Leveraging DDF technology and fast cure prepreg to deliver unmatched operational and sustainable benefits

November 11, 2025 – Syensqo, a global leader in advanced materials, and Bell Textron, Inc., an aerospace and defense company, have joined forces to accelerate the industrialization of composites.

Bell is the early adopter of Syensqo’s patented DDF manufacturing process, coupled with its fast cure aerospace prepreg Cycom EP 2750.

Bell qualified and industrialized this technology quickly, achieving high-rate production of aerospace composite parts. Syensqo says that the implementation of this new process has brought major benefits such as decreased operational costs while reducing waste, energy consumption and green-house gas emissions. In addition, DDF enabled the relief of autoclaves’ usage for curing small to medium size parts allowing their utilization for larger parts.

“After more than 30 years our Syensqo-Bell relationship continues to bring innovative solutions to benefit the composite industry”, said Marc Doyle, Business Executive Vice-President of Syensqo Composite Materials. “Syensqo's customer support model is based on the belief that design, material and manufacturing are all inter-related and key to a successful increase in composites adoption.”

According to Syensqo, Double Diaphragm Forming (DDF) automates dry fiber pre-forming, prepreg pre-forming or press molding into a single-step process speeding up the takt time involved in part making. The DDF technology also cuts down on labor cost and processing time due to the two diaphragm layers preventing the need for tool preparation and cool down between moldings, the company says. The diaphragm itself can act as a protective layer for painting and bonding operations.

Syensqo sas the technology is easy to implement as it can be seamlessly integrated to existing press infrastructure. This set up enables a highly automated process.with a takt time of under five minutes, Syensqo says.

Solvay, the mother company of Syensqo, had introduced Cycom EP2750 in the beginning of 2020. According to the company, it enables the high rate, cost effective manufacture of aerospace structural parts by combining advanced continuous fiber prepreg materials with an in-depth understanding of the key material and process characteristics required to achieve aerospace quality and performance using compression molding processing technology.

The prepreg, applicable to both primary and secondary structures, is compatible with multiple reinforcements. The manufacturer says the toughened Cycom EP2750 prepreg offers high notched compression properties and enables the manufacture of complex geometries. The material is capable of producing high quality small to medium size parts such as access panels, rib-shapes and C-frames. ​