Manufacturing of technical moulded parts from fibre-reinforced plastics (GRP, CFRP) - from prototype to large-scale production.
aXpel composites AG
Wolfwil · HottwilNew on Amplifa
About aXpel composites
aXpel composites AG, based in Wolfwil (Switzerland) and part of aXpel industries AG, has been processing fibre-reinforced plastics into technical moulded parts for various industries for around 60 years. Its portfolio of services includes design and engineering with 3D CAD (Solidworks), in-house mould making with CNC-controlled 3- and 5-axis milling centres working in wood, aluminium, steel and plastic, as well as various processes: hand lay-up, RIM/RTM/RTM light, wet pressing and CFRP manufacturing. Materials processed include glass, carbon, aramid and natural fibres (basalt, sisal, hemp) as well as polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy, polyurethane, polyurea and phenolic resins. Components are machined on 5 axes up to a format of X=4000, Y=2000, Z=1100 mm, finished in the company's own paint booth, assembled in final assembly and bonded (bonding class A2). Customers come from mechanical and vehicle engineering, plant engineering, medical technology and electrical apparatus engineering. In addition, the company offers reverse engineering, GRP/FRP repairs, prototype construction and its own material transport.
- Site
- Wolfwil
- Processes
- Hand lay-up / manual laminating, RIM / RTM / RTM light (Resin Injection Molding / Resin Transfer Molding), Wet pressing, CFRP/carbon manufacturing (various processes), Low-pressure casting, 5-axis CNC machining (components and moulds), Mould making (moulds and gauges, CAD/CAM), Design and engineering with 3D CAD (Step, Parasolid, Solidworks)
- Materials
- Glass fibres (GRP), Carbon fibres (CFRP), Kevlar / aramid, Natural fibres (basalt, sisal, hemp), Polyester, Vinyl ester, Epoxy, Polyurethane
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, EN 45 5 45 HL 3 (fire protection), Bonding class A2
- Industries
- Mechanical and vehicle engineering, Plant engineering, Medical technology, Electrical apparatus engineering, Rail vehicle construction
- 01
Process evaluation & project execution
- 02
Design & 3D CAD (Solidworks, Step, Parasolid)
- 03
Mould making (CAD/CAM, CNC 3-/5-axis)
- 04
FRP processing (hand lay-up, RIM/RTM, wet pressing, carbon)
- 05
5-axis machining of the components
- 06
Surface finishing / painting
- 07
Final assembly & bonding (class A2)
- 08
Quality control & QA documentation
- 09
Own material transport / delivery service
Locations
Wolfwil
CHMain site, composites division
- Part weight / size
- Components up to 4000 × 2000 × 1100 mm
- Lot size
- Prototype to large-scale production
- Materials
- GRP/FRP, CFRP, natural fibres; resins: polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy, polyurethane
- 5-axis milling centre (CNC, X=4000/Y=2000/Z=1100 mm)
- 3-axis milling centre (CAD/CAM)
- Paint booth
- Press (wet pressing)
- Own transport vehicle with trailer
Hottwil
CHSite (ISO 9001 recertified)
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand lay-up / manual laminatingPlastics | – | – | – | – | GRP, FRP, CFRP, glass fibres, carbon, Kevlar/aramid, natural fibres, polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy, polyurethane, polyurea, phenolics |
| RIM / RTM / RTM light (Resin Injection Molding / Resin Transfer Molding)Plastics | – | – | – | – | glass fibres, polyester, polyurethane, vinyl ester, epoxy |
| Wet pressingPlastics | – | – | – | – | GRP, glass fibres, polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy |
| CFRP/carbon manufacturing (various processes)Plastics | – | – | – | – | CFRP, carbon fibres, carbon, epoxy |
| Low-pressure castingPlastics | – | – | – | – | FRP, resin/fibre reinforcement |
| 5-axis CNC machining (components and moulds)Machining | – | max. X = 4000 mm, Y = 2000 mm, Z = 1100 × 2000 mm × 1100 mm | – | – | wood, aluminium, steel, plastic |
| Mould making (moulds and gauges, CAD/CAM)Engineering | – | – | – | – | wood, aluminium, steel, plastic |
| Design and engineering with 3D CAD (Step, Parasolid, Solidworks)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Process evaluation / project executionEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Reverse engineering (digitisation of 2D drawings, 3D models)Engineering | – | – | – | – | GRP, FRP |
| GRP / FRP repairsPlastics | – | – | – | – | GRP, FRP |
| Surface finishing / painting (own paint booth)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Final assembly / component assembly incl. bonding (bonding class A2)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Quality control and QA documentation (ISO 9001:2015)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Prototypes / hand samples and functional modelsPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
5 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-axis milling centre (CNC) | – | – | X=4000 mm, Y=2000 mm, Z=1100 mm | – | Wolfwil |
| 3-axis milling centre (CNC, CAD/CAM) | – | – | – | – | Wolfwil |
| Paint booth | – | – | – | – | Wolfwil |
| Press (for wet pressing) | – | – | – | – | Wolfwil |
| Own transport vehicle with trailer | – | – | Cargo area 4000 x 2000 x 2200 mm; trailer 3000 x 2000 x 2500 mm | – | Wolfwil |
Additional services
Quality
The company has been certified to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 since 14.11.2018 (recertification passed in 2024 for both locations). Every component undergoes an individual, customer-specific quality control before delivery; bonding work is carried out in bonding class A2.
| Evidence | Wolfwil | Hottwil |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | ||
| EN 45 5 45 HL 3 (fire protection) | ||
| Bonding class A2 |
History
- 2018
Acquisition of Wernli AG by the aXpel Group; from 14.11.2018 certification to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015
- 2020
Since 30.06.2020 the company has operated as aXpel composites AG (previously aXpel wernli composites AG)
- 2024
Recertification to ISO 9001 successfully passed (19.12.2024), at both sites Wolfwil and Hottwil