KASE Pumping Systems was founded as a specialist in carbon fiber composite pump systems for fire trucks and other industrial applications, filling a need in the industry to build lighter weight, corrosion-resistant pumps. The company employed its 10+ years of expertise in designing these complex, high-wear-and-tear parts to build a high-performance industrial pump capable of moving 6,500 gallons of water or foam solution per minute. Source (All Images) | KASE Pumping Systems and Rosenbauer America

Cast iron has been the traditional material for fire truck water pumps for decades. “There was a real apprehension to using composites in pumps, especially in firefighting,” says Kyle Chandler, president of (KASE, Coatesville, Pa., U.S.). Today, though, companies are starting to become more receptive to the idea of composites in these applications, he says, as the cost of metal castings rises and also — most vitally — to combat the persistent problem of corrosion.

Firefighting units in municipalities have access to potable water, but industrial or military firefighting units often need to work with brackish water or even saltwater, Chandler says, which leads to corrosion and frequent repair or replacement of metal pump components.

KASE Pumping Systems offers a longer-life and lower-maintenance alternative, including a lifetime warranty on saltwater-based corrosion for its composite pumps and fluid handling equipment. Compared to other corrosion-resistant options like stainless steel, nickel or bronze, composites can also be much more cost-competitive, with shorter lead times.

Manufacturing CFRP pumps: Beginnings and current operations

Chandler founded KASE in 2019 after more than a decade of experience in materials research and industrial firefighting systems manufacturing. He and his team manufactured their first composite pump about 10 years ago — and since then, have continued to advance this technology to increasingly higher-performance, lightweight designs.

A fire truck pump (KASE’s RFP6 illustrated here) works by the impeller (middle) pulling in water through the suction bell (right) connected to the motor (not shown) through the bearing housing (left) and pushed through the the discharge diffuser (top).

Ten years ago, at his previous company, Chandler was primarily working on submersible pumps. These are a type of centrifugal pump that uses the energy from rotating impellers to transfer fluid. Designs and specifics vary, but at a high level these pumps consist of an exterior, spiral-shaped volute casing surrounding the pump’s impeller, which is powered by a motor. The impeller draws water in through the suction bell opening, and expels it out through a discharge diffuser. The design of the volute, suction bell, impeller and motor/bearing system play a large part in determining the volume and pressure (called “head”) capabilities of the overall pump.

On a fire truck, pumps are often mounted to the truck directly through a split-drive gearbox and are connected via hose to a fire hydrant or suction line into a nearby water source such as a pond. The fire truck’s engine rotates the impeller to pull the water from the hydrant or suction line through the firefighter’s hose. In instances where a hydrant isn’t available and the closest available water source is too far away for drafting (siphoning water from a surface), or for situations like flood mitigation, a type of pump called a floating submersible pump may be employed. These are floated via a top-mounted pontoon onto a water source like a pond, river or the ocean, with the main pump body submerged into the water source. The system is powered through a hydraulic fluid umbilical connected to a power unit on shore operated by the fire crew.

“We were approached by a fire chief who needed to be able to deploy a submersible pump from a ladder truck. The challenge was that the ladder had a weight limit so that the pump could only weigh about 300 pounds, but they still needed the pump to be able to push over 4,000 gallons of water per minute. Unfortunately, the closest available pump with that level of performance weighed about 450 pounds,” Chandler says.

He and his team began to test and experiment with designs using lightweight materials, and in this case were ultimately able to develop a fiberglass composite pump that met both the fire chief’s performance and weight requirements. “That was our first composite part, and it was pretty rough,” Chandler admits. Over the next 4 years, the team continued to develop and optimize the design, eventually switching to carbon fiber composites to save even more weight. “It all started from a customer asking me to make a pump lighter,” he says.

As he continued to work on composite pump designs, Chandler started his own company, first from his home garage, with the construction of a small composites lab complete with an autoclave, oven and machine shop. “This is still where I do research and test some of the things I’m thinking about developing,” he says.

Since 2020, KASE’s operations have been co-located at a steel fabrication plant, and the team has grown to 15 employees. This location is only temporary, however — KASE is currently constructing a dedicated 50,000-square-foot manufacturing site nearby, with plans to expand the team to up to 50.

Today, KASE Pumping Systems manufactures several families of pump types, as well as related products like fluid couplings. “We focus on industrial applications with CFRP [carbon fiber-reinforced polymer] well over 1 inch in thickness,” Chandler says. All of the company’s parts are made from carbon fiber composites, sometimes integrating Kevlar, glass fiber or other reinforcement depending on the application. For example, a wastewater pump that needs to be able to withstand impact from rocks might integrate Dyneema or Innegra fiber.

Chandler explains that a thermoset resin is used — one that doesn’t produce a large amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and has high impact resistance because submersible pumps are most likely to be dropped. The resin can be modified “to act like a snap-cure system, with cycle times down to 5 minutes, if we play with the formulation and temperature,” he notes. “But, our system doesn’t ever go into thermal runaway.”

The process technology had to be optimized over time for the resin system used — it isn’t compatible with all typical coatings and release agents, Chandler notes. All pumps are made in a closed molding process like high-pressure compression molding (HPCM) or resin transfer molding (RTM). Parts are molded to near-net shape, but are machined to final dimensions as needed to meet a tight tolerance to mate to another part of the truck. In the company’s current facility, KASE’s production capacity is limited by two compact autoclaves, but the new site will feature additional larger autoclaves to enable production of larger- and higher-volume part production.

“There was a lot we had to figure out, and it took us a few years to get where we are now,” Chandler says. “We’re also continuously improving our processing.”

CFRP pump design: Reliability, circularity, complexity

Over time, KASE has been able to develop pumps with increasing design complexity, growing alongside the company’s expertise in composite materials and processing. Along the way, there have been a number of design challenges that KASE has had to solve.

Reliability. For example, firefighting equipment is intended for use in unpredictable emergency situations, so durability is vital. KASE designs its parts for a 20-plus-year service life. “This is difficult, especially in pumps, because the operation can be a little rough,” he says. Submersible pumps in particular, designed for portability and deployed by hand, are at high risk for damage in the field — they can be dropped, accidentally draw in rocks or other debris, or be deployed in too shallow a body of water, which will cause cavitation.

“If for some reason our pump gets damaged, it will keep working. You would still need to get it replaced, but it won’t immediately crack and fracture like a metal part would. It gets beat up but it doesn’t blow apart. This is a game-changer in this industry,” he says.

He adds, “There are only so many things you can design for, but the most common and pressing issue is corrosion, so we at least can account for that and solve that issue. We get asked how long the pumps will last in saltwater, and we tell them ‘The composites will outlast you.’”

Circularity. Composites are built to last a long time, but for when they do reach the end of their service life, KASE is working with carbon fiber recyclers on an end-of-life solution for its pumps. “We want, first of all, to provide products that last a long time, that don’t corrode or deteriorate. But if a customer does want to replace the pump or it becomes obsolete, then we don’t want them to dump it into a landfill, because the carbon fiber still has so much value. So, we’re creating a path for it to go to carbon fiber recycling facilities, and then we’ll buy recycled chopped fibers back for our compression molded parts.”

Complexity. Over years of iteration, KASE has developed and optimized its proprietary closed molding process in order to manufacture increasingly complex parts, including hollow parts and those with blind cavities — holes that do not go all the way through the part.

An example of a blind cavity part, Chandler explains, is a closed impeller, which has interior curved vane geometry that is difficult for CNC machines to reach. “It’s technically challenging to mold hollow and blind cavity parts in one piece,” he says.

Designing a 6,500-gpm CFRP fire truck pump

One of KASE’s most ambitious pump designs to date is in production this year after about 3 years of development work with fire apparatus manufacturer Rosenbauer America (Lyons, S.D., U.S.), a division of Rosenbauer International (Leonding, Austria).

The pump, a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) rated fire pump called the RFP6, is said to hold the world’s highest fire truck NFPA flow capacity rating of 6,500 gallons per minute (gpm). For context, Chandler explains that typical fire trucks are rated from below 1,500 gpm (for small municipal fire trucks) to up to 2,500 gpm (for more standard-sized municipal trucks) to up to 3,500 gpm (for standard industrial trucks). “This 6,500 gpm rating is a very niche industrial rating, typically used for petroleum, oil and gas [POG] facilities,” he says.

Rosenbauer manufactures several of its own standard pump designs up to 3,500 gpm, and partners with other U.S. pump manufacturers for custom builds. In the case of what would become the RFP6 pump, the customer required the pump to meet a 5,500 NFPA rating — a challenge that led Rosenbauer to seek other industry options. KASE told them that they could make a pump to the original 5,500 gpm, but that it would be, like all of their pumps, made from CFRP — a material that Rosenbauer hadn’t previously used for its pumps.

The company and its customer considered, and then accepted KASE’s proposal. The fact that Rosenbauer and its customer were receptive to the idea of a composite pump at all was a win, Chandler explains, noting, “the fire truck industry is very conservative.”

Why did they decide to accept the switch to CFRP? “The light weight is a selling point too attractive to pass over. The fire industry is recognizing that the whole pump, manifold and gear assembly can weigh in excess of 2,000 pounds depending on the design layout, and with CFRP we can take that weight and drop up to 70% of it,” Chandler says.

There were several challenges inherent in the design: KASE needed to develop an optimal volute and impeller geometry that met the gpm and head requirements of the pump specification. It also had to operate within the appropriate power band of the fire truck engine and transmission and use a bearing assembly that could handle those axial and radial loads.

“You have to design things differently when you’re switching from metal to composites, and then there’s a whole new set of challenges when trying to design something that can move that much water. It took some time to make all the adjustments needed,” Chandler says.

Design and validation: Prototyping and iteration

Based on the requirements given by Rosenbauer, KASE’s engineering team began by developing preliminary CAD models of the pump’s internal geometry, and then ran many computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to narrow down the performance output. This was followed by finite element analysis (FEA) of the pump body to ensure structural integrity.

Next, a full-sized physical model was built for early testing, and the numbers then imported back into the CFD software to validate and improve the design. KASE runs extensive CFD analyses on all pump models, Chandler explains. “The fluid design for this type of pump is driven by velocity. Using CFD can get you within 3-5% of your target. For one pump, we’ll probably do 100-plus CFD analyses just to get a model where we can build a prototype for testing. And we get a lot of data from the field that we then feed back into that modeling.”

He continues, “After we get the performance pretty close to what we want, we’ll build a small-scale unit and perform actual running tests. For the hydrostatic testing, the loading we use is usually two to four times greater than the actual operating realm of the pump. Eventually, we’ll do mechanical tests on a full-size product.”

Unfortunately, the initial CFRP prototype was only able to deliver 4,800 gpm in full-scale testing. So the team went back to the drawing board. “We got it right in terms of structure, but the flow for the fluid performance wasn’t quite right. That’s probably the biggest difficulty, getting the right vane geometry in place, which requires a lot of fluid dynamics analysis,” Chandler says. “We also had to expand our analysis to include the fire truck water manifold system, something we did not manufacture.”

One of the biggest challenges in developing a part with multiple iterations like the RFP6, Chandler notes, is the investment required for each mold. In this instance, the casing mold alone is 4 feet wide — representing a large tooling investment for this type of part.

With the substantial and continuous support of Rosenbauer America and its engineering and manufacturing staff, especially its chief engineer, Chris Kleinhuizen, the second iteration managed 5,750 gpm, exceeding the initial requirement. “But we kept working to optimize the impeller design, and eventually achieved 6,500 gpm while still being ultra-compact and very lightweight,” Chandler says — less than 200 pounds total, and only 58 pounds for the casing, which is the largest single component. He notes that a typical pump assembly would weigh from 600-1,200 pounds.  

Manufacture and assembly: Casing, suction bell, impeller, motor plate

The RFP6 pump, which measures roughly 2 × 2 × 2.5 feet, comprises four primary composite parts connected to the motor system: the casing/volute, suction bell, impeller and motor plate.

Suction bell. The suction bell is manufactured using a combination of a mechanically compressed dry chopped carbon fiber preform with HP-RTM to produce a high fiber ratio composite structure. After molding, final machining is completed on all mating surfaces.

Impeller. For this part, the 18-inch-diameter impeller is designed to run up to 2,200 rpm to achieve the high volume and head performance goals. The impeller comprises seven curved vanes encircling a stainless steel spline shaft adapter that will mount to the metallic pump shaft.

