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.
Jeff Sloan
Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jeff Sloan
Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld
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℃.
Strata delivers 100 shipsets of inboard flaps for Airbus A350-900
Strata assumes fabrication and assembly duties for inboard flaps production and plans to incorporate HDF and ATL machines into the process.
Composites 4.0: Digital transformation, adaptive production, new paradigms
An evolving landscape of automation, sensors and AI software is not an end, but a means to achieve the cost, quality, efficiency and agility required for future manufacturing.
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.
First all-CFRP fuselage in Mexico
UNAQ and RHEM Composites help produce body of third prototype for Oaxaca Aerospace’s Pegasus P-400T.
High-rate, automated aerospace RTM line delivers next-gen spoilers
At Spirit AeroSystem’s Prestwick facility in Scotland, a glimpse of the future of aerocomposites manufacturing in a resin transfer molding line for A320 spoilers.
ZAero project update
The 2019 final review demonstrated integration of an automated CFRP process chain: AFP inline inspection and rework, cure and resin flow sensors, part performance prediction and a decision support tool for line operators.
Digital thread vs. digital twin
Visualizing the difference between digital representations and data flows and understanding the applications that are changing composites manufacturing and business models.
Augmented reality system facilitates FRP component preforming
The software makes exact alignment and position of materials directly visible on the component.
Narrow UD tapes to bridge the ATL-AFP gap
Automated tape laying and automated fiber placement are similar, but not the same. Can narrow tapes provide a middle ground with advantages of both processes for next-gen aircraft?
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.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
No business case for reteaching robots
DLR Center for Lightweight Production Technology has developed an AI-equipped work cell where collaborative robots can switch from producing composite rear pressure bulkheads to fuselage panels without requiring reprogramming or retraining.
Plasan North America expands composite manufacturing solutions
The company plans to expand and invest in automated cutting technology to go with established prepregging, pultrusion and autoclave cure expertise.
Composites 4.0: Architecture and ontology
Adaptive systems, IoT platforms and apps, the need for 4.0 standardization and a new way to develop and certify composite aerostructures.
The untapped potential in Formula 1 composite manufacture
Formula 1’s midfield teams are struggling to bridge the gap to their better resourced frontrunning counterparts. Could Industry 4.0 composites manufacturing automation level the playing field?
Racing to build tomorrow’s automotive composites workforce
Recent graduates share experiences gained from collegiate automotive design, engineering and motorsport competition Formula SAE.