Web Industries (Marlborough, Mass., U.S.), a provider of converting and supply chain solutions for composites and other advanced materials, presents its portfolio of precision formatting services and products for OEMs and Tiered suppliers active in the commercial and defense aerospace, commercial launch and satellites, oil and gas, automotive and energy markets.

Attendees can find products and services that address cost competitiveness and readiness for rate increases, supply chain complexity and other market dynamics, according to Web Industries’ Jason Surman, vice president of aerospace.

The company has extensive expertise working with thermoset and thermoplastic composites, high-modulus fibers, brittle resin systems, foams, films, adhesives, laminates, nonwovens and technical textiles. Its facilities in the U.S., France and Germany offer controlled manufacturing environments.

Web’s contract manufacturing services include:

Customer applications include aerospace and eVTOL structures, parts and components; launch system, satellite and spacecraft structural materials and protective insulation systems; oil and gas pipelines; wind turbine blades; hydrogen/carbon capture components; and battery energy storage system (BESS) components.

Web Industries looks forward to learning about attendees’ most challenging business requirements and discussing how the company can support them.

Tool shape compensation of printed tooling enabled through virtual twin Additive3D. Source | Techmer PM

(Clinton, Tenn., U.S.), a materials innovation company delivering advanced composites for additive manufacturing (AM), has announced the commercial release of HiFill GF-PET, a glass-filled polyethylene terephthalate material system engineered for 3D printing intermediate-temperature autoclave tooling. Tailored for use up to 121°C, this material offers a cost-effective alternative that bridges the gap between low-temperature and high-temperature thermoplastic material systems.

As industries push toward more efficient and scalable composite part production, manufacturers face limited material choices for tooling that must perform reliably under autoclave conditions without exceeding budget constraints. The HiFill GF-PET fills this gap, delivering thermal stability and dimensional accuracy at an accessible cost, making it ideal for intermediate-temperature tooling applications needed in the marine, automotive, wind and aerospace industries.

Designed for large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM), HiFill GF-PET provides low and consistent thermal expansion and is supported by a dataset needed for tool shape compensation with Additive3D (Figure 1), a comprehensive physics-based virtual twin developed at the at Purdue University (West Lafayette, Ind., U.S.). This enables users to anticipate dimensional changes during postprocessing and autoclave cycling, improving the precision and repeatability of printed tools.

HiFill GF-PET’s mechanical properties and thermal expansion behavior have been characterized across print orientations and temperature ranges. When combined with the simulation capabilities of Additive3D, this data enables accurate tool shape compensation by accounting for anisotropic behavior and directional effects inherent to the additive process. Additive3D is available to members of the CAMS consortium at Purdue.

 (Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.) played a key role in testing HiFill GF-PET, validating its performance in real-world tooling applications. “Glass-filled polyester [PET] offers a combination of strength, stiffness and heat resistance I need for printing parts for structural and tooling applications, without resorting to more exotic engineering resins,” explains Bob Berardino, senior materials engineer at Center Street Technologies. “The print quality is excellent, the material machinable to final tolerances and the parts are sturdy and dimensionally stable.”

The material is now commercially available, and Techmer PM is actively partnering with OEMs and service providers for expanded tooling trials. Technical documentation, processing guidelines and data for shape compensation are available upon request.

Source | Carbon Fiber Recycling LLC

 (CFR, Tazewell, Tenn., U.S.) is highlighting a major expansion of its recycled carbon fiber (rCF) product portfolio and manufacturing capabilities. This strategic move enhances the accessibility and application of rCF, produced through advanced pyrolysis, to meet growing demand for sustainable, high-performance alternatives to virgin carbon fiber in industries such as aerospace, defense, automotive, infrastructure and consumer products.

CFR’s expanded offerings provide innovative solutions for post-industrial carbon fiber waste and end-of-life products, including dry fiber, prepreg and cured composites. By scaling its proprietary pyrolysis technologies, CFR delivers versatile rCF products tailored to diverse applications. The new portfolio includes:

6-mm rCF. Available in low- and high-density variants, optimized for applications requiring specific fiber length distributions, such as composites and coatings.

18-mm rCF. Ideal for processes where longer fibers enhance performance, including concrete, mortar, asphalt and nonwoven fabrics.

Milled rCF. Offered in various sizes, this product supports high-volume applications like specialized coatings, compounding and 3D printing, with improved flowability and shipping efficiency.

