Two novel plastics developments are included in the annual innovation awards presented by the German Federation of Reinforced Plastics (AVK, Frankfurt / Germany; www.avk-tv.de). Saertex (Saerbeck / Germany; www.saertex.com) was presented with the award in the industrial category for its “Saerfix” EP self-adhesive bonded fabrics that allow users to attach textile sheets in complex component shapes when applying them to the substrate. The material also reduces occupation times for moulds by up to 50% and provides opportunities for the production of composite plastic components including large parts such as rotor blades for wind power plants and aircraft components.

Faserinstitut Bremen (Bremen / Germany; www.faserinstitut.de) was recognised in the environmental category for its organofilm – a high quality composite pre-product made of processed cutting waste consisting of dry carbon fibre fabric and pyrolysed used component parts with a thermoplastics matrix. The production process is based on vibration technology that leads to a gentle separation of identical fabric cuttings to create individual stacks of fibre bundles, which are then directionally oriented and homogeneously processed through vibration. The bundles then adhere to a simultaneously extruded plastic film. The new film allows users to create mass-produced components in carbon fibre reinforced plastics while considerably reducing CO₂ emissions, the Faserinstitut said.

Other winners include the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW, Basel / Switzerland; www.en.fhnw.ch), which was recognised for outstanding academic work after developing intelligent systems for hydroelectric turbine blades made with carbon fibre plastic composites that reduce vibrations in the turbine blade. AVK's special innovation award went to another wind energy company, Windependence UG (Leipzig / Germany), for its "Leewise 1000" noiseless small wind turbine targeted for commercial and private use.