Chandler notes that for fire engine pumps, a wide performance curve and optimal draft (ability to draw water up from a surface below the pump eye) are critical. “That’s why in this case we have this unique vane entry angle that was designed to reduce net positive suction head required [NPSHr],” a parameter that determines a pump’s tendency to cavitate and collapse fluid caused by a drop in localized pressure at the eye of the impeller, which can cause damage to the pump. “Essentially, this geometry allows it to pull up more water a lot easier.”

For the RFP6 impeller, chopped recycled carbon fiber (rCF) and a thermoset resin are molded via RTM. The ability to mold these impellers is something KASE is particularly proud of. “Some companies make large composite blocks and then machine the impellers, but that is expensive and creates a lot of waste. That’s why we’ve worked on methods to mold this type of blind cavity system. There’s also very little material waste. That took a lot of time to figure out, how to do this kind of blind cavity system,” Chandler says.

In this system, the impeller vanes are between 3/8 to 7/16 inch thick. “You could go a bit thinner, especially if you use a woven material, but in this case we wanted a little more reinforcement as a cushion to prevent failure for any reason,” Chandler says.

Volute/casing. The largest component of the assembly, this tank-like part that receives discharge from the impeller is also one of the most complex. The RFP6 is a double-volute pump, meaning that it features an exterior case as well as a spiraling internal channel through which water flows at high pressure (and which is completely inaccessible for CNC machining).

The pump casing is molded via RTM, requiring careful layering of an outer aesthetic woven veil material, an inner heavy-duty carbon fiber structural layer, and remaining open spaces filled with chopped carbon fiber. “It can be quite thick in places — up to 8 inches — does not have a uniform cross-section, incorporates interior channels and uses a significant amount of composite material,” Chandler says.

Motor plate. This is the 4-inch-thick plate at the back of the pump that provides the mounting configuration for the bearing housing and holds all of the components together. “It does a lot of work in the whole pump system,” Chandler says. It is also made from chopped rCF in an RTM process.

To create the final assembly, the pieces are bolted together using integrated threaded steel inserts that penetrate deep into the pump casing “and provide a very simple and durable alternative to molded or machined inserts. It has to withstand installation and removal of bolts over and over,” Chandler says. These are mechanically locked and bonded in place and “hold up extremely well with a really substantial pull-out strength.”

After extensive field testing, the RFP6 launched this year on Rosenbauer’s new industrial pumper system, designed for either high-volume water or a mix of water and firefighting foam solution (see video below). The industrial pumper is used for quick reaction fire protection in petroleum, oil and gas facilities as well as other heavy infrastructure installations.

Growth plans and new industrial applications

Beyond continued manufacture of this pump, KASE has big plans for its future, including moving into its new facility. In the next 3-5 years, Chandler predicts that, thanks to continued adoption of composites for anti-corrosion benefits, KASE will become one of the largest-volume fire truck pump manufacturers.

The company is also continuing to innovate its fire truck pump designs, including work on a high-pressure 300 psi aerial fire truck pump and a standardized, broad-usage municipal pump offering 2,000-3,000 gpm.

Ultimately, though, the company doesn’t plan to stop at fire truck pumps. “The energy market is much larger, and there’s a real opportunity for composites because they more frequently work with corrosive materials like brine,” Chandler says.

On the process side, once in its new site the company plans to work toward automating some of its operations within the next few years. “This will make it easier for our staff, and really enable us to start scaling up both in production and size,” he says.

The new building will also feature an education center. The company already works frequently with a nearby STEM-focused high school, and aims to continue allowing students hands-on experience to learn about engineering and composite fabrication.

Chandler reflects, “Our biggest success is being able to introduce a new material technology like composites into a very well-developed industrial market. Our products have proven they are durable and high-performing, and are in service all over the world with a variety of customers in firefighting, energy and flood mitigation. From a garage to now building a new 50,000-square-foot dedicated facility for composites — I think this is a big achievement.”

The Composite Materials Handbook-17 (CMH-17) provides standardized methods and guidance for the characterization, testing and use of composite materials, particularly in aerospace applications. Its six published volumes establish a consistent approach for how to generate, analyze and qualify composite material data.

CMH-17 is not a regulatory standard but seeks to provide a common technical framework for industry, government and certification authorities. It defines procedures for:

• Conducting mechanical and physical property tests on composite materials.
• Developing and documenting statistically based design allowables.
• Accounting for variability, environmental conditions and processing effects.
• Managing data quality assurance and database management for composites

The handbook is maintained by the CMH-17 Coordination Group, a consortium of experts from government agencies, industry and academia. The handbook is an important resource, providing a technical foundation for the qualification and certification of composite materials, enabling consistent, traceable and statistically valid design practices across the aerospace community.

From Mil Handbook-17 to AAM and eVTOLS

CMH-17 started decades ago as Mil Handbook-17, explains Royal Lovingfoss, director of Advanced Materials & Processes at the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP), a program of the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University (Wichita, Kan., U.S.). “Since then, it has evolved, leaving the military side and taking on FAA sponsorship in 2006, with the CMH-17 Handbook annotation adopted in 2012.”

Starting in 2012, NIAR has operated as the Secretariat, says Lovingfoss, “which means we help to coordinate how the actual is put forth, as well as coordinate when the virtual and in-person working groups and general meetings occur.”

He notes there are many different working groups operating under the CMH-17 banner, such as Testing, Statistics and Guidelines, as well as the Materials and Process Working Group.

“Our newest, the Additive Manufacturing Working Group, was added in 2018. All of these post information into the handbook, and as the Secretariat, we at NIAR ensure that material is indeed appropriate and meets all of the formatting requirements. We also help coordinate communications between the different working groups.”

“There are also special task groups such as Bonding Process, Sandwich topics and statistics topics like Statistics Process Control. These task groups are temporary and they solve discrete interdisiplinary problems or document specific situations.”

CMH-17 also includes members from different levels of industry, notes Lovingfoss, “from Tier suppliers and smaller sub-tiers, like Fiber Dynamics, up to large OEMs, like Airbus and Boeing, and everyone in between, including materials and equipment suppliers. For example, Toray, Hexcel, Syensqo and Teijin are all large companies that participate, but we also have small mom and pop shops that may have a vested interest in a particular material or aircraft type.” The latter can be in general aviation, spacecraft and/or commercial aviation, which also encompasses eVTOLS, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM). “Several companies producing these newer types of aircraft are becoming more involved in CMH-17, such as Joby and Archer,” he adds. “We also have engine companies that participate, including GE Aerospace, Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney.”

Lovingfoss points out that CMH-17 is worldwide, with members from almost every major country that works with composites and advanced manufactured materials. “A lot of the companies that participate in CMH-17 are based in Europe and Asia, such as Toray and Teijin,” he explains. “But there are many others. So, there’s no issue with foreign organizations working with us or submitting data on just input, whether that’s on materials, processes, damage tolerance, guidelines or CMC [ceramic matrix composites]. We want engagement from all different types of groups in the global industry.”

Volume 7 – Additive Manufacturing

The new Volume 7, set to be released by the end of 2026, will be dedicated to nonmetallic additive manufacturing (AM) materials that can be made publicly available. It will focus on fused filament fabrication (FFF) — also known as fused deposition modeling (FDM) — and laser powder bed fusion processes, which includes selective laser sintering (SLS), but content on other technologies will be added in subsequent releases.

“This volume will enable companies and organizations to design with these materials and understand the type of material and process controls they need to have in place for aviation-grade parts,” says Lovingfoss. “This type of data isn’t out in the industry right now. Many groups have done their own development work, but that data is typically held as proprietary. CMH-17 Volume 7 will offer a single accessible repository, so that you don’t have to piecemeal data from 10 or 20 different reports, which will support wider use of these materials in certified components.”

Materials being reviewed by the Data Review Working Group include filaments made from neat polymer and also with chopped/milled fiber. For example, Stratasys’ (Eden Prairie, Minn., U.S.) Ultem 9085 neat PEI will be included as well as its Antero 800 unreinforced PEKK and 840CN03 microfiber PEKK materials. Hexcel’s (Stamford, Conn., U.S.) HexPEKK-100 reinforced with finely chopped/milled carbon fiber for SLS will also be included. Markforged (Waltham, Mass., U.S.) has also submitted a data set for continuous fiber-reinforced filament.

Volume 7 will also contain a lot of discussion about key topics, says Lovingfoss. “There will be introductory discussions about different AM processes and also about testing and statistical analysis for AM materials, specifically looking at sources of variation. The Guidelines Working Group and Material and Processes Working Group will also add to a more generic baseline of information for people that want to explore using polymer AM in their next aviation product, including information to understand the steps involved in certification.”

Revisions in Volumes 3, 5, 2 and 6

Volume 3 is going into revision H and is available for purchase now from the CMH-17 Publisher, . This will include significant updates on bond processing, design and analysis, certification steps for bond processes, bolted joint design and analysis, durability and damage tolerance and supportability of bonded and bolt repairs, as well as integrated crashworthiness and some structural engineering technology discussions. It also includes new chapters for spacecraft and engine applications.

Volume 5 revision B, scheduled for release in early 2026, will focus on CMC. Revision B includes the first CMH-17 published CMC data set on oxide fiber-reinforced oxide matrix — also known as Ox/Ox composites or OCMC. This revision will also include fiber material property testing, design considerations, creep testing of CMC and new content based on selected environmental barrier coatings (EBC).

Even though there is quite a bit of carbon/carbon CMC and silicon carbide (SiC) CMC testing going on in the industry, notes Lovingfoss, “most of that is not publicly available. If there is such data that is publicly available, then we would encourage companies to reach out to us.”

Volume 2 revision J, planned for release in summer 2026, will include new datasets and updated definitions. “The gist of this revision is adding more materials to this volume on Polymer Matrix Composite Materials Properties,” says Lovingfoss. “Most of this data is based on prepreg laminates, including woven and unidirectional reinforcements, but these may be produced using hand layup, automated fiber placement [AFP] or press consolidation. There is also some data on thermoplastic composite laminates made from semi-preg, which is also known as organosheet, and is in a sheet form instead of on a roll.”

The last release will be Volume 6 on Structural Sandwich Composites, he continues, “where we are reviewing composites made with core materials. There was some debate about which volume this belongs in, but it was decided that the Sandwich Structures Working Group would review this data at a minimum. The first data sets being vetted are for Nomex honeycomb core, but we will also include data on metal hexagonal honeycomb and corrugated core, as well as foam core to match the information in Volume 6. Data for all of the CMH-17 volumes must meet pedigree requirements to be considered.”

Teresa Vohsen, part of the CMH-17 Secretariat Team at NIAR, adds that for nonmetallic honeycomb, the working group is including hexagonal core (hex core) and also flex core — which has cells shaped to make the honeycomb more easily formed into compound curves. “This revision for Volume 6 will be a large overhaul, with information added about structural design as well, so it will probably double in size,” she notes.

Capturing knowledge, growing composites applications

“There are a lot of exciting things happening in CMH-17 — a lot of growth and change, as well as a fast publication cadence,” says Vohsen. “We've got two books coming out this year, two books next year and at least one in 2027. We’re filling a really important gap in the aerospace industry. A large chunk of engineers are retiring or preparing for retirement, which means there’s a lot of knowledge that is going to be missing when they leave. CMH-17 helps capture that knowledge.”

Vohsen explains that as a young engineer, she used CMH-17 to help ask more educated questions. “This role in industry is important, and as knowledge transfer needs continue to grow, I think people need to understand how CMH-17 is able to help companies and their engineers by giving them the opportunity to know these best practices that took 20-30 years to develop, and also that we’re updating that content and growing into the latest materials that will be used to support the future of aviation.”

Getting involved 

CMH-17 is a growing organization that is free to join. There is an upcoming virtual Coordination Meeting and information can be found on the . The organization, which includes subject matter experts from certifying agencies, government, academia and industry, works together and collaborates to continue growth of the team-driven handbook content and to foster a thriving network of industry experts.  

Source (All Images) | Brembo

The demand for high-temperature materials is booming thanks to the continued quest for increased efficiency in energy/power generation, industrial processes and aviation/space. Besting metals at temperatures above 700°C, ceramic matrix composites (CMC) that use carbon fiber to reinforce a carbon matrix (carbon/carbon or C/C) or a silicon carbide matrix (C/SiC or C/C-SiC) can cut the weight of rocket nozzles and thermal protection systems (TPS) by 50%.

