PPG Aerospace, part of the US-based PPG Industries, launched its craze-resistant, high-
performance aerospace transparency material Opticor at the recently concluded Paris Air Show.
Opticor is the first new transparent plastic developed in more than 50 years for aerospace applications, according to Anthony Stone, Global Director for New Business Development and Innovations for Transparencies.
“Opticor advanced transparency material meets the aerospace industry’s needs for a lightweight transparent plastic that maintains optical clarity while offering the ability to be formed into complex shapes,” said Mr Stone. “We expect it to replace stretched acrylic for passenger-cabin windows because it weighs less and has better craze and fire resistance, and it will be used in cockpit windows because it is an excellent substrate for metallic and nonmetallic coatings.”
Mr Stone also revealed that PPG plans to install equipment for manufacturing Opticor at its aerospace transparencies facility in Sylmar, California, the US and will fabricate windows from it there and at facilities in Huntsville, Alabama, the US and Casaletto Vaprio, Italy. “As both the window fabricator and the manufacturer of the plastic with which the windows are made, we will be better able to control quality as well as supply,” he said.
Opticor has been selected by private jet manufacturer Gulfstream for the outboard surface of the passenger-cabin windows in the new G650 business jet, Mr Stone disclosed. The proprietary PPG plastic is laminated to stretched acrylic for increased stiffness and assembled with an inboard coated glass panel that can be heated for antifogging.
The new transparency material has successfully met the requirements of Federal Aviation Administration qualification testing in support of the aircraft type certificate. A G650 cabin window was displayed at PPG’s booth during the Paris Air Show on June 20-26.
Source : www.adsalecprj.com
