Hexcel Corporation is expanding US production of its HexPly M901 fast-curing prepreg system, adding manufacturing capability at its Salt Lake City facility as demand grows for composite materials that can deliver both structural performance and faster production.

The move brings M901 production closer to customers in the Americas and expands Hexcel’s domestic portfolio of aerospace and industrial composite materials.

“Manufacturers should not have to choose between structural performance and production efficiency,” said Imad Atallah, Vice President, Commercial Growth and Fibers, Matrix, & Reinforcements Product Management, Hexcel.

“M901 gives customers a versatile material platform that supports faster manufacturing and provides a practical path to higher-volume production as their programs grow. Bringing production to Salt Lake City also places this capability closer to customers across the Americas.”

Originally developed at Hexcel’s Duxford, U.K., facility and currently manufactured in Dagneux, France, M901 is now being transferred to the company’s Salt Lake City operation, which already has established prepreg manufacturing expertise.

The material is designed to cut production times dramatically. M901 can achieve cure cycles as short as four to five minutes, while offering glass-transition temperatures of up to 180°C (356°F), depending on cure and post-cure conditions.

It is compatible with autoclave and press curing, hot-in/hot-out processing and compression molding. Hexcel says the system can also provide up to 15 weeks of out life at room temperature and can be used for thick-section components.

The combination is aimed squarely at manufacturers seeking higher throughput without sacrificing structural or elevated-temperature performance.

Hexcel says M901 can help improve tooling utilization and enable manufacturers to move toward higher-rate press processing without changing resin systems. Potential applications include autonomous airframes and defense systems, automotive structures, medical devices and a range of industrial composite components.

The company positions M901 between traditional aerospace prepregs and lower-cost industrial materials, targeting applications that are moving from development and initial production into higher-volume manufacturing.

The US production expansion comes as manufacturers across multiple industries seek to scale composite production while controlling cycle times and costs.