The largest market for CMC today, however, is automotive brakes, where the weight savings can be much higher — 1.2 kilograms for a C/C disc versus 14 kilograms for cast iron, and 200 grams for a C/C brake pad used in Formula 1 (F1) versus 800 grams for a sports car brake pad made from organic materials. But it’s CMC’s performance at up to 1200°C that makes the difference — withstanding up to 5 Gs of deceleration force in an F1 race, dropping from 300 to zero kilometers/hour in less than 3 seconds and reducing stopping distance by at least 20%.

Celebrating its 50^th anniversary in racing, (Bergamo, Italy) began supplying C/C discs and pads to F1 teams in the 1990s. It now produces these for a wide range of racing series including Formula E, WEC and MotoGP motorcycles plus many others. In 2002, the company developed a C/SiC solution for road cars and in 2009, expanded that technology via a joint venture with SGL Carbon (Wiesbaden, Germany), increasing production via facilities in Meitingen, Germany and Stezzano, Italy near Bergamo, with another 50% expansion from 2023-2025.

This tour focuses on Brembo’s serial production of C/C discs and pads for racing. The company supplied 140-240 C/C discs and 280-480 C/C pads per team for nearly half the F1 grid in 2025, while its C/C pads and front discs are used by all 10 Formula E teams. Brembo is also the sole supplier for the 11 MotoGP teams and equipped half the 2025 Hypercar class for the 24 Hour of Le Mans race with complete braking systems, while 100% of the Le Mans grid in 2025 had at least one of its components when including Brembo subsidiary (Coventry, U.K.).

But this production is also highly specialized. Disc diameter, thickness and machined cooling holes vary per each series’ regulations — F1 discs feature 900 to 1,100 cooling holes, drilled with a tolerance of less than 0.2 millimeter — while designs are tailored not only to each racing team but also to each racetrack.

As explained in my Aug. 2025 feature, “… Faster, cheaper, higher temperature,” companies across industries are exploring new CMC technologies, with aerospace focusing especially on C/C and C/SiC. Brembo offers insight into the serial production of such parts that indeed rival aerospace in precision, quality and performance. And the company continues to invest in advancing this technology while pioneering digital products.

History and relationship with BSCCB

Brembo began as a small machining company in Paladina near Bergamo. Asked to repair a shipment of damaged brake discs for Alfa Romeo in 1964, it saw an opportunity and began producing its own higher-quality metal discs for the car OEM. In 1975, Ferrari asked Brembo to supply the entire braking system for its F1 cars.

During that time, C/C brakes were migrating from the Concorde supersonic aircraft to the Brabham F1 team, as explained by Chris Perkins in a. By the late 80s, they had become the norm for F1. Brembo developed its own technology and established itself as a trusted supplier.

Brembo also sought to bring this high-performance technology to road cars, but this was a challenge, as C/C brake discs and pads do not perform well until they reach high temperatures. The company also needed materials that could resist high wear over much longer periods of use.

Source |

Brembo identified C/SiC using chopped carbon fiber as the solution and patented its Ceramic Composite Material (CCM) and manufacturing process, which reduced cycle time to just a few days compared to the months required for C/C racing discs.

In 2004, it won its first Compasso d’Oro award for excellence in industrial design for its CCM disc braking system. It then formed the joint venture Brembo SGL Carbon Ceramic Brakes (BSCCB) in 2009 and now offers three CMC disc options for road cars, including CCM and Carbon Ceramic Brake (CCB) products, as well as DYATOM discs and pads with five CCB layers.

Although not used for racing series, BSCCB products are also tailored, developed with each OEM for high performance in sports and luxury cars, supercars and hypercars as well as high-load SUVs. 

Curno campus

The campus that CW toured is in Curno, just south of where Brembo began in Paladina and west of its Stezzano production facility and nearby “Kilometro Rosso” headquarters/R&D campus. Our tour is led by Monica Michelini, product media relations for Brembo, and Stefano Pavan, Brembo Racing track engineer for F1 competitions.

The building that houses C/C brake production is at the rear of this campus. Walking from the front gate, we enter a large building on the left where complete brake systems are being assembled. Michelini notes this includes some BSCCB systems for road car applications using C/SiC pads and discs from Stezzano. We briefly tour the front lobby which displays an array of metallic, CCM and CCB components supplied to companies like Ferrari and Porsche as well as for the Chevrolet Corvette, among many others.

R&D for these road applications is performed at the Kilometro Rosso campus, notes Pavan, “while all racing operations — R&D, testing and production — are located here so we can exchange information after each race. We must be fast in meeting the needs of each team throughout the racing season.”

We next head to the building that houses C/C production, where roughly 40 people produce, machine, assemble and perform quality control (QC) using automated processes for the numerous Brembo Racing products.

C/C production hall, carbon fiber preforms

We enter the building into a large open production hall. Beyond a small display area are different sets of ovens and thermal processing equipment. At the far left and rear of this open hall are machining stations and directly to our left are enclosed cells where carbon fiber preforms are prepared.

“Here, you can see the stages of the different C/C products,” says Pavan, walking us through the product display area. Although each disc and brake pad has a different design, they all begin with PAN-based carbon fiber sourced from multiple suppliers that is synthesized into a felt. “This felt has a random fiber orientation,” he notes, “but we also design discs with fibers oriented in the radial and cordal directions. We do this because the fiber delivers strength along its axis, so we arrange and layer the fibers according to the properties we need in the final C/C product.”

We turn left from the display area and enter an enclosed room where carbon fiber preforms are assembled. “Racing brake discs for Formula 1 and WEC are a ring made using a material we call TNT,” says Pavan, “where each layer of felt is stitched to the next, so that all layers are attached. This provides the high shear resistance that we need for high-performance braking and also gives heat transfer in the Z-direction.”

A robot picks up a ring-shaped piece of carbon fiber felt and places it on a stack of such layers within a jig. Then a machine lowers a set of sewing needles that stitch the felt piece to the layer below. Once complete, the robot places another piece of felt and the machine stitches that layer. This is repeated until the C/C brake product design is completed. “Each layer is 1-2 millimeters thick, and the number of layers depends on each product,” notes Pavan. “Some are 50 millimeters thick.”

Occasionally, the pick-and-place robot discards a piece of felt and picks up a new one. “It detected some type of anomaly or defect,” he explains.

There is also a product variation where the disc preforms are made with segmented layers. “When we use segmented designs, for example with other championships products, we rotate the placement for every layer so that the joints do not align. We end up with a quasi-isotropic composite material that can have 20-30 layers.”

He notes that discs made from TNT material are higher performing than the designs that use segments. “The vibrations measured during braking for those materials are almost zero, while with the segmented materials, the vibrations are a little higher. Each material used depends on the regulations for each racing series and specific application.” At the front of this room, closest to the open production area, a large door opens and new carts of precut felt layers are brought in, waiting to be moved into the stitching cell.

Graphitization, densification

As we move back into the open production area, we walk past the products display into an area between two sections of thermal processing equipment. Here, the stitched carbon fiber preforms will be placed into a first set of ovens for carbonization at more than 1600°C in an inert atmosphere. “This removes any external elements and creates a fragile preform,” says Pavan.

Next, the preforms will be processed in vacuum furnaces at 1500°C, which Brembo describes as the first graphitization step. Pavan explains this process breaks apart the crystal lattices that hold the carbon atoms together. “As they cool down, the atoms arrange themselves into regular lamellar structures of graphite. At the end of this phase, the preform becomes extremely porous.

“During subsequent densification,” he continues, “the raw part is immersed in an environment rich in methane [CH₄] at a controlled temperature. Under specific conditions, the methane decomposes and carbon deposits onto the graphite, while hydrogen is released into the atmosphere and burned. To ensure that carbon also deposits internally, the process is repeated several times, alternating with grinding of the raw part to remove the compact crust that forms on the surface.”

A second graphitization cycle repeats this process at temperatures above 1500°C to increase the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of what is now a C/C CMC. It also imparts the final performance. “This second graphitization temperature and process time is set by us, depending on the product,” explains Pavan. “For example, F1 products demand the highest thermal conductivity, which is possible to achieve at temperatures above 2000°C, but also lowers the material strength. Other brake discs may need higher strength but that will mean lower thermal conductivity. There is always a trade-off.”

He notes there are also other factors involved in brake disc performance, such as the number and size of ventilation holes drilled into the discs, and how the discs are attached to the wheel hub. “But we use the same steps for the brake pads as we do for the discs, and all of the C/C products we make are near-net shape. In the past, we used to make the pads also from rings, but now we use pad-shaped blanks which reduces waste. We then machine everything to final geometries and tolerances.”

Complex machining

We exit the open production hall into a corridor, passing racks of C/C discs. “The machining we perform on these is very intricate, due to the air flow channels required for their performance and tolerances that must be maintained,” explains Pavan. “We drill the air flow channels from the edge perimeter, and we must control the movement of the piece during machining because the tolerance for these holes is less than 0.2 millimeter.”

The shape and number of holes are determined using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), tailored both for each vehicle and often for each racetrack, as described below. Twenty years ago, Brembo C/C discs for F1 had a maximum of 72 holes arranged in a single line, each with a diameter of more than 1 centimeter. This has changed with nearly every F1 season, reaching a peak of 1,470 in 2019. The number has since decreased to around 1,000 as the minimum hole diameter allowed by the regulations has increased.

A row of CNC machining cells includes a Doosan Puma system and two DMG Mori (Bielefeld, Germany) Ultrasonic 65 cells. While the Doosan Puma is described as specialized for precise machining of complex parts made from tough-to-machine materials, Pavan notes the ultrasonic systems are better at extreme tolerances. “Each cell is currently configured for a different type of disc, but all cells are interchangeable,” he adds.

At the end of this room is a cell that marks each component with its serial number. Component marking is always carried out at the end of the process, meaning after both the thermal treatments and the machining phase. Traceability is ensured through the first phases via codes for preform material batches and also for batches of preforms during thermal processing.

“We have complete traceability, which is very important for the racing teams,” notes Pavan. “We collect all of the data from each machine for each part, including the code of the operator if there are any manual steps.”

At the end of this machining area is a QC area where technicians check the dimensions of the pads and discs and perform some quick assessments of properties. After parts are cleared, they are prepared for shipping. “We also have a larger testing area in the adjacent building where we can do more in-depth analysis,” says Pavan. “R&D and engineering are also located there.”

Specialized serial production, digital future

It can take 4 months to make these C/C brake discs and pads for Brembo’s racing championship products. And though the company does not disclose the number of parts produced annually, Pavan notes this number is always increasing. Indeed, even though Brembo’s H1 2025 results show OEM and aftermarket sales down 6-15% thanks to Trump’s tariff turbulence, racing grew by 43%.

“And we have a lot of part numbers,” he continues, “roughly 200-300 depending on several variables, because every team requires a different design in discs and pads, and the front and rear are also different.” For example, F1 cars in 2025 have front discs with a diameter of 328 millimeters and 1,000 to 1,100 holes while rear discs are 280 millimeters with up to 900 holes.

“Some teams also have multiple designs,” notes Pavan. “This helps them to achieve a more optimized setup for their cars depending on the different temperatures reached on racetracks and braking required. For example, demand for cooling is low in Suzuka because you cannot go as fast on this circuit and the braking is minor, but the Mexican Grand Prix is an open track with high altitude and low air density, while Silverstone in the U.K. is a track where it can be difficult to maintain the minimum 200°C the carbon brakes need to perform well.”

Brembo’s ability to master such a complex mix of high-precision, performance C/C parts, day-in and day-out, testifies to its expertise. And its success is clearly evidenced by more than 700 world championships won with its braking systems since 1975 — 69 of those in 2024, when all 24 F1 races were won by vehicles using Brembo brakes.

The company continues to invest in its core technologies, including a 20% stake in the CMC specialist  (Stezzano, Italy), which moved to Kilometro Rosso in 2009, and has collaborated on R&D programs for brakes. But Brembo is also looking at other materials, such as technopolymers and reinforced light metal alloys, to further reduce weight in structural components and improve sustainability and circularity.

