Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 3

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, Bombardier Aerospace and Bombardier Transportation are joining their forcesto the CDCQ to validate the use of recycled carbon fibers in large composite parts. Bell Helicopter andBombardier Aerospace are both user of carbon fibers in their parts and generate carbon fiber wastes. Thesethree industrial partners are looking for low cost solutions to reduce weight and the introduction of recycledcarbon fibers in their products could very well be the solution. Environmental sustainability is a value for all ofthem. Reducing their environmental foot print by developing a way to recycle carbon fibers that wouldotherwise go to the landfill is one step in the direction of a circular economy model. Many research team andlab are attempting to revalorize waste carbon prepreg from the aerospace industries. However these effortshave been unsuccessful so far because the tier 1, 2 and 3 suppliers of carbon composites parts have not beenable to demonstrate that these materials are suitable for relevant applications, and that the supply chain is inplace to sustain production over an extended period. Therefore the first step is to create a momentum to locallyvalorize carbon fiber waste by demonstrating the value and performance of parts produced with these recycledmaterials. Once these facts are proven, it will be beneficial to reuse these fibers. The OEMs will be able toinitiate the sorting and revalorization of their own waste, made of carbon fibers prepreg scraps and parttrimmings.