Sara Black Senior Technical Editor Emeritus
Thermoplastic composites: European consortia, galore!
In addition to the Thermoplastic Composites Research Center (TPRC, Enschede, The Netherlands) — see our article focused on TPRC, titled "Thermoplastic composites technology: A view from Europe" under "Editor's Picks, at top right — there are many other European consortia, comprising private industry, university and government entities, which share the goals of exploring composites materials and methods for manufacturing them, including those with thermoplastic matrices. Here's a sampling.
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First all-carbon yacht a winner
Vacuum infusion with customized fabrics enables demanding yacht build
Read MoreZoltek’s Hungarian plant to add carbon fiber production capacity
Zoltek Corp. (St. Louis, MO, US) has worked out a deal with the Hungarian government to expand capacity.
Read MoreGlass/epoxy RTM process yields “four-in-one” auto suspension blade
Hutchison (Levallois Perret, France) caused a stir at JEC Europe with its Trifunctional Auto Suspension.
Read MoreCarbon/epoxy overbraided, RTM’d spring carrier beam
Munich Composites (Ottobrunn, Germany) won a JEC Innovation award in the Transportation Category for its carbon fiber air spring carrier part.
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Laser projection: Envisioning more than templates
Advanced systems offer ply-placement verification, aids to faster assembly and manufacturing process and quality control.
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Thermoplastic composites “clip” time, labor on small but crucial parts
Preconsolidated carbon fiber/PPS and PEEK and automated thermoforming enable six-figure production of connectors for the Airbus A350 XWB.
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Massive, bondline-free tooling block
A candidate for the biggest “bun” from high-density urethane foam?
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Polyamide improves impeller performance
Direct-to-milled-tool process simplifies large deck mold development.
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Fraunhofer ICT develops lightweight cylinder casing
Car manufacturers may be able to achieve weight savings with cylinder blocks that feature parts made of fiber-reinforced plastics.
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Ascent Tooling Group ascends via innovation
The world’s largest metal and composite moldmaker has a new name and continues to make a name for itself in closer control of large-part dimensional tolerance.
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