Through , it has also invested in a wide range of startups, including (Pisa, Italy) and (Milan, Italy) which are advancing sensors that will speed new solutions for the digitalization of braking systems including the virtualization of tests to reduce the number of physical tests performed on actual vehicles.

Part of a wide-ranging strategy developed by CEO Daniele Schillaci in 2020, this path began with the 2021 launch of , an intelligent braking system that integrates Brembo calipers, discs and pads with software, data and predictive algorithms to control braking on each wheel independently. SENSIFY uses in-house software to continuously collect braking data in a reliable and anonymous way, then applies AI to optimize braking. It can also customize performance according to the driver’s driving style, preferences and habits.

Brembo further advanced the system in 2024 by to integrate its Embedded Tire Digital Twin. This provides SENSIFY with real-time data on tire grip, enabling even faster response and better control, reducing emergency braking distance by up to 4 meters.

Part of the company’s vision for a zero-accidents future, Brembo has also acquired a stake in Spoke Safety, a U.S. startup in digital communication technologies, with the goal, says Schillaci, “to enable the braking system to communicate and interact not only with the equipped vehicle [and road] but with the entire road ecosystem, including other vehicles, infrastructures and communication networks, to enhance the driving experience and safety.”

The company opened its first in late 2021 — adding the Brembo Coding Hub there in January 2025 — and its second in April 2025. Its strategy is to accelerate new digital technologies by leveraging a diversity of mind and approach to challenge its Italy-based corporate core on new ideas.

And these new technologies are also becoming products, as Brembo reinvents itself as not just a systems supplier but a solutions leader who anticipates future needs and opportunities. was established in 2023 to provide companies in different sectors with digital solutions derived from Brembo’s direct experience with applying AI. Products so far include Quetal for identifying defects in textiles, Vibes for detecting anomalies when products are vibrating or moving, and  for speeding new material formulations.

What will Brembo brakes look like in 20 years? At the current rate of change, it’s hard to say. But for sure, they will be meticulously and digitally designed and produced with the highest quality for unparalleled performance.

The new 10,000-square-foot facility serves partly as a showroom for potential customers to get hands-on with the parts and process before investing in one of the company’s pellet-fed polymer composite or wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) robot-driven systems. But behind the showroom, the facility offers something perhaps even more valuable: a footprint for system integration, application development and support in the U.S.

The Pflugerville site will serve as an “application hub” for co-developing projects alongside customers, as well as an integration site for the company’s turnkey robot-driven 3D printers. The building includes inventory storage, a space for assembling the company’s proprietary extruders, and room for printer integration and testing, including three enclosed bays — two for the Heron polymer systems, and one for its Vipra AM metal system.

According to company cofounder and CEO Francesco De Stefano, the Pflugerville facility represents three aims:

1. Expansion of production. The workspace described above will be capable of producing dozens of systems per year, just for the U.S. market. This expanded localized production will also help to reduce costs and emissions from shipping systems from Europe.
2. Better service for existing customers. “We want to get faster and faster, and closer and closer to our customers,” De Stefano says. Establishing a base in Texas, which can service equipment as well as build it, will speed support for North American users.
3. Collaboration to keep developing the technology. Here again, proximity is key: the Texas location brings Caracol close enough to collaborate with new customers and partners to help drive its LFAM technology forward.

Applications and growth for LFAM

Caracol’s flexible, robot-driven LFAM 3D printers have seen growing adoption in the last several years. Its polymer Heron systems have been adopted for building end-use parts such as yacht components, rail and marine components, and furniture, as well as tooling. The Vipra AM platform, introduced last year, has found applications in large structural components, marine propellers, autoclave tooling and more.

“We are already highly advanced in polymer, and now metal is following,” says Giovanni Avallone, cofounder and chief innovative officer. “Customers pushed us toward structural metal components,” he adds, citing this interest as a motivator for expanding into WAAM.

In some cases, customers are even adopting both systems to make the same product — for instance, using WAAM to build a structural metal component, and then a 3D printed form to layup composite to finish the assembly.

During the open house, a group of Caracol customers shared why they adopted the technology and how they are using these machines, presenting a cross-section of real-world applications. Represented were: , which creates 3D printed furniture; , a furniture and accessible art producer; , which is on a mission to 3D print an entire wet-dry vacuum; , which produces large decorative pieces often for theme parks and hotels; , which applies LFAM in service of electric motorsport parts; and which manufactures large composite parts using 3D printed forms.

At home in Texas

“We believe that North America is going to be a key strategic market,” Avallone says, and the new headquarters embodies that belief. While R&D remains centralized in Italy, partnerships with American companies enabled by this facility will help to grow and advance the two LFAM technologies.

But in the more immediate term, the Pflugerville facility represents expanded, local capacity to assemble LFAM systems and deliver them to customers in the Western hemisphere, effectively tripling Caracol’s production capacity in the U.S.

The integration bays in the back of the building are already producing Caracol’s turnkey robot-driven systems in the U.S. Each printer is built on a commodity robot that provides the motion; Caracol supplies the extruder or WAAM head and control, and handles all the integration between robot and printhead.

An extruder can be assembled in about a day, says Eric Helling, LFAM senior field service engineering specialist. The full integration — from extruder production through complete system testing — takes about 3 to 5 days per Heron platform. Running at full tilt, Caracol says that it will be able to produce up to 100 Heron and Vipra AM systems here per year.

Supporting this level of machine production will also entail scaling the company’s U.S. supply chain by adding and validating new vendors for components.

“Local to Austin, local to Texas and local to the U.S. is the goal,” Helling says.

Originally published on sister brand, .

Demonstrator of the wireless power transfer system with hollow, electromagnetically transparent glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) rotor shaft. Source | Ludmilla Parsyak, Universität Stuttgart

It’s not news that the automotive industry’s shift toward electrification is a huge technical challenge. However, the electrification itself represents just one part of a complex puzzle for the industry. Most electric motors in modern vehicles rely on rare earth magnets in what are known as permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs). Sourcing these rare earth materials is costly, politically volatile and environmentally damaging, which means serious challenges for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers.

Electrically excited synchronous machines (EESMs), which use electrically excited rotor windings instead of permanent magnets, offer a viable alternative. Major automakers, such as BMW and Renault, already use EESMs in their production vehicles. However, EESMs need rotating electrical connections that transfer power from a stationary part to a rotating rotor — this is known as slip rings — to energize the rotor, introducing new challenges. Slip rings cause efficiency losses, risk contamination from mechanical wear and require extra installation space, on average 90 millimeters (25-35%) more than PMSMs, according to ZF Friedrichshafen (Friedrichshafen, Germany).

Wireless power transfer (WPT) technology is another solution. WPT systems provide drive by delivering energy through contactless electromagnetic coupling. This occurs without a direct electrical connection between the power source and the rotor, eliminating slip rings. Integrating WPT technology into contemporary rotating machinery is difficult. Rotors, which are often metal, create eddy current losses and distort magnetic fields, reducing WPT efficiency. Some solutions to this use nonmetallic shaft sections that increase shaft diameter and reduce power density.

Combined thinking

A German research consortium led by the University of Stuttgart’s (Stuttgart, Germany) Institute of Electrical Energy Conversion (IEW), in collaboration with the Institute of Aircraft Design (IFB), and cooling specialists from the Institute of Product Engineering at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (IPEK, Karlsruhe, Germany), set out to address these WPT technology limitations using composites. Their concept uses a hollow rotor shaft which sits within the magnetic flux path of a WPT system made from electromagnetically transparent glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP).

The GFRP rotor serves both as a structural component and as a more compact WPT system, enabling up to 95% operational efficiency. The material choice and rotor design contributes to eliminating the rare earth materials, flux guiding materials for the WPT system and mechanical slip rings in conventional EESMs.

The project was funded through Baden-Württemberg’s InnovationCampus Future Mobility (ICM) research cluster (Stuttgart/Karlsruhe, Germany). It was started to demonstrate how advanced electromagnetic field understanding and composite materials can address multiple automotive industry challenges simultaneously. These include the aforementioned supply chain vulnerability, sustainability and performance requirements.

“The critical insight missing from existing approaches was recognizing that electromagnetic transparency and structural function could be treated as complementary design objectives rather than competing requirements,” explains Andreas Bähr, researcher at IEW, University of Stuttgart. “Understanding how to strategically position electromagnetic-neutral materials within the magnetic flux path while maintaining structural integrity required deep comprehension of both composite mechanics and electromagnetic field theory.”

Advanced materials understanding

The team’s systematic approach began with electromagnetic field analysis to map the optimal magnetic flux path for WPT. By designing the GFRP rotor shaft to sit precisely within the flux path, they could eliminate the installation space penalty typically associated with standard steel rotor shafts. This spatial arrangement allows the composite section to serve as a structural torque-transmitting element as well as an electromagnetic window for WPT.

“Despite its higher strength and stiffness and light weight versus glass fiber, carbon fiber reinforcement was deliberately avoided due to its electrical conductivity, which would generate eddy currents and compromise electromagnetic transparency,” notes Holger Ahlborn, researcher at IFB, University of Stuttgart. “This material selection decision exemplifies the team’s thorough understanding of functional requirements versus conventional performance metrics.”

The team selected EC14 300 TD44C glass fiber rovings from Vetrotex (Chambery, France), specifically chosen for their electromagnetic neutrality and mechanical properties suitable for high-speed rotation. Fiber architecture optimization focused on achieving balanced mechanical properties essential for rotating shafts. The team implemented a ±45° braided configuration using 176 individual fiber rovings processed on a Herzog (Oldenburg, Germany) RF 1-176-100 radial braiding machine.

An 18-layer braided preform design provides load-adapted mechanical behavior while maintaining sufficient permeability necessary for efficient resin infusion during manufacturing.

The approach extended beyond electromagnetic considerations to encompass thermal management and power electronics packaging. “Recognizing that WPT generates heat within the rotating system, we developed a cooling strategy that leverages the composite shaft’s hollow geometry,” explains Simon Knecht, researcher at IPEK, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. “Rather than treating cooling as a separate system, our methodology positioned thermal management as an integral design driver that influenced both composite architecture and WPT component arrangement and design.”

Matrix selection balanced processability constraints with thermal performance requirements. The team selected Biresin CR172 epoxy resin from Sika (Baar, Switzerland), offering room-temperature vacuum infusion capability while achieving glass transition temperatures exceeding 150°C. This carefully considered compromise enabled laboratory-scale processing while providing adequate thermal performance for the integrated electronic systems positioned within the rotating shaft.

Radial braiding machine manufacturing

A radial overbraiding technique provides continuous fiber deposition with consistent fiber tension in the ±45° orientation optimized for torsional loading. Robotic handling ensures mandrel concentricity accuracy. This is critical for repeatability and quality control.

The assembled rotor sees metallic end sections that accommodate bearing interfaces and torque transmission. Composite and metallic section bonding uses 3M (Saint Paul, Minn., U.S.) Scotchweld EC-9323 structural adhesive. This joining method was selected through comprehensive analysis of stress distribution and manufacturing assembly requirements, ensuring the adhesive joint was positioned outside the electromagnetic influence zone of the WPT system.

Vacuum bag infusion, while not optimal for automotive-scale high production volumes, demonstrated the feasibility of the design approach under laboratory constraints. The braided architecture comprises 60% fiber volume fraction with a resulting wall thickness of 5 millimeters. Postprocessing involves precision machining to achieve the dimensional tolerances required for adhesive interfaces and rotor integration into the motor system.

Power system architecture

Primary and secondary coils inside the prototype GFRP WPT system use high-frequency Litz wire from Elektrisola (Reichshof-Eckenhagen, Germany), wound according to electromagnetic modeling calculations and potted with SikaResin RE 531-93 polyurethane casting resin. This semi-flexible potting compound provides thermal conductivity of 0.73 watt per meter-kelvin (W/mK), significantly better than conventional epoxy systems, typically around 0.1-0.3 W/mK, enabling efficient heat transfer to the integrated cooling system.

For the cooling system, topology optimization algorithms were used to design heat sinks specifically for the rotating environment with 180° flow path changes. An air-cooling approach was selected over oil cooling to avoid sealing complexities and potential contamination issues, while still providing adequate heat removal for 3-4 kilowatts (kW) power transfer of the WPT system. This specification is sufficient for the 136-kW peak power goal of the machine.

