Molds/Tools

Tooling block makes affordable patterns for new superlight aircraft

Tooling for a new canard-winged pusher airplane, the e-Go (e-Go Airplanes of Cambridge, U.K.), was created from patterns made of EP678 epoxy tooling block, supplied by the Advanced Engineering Materials Product Group of Trelleborg Offshore UK (Skelmersdale, Lancashire, U.K.)

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Weaving

Thermoplastic Wind Blades: To be or not?

Will future wind blades incorporate thermoplastic composites? It depends on whom you ask.

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Wind/Energy

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.

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Wind/Energy

Patented 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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Molds/Tools

Concert hall composites: Acoustic alchemy

Massive composite acoustic structures will reflect and diffuse sound to heighten audio quality in a new high-profile performance space.

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Aerospace

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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Molds/Tools

Tooling boards improve processes

In the composites industry, many parts are the product of one-off or few-of-a-kind production programs. In response, tooling material suppliers today provide an increasing variety of relatively inexpensive materials grouped under the heading of tooling board.

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Molds/Tools

New options for trapped tooling

Trapped tool removal can be difficult, but leaving the tool in place can compromise part weight and function. Here, HPC reports on several new approaches to this demolding dilemma.

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Water tree: Single complex mold shapes unique composite sculpture

To fabricate a complex design for a lighted sculpture, sculptor Lawrence Argent taps the talents of composites specialists Kreysler and Assoc. (American Canyon, Calif.).

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Molds/Tools

Proper mold care: Mandatory!

CT surveys mold care product suppliers for guidance through the critical steps of mold preparation and maintenance.

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