Transparent, load-bearing fiber-reinforced composite panels
In the collaborative research project TransComp, in which three AFBW members were involved, transparent and mechanically load-bearing fiber-reinforced composite panels were developed. Through the targeted combination of novel transparent resin systems with glass-fiber-based reinforcement structures, an innovative class of materials has emerged that can contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions as a lightweight and recyclable alternative to conventional glazing materials.
At the Institute of Aircraft Design at the University of Stuttgart (IFB) and the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF), the primary focus was on establishing the chemical foundations, which were validated by IPOC at the University of Stuttgart. Extensive material trials and transparency tests were conducted to approach optimal transparency. Ballistic impact tests as well as tensile and bending tests were also performed.
Within the project, Tajima GmbH was responsible for the work related to Tailored Fibre Placement (TFP). This automated laying and stitching process enables load-path-oriented and geometry-adapted placement of reinforcement fibers, opening up new degrees of freedom in the design of transparent, structurally loaded components. The focus of Tajima’s project work was the qualification of suitable glass fiber base materials, rovings, and sewing threads that meet both the process requirements of the TFP method and the optical and mechanical target values of transparent composite structures.
The process-integrated functionalization of the glass fiber preform was another key focus. While heating structures in transparent components, for example in the automotive sector, have traditionally been integrated separately with considerable effort, the TFP process enables the direct placement of thin heating wires parallel to the fiber reinforcement on the same machine.
The visor demonstrator developed within the project was manufactured using a glass fiber fabric as the base material. Reinforcement fibers, a coordinated sewing thread, and a heating wire (anti-fog function) were placed using the TFP process and subsequently infiltrated with a polymer tailored to the glass fiber architecture. The demonstrator highlights the potential of Tajima’s TFP technology for manufacturing transparent, load-bearing, and functionalized fiber composite components with high industrial relevance.
Fields of application:
- Automotive engineering: police vehicles, secured vehicles for VIPs and politicians, motorhomes under 3.5 tons
- Aerospace engineering: especially eVTOLs and other light aircraft
- Construction and agricultural machinery as protective glazing
- Vandal-resistant glazing (e.g., bus shelters)
- Helmet visors such as police helmets, pilot helmets, etc.
If you wish to see the demonstrator visit us at the JEC World from 10 to 12 March 2026 in Paris. You will find us in Hall 6, Booth P82-4 (part of the common booth of „the Länd“ of Baden-Württemberg International and AFBW e.V.)