Composites Technology - February 2008
Inside Manufacturing: Thermoplastic Composites Lighten Transit Bus
Low-pressure forming processes and low-density, long fiber-reinforced thermoplastic come together to cut weight of aluminum transit bus roof air conditioning door by 40 percent.
Composites material suppliers and molders have spent many years developing and producing lightweight components for automobiles and heavy trucks, aimed at improving fuel efficiency and cost. During this period, much less attention has been devoted to mass transit applications for composites. But that is changing, as transit equipment manufacturers and governments recognize the opportunities to reduce fuel consumption and road wear, particularly for buses. Transit authorities in New Jersey, for example, have requested bids for new buses that weigh 5,000 lb/2,270 kg less than current models in use, says Uday Vaidya, director of the Engineering Plastics and Composites Laboratory at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Vaidya and his colleagues Sellvum Pillay and Haibin Ning, in collaboration with the National Composite Center (NCC, Kettering, Ohio) and other partners, have recently completed a five-year effort, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, to demonstrate how buses can be made lighter using composites. Read More ...
Features
Additives Add Key Innovations
Added in small quantities, these resin system enhancements make larger contributions to composite quality as suppliers enhance their utility.
Dust Collection: Expense or Investment?
Well-engineered dust control systems not only improve shop air quality but also boost productivity, prolong machine life and save energy.
Engineering Insights: Composites Lessen Load in Fuel-Cell Demonstrator
CFRP decklid helps offset fuel-cell system weight to meet vehicle weight target.
JEC COMPOSITES 2008/Sampe Europe Preview
As the industry gathers in Paris, event organizers emphasize composites manufacturability and environmental responsibility.
NAIA Show Highlights
The 2007 Detroit Auto Show emphasizes green themes and high performance.
About the Cover
North American bus Industries (Anniston, Ala.), the builder of this 60-ft articulated transit bus, provided the platforms for a five-year series of composites demonstrator projects conducted by the National Composite Center (Dayton, Ohio) and the university of Alabama at Birmingham.
Editorial
Columns
Composites: Past, Present & Future: Corrosion-Resistant Equipment, Then and Now
News
Sabic, Ford Join Forces on Eco-Car
U.S. Energy Bill Raises Bar for Auto Fuel Efficiency
Hanwha Buys Azdel from Sabic, PPG
Bio-Based Composite Materials Supplier Wins $775,000 Grant
Biz Briefs: Lincoln Composites
New Reinforced Thermoplastic Laminate Enables Build of All-Composite RV Trailer
Wind Energy Industry Suppliers Invest in U.S. Market
High Modulus to Design Massive, All-Composite Yacht
Marine Brief: Ashland Distribution
COMPOSITESWORLD Expo Exhibit Sales Begin
ACMA Schedules COMPOSITES & POLYCON 2009
Dow Epoxy Completes Acquisitions of Three Epoxy Formulators
Cohesant to Sell GlasCraft Subsidiary
Solvay to Sell Engineered Polymers Business to Basell
ACC Study Documents Benfits of Composites in Automotive Applications
Market Report Projects Growth of LFT
Microposite to Launch Line of Composite Siding Products
Application
FRP troughs help remove iron from mine water discharge
New Products & Literature
High-wear decorative substrates
Toughened urethane hybrid resin
Layup adhesive for vacuum infusion
Coating for wood fiber composites
Nanocomposite for rapid prototyping
