Composites 4.0
Beyond LSP to an Architected AFP Multifunctional Conductive Layer
Lightning strike protection has traditionally been achieved via single sheets of metallic materials potentially compromised by paint while AFP provides a path toward tailored conductivity and connectivity plus multifunctionality.
Read MoreVIDEO: Stamped, Welded TPC Rib Demonstrator Targets High-Rate Wing Production
Direct stamping and infrared welding produce a 64-ply thermoplastic wing rib that's 22% lighter than aluminum, an innovation detailed further in this ThermoForged video short and CW’s Daher’s Shap'in TechCenter plant tour.
Read MoreAlbany Engineered Composites Secures Contract Extension on Boeing 787 Components
AEC will continue to manufacture more than 300 composite fuselage frames for the 787 Dreamliner at its Salt Lake City facility.
Read MoreElroy Air Completes First Autonomous Flights Under FAA Program
The Chaparral aircraft flew uncrewed cargo missions across the Gulf Coast as part of the U.S. DOT and FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program.
Read MoreMagnolia Launches Advanced Materials Suite for EVTOL Production
Complete materials portfolio is designed for faster production and extended battery range, and is qualified for immediate use by eVTOL manufacturers.
Read MoreJohns Hopkins APL Speeds Up C/C Composite Production
The lab’s FAST CAR2 single-step sintering process compresses manufacturing time for the heat-resistant material from months to days, and has produced samples up to 8 inches in diameter with density comparable to conventionally made material.
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IACMI Names Andrew Maxey as Executive Vice President
Vartega co-founder and CEO Andrew Maxey will lead composites innovation and workforce development across the U.S. manufacturing sector through his new leadership position with IACMI.
Read MorePAL-V Earns European Approval for Production Organization
Dutch mobility company clears a major regulatory hurdle to manufacture its composite FlyDrive vehicles on an industrial scale under EASA standards.
Read MoreDLR, Omnidea-RTG Build Thermoplastic AFP Cryogenic Tank
SNAPSHOT: The 1-meter-diameter Type 5 demonstrator, made from carbon fiber/LMPAEK was developed under an ESA-funded project targeting hydrogen and methane storage.
Read MoreBespline, LMT RbtIQ Partner on Hybrid Filament Winding Cell
SNAPSHOT: Bespline and LMT RbtIQ seek to combine AFP and filament winding in a single robotic cell, offering composites manufacturers in North America greater process flexibility.
Read MoreSHD Material Solutions Drive Low-CO2 Performance in Shell Triple 10 Challenge Concept Car
Seven bio-based, renewable, recycled or repurposed raw composite material types were used in this mass-market vehicle, reimagining EV capabilities.
Read MoreSpace- and Aerospace-Supporting 3D Woven Composite Technologies
CAMX 2026: Bally Ribbon Mills is displaying advanced 3D woven joints, thermal protection systems and other engineered composite solutions.
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SiC Fiber Solves Signal Blocking, Weight Challenges in Electronics
Hunan Zerafber has developed a new version of its silicon carbide fiber to provide a radio-transparent consumer electronics material option that is also thinner and stronger than other composites or plastics.
Read MoreNoemi Aerospace Selects Syensqo Composites to Advance All-Electric Seaplane
FAA-approved carbon fiber prepreg and structural paste adhesive products will enable a lightweight, high-performance airframe for Noemi’s amphibious aircraft.
Read MoreStrong by Form Closes €5.8M Funding for High-Strength Wood Composites
The startup’s Woodflow technology places wood fibers only where needed, enabling complex geometries and a Woodflow-core slab product that promises concrete-level strength at lighter weight and up to 75% fewer trees than mass timber.
Read MoreDFS Composites Mexico is Now Fully Operational, Begins Large-Scale Mold Production
The now-operational 300,000-square-foot Ciudad Juárez facility offers closer access to large-scale manufacturing capacity and technical support operations for the U.S., Mexico and Americas.
Read MoreR&M International Acquires Vartega EasyFeed Bundle Technology
The 50-year-old, family-owned recycler will carry forward Vartega’s rCF platform, which includes 1,000/tons of annual production capacity, for thermoplastics industry and automotive programs.
Read MoreGilmour Space, Hypersonix Partner to Advance Australian Hypersonic Capability
The partnership is advancing Mach 5+ flight-test capabilities for defense and commercial customers using rocket and scramjet platforms.
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Cambium, SHD Composites Reimagining a New Future for Composites
CW’s interview with Cambium chief informatics officer Tim Gardner discusses the company’s background and bio-enabled approach, inverse design and SHD Composites’ role as it seeks broader markets, growth and changing what’s possible with composites.
Read MorePeriplast Prints Mold, Skin and Core in a Single Robotic Cell in INOV.AM Program
SNAPSHOT: Periplast’s research-oriented robotic cell uses a single hybrid head to 3D print a mold, place a carbon fiber prepreg skin and deposit a honeycomb core without repositioning the part, removing a traditionally required bonding step.
Read MoreJetZero Closes $100 Million Financing Facility to Advance Z4 Program
Senior secured loan accelerates aircraft tech maturation and North Carolina facility buildout for the all-wing composite Z4 platform.
Read MoreUW-Madison Engineers Develop Drapable Composite to Reduce Lightning Strike Damage on Aircraft
Researchers wove stainless steel yarn into carbon fiber fabric to create a drapable, Faraday cage-like layer that cut simulated lightning strike weight loss to 0.03%, down from 3% without hybridization.
Read MoreChemically Recycled Thermoplastic Polymer is Successfully Demonstrated in Structural Component
In a project between LATI, Crossen Engineering and Bloc Blinds, a fiberglass-reinforced PA6 material enabled ≈70% GWP reduction, maintained mechanical performance and 1,000+ operating cycles.
Read MoreMapping the AI Landscape in Composites: What’s Working, What’s Missing and What’s Next
A comprehensive review of AI/ML in composites research finds usage has grown sevenfold since 2019, but researchers caution that a persistent "virtual-to-real" gap still limits industrial deployment.
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