Multi-spindle motor spindles for filament winding of hydrogen tanks
Storing hydrogen at high pressure relies on composite tanks made by filament winding — a process in which the spindle carrying the rotating tank directly determines production rate and quality. The growth of the hydrogen sector is now driving machines towards multi-spindle configurations, able to produce several tanks at once.
Filament winding, a process entirely driven by the spindle
TLDR: To withstand the high pressures required for hydrogen storage, composite tanks are reinforced by winding resin-impregnated fibres (carbon-epoxy in particular) in crossed layers around a rotating liner. The spindle that rotates this liner, synchronised with the travel of the fibre placement carriage, determines the accuracy of the winding.
Storing hydrogen as compressed gas relies on composite tanks able to withstand considerable pressures while remaining as light as possible — a key issue for mobile applications (vehicles, aviation) as well as for stationary storage. These tanks are made by filament winding: a polymer or metal liner, providing the gas barrier, is mechanically reinforced by depositing resin-impregnated reinforcement fibres (most often carbon-epoxy), laid in successive crossed layers to optimise pressure resistance. The liner is mounted on a spindle that rotates it while the fibre placement carriage travels along its axis, in a perfectly synchronised movement between rotation and translation that determines the angle and regularity of the winding — and therefore the final mechanical strength of the tank.
Towards multi-spindle machines as the hydrogen sector scales up
TLDR: Faced with growing demand for hydrogen tanks (mobility, stationary storage, aerospace), filament winding machine manufacturers are moving from single-spindle configurations to machines with several spindles, making it possible to produce several tanks simultaneously and significantly increase production capacity.
Faced with growing demand for hydrogen tanks, driven by mobility applications, stationary storage and aerospace, filament winding machine manufacturers are gradually moving from single-spindle configurations to machines with several spindles running in parallel. A three-spindle machine, for example, produces three tanks simultaneously, with a complete system combining a multi-bobbin tensioner maintaining fibre tension before winding, an impregnation resin bath and a multi-directional distribution system. This shift to multi-spindle raises specific design challenges: each spindle must maintain precise synchronisation with its own fibre placement system, while sharing the same fibre and resin supply systems as neighbouring spindles, without mechanical interference between stations.
What hydrogen tank production demands of a spindle
- Perfectly synchronised rotation with the travel of the fibre placement carriage
- Multi-spindle capability to raise output without multiplying complete machines
- Robustness to fibre tension loads applied continuously throughout the winding cycle
- Compatibility with different liner diameters and lengths depending on the target application (mobility, stationary, aerospace)
- Reliability over long production cycles, a complete winding taking several hours depending on tank size
A fast-growing sector that informs our thinking
The hydrogen sector is today one of the most active areas of industrial development in France and Europe, with research projects aiming to develop tanks that are stronger, lighter and recyclable. That momentum informs our thinking on future developments of application-specific spindles, an avenue we also explore through other custom manufacturing projects presented in our innovation pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is a filament winding spindle very different from a conventional machining spindle?
Yes, the constraints differ: rotation speed is generally lower, but synchronisation with the fibre placement system and rotational regularity over long cycles are decisive.
Can Brochexpress design a spindle for a filament winding machine?
We study this type of project case by case according to your specification — contact us to discuss it.
Does a multi-spindle setup make maintenance much harder than a single-spindle machine?
It depends on the design: a well-conceived architecture allows work on one spindle without interrupting production on the other stations.
Brochexpress, watching how the motor spindle evolves
Our engineering office follows technological developments in the sector, including emerging applications linked to the hydrogen industry, to anticipate our customers' future needs.
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