Design & Tooling
Big parts? Big tooling breakthrough
Electrically heated carbon fiber/PEEK/ceramic tooling and powdered epoxy resin system could revolutionize production of large composite aerospace structures.
Read MorePatented MECHTool system
Galway, Ireland-based ÉireComposites’ patented MECHTool (Mold Efficient Cooling and Heating) system was developed to replace traditional ovens in a number of thermoplastic molding processes.
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Testing the damage tolerance of composite materials
Dr. Donald F. Adams (Wyoming Test Fixtures, Salt Lake City, Utah) looks at standards and also-rans in the area of testing for damage tolerance.
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Software enables submarine shipyard’s composites-for-metal effort
When Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (Kiel, Germany) looked for a software solution to reduce the risk of using composites for a greater range of thicker parts, FiberSIM software from VISTAGY Inc. (Waltham, Mass.) enabled its engineers to develop initial designs more quickly and to better understand the impact of design changes.
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Thermocouple innovation shortens autoclave setup for stringers/frames
ATK Aerospace Structures (Clearfield, Utah) trials a thermocouple system from TE Wire & Cable LLC (Saddle Brook, N.J.) called AccuConnect, which cuts thermocouple setup time from 2.5 hours to 20 minutes.
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Material deformation and recovery test methods
Dr. Donald F. Adams (Wyoming Test Fixtures Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah) reviews ways and means to quantify composite material deformation and recovery.
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Sea and land transport: Hydro elevation
Composites lightweight and toughen the hull and superstructure of this transplanted amphibious naval hovercraft.
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Comparison of shear-loaded compression test fixtures
Dr. Donald F. Adams compares the three basic types of shear-loaded compression test fixtures.
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Self-deployable, composite satellite boom
Researchers design and validate a boom made of ultrathin carbon-fiber/epoxy laminate, using a novel, highly accurate analysis method.
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PLM software streamlines robotic cell development
FASTCURVE and FASTTIP, part of FASTSUITE from CENIT (Stuttgart, Germany), have been used successfully by Hyde Group Holdings Ltd. (Cheshire, U.K.) to optimize composite wing manufacturing.
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