TITK: Bio-Based Adhesive, Metal 3D Printing Filaments and Lightweight Tapes

Production of dry UD tapes at the TITK textile technology center - (Photo: TITK / Steffen Beikirch).

The Thuringian Institute for Textile and Plastics Research (TITK) will present new developments in lightweight construction using unidirectionally reinforced tapes at Fakuma 2026 in Friedrichshafen. The exhibits include laid tape structures made from carbon fiber rovings as well as an automatically wound composite component.

One focus of the trade fair presentation is on automated laying and winding processes for dry UD tapes. TITK had already presented dry narrow-width non-crimp fabrics based on 50K carbon fiber rovings at K 2025. In this process, continuous fibers aligned in parallel are processed into dry UD tapes using adapted sewing threads and optimized thermal fixation. The semi-finished products can then be laid robotically in accordance with the loads occurring in the component.

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For this purpose, TITK operates a robotic system at its technical center that can be used to produce a variety of composite structures. In addition to automated tape laying, the institute is working on tape winding, including for pressure vessels used for media storage and other three-dimensional structures. The layer structure can be produced either with full-area coverage or with variable coverage. According to the institute, the entire process chain can be implemented on a pre-industrial scale.

The system is being expanded with a 3D printing head. This enables laid tape layers to be selectively reinforced at defined locations with additively manufactured plastic structures aligned with the load paths. Alternatively, a prototype mold can first be printed from plastic granulate, onto which the tapes are subsequently laid. TITK thus combines additive manufacturing with automated fiber placement within a single process environment.

If required, resin infiltration of the laid tape structures can also be carried out at the institute. TITK subsidiary OMPG, an accredited testing laboratory, additionally provides material testing for rovings, tapes and finished components.

The processes developed are aimed at lightweight applications in which reinforcements need to be selectively introduced along the prevailing load paths. Potential applications range from aerospace and automotive engineering to wind energy, sporting goods and pressure vessels, including those used for hydrogen storage.

Fakuma 2026
Friedrichshafen, Germany
October 12–16, 2026
Hall A4, Booth 4229

More information: www.titk.de

Thüringisches Institut für Textil- und Kunststoff-Forschung (TITK e.V.), Rudolstadt, Germany

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