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Microspheres: Fillers Filled With Possibilities

These hollow microstructures not only displace a lot of volume at very low weight but also add an abundance of processing and product enhancements.

Of the many fillers now available to composites manufacturers, microspheres, also called microballoons, are the most versatile. To the naked eye, the small, hollow spheres appear like fine powder. Ranging from 12 to 300 µm in diameter (by comparison, a human hair is approximately 75 µm in diameter), microspheres pack a lot of functionality into a very small package. Integrated into composite parts, they provide a variety of product enhancements and process improvements — including low density, improved dimensional stability, increased impact strength, smoother surface finish, greater thermal insulation, easier machinability, faster cycle times, and cost savings. Composite manufacturers, already adept at making the most of their materials, regularly exploit these benefits — sometimes all at once. Read More ...

Upcoming Events

Composites Design Tutorial 2 consisting of 12 weekly 120-minute live sessions on the Internet, will begin on April 8. Super Mic-Mac+, out-of-plane strength and bolted joints, new Mic-Mac/FEA and other tools and problem assignments will be covered. For more information on the WebEx VOIP sessions, offered in French, Spanish, and Portuguese in addition to English, is available at Web site: http://compositesdesign.stanford.edu. 
April 08 - June 24, 2008 •


SAMPE '08 Long Beach, sponsored by the SAMPE Utah and SAMPE Japan chapters, will be held at the Long Beach Convention Center, in Long Beach, Calif. For more information on the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering’s annual conference and exhibition, visit the SAMPE Web site: www.sampe.org/events/2008LongBeach.aspx. 
May 18 - 22, 2008 • Long Beach, Calif.


IDGA's 3rd Annual Military Armor Protection sponsored by the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement (IDGA) will be held at the Westin Alexandria in Alexandria, Va. For more information, please visit Web site: www.idga.org/us/map/cw. 
May 19 - 22, 2008 • Alexandria, Va.


Reinforced Plastics 2008 International BALATON Conference, organized by the Hungarian Association of the Manufacturers of Reinforced Plastic Materials (EMSz) will be held at the Hotel Helikon, in Keszthely, Hungary. For more information, visit the EMSz Web site: www.emsz-kompozit.hu. 
May 20 - 22, 2008 • Keszthely, Hungary


Windpower 2008 Conference & Exhibition hosted by the American Wind Energy Assn. (AWEA) will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. More information about the event, expected to have over 8,000 attendees and 700 exhibitors, is available at Web site: www.windpowerexpo.org. 
June 01 - 04, 2008 • Houston, Texas


The International Bridge Conference sponsored by the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania, will be held at the Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. For more information, Web site: www.eswp.com/bridge/index.htm. 
June 02 - 04, 2008 • Pittsburgh, Pa.


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