Power electronics integration represents perhaps the most challenging aspect of the project. By positioning rotating electronics near the rotational center, centrifugal forces are minimized, addressing a critical reliability concern for high-speed automotive applications. The compact electronics package fits within the composite rotor’s hollow geometry while maintaining adequate cooling and electromagnetic compatibility with the WPT system.

Performance validation

Electromagnetic performance validation confirmed the fundamental premise underlying the design approach. The integrated WPT system to the GFRP rotor achieves more than 90% efficiency across the operational range with peak efficiency at 95%. These results demonstrate that the GFRP imposes no meaningful penalty on power transfer efficiency compared to other systems.

Mechanical performance testing focused on the critical interface between composite and metallic sections under representative torsional loading. The bonded joint successfully transfers full motor torque while maintaining concentricity and dynamic balance requirements for high-speed rotation.

Temperature monitoring during operation confirmed that the Biresin CR172 matrix system operates well within its thermal capabilities, with maximum temperatures remaining below 120°C under normal operating conditions. Thermal management validation demonstrated the effectiveness of the integrated cooling. The heat sink cools down the power electronics while the polyurethane-potted coil system efficiently transfers heat to the airflow path, maintaining coil temperatures within safe operating limits during continuous power transfer.

The thermal conductivity of the selected potting compound proves critical for this performance, highlighting how materials knowledge influenced every aspect of system design.

A reliability assessment indicated potential service life advantages over mechanical slip-ring systems, too. This is due to the elimination of wearing surfaces and debris generation. However, long-term validation of the composite-to-metal adhesive joint under thermal cycling and vibrational loading remains an area requiring extended testing for automotive qualification.

Industry implications

The electromagnetic-transparent GFRP rotor in the EESM WPT system approach addresses multiple industry trends simultaneously, positioning composite materials as enablers of next-generation electric powertrain architectures. Major automotive suppliers including Mahle, Schaeffler and ZF are actively developing WPT technologies for EVs, indicating strong industry momentum toward these types of contactless excitation systems.

Supply chain advantages of the consortium’s GFRP rotor WPT system extend beyond rare earth independence to encompass regional materials sourcing advantages. Glass fiber production capacity exists globally with multiple qualified suppliers, unlike the concentrated rare earth magnet supply chain.

“European automotive manufacturers can potentially achieve greater supply chain resilience while meeting sustainability targets through reduced mining-related environmental impact,” notes Marcel Nöller, project coordinator at ICM research cluster. “The understanding demonstrated in this application also suggests broader applicability across rotating machinery applications. Industrial drives, wind turbine generators and aerospace applications could benefit from similar electromagnetic-transparent composite integration approaches. The fundamental materials knowledge and integration methodology transfer readily to different power scales and operating environments.”

Manufacturing scalability represents the next critical development phase. “While braided preforms demonstrate the technical feasibility, production implementation would likely transition to pultrusion or continuous braiding processes for volume manufacturing,” highlights Ahlborn. “The cylindrical geometry and balanced fiber architecture align well with established composites manufacturing capabilities, suggesting promising scaling economics.”

The successful integration of composites in WPT technology opens new possibilities for multifunctional structural designs in electrified transportation, where materials understanding enables significant advances in efficiency, sustainability and supply chain security.

While the Composites Fabricating Index fell to 50.4 this month, it still remains in expansion. Source (All Images) | Gardner Intelligence

The Gardner Business Index (GBI) is an indicator of the current state of composites fabricating considering survey responses regarding new orders, production, backlog, employment, exports and supplier deliveries. Over 50 is expansion. Under 50 is contraction.

The Composites Fabricating Index dropped 1.7 points in September but extended its stay in expansion territory with a final reading of 50.4. In the fourth consecutive month above 50, indicating composites market growth, most components lost ground with the lone positive — new orders. This influx of orders is important to note, as it should translate to increased production.

Compared to September 2024, all components’ three-month averages are in better standing. The Future Business Index remains high, but its growth is slowing.

The GBI Future Business Index is an indicator of the future state of the composites fabrication market industry respondents regarding their opinion of future business conditions for the next 12 months. Over 50 is expansion and under 50 is contraction.

Find the latest composites fabrication market research and reporting at GardnerIntelligence.com

Source | (top left, clockwise) Cummins, AMSL Aero Pty Ltd, Hexagon Purus, AZL Aachen

Pressure vessels have been a strong market for composites, driven historically by steady growth in compressed natural gas (CNG) for clean energy, including Type 3 (metal liner) and Type 4 (plastic liner) tanks in CNG vehicles and Type 4 mobile pipelines for industrial transport. Composite pressure vessels are also used onboard space vehicles to store cryogenic fuel for rocket propulsion and gases for other systems.

All of these systems typically use carbon fiber and traditionally relied on epoxy resins, but new designs are being developed with a thermoplastic polymer matrix.

The use of Type 4 tanks to store pressurized hydrogen (H₂) grew dramatically during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as this zero-emission fuel for industry and transport was added to the mix of technologies needed to keep global temperature rise below 2°C. (See CW’s 2024 market summary.)

However, beginning Q1 2025, the Trump administration reversed U.S. climate and clean energy policy, prioritizing fossil fuels. The H₂ market has been further weakened by tariff-induced global economic uncertainty while European governments have diverted billions away from climate aid commitments to defense. AI is also a factor, drawing away billions in investment capital but also rapidly ramping its demand for immediate access to huge amounts of power, setting back the transition to clean energy.

Even though the H₂ economy has been dealt a severe blow, efforts are still ongoing, especially in Europe and Asia, where strategic and financial incentives exist for countries who have abundant clean power for producing H₂, for those who don’t have oil and gas and also for those still prioritizing saving the planet. Meanwhile, composite Type 4 tanks continue to be used for CNG and renewable natural gas (RNG), which is a carbon-negative fuel, as well as to enable the rapid rise in New Space, where more tanks will be needed for the projected growth in launch vehicles and extraterrestrial operations.

Tanks for space

Rocket launches are projected to increase from a record 258 in 2024 to as many as 2,000/year by 2030. This increase is driven by satellite deployment and replacement, cislunar operations (between the Earth and the Moon), Mars exploration and space tourism as well as in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing. Type 4 and composite-overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), which have traditionally used an aluminum liner, may be used to store fuel for propulsion but also gases for life support and other systems.

Proven since the 1980s, Type 5 composite pressure vessels without a liner are gaining traction. A notable example is the use of such Type 5 cryogenic propulsion tanks onboard ’s (IM, Houston, Texas, U.S.) Nova-C lunar lander. All-composite Pressurmaxx liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks made by (SSLC, Torrance, Calif., U.S.) were used on the successful IM-1 and IM-2 lunar missions (read “Type V pressure vessel enables lunar lander”). SSLC has built 150-200 tanks over 15 years. A 2025 CW Talks podcast interviews Markus Rufer from SSLC, discussing the company’s aims to integrate tanks into the spacecraft structure, reducing parts and weight.

Meanwhile, space company (ChristChurch, New Zealand), builder of the Mk-II Aurora spaceplane with a primary composite structure, is expanding its satellite propulsion system offerings by partnering with (Eke, Belgium) to work on smart COPVs through a development contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems’ (ARTES) . Dawn designs and manufactures 30-liter tanks with an aluminum liner overwrapped in carbon fiber and epoxy. Com&Sens is collaborating with semi-automated sensor embedding during filament winding to digitize production and testing parameters using embedded strain and temperature FBG optical fiber sensors. “Using smart technology during the development allows us to bring a better product to market, faster,” says Stefan Powell, CEO of Dawn Aerospace. These tanks will be capable of supporting large satellite systems and geosynchronous orbit (GEO) missions (read “Dawn Aerospace … develops smart COPVs”).

Note, Com&Sens has provided on using fiber optic sensing for digital manufacturing of composite pressure vessels. See “Com&Sens presents workshop on fiber optic sensing for COPVs.”

Rocket manufacturing company (RDX, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada) is working to advance its 18-meter Aurora orbital launch vehicle which features a booster stage with several carbon fiber composite tanks designed in-house to store liquid oxidizer. The company was awarded $1.5 million from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) with $1 million directed to optimizing the mass of large composite propellant tanks. Critical for improving , this project builds on RDX’s expertise in composite pressure vessels as it moves toward a full-scale demonstration. The company says that its goal is to maximize Aurora’s payload capacity, with a spaceflight demo planned for 2025.

One notable player in Type 5 tanks for spacecraft was awarded funding in January 2025 to advance Type 4 tanks for H₂ storage in vehicles on Earth. Infinite Composites Inc. (Tulsa, Okla., U.S.) announced a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL, Oak Ridge, Tenn., U.S.) to advance 700-bar storage tanks with the following innovations:

• Development of integral gas barrier materials to replace permeation barrier layers.
• Application of novel, high-aspect ratio 2D nanofiller-based barrier coatings.
• Use of additive manufacturing techniques to aid tank production.

Continued sales in CNG/RNG

Reports from (Costa Mesa, Calif., U.S.) and its parent company Hexagon Composites (Ålesund, Norway) have shown continued sales in RNG/CNG fuel systems using Type 4 pressure vessels. A new wave of orders in late 2024 totaling $4.3 million was driven by sales of ’ (Columbus, Ind., U.S.) X15N natural gas engine, designed specifically for the North American heavy-duty commercial truck market. At the end of April 2025, Daimler Truck North America joined Kenworth and Peterbilt as the leading Class 8 truck OEMs to offer X15N engine options. Additional orders based on the X15N engine were announced for 60 trucks in July 2025 and for 100 heavy-duty trucks to be operated by Trayecto, said to be the largest trucking company in Mexico, in August 2025.

Unfortunately, the freight industry has been experiencing a sustained downturn since mid-2022. As described by an American Trucking Association (ATA) economist in a , trucking companies are facing impacts from tariffs, inflation and an uncertain consumer market. Tariffs are driving up prices in materials and slowing manufacturing, which has cut demand and freight volume. Meanwhile, costs for fuel, operations and maintenance are increasing. However, movements toward cleaner energy, like with the X15N engine, are seen as a positive dynamic.

This dynamic has also helped Hexagon Agility sell CFRP tank-based Mobile Pipeline units. A U.S. oilfield services company is using Titan 450 modules to transition its fleet of well completion equipment from diesel fuel to natural gas while Watani, the country of Jordan’s National Advanced Natural Gas Company, will use ADR X-Store 45-foot modules for flexibility and efficiency to supply both industrial zones and remote communities alike.

Also in 2025, Hexagon Composites fully acquired the alternative fuels subsidiary of Worthington Enterprises known as Sustainable Energy Solutions (SES). Now renamed SES Composites, the business manufactures composite cylinders and systems in SÅ‚upsk, Poland, and operates a valve assembly facility in Burscheid, Germany. “This acquisition brings complimentary capabilities to our portfolio and can realize further synergies across our production and supply chain,” says Phillip Schramm, CEO of Hexagon Composites. “As recognized by European OEMs, natural gas, whether renewable or conventional, will remain a key part of the European energy transition for the foreseeable future, and this acquisition strengthens our position as a trusted partner to OEMs in the commercial transportation sector.”

Another key subsidiary of Hexagon Composites is  (Centennial, Colo., U.S.), which uses proprietary modal acoustic emission (MAE) technology to perform in situ requalification of metal and composite pressure vessels and virtual pipeline trailers. In 2025, it announced a long-term agreement (LTA) to provide exclusive requalification services to a U.S. oil services company’s fleet of virtual pipeline trailers with composite cylinders. Such requalification is required every 5 years for pipeline trailers.

Green H₂ markets: China will lead, U.S. will lag

Europe is still pushing forward, albeit at a slower pace. Citing economic and political pressures, many projects have slowed or delayed while others have been canceled. However, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership announced 26 new projects in 2025 to accelerate the development and deployment of H₂ technologies across Europe. Meanwhile, China is set to dominate the global market for green hydrogen. According to (New York, N.Y., U.S.), Chinese electrolyzer development has surged in 2025, with manufacturers signing contracts with green hydrogen projects in Europe, the Middle East, Brazil and the U.S.

The U.S., however, will now lag behind. The Trump administration has delayed loans for clean H₂ projects and canceled grants for industrial producers seeking to reduce their emissions. Due to this and canceled tax credits, estimates for U.S. electrolyzer installations have been cut by more than 60%.

