Sara Black Senior Technical Editor Emeritus
RVB Infusion = Light RTM?
There is some difference of opinion as to whether parts infused under reusable vacuum bags (RVBs) are the equivalent of those produced by Light resin transfer molding (RTM). See why.
Read MoreRVB insider insights
Experts in reusable vacuum bag technology share insights into bags adapted for autoclave use.
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Reusable vacuum membranes: Coming of age?
Durable custom elastomeric bags cut consumables cost and boost rate production.
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Fabric core: Reinforced marble façades for significantly lighter weight
Natural stone specialist Kunovar & Kamini (Ljubljana, Slovenia), recently adopted trademarked Parabeam 3-D glass fabric (Parabeam BV, Helmond, The Netherlands), to reinforce flat marble façades and curved column cladding.
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Software supplier aids parts producer with greater accuracy
Paul Crosby (Crosby Composites, Brackley, Northamptonshire, U.K.) says PowerMILL software, which converts CAD models to NC toolpaths for multiaxis milling, has helped produce F1 composite parts to levels of accuracy rarely seen in the industry.
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Structural preform technologies emerge from the shadows
Not yet in full production, with one exception, all are aimed at accelerating composite part manufacture at fast automotive rates.
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Manhole covers: Composites replace cast iron on university campus
Traditional cast-iron manhole covers are replaced on a college campus with composite versions manufactured by Fibrelite Composites (Skipton, North Yorkshire, U.K., and Pawcatuck, Conn.).
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Sewer system: Corrosion protection for buried odor-control ductwork
ECS Environmental Solutions (Belton, Texas) was contracted to provide odor control equipment and relied on Vipel vinyl ester resin from AOC Resins (Collierville, Tenn.) for more than 1,000 ft/305m of fiberglass ductwork and accessories.
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Paris Air Show 2013: A century of aircraft progress
Torrential rains couldn’t dampen the spirit of innovation or stop the flood of business aerospace announcements.
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HPC’s 20th Anniversary: The senior technical editor looks back
In celebration of HPC's 20th Anniversary, HPC's senior technical editor Sara Black recalls the early days at HPC and the changes that she's seen.
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Optimization software improves small, low-cost satellite design
Ames Research Center’s (Moffett Field, Calif.) designs and builds a low-cost, small spacecraft on a quick turnaround, using a modular strategy based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts and with the aid of several design software packages and finite element solvers.
Read MoreCast polymer categories
The cast polymer industry is multifaceted. Its many products, however, can be grouped into three general categories, differentiated by the materials and manufacturing methods used to make them.
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