Fabrics/Preforms
Re-inventing the RHIB: Shock Mitigation
The U.S. Navy’s search for a lighter, load-absorbing rigid-hulled inflatable boat may end with this unconventional design.
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3-D preforms: Fast, efficient blade-root manufacture
To expedite the blade root manufacturing process for wind turbine blade manufacturers, 3TEX Inc. (Cary, N.C.) has developed RapidRoot, a 3-D preform.
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Heavy-duty infusion: Scaling up for scrubbers
Infused 3-D woven fabric preforms best steel in beams and unitized deck structures built for the caustic confines of massive flue gas desulfurization systems.
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Portable wind turbine powers the warrior
DARPA-financed program puts wind energy to use for battery and system recharging.
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Antiballistics: Better defense, less expense
Armor applications grow on the strength of new markets, new composite materials.
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Spread-tow fabrics reduce waveboard weight
Fanatic (Molln, Austria) recently introduced a new version of its windsurfing waveboard, called FreeWave TeXtreme, made with TeXtreme spread carbon tow fabric from Oxeon AB (Boras, Sweden).
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SQRTM enables net-shape parts
New out-of-autoclave process combines resin transfer molding with prepregs for complex helicopter part prototype.
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F1-inspired MonoCell: Racing safety for the road
Resin transfer molding makes CFRP passenger cell mass-producible for new model supercar.
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Structural makeover: Big bridge-strengthening project
The 2.5-km/1.6-mile long cable-stayed-concrete West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, Australia, is prepped for added traffic lanes with BASF's MBrace composite reinforcements, pultruded by EPSILON Composite (Gaillan-en-Médoc, France).
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Boeing 787 Update
Approaching rollout and first flight, the 787 relies on innovations in composite materials and processes to hit its targets
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