New online training course targets prepreg basics

Composites Expert (Givry, Burgundy, France) presents new training courses under its E-Learning Composites Academy platform dedicated to the business rules governing prepreg materials. The courses are offered in partnership with Stelia Aerospace North America Inc. (STENA, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and), a manufacturer of composite aeronautical structures. The collaboration seeks to improve the skills of collaborators in the manufacture of composite structures.

Rolland Delorme, chief operating officer of STENA has embarked on a mission to improve the capabilities of its workforce through digital training. “Jean-Pierre Cauchois, composite materials expert and CEO of Composites Expert, joined this initiative,” Delorme says. “The training organization’s state-of-the-art digital platform for composites manufacturing processes proved to be suited to Stelia North America’s needs, facilitating the creation of customized training material for thermoset prepregs, hand layup and autoclave curing.”

E-Learning Composites Academy is dedicated to the processing of thermoset and thermoplastic composite materials, combining theory and practical exercises in the form of BOXes and the integration of software and digital twins into the courses.

“This strategic collaboration is designed to fill the skills gap that STENA faces, particularly in the rural area of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and competitive area of Mirabel, Quebec,” Delorme explains. “Under the umbrella of the E-Learning Composites Academy, the collaboration drew on the expertise of STENA’s production and engineering teams and specialists from Hexcel [Stamford, Conn., U.S.]. The resulting training program, available in English and French, will not only benefit our teams in Nova Scotia and Quebec, but is also an invaluable asset to the broader aerospace and composites industry.”

No previous knowledge of prepreg materials is required for this new course, which is aimed at new entrants with no knowledge of the process, operators, technicians and methods offices, as well as experienced teams wishing to refresh or add to their knowledge. It is structured around the following topics:

• General aspects of composite materials;
• Health, safety and environment;
• Transformation technologies in the aeronautical field;
• Definition and manufacture of prepreg materials;
• Vocabulary and technological stages involved in a school part.

In line with the quality standards required for the processing of prepreg parts in the aerospace industry, the new course covers almost 400 business rules. By 2025, the E-Learning Composites Academy is working toward international professional certification. In consultation with leaders in the field, candidates can register for the Test of Composite Technical Evaluation (TOCTE) to obtain an exam that is internationally recognized by the composites profession and is conducted by field experts. It is a complementary element and a way of valuing the employee and his/her skills.

The E-Learning Composites Academy offers a complete learning program covering six chapters: cleanroom, material storage, cutting, tooling, curing and demolding. Each chapter is followed by a quiz, with a final assessment at the end of the course. Composites Expert notes that its platform provides companies with a toolbox in which production managers, technical and methods department managers, can customize the training program of their employees according to their profiles and professional roles.

Visit Composites Expert at N4-5 in Hall 6.