MRO & Manufacturing
Toray Achieves NCAMP Qualification for 3960 Prepreg System
Toray’s 3960 prepreg system with TORAYCA™ T1100G fiber gains NCAMP qualification, streamlining FAA certification for aerospace and defense manufacturers.
This article is based on an official press release from Toray Composite Materials America, Inc.
Toray Secures NCAMP Qualification for Next-Gen 3960 Prepreg System
Toray Composite Materials America, Inc. has officially announced that its advanced 3960 prepreg system has achieved qualification from the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP). The announcement, made on February 4, 2026, marks a significant milestone for the aerospace and defense sectors, offering manufacturers a streamlined path to certifying high-performance composite parts.
The newly qualified system pairs Toray’s TORAYCA™ T1100G Intermediate Modulus Plus (IM+) carbon fiber with its highly toughened 3960 epoxy resin. According to the company, this specific combination is designed to meet the rigorous demands of next-generation aircraft, launch vehicles, and satellites. By securing inclusion in the NCAMP database, Toray allows original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to utilize validated material data, significantly reducing the time and capital required for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification.
Technical Specifications and Performance
The 3960 prepreg system represents a technical evolution over legacy aerospace materials. The system is now procurable under the specification NMS 397. Toray’s press release highlights that the system was developed to optimize the performance of the T1100G fiber, which offers a unique balance of high tensile strength and high modulus (stiffness), properties that have historically required engineering trade-offs.
Key technical characteristics of the system include:
- Fiber Architecture: Utilizes TORAYCA™ T1100G, an Intermediate Modulus Plus fiber that provides superior structural efficiency compared to standard T800S fibers.
- Resin Chemistry: The 3960 epoxy resin is a 350°F (177°C) cure system formulated for high toughness.
- Damage Tolerance: The system is engineered to resist impact damage and maintain mechanical integrity in hot and wet environments, a critical requirement for primary aerospace structures.
- Manufacturing Compatibility: The qualification covers data generated for Automated Fiber Placement (AFP), enabling high-speed, robotic manufacturing of large composite structures like wings and fuselages.
“Achieving NCAMP qualification for our next-generation prepreg system is a significant milestone for Toray and reinforces our commitment to delivering high-performance composite materials.”
, Jeff Cross, Principal Director of Defense Programs at Toray Composite Materials America
Strategic Impact of NCAMP Qualification
The National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP) works in conjunction with the FAA to create shared material property databases. Without this shared data, aerospace manufacturers typically face a burden of 18 to 24 months and millions of dollars in testing to prove a material’s safety to regulators.
By achieving this qualification, Toray effectively democratizes access to top-tier aerospace materials. Manufacturers can now “pull” the approved design allowables for the 3960 system directly from the NCAMP database. Jeff Cross, Principal Director of Defense Programs at Toray, emphasized the commercial value of this achievement in the company’s statement.
“This qualification provides aerospace and defense manufacturers with a reliable, FAA-recognized material system that reduces certification risk and accelerates time to market.”
, Jeff Cross, Principal Director of Defense Programs at Toray Composite Materials America
AirPro News Analysis
The qualification of the 3960/T1100G system is likely to have immediate implications for the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) ecosystem and the emerging Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector. In 2022, Toray and Bell Textron announced a collaboration specifically aimed at generating this NCAMP dataset. The successful completion of this qualification suggests that the material supply chain is now ready to support full-rate production for next-generation tiltrotors and high-speed helicopters.
Furthermore, the inclusion of Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) data is critical. As defense and commercial airframers move toward higher production rates, the ability to use robotic layup processes with pre-certified materials removes a major bottleneck in the manufacturing supply chain. This development positions Toray to capture significant market share in programs where weight reduction and damage tolerance are non-negotiable.
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Photo Credit: Toray Composite Materials America