Design/Simulation

Plant tour: Harris Corp., Rochester, N.Y., U.S.

High-technology telescope and space structures expertise has its roots in legacy Kodak programs.

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Laminated composites: The original additive manufacturing process

Because fabrication of laminated composites can claim to be the original additive manufacturing process, Altair Engineering Inc.'s (Troy, MI, US.) VP of aerospace solutions Robert Yancey says it also should be the most advanced in terms of application.

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Out of Autoclave

Fiber patch preforms help tailor kiteboard performance

Automated means for laying fiber only where needed offers new potential to fine-tune torsional stiffness and flexibility to board and rider styles.

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Carbon Fibers

CompoSIDE and Trace: Game-changer for development of composite parts

Structural design challenges (delamination, coupling and shape distortions, resin-driven failures, local stress concentration and the like) are inherent in laminate architecture. The author's contention is that a solution can be found in design simplification afforded by the work of Dr. Stephen Tsai in Trace-based analysis.

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Molds/Tools

Classic harps in carbon fiber

Lever and pedal models less cumbersome, still classy.

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Hybrid analysis: Making the most of FEA by leveraging traditional analysis

CW guest columinst Collin Petersen (Janicki Industries, Sedro-Woolley, WA, US) suggests the use of more traditional analysis methods, where it is sensible to do so, making your finite element analysis (FEA) significantly simpler in the process.

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Designing with composites: Optimizing for performance and manufacturing

David Leigh Hudson, the director of product and market strategy for the Fibersim product portfolio at Siemens PLM Software (Waltham, MA, US), the need in the field of composite part design for a serious commitment to what he terms "concurrent engineering" processes.

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Aerospace

Indiana Manufacturing Institute breaks ground

The Indiana Manufacturing Institute (IMI) is part of a $50 million project where Purdue University will advance research of composites manufacturing.

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Virtual process chain + online process monitoring = first-time-right manufacturing

Co-authors Dr. Michael Bruyneel, Marc Attar and Dr. Christian Brauner (Siemens PLM Software, Liège, Belgium) illustrate the benefits of manufacturing simulation software in virtual trials of molding processes, using resin transfer molding as a reference.

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Wind/Energy

CompoSIDE delivers cost and time saving for composites consultancy

STRUCTeam cites £40,000 savings in licensing costs and up to 40% reduction in design time by using this web-based composites design engineering solution.

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