Sara Black

Sara Black Senior Technical Editor Emeritus

Construction

WPC weathering: Accelerated testing confirms prediction

Aspen Research Corp. (White Bear Lake, Minn.) evaluated a Korean manufacturer’s WPC deck board with the aid of xenon arc accelerated weathering chambers supplied by ATLAS Material Testing Solutions (Chicago, Ill.).

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Natural Fibers

Metal-matrix composites used to lighten military brake drums

Century Inc.'s combination metal-matrix composite (MMC)/aluminum brake drum is a lightweight alternative to cast iron and steel brake drums in military vehicles.

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Weaving

Orion re-entry system: Composites displace metal

World’s largest heat shield updates metal design with out-of-autoclave process.

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Integrated software: Streamlined hull & tool design

Although its reputation was solid, rigid inflatable boat (RIB) builder Planatech (Athens, Greece) recently sought ways to design new composite products and their corresponding tool sets faster, without compromising quality.

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Aerospace

Build-to-print: Done better

Defense contractor's lean manufacturing strategy meets winglet production goals for in-demand ScanEagle UAV.

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Autoclave

A400M cargo door: Out of the autoclave

This structural military airframe part is the largest made to date via the vacuum-assisted resin infusion process.

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Very Light Jets Creating A Demand For Composites

"Baby" jets are causing an aviation buzz but will the market exist?

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Resins

New infusion regime for superthick laminates

 Innovative initiator chemistry yields long flow time, cure on demand and exotherm control for large, thick parts.

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Automotive

Carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide performs in engine part

When École Polytechnique de Montréal (Montreal, Canada) developed a race car to enter in the 2010 Formula SAE competition, it turned to Solid Concepts Inc. (Valencia, Calif.) and additive fabrication for help.

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NDT

Wichita welcomes SAMPE Tech

 The Society’s Fall Conference flourishes in one of the epicenters of U.S. aerospace activity.

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Autoclave

Fuselage skins redesign streamlines production

Cirrus Aircraft’s SR22 second-generation design improves functionality and enables faster processing.

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ATL/AFP

Filament wound pipe proves durable in electric power plants

Korea-based Hankuk Fiber Glass Co. Ltd. develops a much more durable composite alternative to cast iron ash-transfer pipes for coal-burning electric power plant customers.

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