Automation
“Smart tooling” cuts time and risk for complex unitized composite structures production
One-piece bladder tooling helps to actualize NASA/Boeing’s revolutionary fluted core design for next-gen cryogenic fuel tank skirt.
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FACC provides outboard flaps for the A320neo family
FACC says it increased efficiency thanks to new production methods, including robot systems and automated tape laying.
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The Automated Composite Structure Inspection System achieved a defect detection rate of up to 99.7% on aircraft components produced via automated fiber placement.
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Cytec gearing up for automotive expansion
With a new automotive-focused Application Centre set to open in December, Cytec Industrial Materials is emphasizing material and process flexibility to help OEMs integrate composites into forthcoming cars and trucks.
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SPE ACCE 2015 show report
Was this the year, finally, for the big break-through for automotive composites? Maybe, depending on to whom one talked or the presentation one heard.
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Smart Lightweighting at ACCE
I’m in Detroit, at the 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers’ (SPE) Automotive Composites Conference and Exhibition (ACCE), co-chaired by our contributor Dale Brosius and organized by our contributor Peggy Malnati. And I’m seeing real composite cars, and real, in-production composite parts.
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Automotive composites: Thermosets for the fast zone
Epoxies continue to be developed for faster cure to meet automotive production rates.
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Resins for the Fast Zone
An automotive supplier must have the ability to produce a composite part in a minute, or at least in minutes — not hours or days, the norm for composites in most other industries. Meeting that part-per-minutes goal is a huge hurdle that a few composite fabricators have cleared, and many more are involved in development efforts, with OEM or Tier partners. ÂÌñÏ×ÆÞ reviews how resin suppliers have evolved their products for this critical market.
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Automation and rapid processing dominate at JEC Americas
Highlights include Fiber Patch Preforming, automated potting and insert equipment and processes delivering composite parts in minutes.
WatchTrends in automation: ATL and AFP technologies increase speed, flexibility
Many automated production solutions were on offer at JEC Europe 2015, and several companies made announcements.
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