Out of Autoclave
Boom ahead in carbon fiber market?
Could it be that carbon fiber is heading for a boom? Consider unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) just one new, relatively high-volume application (see News, p. 9). In a draft of a future "road map," the Pentagon wants to spend 10 billion dollars by 2010 to quadruple the size of the unmanned force. Based on successes
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Fighting Ships Augment Combat Readiness With Advanced Composites
Navies adopt composite materials for stealth and speed.
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Metal Matrix Composites Advance Optoelectronics Package Design
Cast aluminum silicon carbide keeps costs down while providing ideal thermal properties.
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Airbus A340 carbon composite spoiler made with RTM
When FACC AG (Ried, Austria) contracted to fabricate a demonstration composite replacement part for a highly stressed aluminum spoiler center fitting on the Airbus A340-600, the company wanted to use resin transfer molding (RTM) because the part's complex shape would be difficult to produce consistently and
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Advanced Pultrusion Takes Off In Commercial Aircraft Structures
Innovative prepreg pultrusion process forms profiles equal to autoclaved components at lower cost.
Read MoreIndications of sustained growth in the composites market
In the second half of the year, experts are predicting an improved international economic picture. This issue's articles reflect where we are going and, with the notable exception of aerospace, things are looking up for the composites industry. In fact, some experts think the composites market is on the threshold of
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SAMPE Wrap Up And Product Showcase
Exhibitions on both sides of the Atlantic spur optimism and spotlight innovative technology.
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New Approaches To Cost-effective Tooling
New methods, materials and philosophies add up to tooling innovations.
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Composites Do Wood One Better
Extruded wood-filled/thermoplastic composite materials experience explosive growth.
Read MoreHigh-Performance Composites May 2003 Editorial
The HPC staff is getting ready to attend the SAMPE Conference, coming up May 11 through 15 in Long Beach. This is our SAMPE preview issue and it is chock full of aerospace coverage. On p. 38 we discuss how the now finished AGATE program laid the framework for standardization of composite material qualification for
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