Hot drape forming
Heat, vacuum and/or pressure advance from debulking prepreg layups to automated preforming of dry reinforcements for faster composites production.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
University of Delaware TuFF composite material shows high potential for UAM
High-performance, short-fiber composite offers aerospace-grade properties with the potential to offer costs and production rates similar to those found in the automotive industry.
Veelo Technologies debulking system enables OOA composite aircraft rotor blade processing
In-situ heating blankets offer a highly drapable solution for uniform heating coverage over complex surface areas.
Bilsing expands aerospace composites capabilities with 3D tape laying equipment
Conbility PrePro 3D system will be used to produce components for aircraft interior galleys, seats and overhead bins.
Sicomin GreenPoxy resins contribute to first NFC wind turbine nacelle
Sicomin’s bio-based resins, intumescent FR gelcoats and UV-resistant clear coatings meet stringent requirements for Greenboats’ 7.3-meter natural fiber composite nacelle.
RAMPF TFP machine designs lightweight, cost-competitive complex composite parts
Eight-head Tailored Fiber Placement machine selectively places and orients composite filaments where strength or weight optimization is required.
Dieffenbacher Fiberforge system contributes to South Korean UNIST research
Ordered from Dieffenbacher in 2019, the tape laying system has enabled the advancement of research for companies in the automotive and aerospace industries.
Bespoke process produces composite brake pedal every minute
Three composite materials are used to create structural composite member that meets demanding mechanical requirements.
Peggy Malnati
Contributing Writer
Airborne, JETCAM develop digital interface for automated kitting
Integration of Airborne’s automated kitting solution and JETCAM’s CrossTrack software provides seamless data exchange for automated kitting of composite plies.
VeeloHEAT Caul enables in-situ hot debulking capabilities
Built on existing debulk bagging procedures, Veelo Technologies’ debulking solution can take place at the tool during layup, reducing costs and improving throughput.
NIAR’s ATLAS lab to install Cevotec SAMBA Pro system in 2021
The new system will open multiple options for evaluation and development based on Fiber Patch Placement technology, including material characterizations, application and process development, prototyping and testing.
Cevotec SAMBA Pro Prepreg system added to FPC technology portfolio
Installation of the automated Fiber Patch Placement system in Fraunhofer IGCV’s Fiber Placement Center serves active technology and application development.
Veelo Technologies' composite repair blankets reduce F-35 program costs
VeeloHEAT Cauls and VeeloHEAT composite repair blankets provide uniform heating, even on complex geometries, and will eliminate the need to move tooling to an autoclave for debulking.
Mandrel solutions for trapped & complex geometry composites
Smart Tooling explains how its shape memory polymer material can be used as a rigid layup mandrel, go through a cure process, elevated to elastic temperature, removed and reformed for re-use.
The markets: Industrial (2021)
Composites often must meet a certain aesthetic in applications where the consumer is the end user. But fiber-reinforced materials are just as valuable in industrial applications where corrosion resistance, high strength and durability are the performance drivers.
Jeff Sloan
Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld
Thermwood demonstrates novel 3D printing approach for large vessel molds
Thermwood 3D-printed and trimmed five-foot-tall sections that were then bound together and bolted to form a complete female mold. The entire mold section, made of four printed pieces, weighs 4,012 pounds and required 65.5 hours to print.
Next-generation automation for high-performance composites fabrication
Cevotec’s Fiber Patch Placement technology uses robot-based systems to automate material layup for complex composite parts and structures, saving 20-60% in production time and costs.
EconCore, Toray and Bostik collaborate on FST-qualified thermoplastic honeycomb panels
Developed for mass transportation applications, including aircraft interiors, the material improves upon the cost, sustainability and versatility of conventional sandwich layup.
Hexagon vision inspection eliminates manual inspection process
According to AMRC’s case study, Hexagon’s composite inspection technology uses 3D modeling to scan and map fiber orientation data, generating a 3D profile of the part being inspected.
Part 2: Performance and safety benefits of prepregs
Returning with his second installment, Brian Bishop discusses the performance and safety benefits to using prepreg, and the value they can bring to composites fabricators.
C-FREX exoskeleton depends on CFRP for unpowered movement
C-FREX uses a novel design and CFRP to overcome the heaviness and weakness of metallic exoskeletons.
The markets: Renewable energy (2021)
Wind energy continues to dominate in this segment and remains the world’s largest market for glass fiber-reinforced composites.
Hannah Mason
Associate Editor, CompositesWorld
DUNA introduces Corafoam tooling board product line
The 2-Ib polyurethane Corafoam HPT-35 makes for efficient production of prototypes, is non-toxic and can be applied to composite layup tooling.
Rediscovering the benefits of prepregs in composites manufacturing
Compared to more traditional forms of composites manufacturing, prepregs enable reduced manufacturing costs and enhance production performance.
Quickstep Technology selects JETCAM and CrossTrack for nesting and material tracking
In its final stages of JETCAM testing, Quickstep maintains its future expansion plans for Industry 4.0 functionality and a paperless factory.
Sino Polymer develops high-performance epoxy resin systems for prepreg applications
The one-component carbon fiber prepreg can be cured at 150ºC for 10 minutes, is suitable for structural parts requiring Tg within 120-140ºC and can be stored for up to 18 months at -18ºC
Recycled thermoplastic composite rotorcraft access panel takes flight
Designed as part of the TPC-Cycle program, the flight-tested panel demonstrates a lighter, cost-effective, sustainable thermoplastic composite application.
Sino Polymer develops high-performance epoxy resin prepreg
Used in railway applications, the carbon fiber prepreg can be cured at 150℃ for 10 minutes, and is suitable for structural parts requiring Tg within 120-140℃.