Meanwhile, the Indian government aligns with China in seeing clean energy as a growth strategy, with goals to install 500 gigawatts of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030, become an energy-independent nation by 2047 and attain net zero by 2070. As part of this, it has established a National Green Hydrogen Mission that aims to make India a “global hub” for using, producing and exporting green H₂. The country launched its first green H₂ hub in January 2025 and is , manufactured by Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.

China is also launching H₂-powered rail. In September 2024, (Beijing, China) announced two product launches, the Cinova H₂, a new energy intelligent intercity train, and the autonomous rail rapid transit (ART) 2.0. Images and released of the new train show standard roof-mounted units for housing H₂ storage tanks. Cinova H_â‚‚ offers advancements in speed, passenger capacity and range, offering a transportation option that can be used on non-electrified railways worldwide. The ART 2.0, which will reportedly also use H₂, is designed for medium-to-low passenger volumes, blending the benefits of trams and road-based vehicles to meet urban transport needs.

Type 4 tanks for H₂ vehicles

As reported by , 4,102 H₂ fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) were registered worldwide in H1 2025, a 27.2% decline year on year. Even China, which is currently the largest market for FCEVs, saw 2,040 units sold, an 18.4% decline versus 2024. In a separate report, the news outlet notes vehicle OEM Stellantis has exited the FCEV market.

Even so, certain vehicle OEMs remain committed to H₂ models. In 2024, Honda (Tokyo, Japan) started production of its 2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV at its Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio, U.S. The compact CUV will use two Type 4 H₂ storage tanks. In February 2025, the company , which slashes production cost by 50%, increases durability by >200% while reducing size thanks to a three times increase in volumetric power density for more flexible layouts in the CR-V and potentially other vehicles.

Also in 2024, (Munich, Germany) and (Tokyo, Japan) announced they would launch a series production FCEV in 2028. The model will use composite pressure vessels for H₂ storage. In a September 2025 report by , BMW announced that it is on track to start series production of its next-generation fuel cells for passenger cars in its Steyr, Austria, facility with construction for H₂-based drivetrains due to start in May 2026.

In September 2025, Dongfeng Motor Corp. (Wuhan, Hubei), one of the largest Chinese stated-owned automobile manufacturers, said it would in the city of Ruzhou in central China. The first vehicle modification line will convert 1,000 trucks and 450 other vehicles to run on H₂ in the first 3 years.

Key H₂ tank manufacturers

Hexagon Purus (Oslo, Norway) remains the leading manufacturer of Type 4 tanks for H₂ storage. CW toured its factory in Kassel, Germany, and reported on its fully automated, Industry 4.0 production line which advances efficiency and versatility in a small footprint for next-gen, sustainable composites production. In December 2024, it announced supply of Type 4 H₂ storage cylinders to (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) for the fifth year in a row, including the zero-emission transit bus Xcelsior Charge FC, with cylinders delivered throughout 2025.

Source | Hexagon Purus

Notable announcements in 2025 include a multiyear agreement in March with (Bussnang, Switzerland), a manufacturer of rail applications, for H₂ fuel storage systems for H₂ rail applications in California. In April, the company received its first order from MCV, a bus manufacturer in the Middle East and Africa, for next-gen to be delivered in 2025 for use onboard MCV’s fuel-cell electric buses while (Shijiazhuang, China), a joint venture company between (Shenzhen, China) and Hexagon Purus, delivered its first Type 4 high-pressure H₂ cylinders for use in Hexagon Purus’ distribution modules in Europe.

In its , revenues are down 63% versus Q2 2024, and yet, order backlog is up 33% versus Q1 2025, totaling 1,056 million Krone, not far off from its 1,242 million Krone backlog in Q1 2024. The company continues to focus on H₂ transit bus and infrastructure applications and has also seen growth in Type 4 tanks for space vehicles as well as industrial gas transport.

In April 2024, Type 4 tank manufacturer (Heerlen, Netherlands) completed its move to a larger 10,000-square-meter facility in Alsdorf, Germany, to handle larger orders, streamline operations and potentially accommodate up to five times current production, to 30,000 tanks/year.

Also in April 2024, Voith Group established a separate subsidiary, (Garching, Germany), focused on Type 4 tanks made using towpreg, and announced a strategic cooperation with the  (Wuxi) for research, development, production and application of H₂ storage systems.

Thermoplastic composite pipe and tanks for H₂

One notable trend in the development of H₂ storage and transport is the use of thermoplastic composites (TPC) versus the traditional epoxy-based thermoset matrices. In April 2025, CW wrote about ’ (Loughborough, U.K.) development of TPC pipes for H₂ distribution which reduce operational and decommissioning emissions by 60-70% versus steel pipes. A multilayer barrier system prevents H₂ permeation while 1.2-kilometer continuous pipe lengths speed installation rates by 40 times, yet the pipes still offer a 30+ year service life, maintaining structural integrity even after rapid decompression events.

Key projects in TPC tank development for H₂ storage include:

• COCOLIH2T aiming for two TPC demonstrators and TRL 4 by 2025;
• OVERLEAF for a TPC LH₂ tank with 40% storage efficiency, 60% less weight and 25% boost in storage capacity (see webinars and 3D printing achievements);
• LeiWaCo (2022-2025) for economic series production of TPC LH₂ tanks;
• THOR, completed in 2022, for industrialized production of Type 4.5 TPC tanks;
• Efforts at the National Composites Centre in the U.K. and the Netherlands LH₂ composite tank consortium.

Another key project is BRYSON (2020-2023). In late 2024, CW wrote about this project’s achievements, including automated TPC tube production and investigation into permeability, noting that EVOH provides 25 times better barrier properties versus PA6. In addition to potentially enabling H₂ storage that fits into EV battery compartments, this concept could also be applied to narrow tanks housed in aircraft wings.

CW also updated readers on the Netherlands liquid hydrogen (LH₂) composite tank consortium, which aims to validate a fully composite long-life tank for civil aviation by 2025 and won the Best Poster Award at the 7^th (ITHEC, Oct. 9-10, Bremen, Germany). The consortium is working with Cetex TC1225 UD tape prepreg comprising carbon fiber and LMPAEK polymer (supplied by Victrex, Clevelys, U.K.). Key topics include tape quality monitoring, continuous ultrasonic welding and induction welding, fiber steering, composite baffles and sensors. (Read “Development of a composite liquid hydrogen tanks for commercial aircraft.”)

In July 2025, AZL Aachen GmbH (Aachen, Germany) also launched a project to rethink pressure vessel design and production in alignment with TPC materials and manufacturing. “Thermoplastic Pressure Vessel Production – Benchmarking of Design-for-Manufacturing Strategies to Optimize Material Efficiency and Cost” will analyze current technologies, develop new design concepts for H₂ and CNG storage tanks and benchmark resulting configurations in terms of weight, cost, recyclability and production KPIs. AZL also announced successful completion of its 12-month R&D project entitled “Trends & Design Factors for Hydrogen Pressure Vessels.”

The ROAD TRHYP project, started in January 2023, has successfully designed a TPC Type 5 cylinder with gravimetric capacity higher than 7%. Supported by the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, the project will conclude in June 2026.

Conformable tanks

BRYSON is one approach to developing conformable tanks with flexibility for fit into tight vehicle spaces, but CW has reported on others over the past year, including:

• The Czech project “Composite integral fuel tank for pressurised hydrogen” composite multicell integral tank being developed in the Czech Republic for aviation
  including winding specialist CompoTech PLUS; 
• ’s (Eynsham, Oxfordshire, U.K.) “Hydrogen in a Box” development;
• Noble Gas Systems (Wixom, Mich., U.S.), which has received an Approval in Principle (AiP) certificate for its dry fiber conformable H₂ storage vessel from DNV (Bærum, Norway) and raised $4.2 million in Series B funding.

Aviation industry’s drive for tanks

Another blow to the developing H₂ economy this year was Airbus’ announcement that it will push back its original 2035 entry-into-service objectives for the H₂-powered ZEROe passenger aircraft by up to 10 years. Although it remains committed to bringing a commercially viable, fully electric H₂-powered aircraft to market, Airbus explained, development of the necessary infrastructure and ecosystem are not yet on pace to support full-scale operations of such aircraft.

And yet, the 2025 Paris Air Show featured multiple announcements regarding H₂ developments, including:

• Airbus, MTU Aero Engines to advance H₂ fuel cell technology.
  A memorandum of understanding (MOU) with (Munich, Germany) will progress H₂ fuel cell propulsion to decarbonize aviation.
• GKN Aerospace supports Airbus-led ICEFlight program.
  GKN Aerospace (Redditch, U.K.) has joined the collaborative Innovative Cryogenic Electric Flight (ICEFlight) project. Led by Airbus, the consortium will collectively explore the use of liquid hydrogen (LH₂) as a fuel source as well as a cold source for the electrical system cooling.

CW also reported on the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) first international workshop , with the aim of developing a certification approach that has the support of the entire community. More recently,  (Sydney, Australia) has received funding from the Australian federal government to develop and demonstrate LH₂-powered aircraft for regional and remote Australia using its Vertiia eVTOL aircraft, which comprises an electric motor with a battery, a H₂ fuel cell and a composite tank, developed with Fabrum (Christchurch, New Zealand).

Meanwhile, (Everett, Wash., U.S.) continues to progress toward certification of its ZA600 H₂-electric powertrain. Although it has tested cryogenic tanks for LH₂, it hasn’t confirmed these will use composites. However, in my 2022 interview with Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, he did see the future for composites in this application:

“We see the most promising approach is using composite tanks and we are working with a couple of partners on that already. We want to see H₂ aircraft flying as far as jet fuel aircraft, possibly in 10-20 years, and I think cryogenic tanks using lightweight composites will be key to that.”  

In March 2025, the company announced its selection by AFWERX for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to conduct a feasibility study focused on integrating H₂ propulsion into Cessna Caravan aircraft alongside advanced aircraft automation technology. “This feasibility study will provide greater insight into how H₂ fuel cell propulsion can reduce detectability and costs of air operations, enhance capability of autonomous air vehicles and de-risk fuel supply in forward operating environments,” says Miftakhov. The company believes H₂ fuel cells are a promising technology to improve the range, duration and turnaround time for a variety of electric unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

This was followed in July 2025 with ZeroAvia’s announcement that it would work with (Toronto, Canada) to develop regional H₂ eVTOL air travel, exploring ZeroAvia’s ZA600 H₂-electric powertrain for Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7 eVTOL (CW has reported extensively on the ZA600, see “ZeroAvia advances to certify ZA600 in 2025...” and “ZeroAvia receives FAA G-1...”). The partnership will also accelerate research into the necessary infrastructure and certification guidelines for a zero-emission pathway for Horizon Aircraft. “More and more eVTOL companies are looking to H₂-electric propulsion as the breakthrough that can extend range potential and durability of electric propulsion systems,” explains Miftakhov.

In August 2025, ZeroAvia announced it had of the ZA600 and is also advancing toward certifying the company’s first fully H₂-electric powertrain with the UK Civil Aviation Authority. ZeroAvia launched a in May 2024 to serve potential applications including battery, hybrid and fuel cell electric fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft and UAVs. ZeroAvia’s complete ZA600 H₂-electric powertrain is designed for up to 20-seat commercial aircraft.

Cryo-compressed H₂

A promising alternative to LH₂ that already uses a composite inner tank is cryo-compressed H₂ (CcH₂). In July 2024, (Pfeffenhausen, Germany) announced that its CcH₂ storage system for heavy trucks was beginning on-road demonstrations. The Cryogas system features a 400-bar Type 3 inner tank — aluminum liner wrapped with carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resin via towpreg, which Cryomotive says provides higher repeatability and faster winding speeds for more cost-effective mass production.

A single tank system stores 38 kilograms of CcH₂ and has successfully passed hydraulic burst and cycle testing. Cryomotive offers two frame-mounted tanks to store 76 kilograms, or 3-4 vessels, in a rack storing up to 150 kilograms of CcH₂. A system cost of €500/kilogram is possible at a production volume of 1,000 tanks/year.

