Composites-intensive masterwork: 2020 Corvette, Part 2
Innovative composite materials trim mass, costs and noise on the high-volume mid-engine sports car.
Peggy Malnati
Contributing Writer
CompoTech launches standard range for carbon finer epoxy beams
Produced via AFP and precision press molded results in a high-strength carbon epoxy composite beam with 10-15% higher stiffness in the axial direction.
Saudi Aramco accelerates carbon fiber research to reduce manufacturing cost
Collaboration between AramcoTech and ITA aims to investigate ways to reduce manufacturing costs of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)- and polyethylene (PE)-based technologies.
Fibre Extrusion Technology FET-100 series reaches $20 million in sales
The multi-functional melt spinning system facilitates the development of precursor synthetic textile materials, as well as biodegradable composite materials.
Virtual testing validates Harper International precursor processing equipment
The oven and furnace system will be used in carbon fiber precursor research at the University of British Columbia.
Manufacturing the complex geometry parts of RAPM
Boeing-led program explores simulation, tooling, preforming and molding approaches to lower composites part cost.
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.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
4M demonstrates large-diameter carbon fiber production
4M Carbon Fiber, working with textile-grade polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor producer Dralon GbmH, has used its plasma oxidation technology to manufacture large-diameter carbon fiber.
Graphene-reinforced carbon fibers may offer path to stronger, cheaper composites
Graphene (0.075 weight %) added to PAN precursor exhibited 225% increase in carbon fiber tensile strength and 184% increase in modulus.
CSIRO: Developing higher-quality, higher-strength, lower-cost carbon fibers
SIROPAN precursor aims for >20% increase in carbon fiber properties with increased control via RAFT polymerization, FLOW processing and novel metrology.
Cincinnati Inc. to offer BASF 3D printing materials for SAAM HT
BASF’s ABS plastic, carbon PET and recycled PET are now offered for use with Cincinnati Inc.’s Small Area Additive Manufacturing Machine.
Composite T-boom accelerates industrial automation
A manufacturing method that integrates filament winding with axil winding of 0-degree fibers opens new design options in industrial automated equipment.
Revolutionizing the composites cost paradigm, Part 1: Feedstock
Highly-aligned, short-fiber Tailorable Universal Feedstock for Forming achieves aerospace properties, metal-like formability in zero-waste, fiber-to-parts pilot plant.
Plant tour: Hexcel, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
The scale, precision, speed and quality of carbon fiber manufacture has evolved substantially since the material’s modern introduction in the late 1960s. Hexcel offers a glimpse of the state of the art today.
Jeff Sloan
Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld
Tepex thermoplastic composites demonstrate fire resistance for EVs
Bond-Laminates’ continuous-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite has passed flammability tests for car interiors.
4M reveals progress with plasma oxidation for carbon fiber production
Promising results following application of 4M Carbon Fiber’s plasma oxidation technology to make carbon fiber using polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor supplied by Formosa Plastics Corp.
EuCIA announces addition of new carbon fiber data to Eco Impact Calculator
The European Composites Industry Association’s Eco Impact Calculator is a free life cycle assessment tool to calculate a composite part’s ecological footprint.
Rocket Launch awarded NASA contract for lunar CubeSat launch
The CAPSTONE CubeSat is scheduled for launch from Virginia, U.S. in 2021.
Montefibre Carbon receives €11.5 million in new funding to develop aerospace-grade carbon fiber
The Spain-based company is investing in production of a PAN precursor for conversion to carbon fiber with semi-aerospace quality, and building of a flexible carbonization line.
"Green" carbon fiber: Renewable energy powers fiber production
Zoltek is first in the industry to use “green” electricity to produce a portion of its heavy-tow carbon fiber.
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.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
Enabling a circular economy approach to advanced composites innovation, manufacturing and use, Part 1
In part 1 of a two-month column, IACMI chief technology officer Uday Vaidya reflects on the organization’s efforts to reduce the embodied energy of composites.
3D printing, composite materials enable motorsports design flexibility
A collegiate Formula SAE racing team used Windform carbon fiber-filled composite materials and laser sintering technology to streamline part design.
The coming decade: Clarity with a strong dose of uncertainty
Columnist Dale Brosius considers the potential and uncertain role of composites in aerospace, automotive and other markets in the coming decade.
The markets: Fuels cells and batteries (2020)
Although fuel-cell powered vehicles could still be in the automotive future, growth will be measured, and so will the market there for composite components. Composites for electric vehicle battery packs and hydrogen tanks for fuel cell vehicles will be the more immediate opportunity.
Radiophysicists study the properties of composites for 5G devices
Radiophysicists at Tomsk State University are forming a database of composite materials properties for creation of 5G and space communication devices.
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.