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KVE Composites Group (The Hague, Netherlands) has installed the first commercial Mobile Induction Welding Cell (MIWC) at the Nantes, France facility of Tier 1 aerostructures supplier Daher (Orly, France). Daher has long been a specialist in thermoplastic composites (See “Inside a thermoplastic composites hotbed”) and continues its leadership in this technology. The flexible welding cell has been specifically developed for coupon welding, to facilitate process qualification of KVE INDUCT welding technology for thermoplastic composites.

The procurement of the MIWC shows Daher’s commitment to add the KVE INDUCT welding technology to its manufacturing capabilities. Together, the two companies — note that Daher acquired KVE Composites in 2019 — are working on various projects to produce a welded thermoplastic torsion box using UD tape-based laminates.

The KVE INDUCT welding process is patented by KVE Composites Group and is currently the only qualified and flying induction welding process for continuous carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites in the aerospace industry. KVE INDUCT is available to the market through licensing.

To learn more about induction welding, see the CW webinar: “Induction Welding for Dustless Assembly of Aircraft Within a Decade.”