Verne’s frame mounted CcH₂ system for heavy-duty trucks (top) and collaboration with ZeroAvia to explore CcH₂ systems for aircraft. Source | Verne

Meanwhile, Verne (San Francisco, Calif., U.S.) successfully demonstrated its first CcH₂ truck in southern California in late 2024. Verne reports its composite CcH₂ technology provides 33% greater storage density versus LH₂ and 87% greater density than traditional 700-bar compressed H₂ gas. Additionally, CcH₂ reportedly offers lower densification costs and less H₂ boil-off losses relative to LH₂. The company also signed an MOU with ZeroAvia to jointly evaluate the opportunities for using CcH₂ onboard H₂-powered aircraft

However, with the sharp decline in clean transportation funding in the U.S., Verne has now pivoted to using its technology to offer H₂ and clean CNG solutions to help companies with for industry and applications like data centers for AI.

New tank manufacturers and products

Companies that have reported new developments in composite tanks over the past year include:

• B&T Composites
• Gas Vessel Production
• Pressura
• Quantum Fuel Systems.

New materials announced for composite pressure vessels include Tenax IMS65 E23 36K 1630tex, the first 36K carbon fiber by Teijin Carbon (Wuppertal, Germany). This high-tensile, intermediate modulus (IM) fiber reportedly enables high-speed filament winding and improved spreadability for producing prepreg tape. Meanwhile, startup (Uppsala, Sweden) secured a €2.5 million EU grant to develop a pilot facility in Uppsala for its polymer-graphene H₂ storage lining technology, aiming to reduce potential leakage by 83%.

New processes include winding, dome reinforcements and recycling. Engineering Technology Corp. (ETC, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.) has showcased its latest systems featuring high-speed filament winding, automation and integrated robotics as well as towpreg and slit tape winding. Mikrosam (Prilep, Macedonia) delivered a system to BTU in Germany enabling increased precision in automated composite layup of Type 5 H₂ pressure vessels, while Magnum Venus Products (MVP, Knoxville, Tenn., U.S.) has highlighted developments in four-axis filament winding for wet winding and prepreg applications and Roth Composite Machinery GmbH (Steffenberg, Germany) has developed an innovative automation concept for reliable fiber changing, as well as its winding software µRoWin for increased efficiency.

Cevotec (Munich, Germany) commissioned its Samba Pro PV system at the National Composites Center Japan (NCC Japan, Nagoya) for developing lightweight, sustainable composite tanks with increased storage volume. The systems based on fiber patch placement (FPP) technology will aid with production of dome reinforcements for H₂ pressure vessels, enabling reduced weight, cost and environmental footprint of composite tanks. Cevotec’s dome reinforcement solution won the 2024 CAMX Combined Strength Award and was further showcased at CAMX 2025.

Meanwhile, Cygnet Texkimp (Northwich, U.K.) partnered with H₂ powertrain solutions developer (Nuneaton, Warwickshire, U.K.) to recover high-value, continuous carbon fiber from pressure vessels as part of a strategy to improve circularity in the manufacture of filament-wound parts.

There are also an array of developments in software and sensors. Composites engineering firm CIKONI (Stuttgart, Germany) has worked for more than a decade on projects to optimize composite pressure vessel designs, including work with Cevotec using dome reinforcements to optimize layup and achieve a 15% reduction in carbon fiber use while maintaining equivalent mechanical properties, enabling reduced wall thickness for 17% more usable storage capacity. CW reported on its advances in “Using multidisciplinary simulation, real-time process monitoring to improve composite pressure vessels.”

CW has also reported on (Rotterdam, Netherlands), which has been globally supplying robotic filament winding equipment since 2007, and released its TaniqWind Pro software in 2022. See its JEC 2025 highlights: “Spin-off shares expertise in filament winding software, robotics.”

Finally, (Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France) has developed a technology solution for structural health monitoring (SHM) of composite H₂ pressure vessels (Type 3 and 4), enabling real-time monitoring of damages, bending detection and localization to ensure safety, durability and predictive maintenance. Its SensityTech detects and locates real-time variations in material properties, providing fast and reliable information on tank integrity as well as remaining lifetime for potential reuse in new vehicles.

When surveying the global landscape of composites innovation, the U.K. consistently stands among the champions. Rooted in a rich industrial heritage — from aerospace and defense to automotive and energy — and strengthened by world-class academic excellence in engineering and materials science, the U.K. has long been a place where major industrial challenges meet ingenious solutions. After all, the industrial revolution began here. Today, that same blend of heritage and innovation is fueling a new generation of composites startups, translating cutting-edge research into industrial impact.

Scaling automation: iCOMAT and beyond

One of my favorite examples is iCOMAT, a Bristol-based spinout that has become globally recognized for its automated composites manufacturing technologies. Its proprietary Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) technology enables the placement of fiber at variable angles without defects, unlocking lighter, stronger and more efficient structures than traditional automated fiber placement. This breakthrough has drawn the attention of leading aerospace and automotive customers, as well as investors, who backed the company in its recent Series A round. Founder and CEO Dr. Evangelos Zympeloudis is clear on the company’s vision: “We look forward to partnering with investors and accelerating progress toward our mission — to revolutionize transportation by delivering the lightest structures and vehicles possible.”

ICOMAT is not alone. A new generation of U.K. startups is advancing automated and digitalized composites production. Loop Technology is developing robotic solutions to improve manufacturing efficiency, while Fyous is rethinking tooling with customizable and automated solutions. Together, these ventures underscore the U.K.’s ambition to lead not just in composite materials, but in the smart, automated systems that will define the industry’s future.

An ecosystem built for translation

In my opinion, the U.K. benefits from a well-structured innovation ecosystem. The National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol serves as a flagship hub, bridging academia and industry with world-class facilities. Complementary initiatives such as the Materials Catapult Centre (MCC) and the broader Catapult program provide state-backed platforms to de-risk technology transfer and accelerate commercialization. Around them, clusters have emerged: aerospace in the South West, automotive in the Midlands and offshore energy in Scotland and the North East. Feeding this system is a steady flow of talent and intellectual property (IP) from universities such as Bristol, Cranfield, Oxford, Birmingham and Manchester.

Scaling startups beyond the lab-to-factory stage requires significant capital and long-term industrial adoption… global competition is fierce.

As Gerry Boyce, director at startup MET-OL Ltd., observes: “The U.K. composites industry has a healthy ecosystem of leading academics, researchers, entrepreneurs, composites companies end users and trade associations supported by the U.K. government and EU-funded programs all working together to develop commercial practical solutions… important contributors toward the net-zero transition.”

Circularity as a competitive advantage

If automation is one strength of the U.K.’s composites future, another is responsibility. A remarkable share of the country’s startups are directly tackling circularity, taking on the burden of building recycling solutions for the entire industry. Companies such as Gen2Carbon, Uplift360, Phoenix Carbon and V-Carbon are pioneering pathways to recover and reuse carbon fibers and composites at scale (read “Sustainability: The smart entry point into composites for investors”). Alongside them, biomaterials innovators like Cellexcel, Biotwin, MET-OL, Algreen and Ottan are exploring natural and bio-based alternatives that could reshape the material palette of the industry.

This push also includes companies like Lineat Composites, that are reimagining materials like carbon fiber. “What is driving this is the collaboration with OEM and Tier 1 suppliers here in the U.K., with the likes of JLR, GKN, Airbus and McLaren as well as smaller companies leading the charge for the need for a more sustainable carbon fiber,” stresses Gary Owen, CEO of Lineat Composites. “We are also very lucky to be supported by the ATI and APC funding innovation in aerospace and automotive sectors.”

Lineat’s role is to transform reclaimed fiber feedstock into high-value materials: “Lineat is the catalyst between a reclaimed ‘mess’ of fibers and a material that can be used further up the supply chain — even completing the full circularity journey by manufacturing the same product from its reclaimed self,” Owen adds.

On the other hand, MET-OL is contributing from the matrix side. “Our approach is to develop a sustainable thermoplastic polymer, made from non-fossil raw materials,” Boyce explains. “Another major feature of MET-OL is to recycle composite products at the end of their life using a solvolysis process to separate and recover the high-value fibers and polymer and reuse them over and over again... a truly circular approach for composite materials.”

The investor perspective

From the investor side, momentum is building. Green Angel Ventures has actively backed companies in this space. “The composites sector offers a compelling investment proposition because it sits at the crossroads of climate impact, innovation and sustainable growth,” says Surakat Kudehinbu, senior investment executive. “Advances in composite materials support the transition to a low-carbon future… alongside innovations in recycling and bio-based materials reducing waste and resource intensity. This creates significant opportunities for both environmental and financial returns.”

For Karlsrock, the investment case is also about scalability. “With the right use case composites can create excessive value and are geo-scalable,” highlights CEO Charles Gannon. “For us, it’s important that the leaders/founders are investable, with the right understanding and attitude toward growth.” Yet he also notes a recurring challenge: “We’ve noticed many good entrepreneurs struggling with presenting a well thought out proposition, and more critically understanding what investors are actually looking for. It’s often a very short window to deliver one of the most mission critical meetings a business can do, and that’s why we’ll be working with our new associated training academy Teva to support rising stars get the investment they deserve.”

Outlook: Scaling responsibility

The U.K.’s competitive edge lies in this virtuous cycle: industrial demand, academic excellence, state-supported innovation and increasingly, investor confidence. Yet, challenges remain. Scaling startups beyond the lab-to-factory stage requires significant capital and long-term industrial adoption. Global competition is fierce, particularly from the U.S., Germany and France. And policy consistency will be key to maintaining momentum in a post-Brexit environment.

Still, the combined story of iCOMAT, Lineat, MET-OL and their peers illustrates the trajectory of the entire ecosystem: research turned into reality, growth balanced with responsibility and a nation leveraging its engineering heritage to reinvent composites for the decades ahead.

The “DNA” of Faserinstitut Bremen e.V.’s (FIBRE) research is materials testing. At its ECOMAT site, much of its composites research is focused on aerospace and/or sustainability, including work in (pictured clockwise from left) cryogenic testing, tailored fiber placement (TFP), natural fiber composite pultrusion and automated tape winding. Source (All Images) | FIBRE 

As aircraft and spacecraft manufacturers advance toward next-generation technologies including large thermoplastic composite primary structures, reduced carbon-emissions propulsion including hydrogen power, and multifunctional structures, there is a lot of materials testing and validation work required before qualification and commercialization are possible.

CW had the chance to recently catch up with (FIBRE, Germany), a legally independent research institute operating in four sites with about 60 employees, focused on research of fiber-reinforced polymer composites and fibers for technical applications with a large focus on supporting next-generation aircraft and spacecraft technologies.

In what capacity? “Our DNA is materials testing,” explains Professor David May, FIBRE director. In fact, the institute started as a spin-off in the 1950s from the Bremen Cotton Exchange, conducting quality testing on cotton materials for use in textiles. By the late 1980s, the organization had evolved into an independent institute and, partnered with the local University of Bremen, its work began to transition from quality testing to more advanced research on a variety of fibers including cotton, wool and plant fibers, followed later by synthetic fibers and processing technologies. Over the past 25 years, composites were gradually added into the mix and expanded, and today composite materials comprise about 75% of FIBRE’s research. In particular, thermoplastic composites (TPC) are a strong focus.

“We say materials testing is our DNA because we characterize fibers, polymers and composites all the way from single fiber tests to yarn tests to coupon-level composite testing. Beyond that, we have activities related to development of manufacturing processes, process simulation, monitoring and quality assurance, and part design,” May says.

FIBRE receives about 10% of its funding from the government of Bremen and 90% from third-party funds. Since 2012, the institute has been involved in more than 100 publicly funded research projects, as well as numerous industry-funded R&D initiatives.

The institute currently runs sites at the University of Bremen campus, the (Center for Eco-Efficient Materials & Technologies) research & technology center, and the Bremen Cotton Exchange, as well as the Technology Center in Stade.

Beyond research itself, FIBRE is also involved in teaching and student research programs through its partnership with the university, and in developing the technical program for the , a TPC conference held every other year in Bremen for the past 15 years. “It’s the only conference in Europe really focusing on high-performance TPC,” May says. “I love this conference, because all participants work on thermoplastics and are experts who are genuinely interested in advancing the field, and so the quality of the presentations is top-notch.”

Earlier this year, CW had the chance to visit FIBRE’s ECOMAT site, and to catch up more recently with May, who stepped into the director role in August 2024 and also teaches at the University of Bremen and serves as Airbus Endowed Chair for Rivet-Free Assembly Technologies.

ECOMAT itself opened in 2019, and is a joint research facility run by the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen along with Airbus and other partners, with the goal of advancing technologies that will enable climate-neutral aviation. With more than 500 total researchers on site, ECOMAT houses a variety of tenants — including FIBRE, Airbus, Testia GmbH, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) .

