The markets: Automotive (2019)
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.

Overcoming barriers to adoption of structural autocomposites
Although much attention has been focused on material costs and development of high-rate, automated manufacturing processes for structural autocomposites, production of viable products depends on the ability to design and simulate the structures for these exciting new FRP applications. 

Webinar: Utilizing Large Tow Textile Based Carbon Fiber for Sheet Moulding Compound
CompositesWorld is presenting a free Zoltek-sponsored webinar on Tuesday Sept. 18, at 2:00 pm EDT on carbon fiber sheet molding compound.

Teaming to define what automotive CFRP could be
Ford and Magna explore a high-volume chassis front subframe build from co-molded chopped fiber and noncrimp fabric SMC.

How is tow spread?
ITA characterizes tow spreading processes and parameters as it develops new technology to speed production (100 m/min) and reduce width variation (<1mm).

Rear wall reboot: One-stop, tow to tape to CFRP part
Audi and Voith Composites iterate the CFRP rear wall from R8 sports car to A8 luxury sedan via an automated production line able to output hundreds of parts per day.

The spread of spread tow
Advancing from “lighter and thinner” to boosting strength, stiffness, impact resistance and productivity, spread tow unlocks new applications and markets.

Zoltek to provide carbon fiber for Uniti electric cars
The two companies have signed a partnership agreement in which Zoltek will be the preferred supplier of carbon fiber for Uniti’s line of electric cars.

Zoltek expands carbon fiber operations at Hungarian facility
Zoltek will increase the plant’s production capacity by 50% to 15,000 tons produced annually.

Wind blade spar caps: Pultruded to perfection?
Introduced to the market about five years ago, pultruded, carbon fiber-reinforced spar caps, incorporated as the reinforcing member of wind turbine rotor blades, are a byproduct of the evolution and increasing technological sophistication of the global wind energy industry.

Voith unveils digital carbon fiber manufacturing line
Patented production line used to produce the carbon fiber reinforced plastic rear panel for the new Audi A8.

Automation, automotive, recycling and more from JEC World 2018
Mass production of automotive composites, recycling and composites in shipbuilding are just some of the themes from this year’s JEC.

Zoltek fiber in new electric car
Zoltek Corporation (St. Louis, MO, US), a producer of low-cost industrial grade carbon fiber, has its PX35 carbon fiber featured on the new Uniti electric car currently making waves in Sweden.

Webinar: Low-cost carbon fiber composites for automotive
CompositesWorld is presenting a free Zoltek-sponsored webinar on Sept. 27 at 2:00 p.m. EDT titled, “How to Produce Affordable Carbon Fiber Automotive Parts.”

Toray resin compound base to locate at Zoltek Hungary
Zoltek Companies, Inc. (St. Louis, MO, US), a producer of low cost industrial grade carbon fiber, will house the newest Toray operation, a PPS resin compound production facility, on the Zoltek property in Nyergesújfalu, Hungary. 

SMC: Old dog, more tricks
In the sheet molding compound renaissance, the advent of new resins and compounds are broadening the definition and application of this versatile family of composites.

IACMI launches new project to optimize resins and sizings for vinyl ester/carbon fiber
The project will develop vinyl ester resin/fiber sizing/carbon fiber combinations that are styrene-free and that have room temperature storage capability of at least three months and cure times less than three minutes.

SMC: Old dog, new tricks
A sheet molding compound renaissance highlights new reinforcements, new fillers, new matrices, new opportunities.