Development and series production of load-path-optimized CFRP/FRP components using Tailored Fiber Placement, RTM and Hot Compression Molding
Bionic Composite Technologies AG
St. Gallen (Switzerland) · Suzhou (China) · Lugoj (Romania)New on Amplifa
About BIONTEC
BIONTEC (Bionic Composite Technologies AG) is a composite manufacturer specializing in the industrial series production of fiber-reinforced plastic components, headquartered in St. Gallen. The company develops and produces load-path-optimized composite parts based on bionic principles: reinforcing fibers – predominantly carbon, but also glass, basalt, aramid, ceramic and natural fibers as well as hybrid yarns – are deposited along the calculated load paths using computer-controlled Tailored Fiber Placement, processed into preforms and then consolidated through Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) with thermosetting resins or through Hot Compression Molding (HCM) with thermoplastic matrices. The entire process chain, from fiber deposition through preforming and functional integration to post-processing, is carried out in-house; engineering, tool design, FEM analysis and quality inspection are also part of the service portfolio. Typical components include structural parts for aerospace, medical technology, metrology, mechanical engineering, drones, robotics and exoskeletons. As part of the Forster Group, which traces back over 120 years of embroidery tradition in St. Gallen, BIONTEC combines Swiss engineering with scalable global manufacturing at sites in Switzerland, China (Suzhou) and Romania (Lugoj) – from prototype to large-scale series production.
- Site
- St. Gallen
- Processes
- Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP), Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), Hot Compression Molding (HCM), Preforming, Post-processing and finishing, Assembly-ready composite components / Assembly, Quality inspection (integrated testing, monitoring, statistical analyses, non-destructive testing), Development & Engineering (concept and assembly development, composite design, fiber design,
- Materials
- Carbon fibers / CFRP, Glass fibers / GFRP, Basalt fibers, Aramid fibers, Ceramic fibers, Natural fibers (flax, hemp), Hybrid yarns, Epoxy resin
- Certificates
- ISO 9001, EN 9100
- Founded
- 2009
- Industries
- Aerospace, Medical technology, Metrology, Mechanical engineering, Drones & UAVs, Robotics & exoskeletons
- 01
Development & Engineering (concept, FEM analysis, fiber design)
- 02
Tooling / tool design
- 03
Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP)
- 04
Removal of the embroidery deposits
- 05
Preforming and functional integration
- 06
Consolidation (RTM or HCM)
- 07
Post-processing and finishing
- 08
Quality inspection
- 09
Series production / assembly
Sites
St. Gallen
CHHeadquarters: development, innovation and production
- Lot size
- Prototype to large-scale series
- Materials
- CFRP, GFRP, basalt, aramid, ceramic and natural fibers, thermoplastics
- TFP embroidery machines
- RTM systems
- Hot Compression Molding press
Suzhou
CNProduction / scaling, international partnerships
- Lot size
- Small to large series
- Materials
- CFRP, GFRP
Lugoj
ROProduction / capacity expansion
- Lot size
- Small to large series
- Materials
- CFRP, GFRP
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP)Plastics | – | – | – | Small series – Large-scale series | Carbon fibers, Glass fibers, Basalt fibers, Aramid fibers, Natural fibers (flax, hemp), Ceramic fibers, Hybrid yarns |
| Resin Transfer Molding (RTM)Plastics | – | – | – | Prototype – Large-scale series | Epoxy resins, Vinyl ester resins, Polyester resins, CFRP, GFRP |
| Hot Compression Molding (HCM)Plastics | – | – | – | Prototype – Large-scale series | Polyamide (PA), Polypropylene (PP), PEEK, PPS |
| PreformingPlastics | – | – | – | – | Carbon fibers, Glass fibers, dry fiber semi-finished products |
| Post-processing and finishingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly-ready composite components / AssemblyAssembly | – | – | – | Large-scale series | CFRP, GFRP |
| Quality inspection (integrated testing, monitoring, statistical analyses, non-destructive testing)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Development & Engineering (concept and assembly development, composite design, fiber design,Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tooling / tool designEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embroidery machine / TFP system (Tailored Fiber Placement) | – | – | – | – | St. Gallen |
| RTM system (Resin Transfer Molding) | – | – | – | – | St. Gallen |
| Hot Compression Molding press | – | – | – | – | St. Gallen |
Additional services
Quality
BIONTEC operates a defined, cross-site quality management system including integrated testing, process monitoring, statistical analyses and non-destructive testing; the company is ISO 9001 and EN 9100 certified.
| Evidence | St. Gallen | Suzhou | Lugoj |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |||
| EN 9100 |
History
- 2009
Emergence of the idea of using St. Gallen's 120-year-old embroidery tradition for the precise placement of technical fibers such as carbon fibers; founding of BIONTEC as part of the Forster Group.