Victrex, Electroimpact achieve thermoset AFP speeds using thermoplastics
Using Electroimpact’s AFP technology and Victrex’s low-melt PAEK prepreg tape, the companies report laydown speeds of 4,000 inches per minute.
Hannah Mason
Associate Editor, CompositesWorld
ENLIGHTEN program launched to speed thermoplastic composites industrialization
Multi-scale modeling, testing, sensors and machine learning will advance understanding and algorithms to achieve process control and optimization for both aerospace and automotive supply chains.
Victrex, Daher, attain next-gen thermoplastic aircraft panel milestone
The developed panel is a 176-ply laminate, 32-millimeter-thick composite structure and uses Victrex AE 250 PAEK-based thermoplastic composites.
CAMX 2020 exhibit preview: Toray Advanced Composites
Toray Advanced Composites is featuring its latest product developments in thermoset and thermoplastic technologies.
Electroimpact’s 6-axis continuous fiber 3D printer, one part of future multi-functional manufacturing cell
The Scalable Composite Robotic Additive Manufacturing (SCRAM) system 3D prints with continuous fiber tape or filament and seamlessly swaps end effectors for large-scale pellet deposition and CNC machining.
Surface treatment for adhesive bonding: Thermoset vs. thermoplastic composites
According to BTG Labs, common surface treatment methods like abrasion and plasma treatment work best for different materials.
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.
Manufacturing the upper half of the Multifunctional Fuselage Demonstrator (MFFD)
Proving industrial reliability for low-cost thermoplastic composites production using AFP in-situ consolidation, as well as continuous ultrasonic and resistance welding.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
NIAR's NCAMP announces release of first thermoplastic material
Toray’s Cetex TC1225 is a low-melt PAEK and is part of a broad effort by the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP) to qualify thermoplastic materials
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 .
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.
Victrex optimizes PAEK polymers for AM platform
The University of Exeter has commissioned an EOS P 810 laser sintering platform, for use with Victrex high-temperature PAEK polymers.
The markets: Aerospace (2020)
Despite the 737 MAX groundings, several new programs on the horizon portend increasing use of composites in commercial aerostructures for several decades.
Overmolded hybrid parts open new composites markets
A process that combines continuous carbon fiber-reinforced PAEK with chopped fiber/PEEK overmolding is making inroads in the aerospace market. Parts that previously could not be produced cost-effectively from composites can now be made at less cost than their metal counterparts.
Moving forward on the Multifunctional Fuselage Demonstrator (MFFD)
Clean Sky 2’s MFFD program continues to move toward its goal of delivering a welded, thermoplastic composite fuselage demonstrator using next-generation manufacturing processes.
Hannah Mason
Associate Editor, CompositesWorld
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.
First Toray LM-PAEK laminate for Clean Sky MECATESTERS project
KVE Composites Group and Rescoll cooperate in GKN Fokker-led project to develop micromechanical characterization of thermoplastic co-consolidated joints for aircraft fuselages
Download today's news from CAMX: Thursday, Sept. 26
CW is reporting live from CAMX 2019 this week in Anaheim, California. Read today’s show headlines, including show highlights, the first CAMX additive manufacturing workshop and CAMX news from Solvay and PolyOne.
Solvay expands thermoplastic composites manufacturing capacity
Solvay is building a new thermoplastic tape production line at its Anaheim, Calif., facility, underscoring its focus on thermoplastic composites for aerospace.
Thermoplastics in the quest for aerospace weight savings
Safran Cabin, Victrex and Tri-Mack Plastics collaborate to migrate an aerospace storage bin from aluminum to an overmolded thermoplastic composite. The result proves the promise of thermoplastics in aerospace interiors.
Accelerating thermoplastic composites in aerospace
ATC Manufacturing produces millions of thermoplastic composite parts per year, and is investing for future growth.
3D printing CFRP molds for RTM flaperon, exoskeletons and more
The Chair of Carbon Composites at TU Munich is advancing composite additive manufacturing via large-scale extrusion, continuous fiber printing, integrating heating into tools and more.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
Highlights: Composites Convention 2019
Highlights from the Composites Convention 2019, June 12-13, in Stade, Germany, organized by CFK Valley e.V. and Carbon Composites e.V, and the German Aerospace Center’s 5th Colloquium on Production Technology, on May 15, in Augsburg.
Injection-forming for high-performance, unitized thermoplastic structures
Combining braided tape, overmolding and form-locking, herone produces one-piece, high-torque gear-driveshaft as demonstrator for broad range of applications.
CAMX 2019 exhibit preview: Macrodyne Technologies
Macrodyne Technologies Inc. (Concord, Ont., Canada) is featuring its compression molding, shuttle, single- and multi-opening heated platen presses.
Auto industry explores engineering thermoplastic performance improvements
Polyamides, carbon fiber prominent at 2019 SPE AutoEPCON.
PEEKSense high-temperature thermocouple for PEEK composites curing
TE Wire & Cable’s PEEKSense thermocouple sensor is a high-temperature autoclave thermocouple assembly for polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite applications.
Fiber sizing, tow spreading and the quest for encapsulation
Fiber sizing is easily overlooked by composites fabricators, but it will be increasingly important to optimization of fiber performance.
