Materials

Wind/Energy

Fiberglass façade: GRP shapes modernize hotel in Spain

The exterior of the Vista Riviera hotel in Benidorm, Spain, has been transformed with a modern twist, thanks to the fiberglass expertise of Miraplas SL (Monforte del Cid, Spain).

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Tooling for composites: Evolutionary trajectory

New technologies and improved methods keep up as tools get bigger and more complex and toolmaking gets ever more challenging.

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High-speed press cure for high-speed racers

Trapped tooling and compression molding bring cocuring efficiencies to previously autoclave-cured, aerodynamic fins and planes.

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NDT

Carbon fiber/PEEK takes hydraulic pump to new depths

A switch from metal to composites reduces weight, minimizes part deflection in ultradeep ocean installations.

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Carbon Fibers

New cutting tools for drilling material stacks

Dormer Tools Ltd. (Sheffield, U.K.) has developed veined polycrystalline diamond (PCD) cutting tools for drilling applications that involve stacked materials in aircraft wingskin assemblies.

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Epoxies

Thermoplastic composites: Sustainable transport

Cyclic PBT oligomers used to mold Class 8 semitrailer bed via vacuum-bag processing.

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Tough resins for aggressive environments

New thermoset systems drive composites deeper into markets where fire, corrosion, stress and fatigue are ever-present threats.

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Adhesives

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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Sustainability

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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Hi-Temp Resins

A new "tunable" polyurethane could revolutionize composites

A novel polyurethane-based resin system with tailorable pot life and cure, from Huntsman Polyurethanes (Auburn Hills, Mich. and Everberg, Belgium) now permits composites manufacturers to tailor resin pot life and onset of cure to fit the processing requirements.

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