A general search of US patents during 1996-2000 indicate the great R&D interest in the field of Composites.  The patents cover almost all fields of Composites viz. Thermo plastics and thermosetting materials, processing methods of products and raw materials;  variety of products for Automobile, transport, building, constructions, sports industries and so on.  However, the patents taken with respect to Aerospace products by filament winding, pultrusion, RTM etc. are found to be limited.  This may be due to less commercial possibilities and limited applications.

 But the patents pertaining to RTM technology indicate great interest in advanced technologies.  Similarly pultrusion has attracted many R&D organisations.

 A typical patent on processing of rocket nozzle using modified tape winding technology was taken up for in depth analysis to know its impacts in the nozzle technology in the country.  It  is noticed that this process has not found sufficient practical application and may not have much impact.

1. Introduction

New IPR regime and globalization plan being adapted in the country is expected to promote excellence  in performance and encourage R&D efforts which will end up in products and services which can end up in use by the people at large.  At the same time effective IPR laws would require clear understanding of the situation and response to the new challenges effectively.  Quite a large number of patents have been taken in the field Composites too by many organisations.  A search of US patents awarded since 1996 indicate the great expectation of researches about the future for composites in the global scenario.

 This could also reveal the important strides taken in R&D of composites which can help to plan the future strategy.  It will not be fruitful to mount meanful R&D efforts where works are already successfully carried out, and future possibilities can be identified to intensify efforts in the most promising direction.

 Here an effort is made to analyse certain selected areas in the field of Composites in order to gain indication on possibilities of future research.

2. Filament Winding Process

 Filament winding is a process successfully adapted to process structural composites especially for pressurised systems like pressure tanks, pipes, tubes, support structures etc.  A patent search on the key word “FILAMENT WINDING’ reveal that more than 500 patents are awarded in United States alone between 1996 and 2000.

 Higher interest is seen in the field of Automotive industry, construction industry, sports industry and other miscellaneous fields.  More than 90% of patents on processing technology are pertaining to thermoset resin systems.  Obviously thermoplastics have not indicated very bright future for filament wound composites.  In the case of materials also more patents are focusing on newer thermoset resin systems.  Even though  products, processes and materials are heavily patented, the focus on equipments is found to be quite less.

 Again coverage of Aerospace products by patents is very less in number, may be due lack of sufficient volume of business possibilities and less number of players in the field.  The cost  involved for aerospace products of high reliability is enormous.  Among the sports goods golf club has attracted maximum attention.  Golf club is very challenging product which give tremendous performance improvement.  FRP racket, basket ball back board, racing bicycle wheel base ball bat etc. are also covered by patents.

 Among the pressure vessel systems, bladder lined pressure vessel has been patented.  However, present trend is for metal liners pressure vessel.  Special mandrels are also covered under patents. However, indigenous mandrel systems conceived and realised may not have any problem.

3. Pultrusion technology

 Pultrusion is a very popular processing technique, followed to make many exotic composite products such as preform for pneumatic tyres, bridge structure elements, door frames and other standard structural components for construction etc.  Large number of patents awarded indicate importance envisaged for the process.  It is a fast, advanced and efficient technology to yield reliable product at low cost.  This process can be employed for many commercial applications where mass production requirements exists.  Hybriding technology also can be easily applied in this process to realise cost effective products.

 Applications are seen in sports, building, transportation, construction, conveyor systems, container industry and so on.

4. Resin Transfer Moulding
 

 Resin Transfer Moulding is also a technology which has attracted many researchers.  The patents cover helicopters for blade, hybrid composites and structural members.  PMR and Bismalinide type advanced resins are covered under this.

 Presently Indian market is starved of composites in comparison to global use.  Hence there are great opportunities for composites in India.  However, since large number of patents are being claimed elsewhere Indian industry has to plan ahead and come out with novel ideas to gain entry into the global market.  Whatever competency acquired by Aerospace Industry can come to industries as technology spin offs by special effort, which can yield profitable results.

5. Analysis of patent on Rocket nozzle processing

 Patent has been taken by Thiokol Corporation in 1987 on “Method for making a composite component using a transverse tape”

 Objects in this patent were:

• Improved stress and erosion resistance to hot gases
• Fibre volume of 60% with composite
• Automated process and low cost
• Optimised fibre orientation
• Reduced cooling cracks and char delamination during performance

The method invented is to produce unstitched bias lays up by filament winding and slitting into tape (Fig.1).  These tapes are further wound on metal mandrels so that designed fibre orientation is achieved (Fig.2).  Also 95% or so over lap ensures exposure of fibre edge only to the surface.  The filaments in the wet tape are held together only by resin bond and each layer as separated by a plastic non sticking film before application.

 This idea was novel, no doubt, but practically was found lacking.  Again cost effectiveness was another claim due to possibility of automation.  This process is meant for rocket nozzle making only.  However, this patent has no effect on processing being followed indigenously.  Hence we can see that some of the patents fail to make in impact the concerned field.  This is such an example.

 The above mentioned patent can not be considered great since it has failed to find effective application.

6. Conclusions 

Sample study of patents in the field of Composites indicate the interest of R&D engineers expecting a great future in the global market.  More interest is seen  a thermosetting composites thermo plastic composites.

 Detailed study of one patent on rocket nozzle processing revealed that this patent did not have much impact on the processing of the product in the global area.

 Technology spin offs from well advanced aerospace industry in the country can help the growth of Composites here.  Considering the low consumption of composites in the country, compared to global use, very good growth can be expected for Composites in India.  But new challenges may arise due to demand of biodegradable materials to avoid environment hazards.