CAMX 2018 preview: Structural Composites

Structural Composites Inc. (Melbourne, FL, US) is emphasizing its being awarded the 2018 Defense Innovation Award for its metal hybrid composite technology. The annual TechConnect Defense Innovation Awards recognizes the top 15% of submitted Challenge technologies as ranked by the Selection Committee. Key to winning the award, and a focus of the company’s CAMX exhibit, was Structural Composites’ CoCure resins, coatings and adhesives, which form a tenacious bond to metals, allowing the creation of metal hybrid laminates using the same resin as used in the fiber composite layer. Hybrid structures can be created by stamping or forming the shape in thin-gauge metals (70% thinner than used by themselves), and then laminating the metal part with CoCure composite materials. This allows for fabrication of stiff structures at reduced weight, but at costs that can compete with traditional fabrications. The technology is already deployed by Wabash National in the semi-trailer market.

Structural Composites is also featuring the US Navy's 7m Advanced Combatant Craft (7ACC) for Increased Affordability, a rigged-hulled inflatable boat (RIB) the company helped develop, manufactured using its PRISMA composite preforming technology. The boat features innovations in diesel outboard technology that combine with design and material innovations to transform the craft from a single inboard engine platform into a highly capable dual outboard engine performance craft. Booth G62.