Pelletized rCF. A high-density option, designed for carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP), compatible with various polymers for enhanced workability, while maintaining optimal interfacial adhesion properties using select sizings. CFR’s pellets also afford an increase in shipping efficiency, eliminate bridging in feed equipment and minimize entrained dust in processing.

Nonwoven rCF. Lightweight, high-performance layups that deliver sustainability by repurposing carbon fiber otherwise destined for landfills. Nonwoven rCF is well suited for fiber-reinforced components and electromagnetic shielding/consumer electronic applications.

“Since 2018, CFR has pioneered environmentally friendly, patented technologies to extract carbon fiber from cured composites and prepregs,” says Doug Griffin, founder and CEO of CFR. “This expansion responds to customer demand for convenient, high-quality rCF products that integrate seamlessly into existing manufacturing processes, while addressing the composite industry’s sustainability needs.”

CFR says its advancements reinforce its commitment to sustainability, innovation and customer satisfaction.

Source | Wabash

Wabash (Wabash, Ind., U.S.), supplier of presses for research laboratories, material testing facilities and Tier 1 production, has expanded its industrial press line to include custom-built presses up to 2,500 tons for producing large components in the aerospace, automotive, defense and other industries. The expanded Wabash product offering now features platen sizes up to 10' × 10' and operating temperatures up to 1800°F.

These presses are engineered to manufacture mission-critical components where light weight, structural integrity and precision geometry are imperative. Examples include interior structures for commercial aircraft, structural and cosmetic components for the automotive industry and components for ground-based defense vehicles and airframes.

Wabash introduced these larger presses in part “to service the composites market as composites manufacturing grows in size and complexity,” says Dave Singer, sales and marketing manager at Wabash. “New materials are constantly being developed, both thermoset and thermoplastic, requiring higher molding force over larger areas.” These presses can also be applied to applications in the rubber and medical device markets, as well as a variety of production processes in the wood and plywood industry.

Drawing on more than 80 years of expertise, Wabash partners with its customers to design and validate a press that meets distinctive process and application specifications. “At this size, every press is precision engineered to meet the exacting needs of the customer,” explains Wabash engineering manager Ron Gilman. “Reliability, durability and operator safety are always top of mind. We design all our presses to achieve ‘infinite life,’ so your frame will never wear out. Further, Wabash offers standard three-point safety: barrier guards, interlock switches and two-hand control.”

Beyond the press, Wabash is prepared to engineer process-specific options and accessories including automated infeed and outfeed systems, quick die-change components and controllers that facilitate data collection and remote access.

Wabash makes all structural components for its presses with 100% U.S.-sourced steel. All Wabash presses are designed to comply with NEMA and ANSI B11.19 and B11.2 build and safety standards. The new larger presses can be built to comply with additional standards including CE, UKCA and CULCSA.

Source | MFTECH

 (Quéven, France), a company integrated into Coriolis Group, offers a range of innovative solutions, from the design of robotic filament winding machines to prototyping filament-wound parts. This includes MF3, a robotic filament winder powered by a KUKA (Augsburg, Germany) robot. With options such as an automatic gripper and carousel, the MF3 is designed to adapt to specific needs with speed, precision and automation.

The MF3’s activities are completely automated — mold handling, auto fiber cut and attach — with the ability to quickly switch between towpreg and wet winding. It has a high winding speed of up to 4 m/s, ±0.8 mm precision, repeatability of ±0.08 mm and spool loading takes less than 2 min. According to MFTECH, the automated filament winder is applicable for all composite vessel types (Types 2-5) and complex and unconventional wound parts. It can also be used in a variety of ways depending on the end user, from compact and open R&D to a fully automatized production line.

Particular features to notes include the MF3’s carousel, which enables loading of the creel during winding in real time. The system’s automatic gripper, another feature, catches the liner in a rack, presents it to the winding station and automatically places the finished tank back into the flow. If needed, it can also potentially carry out other intermediate operations, such as dimensional and quality control, or applying a label.

In the current competitive product development landscape, AI and machine learning (ML) prove a crucial role in enabling engineering teams to virtually validate design performance before physical prototypes are built — speeding up the process while improving accuracy. (Bangalore, India) seeks to maximize the impact design exploration with generative AI and accelerate CAE simulation through its platform, Xitadel Intelligent Process Automation (XIPA). Powered by ML, XIPA streamlines the CAE model-build process with high speed and reliability. 

