CASE STUDY
Trelleborg’s development of TC760X
with Fibreworks Composites
Background
Fibreworks Composites custom-designs, engineers and manufactures composite parts for customers within
North American Motorsports, Formula 1 racing solar and aerospace industries. Absolute precision and high
performance are necessary in these industries, which makes nding the right tooling board vital.
In order to serve its customers within the motorsport industry, Fiberworks Composites need a high-
performance, fast machining, cost-effective epoxy tooling board that can run at high temperatures, as well
as offering direct-to-part machining for carbon ber parts and patterns for carbon ber molds.
Most tooling materials that can run at higher temperatures can be expensive and come with some
downsides, including excessive use of surface sealant in nishing and brittleness. Fiberworks Composites
applications needed a solution that was both cost-effective and not prone to brittleness.
A unique problem
Fibreworks Composites contacted Trelleborg Applied Technologies to explain the problems with their current
solution. One key issue was the lower Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of their current board, which limited
the curing process and the speed at which parts and tools could be developed (Tg is the temperature at
which the material transitions from its glass state to a rubbery state). This was a key driver for selecting a
new material.
Instead of pointing Fibreworks Composites to options already developed by Trelleborg, the company’s
response was to create a new board to t the customer’s requirements.
The goal was to develop a material similar in price to Trelleborg’s existing epoxy EP678 system, but that
could run on higher temperature tooling runs, cutting down on autoclave time, and that would allow parts to
be manufactured directly from the board.
A solution-focused approach
By working to address Fibreworks Composites’ issues, Trelleborg created TC760X, a superior epoxy tooling
board that delivers outstanding performance, runs at high temperatures, has a rapid turnaround and is
cost-competitive.
During the process Trelleborg initially developed the TC760, a gray board that machined and nished
well and had a good temperature elevation, but also had increased cracking and brittleness during high
temperature processing.
By modifying the formula Trelleborg subsequently created the TC760X, a material that has a Tg of +140°C,
with a low Coefcient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) and dust-free machining; the board shaves rather than
chips for a cleaner cut.
Further collaboration between Trelleborg and Fibreworks Composites resulted in development of a board
that was tougher, without sacricing the Tg. Not only is the Tg higher than the board Fibreworks Composites
was originally using, meaning faster curing time, an A-class nish that requires 50% less sealing coats than
other boards. This equals less nishing, an overall faster production time and minimal cracking or chipping.
Bryan Nortje, Fibreworks Composites “In the dynamic of making the board ‘a little softer,’ sacricing Tg
for toughness, we were still well within our comfortable processing temperature range, and we gained a
tougher board, and that translated into lower issues with thermal stress in the heat cycling process with
improved machining.”
The nish of the TC760X only requires four coats to reach the desired nal surface nish. Other tooling
boards can need up to nine coats, so preparation time is cut including waiting time between coats, lowering
the overall total cost of ownership. The dust free nature of the material means less machine breakdowns
and less airborne particles, making a cleaner working environment for operatives and ultimately, more
economical factory ventilation.
“The TC760X doesn’t dust, it shaves rather than chips, giving a cleaner cut and a lot less associated
dust.” Bryan Nortje, Fibreworks Composites
Feedback from Fibreworks Composites’ subcontractors has also been positive; “the TC760X cuts and
machines like a polyurethane board, but with the technical performance of an epoxy board.”