Ginger Gardiner

Ginger Gardiner Senior Technical Editor

Autoclave

Improving one-piece aerostructures by automating preforming

IAI’s fully automated “one-shot” RTM production line cuts helicopter seat cost 30% vs. hand layup prepreg.

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Carbon Fibers

Higher performance in precast concrete with CFRP

C-GRID trusses in CarbonCast wall system cut construction time, cost, complexity and carbon footprint in energy-efficient urban student housing.

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Mass Transit

SGL offers high-performance organosheet and thermoplastics for overmolding

“Thermoplastic toolbox” includes LFT, UD tapes, woven semi-finished sheets and carbon/glass hybrids in PA and polyolefins for automotive and other high-volume applications.

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RTM

CFRP bests steel in precision ball joints

Near-zero backlash in bearings and automation components.  

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Fabrics/Preforms

Carbon-Kevlar Hinge

Besting metal hardware in weight, thickness, 3X load capacity and 1 million fatigue cycles with no degradation.

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RTM

Automated preforming: Intelligent automation in pick-and-place systems

Layups go industrial with hand-like grippers that can fold fabric or prepreg into corners and robot-mounted cameras that inspect from fabric to cut plies to fiber gaps in final preforms.

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Plant Tour: FiberCore Europe, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

From debond-proof bridges to cost-saving infrastructure rehab, InfraCore technology is establishing composites as the fourth major construction material.

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Carbon Fibers

First all-electric production yacht features carbon fiber construction

Leader in luxury yacht innovation commits to fossil fuel-less future

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Aerospace

Composites and metal vie for fuselage and driveshafts in "Racer" next-gen, high-speed rotorcraft

New compound helicopter demonstrator set to fly in 2020 with hybrid fuselage and flexible metal driveshafts for twin pusher turboprops but will trial carbon composite shafts by 2021.

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Adhesives

bigHead, Cranfield University discuss Knowledge Transfer Partnership

bigHead Bonding Fasteners and Cranfield University have formed a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) focused on new joining technologies for composite materials.

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Automated Preforming, Part 5: Holistic Quality Optimization

Simulation and testing key to integrated approach for optimization of automated preforming, offering time and cost savings as well as basis for automated quality inspection.

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Sustainability

IBEX 2017 show report

Increased attendance and exhibitors despite Irma, continued delivery of latest in composite technologies for marine industry.

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