Materials
Bio-composites update: Beyond eco-branding
No longer dependent only on their green credentials, some suppliers of bio-based fibers and resins are competing on price and performance.
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LFI process: Molding strong and attractive spa enclosures
Dynasty Spas (Athens, Tenn.) finds a composite alternative to wood hot tub surrounds in a polyurethane (PU)-based long fiber injection (LFI) solution implemented by Romeo RIM Inc. (Romeo, Mich.).
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In-house prepregging: Cost/benefit calculus
Scaled-down systems are flexible enough for R&D and production, but can they earn their keep?
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U.S. crew and cargo candidate takes shape with composites
Crew-capable Dream Chaser to enable ISS transport missions from U.S.
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Graphene: Ready for prime time?
Advanced materials analyst Ross Kozarsky (Lux Research, Boston, Mass.) evaluates the commercial readiness of graphene-based nanomaterial reinforcements for the composites industry.
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New carbon fiber lab at Oak Ridge officially launches search for cheaper fiber
The search for a non-PAN precursor that can produce high-quality carbon fiber begins in earnest in Tennessee at the just-opened Carbon Fiber Technology Facility.
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Pultruding polyurethane: Sheet pilings break boundaries
High-pressure pultrusion process creates polyurethane composite sheet pile system with the strength and stiffness to compete with steel.
Read MoreEvolution of tailored D-LFT
In the past two decades, two competing composite technologies — sheet-form glass-mat thermoplastic (GMT) and pelletized long-fiber thermoplastic (LFT) — led to the development of a new form of glass-reinforced thermoplastic composite.
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Chevy Volt battery pack: Rugged but precise
GM and partners engineer composites for this complex assembly with an accent on repeatability.
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JEC 2013 at first blush
CT Editor-in-chief Jeff Sloan risks some immediate reactions to his week in Paris at the JEC Europe 2013 composites trade show.
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