...far more sustainable... lighter, stronger, safer, and less expensive...
"In partnership with INCA, IPCO has designed and built the world’s first continuous production process that deposits multiple layers of randomly oriented natural and polymer fibres, then heats, consolidates and calibrates the mat into thermoform panels. The resulting panels are far more sustainable as well as lighter, stronger, safer and less expensive than traditional non-woven-based or wood-based panels."
MICHAEL TOBIASZ
Regional Product
Specialist/Business Development
Manager Composites
IPCO US
Natural fiber composites and pre-pregs
INCA Renewable Technologies has teamed with IPCO, the world’s leading manufacturer of double-belt presses and precision scattering system, to develop a unique twin steel belt press to produce the next generational of natural fibre composites panels and pre-pregs for the automotive, RV, transportation and building products industries. IPCO’s innovative technology that has enabled the development and commercialization of several “world’s first” carbon negative thermoplastic composite materials in the automotive, transportation, building materials, and high-performance composites sectors.
INCA BioPanels™
A lofted mat of natural fiber will be deposited onto a continuous belt where it is condensed and infused with foamed resin. The mat enters an IPCO steel belt press line which heats it, enabling resin flow for thermal-set chemistry and initiating covalent bonding for thermal-melt prepregs. A second region cools and stiffens the panels. Edge trim and cross cut saws dimension the BioPanels™, then automated machinery wraps and stacks them for shipment to customers. In post-production, panels can also be coated with Class A automotive finishes for the RV industry, saving thousands of dollars per vehicle. As with all of our products, INCA BioPanels™ are unique in the industry and protected by patents and trade secrets.
INCA PrePregs™
INCA has developed a methodology to produce multilayered mats of hemp fiber, infuse these mats with foamed thermal melt resin, and consolidate the material on our twin-belt press to produce thermoformable pre-pregs for the automotive industry.
These pre-pregs will be stronger, lighter, and less expensive than competitive non-woven mats and panel products. They will sequester rather than generate carbon, be made of renewable resources, reduce vehicle weight, improve side impact resistance, and be formulated to be recovered and reprocessed back into future car parts once automobiles have reached the end of their useful lifecycle.