSE & RECYCLING Thermosets are permanent. Once cross-linked, they’re done. Thermoplastics can be remelted, chopped, reused: they retain residual value and support circular manufacturing. For OEMs, the end-of-life cost becomes an asset, not a liability. → PROCESSING SPEED Thermoplastic composite processing can rely on: Hot stamping → seconds to minutes cycle time. Ideal for high-volume industrial parts. Laser/thermal AFP → near-net-shape preforms, accurate fiber orientation, significantly less scrap. High deposition rates. Once the part is shaped, no curing is required. The largest time and cost factor in thermosets simply disappears. → WHY THE MYTH PERSISTS Mainly because historically, thermoplastic composites were low-volume. Equipment was rare. Processes were immature. Prepreg tapes were specialty items. Only aerospace or defense used them. This is disappearing quickly. As production scales and automation becomes accessible, cost curves are converging. And thermoplastics are winning. → THE REALITY When you compare apples to apples: Matrix cost → Thermoplastics cheaper Storage → Thermoplastics cheaper Processing → Thermoplastics faster Scrap → Thermoplastics lower Shelf life →Thermoplastics infinite Recycling →Thermoplastics profitable Automation → Thermoplastics friendlier There is no fundamental economic reason thermoplastic composites should cost more than thermosets. Only historical habits and manufacturing technology gaps kept them in the "premium" category. And those gaps are closing fast. What's been your experience with thermoplastic vs. thermoset composites? What cost factors matter most in your applications?