AUBURN, Al., Dec 31, 2003 -- V2 Composites, Inc., a manufacturer of engineered, non-crimp composite reinforcement fabrics announced today the company’s certification to ISO 9001 standards. Kevin Horne, V2’s President and CEO, reports, “As one of the first U.S. composite reinforcement manufacturers to embrace the ISO standard, V2 stands committed to maintaining the highest level of quality in everything we do, from product design and development, through after-the-sale support and service.”

The International Organization for Standardization has been creating global standards for quality assurance since 1946. Its registration process helps companies to objectively define “quality” in terms of specific products or services; establish accurate methods for measuring quality; and implement and document those methods to ensure continuous quality achievement and improvement.

Mark Chandler, Manufacturing Engineer and ISO Coordinator for V2, explains, “The real focus of ISO is continuous improvement. By formalizing measurement and documentation procedures, the registration process fosters communication across company functions and helps companies like ours to continually evaluate and improve our methods of design, development, manufacture, and distribution. ISO certification will help us to prepare for anticipated changes, and ultimately better serve our customers.”
 

V2 Composites, Inc. Introduces V-Lock^® No-Run Stitch Technology

V2 Composites, Inc., an innovative, Alabama-based manufacturer specializing in the design and fabrication of custom knit matrix reinforcement fabric solutions, recently introduced a patented non-run stitch technology that significantly reduces runs in non-crimp multi-axial fabrics. Advanced composite design solutions are used in place of metals, alloys, wood, concrete, and other conventional construction materials to rehabilitate aging infrastructures and to improve product performance in a number of industrial applications.

According to Kevin Horne, President & CEO, “We closely examined our markets, searching for specific areas of product weakness. One of the recurring concerns for customers of composite reinforcements has been the instability of the stitch matrix that holds the reinforcement fibers in place. Existing warp/weft knit stitching technology was just not adequate for holding the fabric matrix together when cut into complex shapes.”

Horne explains, “During fabric/resin lay-up, when a stitch line is disturbed or fractured by a roller or brush, the stitch yarn can become caught and may very easily run out of the fabric.” This problem is similarly observed in woven fabrics, which tend to fall apart at the edges when cut into complex shapes. Horne continues, “The problem has been frequently reported and is very annoying to customers. You can imagine laminate workers trying to cut these yarns or strings (as they are called) with resin-gummed scissors. It’s a harrowing chore.”

The industry’s move towards computerized cutting tables, in order to save time and maximize pattern lay-ups, is accelerating the demand for fabrics that cut more cleanly, and which hold their edge without tangling up around the cutting head. V2 is addressing this problem with its unique V-Lock™ non-run stitch technology. According to Horne, the V-Lock process welds the ascending stitches together on the loop side of the fabric only. The stitch medium remains polyester (as opposed to low-melt vinyl ester sheathing, etc.), therefore eliminating contamination or off-gassing during the lamination/cross-linking process.

V-Lock technology also makes it possible for fabrics to be bonded using a looser stitch. According to Horne, “Over-tension in stitching can restrict resin flow through and along the reinforcement fibers, forcing fibers to lay flatter in a lower profile and thereby increasing fiber volume fraction.”

Kevin Horne, president and CEO of V2 Composites, Inc. reports, “These high-performance reinforcement fabrics don’t unravel. The added value for customers is significant in terms of reduced waste and improved longevity of their pre-cut dry reinforcement materials.”

The V-Lock system is proprietary and involves precise thermal coupling management technology. According to Horne, the process takes place as the fabric is manufactured so that no secondary handling is required. Horne concludes,
“V-Lock technology is taking composite reinforcement fabrics to a higher level of performance. That’s
good news for an industry that is aggressively pursuing value-added solutions for aerospace,
automotive, marine, infrastructure, construction, heavy-duty transportation,
sports and recreation, and other commercial applications.”