Articles

Editorial

Composites trends of 2024: Innovating for a sustainable, high-rate future

CW's annual look back over the last year reviews the technologies, processes and sustainability initiatives still shaping the composites industry.

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Welding

Post Cure: Metal-composite connector supports direct joining to steel pipes

FAUSST weldable hybrid fabric by Hyconnect GmbH makes it possible to join metal-composite joints with reduced risk and labor.

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Focus on Design

Design for manufacturing, assembly and automation enables complex CFRP telescope supports

Airborne delivered two mirror support structures for the FYST and SOLAT telescopes, assembling 26,300 components while maintaining near-zero CTE, strict tolerances on 6.5 × 6.5 × 1.8-meter assemblies.  

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Marine

Composites end markets: Boatbuilding and marine (2025)

As 2023-2024 consumer demand slows, boat and marine vessel manufacturers continue to focus on decarbonization and new technologies using composites.

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Fastening

MM-Welding solution automates, functionalizes composite joining

Ultrasonic joining has been used for decades, but is now being advanced to enable smart, automated fastening in composites and multi-material assemblies.

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Sustainability

Trends fueling the composites recycling movement

Various recycling methods are being considered for composites, from novel dismantling and processing, to building capacity and demonstrating secondary use applications.  

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Automotive

PUR composite sandwich panels for 3D automotive parts, high-volume panels and more

At its U.S. sites, Ascorium produces glass fiber/PUR 3D parts via semi-automated molding, high-volume flat panels via a continuous line while working toward bio-based PUR and recycling.

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Core

VIDEO: Precision fabrication of honeycomb materials

MachineTek showcases its precision fabrication of honeycomb materials at CAMX 2024.

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Braided thermoplastic composite H2 tanks with co-consolidated molded boss areas to fit EV battery space

BRYSON project demonstrates possible designs, automated manufacturing and low permeability concepts, including EVOH liner and novel PPA matrix.

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Glass Fibers

Determining steel/composite failure load of bonded repair assemblies

Bureau Veritas and partners use a novel equivalent interface test specimen and simulation to predict failure load in bonded composite patch repairs to steel structures.

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Marine

Large-format AM speeds plug production for manufacture of composite boat molds

Hungarian manufacturer Rapid Prototyping transitioned its conventional foam milling process to 3D printing to produce faster, higher quality, recyclable foam plugs and composite boat molds.

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Economics

Composites market shows signs of stabilizing as future outlook brightens

Improving supplier deliveries and strong future business index point to opportunities ahead.  

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Composites One - distributor
prepeg and slit tape products