Fiches Acteur

The Plasturgy Centre of the East is an International Technological Resource Centre for the field of composite materials with long fibres and thermosetting or thermoplastic cavities. It is specialised in the injection of technical pieces with high mechanical properties and in good condition into closed moulds. The PPE particularly developed the concept of permeability of strengthening agents and process virtualisation.

composites, aeronautics, boating, permeability, injection, simulation, thermosetting, RTM, technology transfer, fibre, cavity, thermoplastic, closed mould, virtualisation, prototyping, non-destructive testing, simulation program, structure, piece condition, training, centre of competitive excellence

The PPE has at its disposal a centre of calculation, training rooms and also implementation, prototyping and test workshops with the following equipment: scales, thermal groups, bandsaw, permeability mould, viscosimeter, hydraulic crane, thermoreactor…
The PPE also benefits from a material characterisation and analysis laboratory with : 2 test specimen moulding machines, 4 thermostatically-controlled baths, 7 viscosimeters, 9 durometers, 22 accelerated aging incubators…

The PPE’s competences and activities:
- Industrial activities: design, simulation and prototypes of pieces in composite materials;
- Technology transfer: thermoset composites in closed moulds (RTM, infusion…) thermoplastic composites, assemblies… ;
- Applied research: in partnership with the public administration on the improvement of its know-how or on new developments;
- Actions of design offices, laboratories, training programmes, workshops, expertises… ;
- Exhibited in trade shows and colloquia, organisation of international symposiums in Lorraine, support of local development… ;
The objective of the PPE is to be present for the industrialists in its niche. It wishes to continue to develop its international turnover, to continue its research and development actions (European or Lorraine programmes) and to participate in local economic stimulation. In order to improve these perspectives, the PPE improves its implementation techniques in the framework of a structured business intelligence approach :
- For the TD composites : study of intelligent tools (large and very large area moulds), study of inflatable membranes for hollow structure projects (wind turbine blades), or intelligent membrane projects ;
- For the TP composites : low cost intelligent tools, study of natural fibres (in liaison with Apollor), study of mixed assemblies ;
- For the TD and TP composites : taking into account eco-design principles (from the design to the death of products).

General actions :
- Technical watch ;
- General information: answers to industrial questions and company visits ;
- Implications in national and regional programs on "key technologies" : creation of a computer portal on composites, international days in Forbach (250 participants of which a third are foreigners), interventions in national and international trade shows and colloquia, prospecting missions abroad and aid for local economic development ;
- Several actions with institutional actors or actors from the professions.
- Applied research actions : first lead in partnership with industrialists, these actions (rewarded by two trophies in Paris at the European days of composites) were able to be achieved in a more structured and independent way thanks to the previous program financed by the public administration and auto-financed in part by the PPE.
Technical actions with industrialists :
- Engineering of composites ;
- Technology transfers : around 300 already carried out to this day have made it possible for industrialists to appropriate alternative techniques to those that they implemented (manual) or to introduce themselves into new domains ;
- Audit and advice ;
- Training ;
- Laboratory services.
Industrial references in the transportation, aeronautical, wind turbine, weaponry, boating, sports and recreation… domains :
- Abroad : MVC (Brazil), BMW (Germany), Ford Otosan (Turkey), Pipeco (Malaysia), ABB (Switzerland)... ;
- In France : Renault, PSA, Lamberet, Béneteau, SNECMA, Cogéma, Airbus... ;
- In Lorraine : Claas-France, SIH, ALWO, TEMCA.