New horizons in welding thermoplastic composites
Latest developments in qualification, production and applications for aerospace and automotive.

TenCate celebrates assembly of thermoplastic composite consortium in Brazil
The SPIRIT consortium seeks to collaborate and develop a regional knowledge-base in thermoplastic composite technology for the next generation of aircraft.

Thermoplastic composites in aerospace – the future looks bright
The real impediment to use of thermoplastic composites in critical control surfaces is an education gap.

PEEK vs. PEKK vs. PAEK and Continuous Compression Molding
Suppliers of thermoplastics and carbon fiber chime in regarding PEEK vs. PEKK, and now PAEK, as well as in-situ consolidation — the supply chain for thermoplastic tape composites continues to evolve.

What an acquisition tells us about our industry’s future
The aerospace composites supply chain is diligently assessing its ability to meet the needs of those who will build next-generation aircraft. 

Thermoplastic composites: Past the tipping point?
The manufacturing world watched a decade ago as automatically placed thermoset composite tapes replaced aluminum in commercial airframes and made composites a household word in markets around the world. Has the time come for thermoplastic composite tapes to make a similar impact?

Hexcel, Arkema forge thermoplastic composites alliance
Carbon fiber source Hexcel and thermoplastics supplier Arkema partnered in March to provide thermoplastic composite solutions targeted to commercial aircraft OEMs for next-gen aircraft.

Toray acquires TenCate Advanced Composites
Toray, the world’s largest carbon fiber manufacturer, will pay €930 million for TenCate Advanced Composites to shore up its thermoplastic composites capabilities.

Thermoplastic composite wings on the horizon?
OUTCOME, a project under the Clean Sky 2 program, aims to industrialize out-of-autoclave thermoplastic primary aerostructure.

Tooling
Composite parts are formed in molds, also known as tools. Tools can be made from virtually any material. The material type, shape and complexity depend upon the part and length of production run. Here's a short summary of the issues involved in electing and making tools.

Fiber reinforcement forms
Fibers used to reinforce composites are supplied directly by fiber manufacturers and indirectly by converters in a number of different forms, which vary depending on the application. Here's a guide to what's available.

Fokker Aerostructures: Hoogeveen, The Netherlands
This Dutch aerospace supplier leverages its founder’s pioneering spirit from a century ago to lead the way, today, in thermoplastic aerocomposites.