CW Blog

Incremental thinking just won’t cut it!

Composites industry consultant and regular CW columnist Dale Brosius says if this industry is to have a future that goes anywhere profitable, then we've got to get off the road we're on and map out a whole new way to think about the tasks at hand.

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RTM

Composite manhole covers

UK utility trials ultralight access covers to reduce worker injuries and resulting compensation claims

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Construction

Warm thoughts about architecture in cold weather

Composite materials have come a long way in the architecture world and are now poised to be a major player in this high-profile, high-growth industry.

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Out of Autoclave

Quasi-isotropic, symmetrical fabric for tooling

Well-known in structural applications, this symmetric, balanced and quasi-isotropic fabric offers savings and opens opportunities in composites tooling.

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Out of Autoclave

ACMA publishes manual for FRP grating

ACMA issues standard for fiberglass grating with an eye for expanding the industrial composites market

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Aerospace

Donauwörth as composites pioneer

Airbus Helicopter Germany produces composite primary structure for 30+ years, first all-composite doors for A350 XWB and latest “kinked” composite blades for new “quiet” rotorcraft.

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Autoclave

Learjet 85 is tabled, but what of the technology that created it?

The Learjet 85 is has been put on hold by Bombardier, but a lot of effort went into the composites processes that helped create it. What will become of those?

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Marine

Moldmaker bypasses patterns for high-tech production catamarans

Direct-to-milled-tool process simplifies large deck mold development.

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BMI

Exelis Aerostructures: Salt Lake City

Braided composite shafts and struts for aircraft are its specialty, but there’s much more to this Utah, US-based rising star.

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Carbon Fibers

Managing weight in emergency medical transport

Repetitive strain risk for first responders sends emergency equipment provider back to the drawing board to develop more ergonomic cot.

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Getting part dimensions right in composites molding

Guest columnists Dr. Göran Fernlund (left) and Dr. Anoush Poursartip (right) of Convergent Manufacturing Technologies (Vancouver, BC, Canada) argue that today's CAD design and process simulation software can construct a "multi-physic process model" accurate enough for reliable dimensional management.

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Modeling and simulation: Is ICME the next composites breakthrough?

ÂÌñÏ×ÆÞ columnist and composites industry consultant Dale Brosius encourages empirical learners (read "hands-on, trial-and-error old-timers") like himself to buy in and start using today's software-based design and simulation tools, which, he says, have the "potential to truly transform the composite industry."

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