Hexcel’s HexPly M901 prepreg system has been selected by Rassini, a Mexico-based technology leader in composite vehicle suspension systems, to speed up prototype and new product development cycles. The company aims to reduce overall time to market with the easy-to-process material that enables effective early-stage design screening and cost-effective production.

HexPly M901 is a high-Tg epoxy resin prepreg system specifically developed for structural components that will be exposed to harsh thermal and environmental conditions. It features short cure cycles of 10 minutes and below, producing excellent green, or handling, strength of the composite part for demolding, and unidirectional glass fiber aerial weights up to 1,600 gsm.

As a specialist in the mass production of composite helper leaf springs for various leading OEMs, Rassini continuously develops innovative suspension component designs. Due to cost and timing, however, these new products cannot easily be prototyped using conventional high-pressure resin transfer molding (HP-RTM) technology.

With more than 15 years of experience in delivering glass-fiber prepregs for the serial production of composite leaf springs, Hexcel developed its HexPly M901 prepreg system specifically for this type of application. HexPly M901 combines structural performance with simple processing, providing Rassini with a reliable material solution optimized for rapid development and fine-tuning iterations.

In addition to having an important role in the new product development cycle, HexPly M901 also offers significant advantages for lower volume serial production of composite mono leaf springs. Mechanical performance is approximately 15% higher than standard prepregs with enhanced fatigue properties and a Tg up to 200˚C following post-cure.