CW Blog

Composite materials and innovations are constantly evolving. In addition to industry news, features, blog posts and podcasts, CW also maintains a comprehensive collection of product announcements provided by companies. This monthly roundup includes links to regular posts concerning the latest products of interest to the composites industry.

This month’s innovations include:

Nearly 200 attendees, including 62 speakers and panelists came together June 26-27 in South Portland, ME, US to gauge the relative force generated by the Northeast wind energy industry, compared to the rest of the country.

Celeste Wanner, an analyst at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA, Washington, DC, US), kicked off the event with an update of the state of the National industry. In 2016, energy capacity from wind, surpassed hydropower as the number one source of renewable energy. At the end of the first quarter of 2018 AWEA estimated the cumulative capacity of US wind at 89,379 MW. Land-based turbines now generate more than 6% of the nation’s electricity. Bigger, more-efficient units that are capable of drastically cutting costs should continue to fuel growth even after the Production Tax Credit (PTC) expires next year, according to data presented by Wanner.

Today marks the start of the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow, held every two years at the town of Farnborough’s airport, in Hampshire just southwest of London. This year’s event, while it promises to offer the usual awesome aircraft displays — static and flying —and plenty of aerocomposite parts innovations, is being staged among some political and business challenges.

The goal was a fastener strong enough to fasten a composite part, but also be cost-competitive and amenable to high-volume production. “Attachment to metal floors can be easily industrialized using fully robotic processes,” says Bernard. “So the idea for IMTEC HR was an industrialized solution for composites with no manual operations.” IMTEC HR fasteners can be placed into the mold for a composite floor structure and integrated during the molding process. Bernard cites IMTEC HR as compatible with thermoset and thermoplastic molding processes, including resin transfer molding (RTM), compression molding and injection molding/overmolding.
 

There’s nothing else quite like it. The annual EAA AirVenture event is an air show/aircraft exhibition/trade show/learning opportunity/history lesson/concert venue/giant campout/Wisconsin bratfest (I could go on), held at Wittman Field in Oshkosh, WI, US. As always, the event’s organizer, the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Assn.), will offer hundreds of events and activities, from July 23-29.