Increased fiber placement automation
MAG IAS has developed a new system that reduces automatic fiber placement system downtime by automatically exchanging cut/clamp/restart (CCR) units that need service for fresh units.

New BMI fiber-placement machine unveiled at F-35 suppliers conference
MAG Americas has introduced the 7-axis BMI Viper automated fiber placement (AFP) machine to speed production of the composite structures on the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet.

SME: COMPOSITES Manufacturing 2013 colocates with AERODEF
Billed as "By Manufacturers. For Manufacturers," The Society of Manufacturing Engineers defense-related exhibitions were held side-by-side this year at the Long Beach Convention Center.

French firm Fives to acquire manufacturing machinery supplier MAG Americas
French company Fives, citing its interest in entering the composites market, has agreed to acquire MAG Americas, including Giddings & Lewis, Cincinnati and Forest-Liné.

Austrian aerospace composites supplier FACC installs ATL from MAG IAS
The Ried im Innkreis, Austra-based Tier 1 manufacturer Fischer Advanced Composites Components AG acquires a MAG IAS (Hebron, Ky.) CHARGER, a small, automated tape laying system, and MAG's modular ACES software.

Composites machining system
MAG will introduce at IMTS 2012 the new modular PMT, a 5-axis gantry machine tool for high-speed multi-processing of large non-ferrous components, such as composite structures, aluminum skins and fabrications, molds, patterns and post-cure cutouts in foam and sandwich structures.

WINDPOWER 2012 report
Continued technology-driven performance gains are overshadowed by PTC gloom and predicted Asian overcapacity.

Composites automation: Trending smaller and robotic
Although AFP and automated tape laying (ATL) lamination technologies are widely used in the aircraft industry, market conditions in the past few years are driving some changes in composites equipment supplier product lines. Consultant Carroll Grant explains why.

Vertical gantry fiber placement system
MAG IAS has introduced the VIPER 7000, a vertical gantry fiber placement system.

MAG, Philadelphia University to launch composites institute
The Philadelphia University MAG Composites Institute will be formally opened on March 20. The university is offering a new B.S. in engineering with a concentration in composites.

Biz Briefs
News briefs from Verisurf Software, Quatro Composites, Seifert and Skinner & Assoc., MAG IAS and TenCate.

China’s COMAC buys MAG tape layer for C919, C929 work
MAG's CHARGER low-rail gantry contour carbon fiber tape layer will be installed in Shanghai to produce composite wings, horizontal stabilizers and central wing boxes for Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China's (COMAC) C919 and C929 commercial passenger jets.

Integrated AFP/ATL machine
MAG IAS has introduced the new GEMINI Composite Processing System, a manufacturing system capable of switching within minutes from automated fiber placement (AFP) to automated tape laying (ATL).

Fiber placement programming software introduced to European market
CGTech reported on Jan. 18 that it will introduce to the European market its VERICUT Composites Paths for Engineers (VCPe) at the 2012 JEC Composites show.

The markets: Pressure vessels (2012)
The global shift to use of vehicles powered by fuels other than gasoline, like natural gas and hydrogen, has spurred substantial growth in the manufacture of pressure vessels. Pressure vessels are used to store fuel in a car or truck (15 to 150 liters in volume), akin to a gas tank for a combustion-type engine, or for bulk storage applications.

The Plane in Spain
Site tours provide a rare glimpse into the Iberian Peninsula’s aerospace composites sector, with a special focus on Airbus’ activities at Illescas.

HITCO, MAG IAS, Cytec, Lockheed win U.S. defense ManTech award
A team comprised of HITCO Carbon Composites, MAG IAS, Cytec, Lockheed Martin and others win the 2011 Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement award for composites work on the F-35 Lightning II.

SAMPE 2011 Long Beach Product Showcase
Huge show, huge new product offerings … huge success.

MAG IAS acquires Forest-Liné
In a surprise move, machine tool specialist MAG has acquired French machine tool and automated fiber/tape placement company Forest Linè.

Fiber cutting system
MAG Industrial Automation Systems has introduced its Fiber Cut Unit, a system designed to receive from creels and then chop glass, carbon, polyester, aramid or natural fibers.

Status update on composites automation
Consultant Carroll Grant reviews progress made in recent years toward greater variety in automated composites processing machine sizes configurations and capabilities.

ATK orders two new AFP machines for F-35
MAG Industrial Automation Systems has sold two VIPER 6000 automated fiber placement machines to ATK for use at ATK's Clearfield, Utah, USA, facility to produce wingskins for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fiber.

Addressing the cost of aerospace composites
In the aerospace composites industry’s history, millions of research and development (R&D) dollars have been spent addressing cost.

MAG, Philadelphia University establish Composites Institute
The Philadelphia University MAG Composites Institute for research and development will evaluate new textile-based composites that could have wide application in industry, including the aerospace, automotive and energy sectors.

Out-of-autoclave prepregs: Hype or revolution?
Oven-cured, vacuum-bagged prepregs show promise in production primary structures.

Russian firm picks FiberSIM to drive MAG fiber placement system
Russian engineering and consulting firm SOLVER will use VISTAGY's FiberSIM with a Viper 1200 automated fiber placement (AFP) system from MAG to design and manufacture composite parts on behalf of Voronezh Aircraft Plant.

SAMPE 2010 Seattle Showcase
SAMPE’s first-ever foray into Boeing Country wrapped up with the M&P organization’s biggest draw this decade.

F-35 update: Carrier variant flies, suppliers ramping up
The U.S. Navy aircraft-carrier version of the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35C Lightning II, made its inaugural flight on June 7, taking off from the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base in Texas.

