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.
Jeff Sloan
Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld
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.
Revolutionizing the composites cost paradigm, Part 2: Forming
Boeing-led parts trials explore infusion, compression molding and thermoplastics, offering lessons and supply chain options to better compete with aluminum.
Manufacturing the complex geometry parts of RAPM
Boeing-led program explores simulation, tooling, preforming and molding approaches to lower composites part cost.
Novel prepreg for compression molding in RAPM
Solvay and Boeing combine aerospace performance with process knowledge for high-rate, low-cost composites production.
Welded thermoplastic composite keel beam demonstrator achieved
EURECAT and partner companies complete Clean Sky 2 KEELBEMAN project, demonstrating TRL3 primary structure technology for future aircraft.
Digital thread vs. digital twin
This is an online sidebar for the July 2020 article, “Composites 4.0: Digital transformation, adaptive production, new paradigms”. When I first discussed these concepts in 2016, they were still somewhat nascent in composites.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
CETMA: composites R&D and innovation in Italy
From design and simulation to inline inspection, induction welding, continuous compression molding and recycled carbon fiber, this lab to support industry is advancing composites in aerospace, automotive, construction and more.
Kanfit coping with COVID-19 and managing growth using Composites 4.0 systems
Bluetooth sensors and AI track parts and tools, save time and suggest production line improvements.
National Composites Centre unveils digital composites technologies
The U.K.’s National Composites Centre unveils new composites manufacturing technologies, marking the culmination of a two-year, £36.7m digitization project.
Proving out LM PAEK welding for Multifunctional Fuselage Demonstrator
Clean Sky 2 STUNNING project will manufacture lower thermoplastic fuselage while MECATESTERS will test Toray LM PAEK in conduction and induction welding for parameters, cyclic loading, aging and environmental effects .
Plant Tour: RUAG Space, Decatur, Alabama, U.S.
Out-of-autoclave composites manufacturing facility comes of age with first U.S.-made composite structures for the Atlas V launcher, and qualification parts for the Vulcan.
Advancing thermoplastic composites and RTM for Clean Sky 2 in Spain
EURECAT leads projects for TPC keel beam, window frames and thermoset RTM fuselage frames with TPC shear ties for next-gen aircraft.
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.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
The markets: Automotive (2020)
As the global auto industry hurtles toward its confrontation with US fuel economy and European Union (EU) emissions standards in 2017, the pressure built to find more radical solutions to lightweighting.
The markets: Aerospace (2020)
With the 737 MAX grounded, the global aerospace supply chain was thrown into disarray in 2019. Still, several new programs on the horizon portend increasing composites use in commercial aerostructures for coming decades.
Removing barriers to lightweighting ships with composites
EU consortia propel large demonstrators, new technology and affordable certification.
Composites 2020: A Multitude of Markets
The manufacturing world likes to think of composites fabrication as a single, global entity that operates to serve its customers’ needs with a variety of highly engineered parts and structures.
Kaman extends MRO services to aftermarket, continues partnership with Winglet Technology
Kaman Composites Wichita has extended its composite repair capabilities to aftermarket, and it will continue manufacture of winglet systems for Winglet Technology LLC.
Modular, mobile, multiple robotics poised to change the AFP/ATL paradigm
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is working on two multi-robot automated fiber and tape placement technologies that could change the paradigm in large-part aerocomposites manufacturing.
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.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
Composites industry events to highlight thermoplastics, defense, space
A roundup of news about events in the composites industry, including the TPRC’s thermoplastics conference and events from Composites UK, ACMA and more.
Automated joining of hybrid metal-thermoplastic composite structures
The FlexHyJoin production cell combines surface structuring, induction and laser joining and NDT for automotive mass production.
Accelerating thermoplastic composites in aerospace
ATC Manufacturing produces millions of thermoplastic composite parts per year, and is investing for future growth.
Abaris Training adds Advanced Windblade Repair to its 2020 course offerings
2020 composite repair course schedule is released with new course to meet growing demand.
Janicki Industries opens aerospace composite manufacturing plant
The 90,000-square-foot facility in Hamilton, Wash., U.S., will produce carbon fiber composite aerospace parts.
Zetec scanner designed for versatile ultrasonic testing
The versatile, manual 2D encoded scanner is designed for ultrasonic inspections of oil and gas, aerospace and other applications.