XIPA is a proprietary ML system that combines Image Recognition, Object Detection and Classification to interpret CAD data and streamline finite element (FE) model creation. Using convoluted neural networks (CNN), it performs intelligent feature recognition to automatically detect low-level geometric entities essential for connectivity and fastening in CAD models, leveraging a geometric feature library built through more than 20 man-years of training, particularly for plastic components. These detected features are then classified into families, enabling tailored meshing and processing logic, after which Xipa applies customized meshing algorithms to rapidly generate high-quality FE meshes optimized for plastics and sheet metal, compliant with both industry standards and client-specific requirements. It further automates connection assembly for seamless integration during model building and generates multiple mesh outputs in parallel — such as crash; noise, vibration, harshness (NVH); and durability meshes — ensuring models are simulation-ready across attributes.

Xipa delivers significant efficiency gains by reducing model-build times — Xitadel reports up to ~50% faster turnaround than traditional methods, with customized ML models offering reductions of more than 80%. It ensures outputs are consistent with user-defined modeling guidelines and best practices, while also embedding organizational knowledge through ML training to capture and reuse institutional expertise for consistent modeling across teams.

In addition to speed and consistency, Xipa simplifies processes with “push button” automation via a user-friendly GUI that enables near-batch-speed meshing and assembly of complex subsystems, making virtual product development more accessible and efficient. Beyond pre-processing, it supports the entire CAE workflow — from load case setup and automated deck preparation to AI-driven postprocessing, predictive analytics and gen AI-based assistance — offering an end-to-end solution for simulation.

Summarily, Xipa significantly accelerates the time traditionally taken for meshing and model-build. It is therefore is an enabling technology that is on the critical path for the digital transformation of the model-build phase of product development process.

Source | Blueshift

Advanced thermal protection systems (TPS) company  (Spencer, Mass., U.S.) has launched AeroZero ultra-low outgassing thermal protection tapes. The lightweight, thin and easy-to-apply material solution excels in extreme thermal environments from –200°C to +2400°C.

In the vacuum of space, thermal challenges are amplified. Satellites, spacecraft and instruments are exposed to intense, repeated thermal cycling — especially in low Earth orbit, where satellites experience temperature swings from –170°C to +120°C every 90 minutes, up to 16 times per day.

“With its low thermal conductivity and extreme temperature resistance,  ultra-low outgassing TPS provide protection in these demanding environments — all without adding weight or bulk,” says Tim Burbey, president of Blueshift. “Our customers needed a solution that could survive brutal heat swings in very tight spaces. We delivered an ultra-thin, high-performance thermal tape that fits in narrow design envelopes, then optimized it for ultra-low outgassing when spaceflight standards required it. It’s a perfect match for next-gen LEO satellites and beyond.”

Already proven in more than 10,000 ft² of deployed spacecraft, AeroZero tapes are engineered to mitigate extreme thermal cycling in orbital and high-vacuum environments, thus preserving sensitive optics and sensors by reducing fogging, degradation and interference. This makes the tapes ideal for satellite platforms, including optics, sensors, infrared detectors and vacuum chamber systems, used across the aerospace and defense industries. Furthermore, due to their lightweight, thin and flexible format, the AeroZero tapes can be applied to tight configurations while streamlining application time with its “peel and stick” technology.

AeroZero thermal tapes also minimize contamination risk by meeting the NASA Outgassing Standard (ASTM E595), ensuring that no more than 1.0% total mass loss and 0.10% condensable material is released under high vacuum and elevated temperatures, which is critical for maintaining cleanliness in spaceflight and high-vacuum environments.

Blueshift has released two AeroZero low-outgassing thermal tapes, 1O2 and 1O4, each providing an adhesive that is tailored to fit specific performance needs.

Source  | CGS

The Perlane Engineered Fastening Systems Division of  (CSG, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.), an AS9120- and ISO9001-registered fastener specialist, delivers engineered solutions and resilient supply chains to OEMs, ensuring quality, compliance and operational efficiency. Its team — Jim, Tom and Chris — are available, featuring live demos and limited product samples during the show.

Perlane Engineered Fastening Systems works with OEMs, engineers and designers to solve real-world, cost-effective assembly problems in composite materials. The company started working with composites in the 1980s, introducing new fastening systems for carbon fiber parent materials in aerospace. Since then, Perlane has aided manufacturers validate, test and implement fasteners for lightweight structures, evolving with materials to support, aerospace, automotive, electronics and defense applications.