Located within Bremen’s airport center, where it is neighbored by Airbus, ArianeGroup, MT Aerospace and others in the space and aviation fields, FIBRE’s ECOMAT site naturally emphasizes research projects related to aerospace applications. “Bremen is the city of aerospace, including spacecraft,” May adds.

Within this focus, the site’s research has a variety of branches, including cryogenic hydrogen, lightweight design and manufacturing technologies, 3D printing, virtual testing and approval procedures (more on some of these research areas below).

As part of ECOMAT, there is also a deep focus on technologies related to sustainability. “Indirectly, basically everything we’re doing is contributing to sustainability,” May says. “For example, we’re doing cryogenic testing so that Airbus can develop tanks for hydrogen-powered aircraft. Thermoplastics allow for more energy-efficient processes. We’re doing research on bio-based polymers and fibers, and recycled carbon fibers. It’s all about sustainability in some way.”

Capabilities: Cryolab, pultrusion, TFP, automated layup and more

In the last 6 years since opening the ECOMAT site, FIBRE has gradually added staff and capabilities into the facility. Today, the 1,500-square-meter space employs about 30 researchers plus graduate and undergraduate students from the local university.

FIBRE’s on-site’s capabilities and research areas include:

• Cryogenic testing
• Pultrusion and winding
• Automated fiber placement (AFP)
• Welding and patch repair
• Tailored fiber placement (TFP)
• Thermoforming
• Injection molding and overmolding
• Walk-in radiation shielding cabin for X-ray development and analysis, and more.

The newest and most prominent area seen on CW’s visit was the cryolab.

Cryogenic testing to support hydrogen storage, future aircraft

Airbus may have pushed back its timeline for launching its ZEROe hydrogen-powered aircraft into the 2040s, but the company is still committed to the program — and, notably, multiple partnerships and projects related to hydrogen-powered aircraft were announced by Airbus and others at this year’s Paris Air Show in June 2025.

On FIBRE’s end, the postponement doesn’t affect the research being done, May explains. “We’re focusing on coupon-level testing, so no matter what the timeline is on the commercial side, we have to start now to investigate how materials behave under cryogenic conditions.”

The newest research space at FIBRE’s ECOMAT site is its cryolab, which includes capabilities for coupon-level material testing in liquid nitrogen and gaseous helium. Part of this work includes developing new methods for acoustic testing while samples are submerged in cryogenic tanks.

To support this work, in 2024, FIBRE’s ECOMAT site installed a laboratory for cryogenic material testing (cryolab), built and maintained in part with collaboration from Airbus. 

Currently, the lab features a machine capable of performing tensile and bending tests on material coupons immersed in liquid nitrogen at temperatures as low as -196°C and up to 100 kilonewtons (kN) pressure, either in quasistatic or dynamic testing. The lab is also installing a test machine for testing samples in gaseous helium as well, at temperatures as low as -250°C and up to 100-kN loads. This machine is capable of not only static tests but dynamic thermal cycling — “to investigate thermal- and mechanical-induced crack initiation and propagation,” May explains. In situ permeation testing is currently under construction. Airbus also has a dynamic helium system in the lab allowing for temperature cycling of samples.

The lab is currently focused on thermoset composite and TPC tests, but also characterizes other materials such as metals or adhesives.

In addition to mechanical behavior, the researchers can also use the test machines to measure properties such as coefficients of thermal expansion from 4K to 200°C  — which enables for research of permeation, potential cracking in the materials and component design.

These machines serve as a first step toward ultimately testing material behavior while subjected to cryogenic hydrogen. “The first step is figuring out how to do the tests,” May adds. “You have to rethink your testing equipment when you’re suddenly working with a sample that is submerged in a cryogenic liquid nitrogen tank. How do you measure the elongation? How do you measure acoustic emissions? Everything is new.” FIBRE researchers have developed new approaches for acoustic emissions testing using microphones capable of picking up sound travel through the immersion tank.

He adds, “Helium allows you to cover a very large temperature range, and it’s much easier to handle than the liquid nitrogen or even hydrogen. Of course, we are not sure yet as an industry whether the tests done in helium is transferrable to hydrogen, so that’s the first thing we will have to investigate.”

FIBRE’s cryolab aims to help researchers understand how composite materials behave at cryogenic temperatures, including the formation and propagation of cracking. 

In addition to FIBRE’s cryolab, ECOMAT also has plans to construct a nearby ECOMAT Hydrogen Center (EHC) within the next few years, May explains, which will house research facilities involving Airbus and others studying the use of hydrogen propulsion in aircraft.

Ultimately, all of these efforts aim to support and enable infrastructure such as storage systems and pipes for transporting cryogenic hydrogen, and FIBRE plans to install capabilities for testing samples in liquid cryogenic hydrogen in the EHC. “This set of testing machines will enable us to investigate not only the mechanical behavior under cryogenic conditions, but also to evaluate transferability — for example, between the easier and cheaper helium tests and the more complex but closer-to-the-application hydrogen tests,” May says.

Thermoplastic composites research: Manufacturing, joining, repair

The largest lab space in FIBRE’s ECOMAT site houses areas for pultrusion, TFP and AFP systems, and current research projects are focused largely on optimizing manufacture, welding and repair processes using TPC, in addition to some bio-based materials.

“TPC in particular are very attractive for aircraft OEMs because you can do it quite a bit faster than with thermosets to meet the production rate increases that they are wanting. But it’s an area that really needs research, because [redesigning a part in TPC] also means you have to rethink everything, from manufacturing to joining to repair,” May says.

FIBRE’s TPC research at ECOMAT includes:

• Understanding the bond strengths and internal stressors on overmolded TPC, in order to optimize both part design and manufacturing process
• Resistance and ultrasonic welding to enable rivet-free aerospace assembly
• Part repair using inductive heating, and more.

Regarding repair, one technology FIBRE is working on starts with the manufacture of a carbon fiber/polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) patch manufactured using FIBRE’s robotic, AFP system (supplied by Conbility, Herzogenrath, Germany). This system enables fabrication of highly tailored, curved patches that closely match the performance of the original part.

This patch is welded to the scarfed damage area using msquare GmbH’s (Stuttgart, Germany) induction-based mats. “You pull a vacuum, put the mat inside, and can use it to do in situ consolidation or repair of TPC parts,” May says. FIBRE is working toward induction-based consolidation of curved TPC parts laid up using its ATP machine.

Regarding joining, FIBRE is investigating various welding techniques using TPC. “Applying conventional bonding strategies to TPC is more complex than bonding thermoset composites. So, there’s a lot of potential for welding, and large demonstrators like the MFFD [Multifunctional Fuselage Demonstrator] that have been set up to show this potential, but there is a lot of work that still needs to be done, and understanding at the material level that still needs to happen. That’s where research institutes come in,” May says.

Process monitoring for TFP

FIBRE operates a ZSK (Krefeld, Germany) TFP system for researching the fabrication of highly tailored preforms currently focusing on and mainly using carbon fibers and hybrid carbon fiber/thermoplastic yarns. Recent work has included the study of process monitoring methods for detecting defects in the preform and capabilities for adjusting the process in real time.

“It’s not always clear when you’re programming a stitch profile on the computer how the fiber and roving in the end will be exactly on your preform,” explains Marius Möller, research associate at FIBRE.

The team has installed a 3D laser-based monitoring system that scans the preform while it is being stitched, measuring and reporting height data to help the user determine whether there are any defects such as cracks or creases in the fabric. This is combined with a high-contrast camera that supplies images and width measurements for detecting potential gaps in the fibers.

“We use this data to predict what the final preform will look and can make adjustments,” Möller says. The goal is to work with an industry partner to translate this into a machine learning software system. “This would help to adjust your stitching profile automatically while you’re going, so you don’t have to do it in an iterative process.”

Optimizing natural fiber composites pultrusion

While aerospace is a strong focus for the ECOMAT site, it’s worth noting that FIBRE’s location in Bremen lends itself to other industrial research areas as well. “Besides space and aeronautics, the city of Bremen is also well-known as a trading city with shipbuilding yards,” May says. This led to a collaboration with nearby Bremen-based , a flax fiber composites specialist that got its start in boatbuilding with its Greenboats brand.

The BMWE-funded (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy) BioPul project began officially in August 2024 as a 2-year initiative aimed at optimizing the pultrusion process for use with natural fibers.

Circular Structures has specialized in flax fiber/bio-epoxy infusion — originally for the manufacture of boats and ultimately diversifying into applications like wind blade nacelles and recreational vehicles. “However, infusion can be expensive and labor-intensive, so we’ve been investigating lower-cost options like pultrusion,” explains Paul Riesen, head of R&D at Circular Structures.

In the BioPul project, Circular Structures works with FIBRE and pultruder Thomas Technik (Bremervoerde, Germany) on material selection and design for the trial profiles, basing the prototypes on real load cases.

Using FIBRE’s in-house Thomas Technik pultrusion machine, “we started with a really small profile to see if it’s even possible,” explains Simon Boysen, research associate for structural design and manufacturing technologies at FIBRE. “Compared to typical glass fibers, natural fibers have short lengths —  as short as 20 centimeters — which leads to a lot of issues when it comes to pultrusion. Not the least of which is the distance between the die to the pulling units.” It took a trial-and-error process to adjust and optimize the pultrusion system for natural fibers.

An additional challenge is that natural fibers in general take in more moisture and humidity than synthetic fibers, necessitating the installation of an oven as the first step after the rovings are pulled off the creels. “Part of what we’ve been working on is evaluating the process parameters for the pre-drying, and our current process is about a 10-minute pre-drying process for optimal moisture content going into pultrusion,” Boysen says.

The researchers began by pultruding flat profiles to perfect the pre-drying and pultrusion process using unidirectional (UD) flax rovings impregnated with liquid epoxy. Next, they started integrating a layer of biaxial twill flax fabrics as a middle layer within the pultruded profile — acting as a sort of core.

Why do this? “We want to be able to improve and control the mechanical properties not just in the 0° direction like in a conventional pultruded profile, but +/- 45° and 90° as well,” Boysen explains. “We know how to achieve UD pultruded profiles, including, now, using flax fiber. The goal here is to use these materials for applications requiring more flexible arrangement of the fibers and textiles.”

There were challenges with introducing this part of the process at first, Boysen notes. “Initially, we weren’t able to pre-dry the textiles, and so the extra moisture content led to issues with hardening of the profiles. The next step was to add guide plates onto the oven so that we can pre-dry the textiles as well.” A future goal is to inverse the arrangement and create profiles where two woven fabric skins sandwich a UD pultruded core.

From there, the researchers were able to test pultrusion of more complex geometries, starting with L profiles and ultimately demonstrator omega-profile parts, with and without additional textile reinforcement.

According to the researchers, results so far have demonstrated 30% greater tensile strength and stiffness and porosity of less than 3% with a fiber volume content of up to 65%. 

What applications could this be used for? Circular Structures’ Greenlander brand aims to use pultrusion to manufacture camper profiles faster and with less material compared to hand layup and vacuum infusion of the same parts. The Greenboats brand could also use this technique to fabricate marine components like cable canals and stringers.

Learn more and get involved 

Cryogenic materials testing, thermoplastics research, process monitoring and natural fiber pultrusion represent only a few of the many projects FIBRE is working on with its industry and academic partners, at ECOMAT and its other sites. Visit to learn more about the organization’s ongoing projects and learn how to get involved.

Source | KASE Pumping Systems

(Coatesville, Pa., U.S.) manufactures specialty fluid handling systems and high-volume composite pumps like this RFP6 firetruck pump.

Exclusively available from Rosenbauer America, KASE says the pump holds the world’s highest firetruck NPFA rating of 6,500 gallons per minute (24,600 liters per minute). Its complete carbon fiber composite construction provides both an ultra-lightweight and corrosion-resistant design.

Manufactured in the company’s facility located outside of Philadelphia, KASE uses a combination of high-pressure compression molding (HPCM) and resin transfer molding (RTM) in the manufacture of its pumps. CNC machining is performed on all mating surfaces and rotating components before final assembly and testing.

The RFP6 and all of KASE’s pumps and related fluid components feature the corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight ratio of composites to surpass the stringent performance requirements of firefighting and energy industries.