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V2 Composites, Inc. Announces ISO
9001:2000 Certification
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.”
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