Carbon Fibers

Weaving

All-carbon fiber wheel moves to the carbon fiber-bodied Ford GT

This carbon fiber wheel, manufactured by Carbon Revolution, already had been specified for the 2015 Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang. Each wheel reduces unsprung wheel mass by 2 lb per wheel compared to the aluminum versions.

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Pixelated temperature control

Surface Generation is providing digital process control for composites molding that cuts energy use, cycle time and processing pressures while breaking boundaries in thickness, complexity and embedded elements.

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Thermoplastics

Composites manufacturing — where the excitement lives

A regular CW columnist and the chief commercialization officer for the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, Knoxville, TN, US), Dale Brosius points out that for today's engineering students, a Ph.D in manufacturing could open the door to an exciting, alternative career path.

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Carbon Fibers

Aerospace growth climbs with carbon fiber

The business case for carbon fiber in narrowbodies has become a lot stronger now that these operational benefits are in evidence.

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Marine

VABO Composites: Dutch innovator excels in diverse applications

From yacht masts and ship doors to front loader buckets and architectural projects, VABO uses resin infusion and ingenuity to push composites forward vs. metals.

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Carbon Fibers

University of Delaware announces composite medal award winners

The medal is to recognize outstanding achievement in the field of composite materials.

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Adhesives

Carbon/epoxy Cadillac hood

Automated process for prepreg hood inner/outer cuts weight by 20% and yields Class A exterior out of the autoclave.

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Sustainability

Composites recycling becomes a necessity

Boeing and Airbus each is generating as much as a 1 million lb of cured and uncured carbon fiber prepreg waste each year from 787 and A350 XWB production. If you include the entire supply chain for these planes, the total is closer to 4 million lb/year. And with the automotive industry poised to consume (and waste) more carbon fiber than ever, recycling of composite materials has become an absolute necessity. The technology is there, but the markets are not. Yet.

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Construction

Composites help to repair earthquake-damaged bridges

Utah researchers designed a new repair process that involves carbon fiber-reinforced polymer “donuts” to fix damaged bridges quickly.

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Epoxies

Cost-effective aerocomposites: Dry fiber AFP and resin infusion

Aurora Flight Sciences and NONA Composites aim to improve toughness, repeatable aerospace quality and affordability for large-scale NASA structures.

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