Premium Aerotech buys two MAG fiber placement machines for A350
The two VIPER automated fiber placement systems, valued at more than $12 million, will be shipped in 2011 and used by Premium Aerotech for the manufacture of Airbus' A350 XWB.

MAG places fourth and fifth drills for F-35 work
The AutoDrill systems will use a surface-detecting pressure foot to drill and countersink thousands of fastener holes through complex contoured surfaces comprised of stacked composite materials, aluminum and titanium

News Briefs: June 8, 2010
AOC promotes Lindberg, Marber; Composites One to distribute Zyvex materials; MAG endows engineering chair at Chinese university; Park wins Northrop Grumman supplier award, Smithers Rapra joins European natural fibers consortium.

Machine tool makers bid for alternative energy composites business
The recent surge in U.S. wind energy development has prompted two U.S.-based manufacturers of automated machine tools to make significant developmental and strategic marketing decisions.

MAG wins grant to develop automated wind blade layup system
MAG will use $5 million grant to work with partners Astraeus Wind Energy, Dowding Machining and Dow Chemical to develop layup system for automated production of wind blades.

MAG launches Renewable Energy Business Unit
Efforts in the business unit will focus on design and manufacture of automated manufacturing systems for wind turbine components and solar panels. Composites look to be a big part of the unit's business.

Machining carbon composites: Risky business
As composites take a larger part (and form larger parts) in the aerospace structures sector, it’s not just a make-it-or-break-it proposition.

Large-part machining center
MAG Industrial Automation Systems has introduced the U5-3000 Universal Machining Center, a large-platform system with long-reach 3m/9.8-ft Z-axis, and 5-axis, 5-side contour machining for processing of composite or aluminum parts.

Composites 2010 Product Showcase
The ACMA’s Las Vegas exhibition reflected an industry in recovery.

Russian firm buys MAG systems for composites aero use
Russia's United Aircraft Corp. will take delivery of a MAG VIPER fiber placement system and two HyperMach machining centers in early 2011 for manufacture of the MS-21 commercial aircraft.

JEC Composites 2009 showcase
 Despite the doleful state of the global economy, the turnout in Paris — exhibitors and visitors — proved surprisingly strong.

WINDPOWER: Blade manufacture begins migration to automation
At WINDPOWER 2009, signs that machinery manufacturers have heard and heeded the cry for greater automation, more consistent quality and faster production in wind blade manufacturing.

SAMPE Europe/JEC highlights
The global economy might be on the wane, but there was little evidence of it at the annual SAMPE Europe conference and nearby JEC Composites Show in Paris.

MAG system automates wind blade manufacturing
The Rapid Material Placement System is an automated blade molding facility capable of spraying in-mold coatings, dispensing/lay-up of glass and carbon fiber materials and applying adhesive.

AFP/ATL design-to-manufacture: Bridging the gap
Managing production of a structure made via fiber or tape placement often requires software-aided  manipulation of the subtle differences between that which is designed and that which can be manufactured.

Large-part machining center
MAG Cincinnati's E Mill can handle parts up to 12m long.

HITCO selected for F-35 Lightning II composites work
The agreement with Lockheed Martin has HITCO using automated fiber placement technology to produce wingskins for the fighter jet.

MAG Cincinnati Automation migrating machinery to wind
MAG Cincinnati Automation, with expertise in automotive manufacturing systems, is evaluating fit and function of its machinery in wind energy production processes.

Airbus orders six MAG fiber placement machines for A350 fuselage
Airbus announced at IMTS '08 that it has ordered six MAG Cincinnati automated fiber placement (AFP) machines for development and construction of fuselage panels for the forthcoming A350 XWB.

2008 Farnborough Airshow Report
 This biennial aerospace showcase underscores the ascendancy of composites in airframes and jet engines.

ATL and AFP: Signs of evolution in machine process control
Improved machine-control software, placement accuracy and design simulation have made automated fiber placement and tape laying machines truly production-worthy. The evolution, however, still continues.

ATL and AFP: Defining the megatrends in composite aerostructures
Automated tape laying and automated fiber placement technologies take a key enabling role in production of today’s — and tomorrow’s — composite-airframed commercial jets.

JEC COMPOSITES 2008 show review
Composites professionals converged on this annual Parisian gathering in greater numbers than ever before, confident that the market’s global growth will continue.

Automate or emigrate
Automated fiber and tape placement is not just a notion, but a real manufacturing strategy, and one being embraced by HITCO Carbon Composites.

Managing multi-axis manufacturing
Much early computer numerically controlled (CNC) machinery served short-run military and space programs where cost per part was too high to be acceptable in the manufacture of commercial aircraft. Now, Automated CNC machinery moves toward volume production and part-specific design.

Boeing 787 Update
Approaching rollout and first flight, the 787 relies on innovations in composite materials and processes to hit its targets

CNC tape layer
Cincinnati Machine (Hebron, Ky.) has introduced the new Charger Series of automated tape laying machines, which can lay 3-, 6- or 12-inch (75-, 150- or 300-mm) carbon/epoxy tape at any orientation and to any number of plies. The contour tape head used on the machines has been re-engineered for easy setup and operation

Drill And Trim Router - 5/1/2006
Cincinnati Machine (Hebron, Ky.) announced that it has expanded its HyperMach Series of High Rail Linear Motor Profilers by adding a drilling and trimming router platform. The new machine reportedly meets the accuracy and high-speed processing demands of composites and is suitable for use on other materials, including

Composite Wheels A First For ATV Racers
Tough, impact-resistant glass-/carbon-reinforced thermoplastic lasts longer and reduces unsprung weight for better handling.

Boeing sets pace for composite usage in large civil aircraft
Innovative use of international supplier base to revolutionize aircraft manufacture.