Fastener and service solutions highlighted at its booth include:

Optisert. This rivet nut is designed to provide optimal spin-out resistance in a round hole. It works in aluminum and composites materials of various thicknesses, with aggressive wedges and proprietary knurls down the shank. Optisert eliminates time and expense of special-shaped holes to mitigate potential spinning of fastener.

Onsert. A surface-mounted fastener for applications when holes are prohibitive. Its UV-curable adhesive provides full load-bearing strength in under 5 sec. It supports inserts, studs, tie mounts and more, with no wait times or excess consumables.

Tooling. Perlane’s tooling aims to make installation smarter. The company offers pull to pressure, and process monitor options to provide quick, reliable installation. The tools are designed to adjust in real time to fluctuate wall thicknesses, ensuring proper seating and performance from hole to hole.

Custom concepts: Nearly 60% of Perlane’s sales are custom fasteners not found in catalogs. It offers corrosion resistance, mixed-material assembly and one-off load requirements through collaborative design.

How can I prevent an insert from spinning? I’m stuck with a round hole — what works? I don’t want any holes — what then? My material thickness is inconsistent — how do I know the fastener is seated correctly? These are some ways in which Perlane’s solutions respond to common composite fastening challenges.

Xycomp DLF engine external brackets. Source | Greene Tweed

Greene Tweed (Kulpsville, Pa., U.S.) is showcasing its aerospace material expertise, with a focus on how high-performance composites contribute to lighter, durable and production-ready aircraft designs. Attendees can learn how Greene Tweed solutions help address key industry challenges, including reducing weight in critical components and supporting the development of next-generation aircraft.

The highlight of Greene Tweed’s exhibit are the company’s  Discontinuous Long Fiber (DLF) composites, a material solution designed to replace metal parts in complex structural applications. Xycomp meets the stringent qualification standards of major OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, with more than 400,000 components in service across commercial and defense applications. This technology offers weight reductions of 35-50% compared to metals while maintaining strength, thermal stability and chemical resistance. Using near-net, compression molded shapes, it can replace complex multipiece metal assemblies with a single molded component. The result is less waste, greater efficiency and consistent, high-performance.

As the advanced air mobility (AAM) market develops, Greene Tweed is leveraging its aerospace experience to help shape this new generation of aircraft. With eVTOLs and electrified aircraft transitioning from prototypes to viable fleets, lightweight materials will be critical to balancing performance, safety and sustainability. Greene Tweed is working alongside innovators in this market to ensure composite solutions like DLF meet the demands of new flight technologies, balancing energy efficiency with the ability to manufacture at scale.

Visitors can learn about the company’s latest composite technologies and engage directly with the technical experts. 

EnkaChannel from Freudenberg. Flow media and spacers in the manufacture of composite materials. Source | Freudenberg Performance Materials

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Weinheim, Germany and Durham, N.C., U.S.) is exhibiting to support the North American composites industry with high-performance surfacing veils, flow media and spacers. 

Freudenberg’s surfacing veils set new standards in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) component material performance and longevity. In addition to being functional, they provide optional abrasion resistance, corrosion protection, smooth surfaces and improved mechanical strength. 

The company features its versatile portfolio of nonwovens — which includes materials made from glass, PAN and PET, among others — that are meticulously engineered for various applications, including anti-corrosive layers in piping and tank construction, UV-resistant facade panels and an array of other end products where environmental stressors can significantly weaken materials. 

Attendees also have the opportunity to engage with Freudenberg experts to explore ways to enhance resin infusion and foam injection molding techniques. A particular highlight is the 3D polymeric filament structures from Enka Solutions used in flow media and spacers. These products, specifically designed for efficient resin infusion and foam injection molding applications, enables manufacturers to achieve significant improvements in quality and efficiency, ensuring that their products adhere to the highest standards.

In processes such as vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) and resin transfer molding (RTM), composites using Enka Solutions flow media exhibit optimal bonding and improved mechanical characteristics, which notably minimizes the likelihood of defects and wrinkling in the final products. The flow media from Enka Solutions facilitate quick and dependable resin distribution, ensuring complete wetting of the internal structure while maintaining the precise positioning of glass fiber reinforcement netting and component surfaces.