Filament winders specialized for composites hydrogen vessel production

Mikrosam (Prilep, Macedonia) is announcing its recent delivery of a multi-spindle high-performance filament winding machine to HyroExceed (Laage, Germany), part of H2APEX – Germany, for producing new generation hydrogen vessels. Equipped with advanced support systems, auxiliary units and various automated features, the machine is optimized for maximum efficiency and tailored for HydroExceed’s current and upcoming projects, ensuring seamless transition from small-scale to high-volume serial production. Mikrosam and HydroExceed are displaying one of the pressure vessels produced via this machine at JEC World 2024.

The development, production and marketing of individual system solutions for the use of renewable energy are the cornerstones of the corporate group H2APEX. HydroExceed, as part of the group, relies on networks of cooperating companies and research institutions that provide the necessary technologies for a sustainable infrastructure in energy storage. In developing carbon fiber compressed gas storage units, HydroExceed strives to provide the market with the most efficient and safest solutions for storing and transporting hydrogen. The company’s automated and technologically complete production line is ready to be expanded to a series production of up to 50,000 CO₂-neutrally produced storage units per year at its Rostock-Laage site.

The procedural nature of hydrogen tank production requires a high level of vertical integration and thus the development and qualification of a diversified workforce. At HydroExceed a highly skilled pool of experts with experience in composite construction and the maritime industry operate state-of-the-art production and testing facilities. To address the diversified tasks and challenges in the area of ​​hydrogen in a more targeted manner, and to enable further growth, HydroExceed combines efforts in compressed gas storage and the simulation of energy systems with associated R&D.

Mikrosam’s patented automatic cut-and-restart system (CRS) aids HydroExceed in these endeavors. The CRS introduces advanced functionality by automating the start and stop of the winding process, reducing operator intervention. Additionally, the equipment has fast-exchange second resin bath with automated and programmable resin pick-up, and second fiber creel for speeding up fiber splicing. Together, Mikrosam says these features reduce the downtime of filament winding, improve efficiency during cleaning and reduce operator burden.

The resin baths are equipped with programmable doctor blades for precise resin pick-up settings, enabling each fiber tape, routed to different spindles, to have individual and programmable resin pick-up adjustments, which is crucial for ensuring consistent and optimal process quality.

Mikrosam’s equipment also includes a liner pick-up station, a robot handling system, continuous and stationary curing ovens, in-house developed premium quality control system (QCS) and real-time industrial network communication from a top-level control system (TCON) that allows the customer to control and monitor the entire process from a single location. This complete setup is seamlessly integrated with the WindingExpert programming software with lifetime licenses.

As the needs for higher capacity in handling and larger pressure vessels increase, Mikrosam introduces a new gantry-based, multi-axis handling system for composite hydrogen pressure vessels, different from conventional robotics systems. Gantry handling is crucial in multi-spindle winding, especially for handling more pressure vessels, with each pressure vessel exceeding 400 kg, or pressure vessels exceeding 1,500 liters, where robotic handling cannot be used. 

Visit Mikrosam at Booth D61 in Hall 6.