Fast bonding of carbon fibre reinforced plastic components

Toray Industries Inc has successfully completed tests on a technology that bonds carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) aircraft mock-up structures almost three-times faster than conventional approaches. Toray said: “Thermoset CFRP is widely used for primary aircraft structures due to its excellent material properties and long track record of practical use. In recent years, as demands for smaller components and more complex geometries have grown, the use of thermoplastic CFRP — it is well‐suited for high‐rate production and offers high design flexibility — has also expanded.

“By combining thermoset and thermoplastic CFRP, we envisage new airframes with enhanced performance and productivity. However, conventional techniques such as adhesive bonding and bolted fastening add complexity and slow production, creating a strong need for bonding technologies that improve both productivity and reliability.”

Toray drew on years of expertise in CFRP intermediate material (prepreg) manufacturing and in CFRP moulding and processing to develop a thermal welding technology that bonds thermoset and thermoplastic CFRP. This not only delivers higher bonding strength than conventional adhesive bonding but also makes bonding for simulated aircraft structures three-times faster than that needed for conventional adhesive bonding and bolted fastening. The technology can also lower aircraft weight by reducing the number of bolt fasteners. Toray says it will now accelerate its commercialisation efforts in collaboration with aerospace manufacturers.

Toray Industries Inc is a ‘global leader in advanced materials innovation’, comprising more than 300 affiliated companies and about 48,000 employees worldwide. April 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Toray’s founding.