CW Blog

Ketones 29 Jan 2018

Thermoplastic composite demonstrators — EU roadmap for future airframes

There is a TPC development roadmap in Europe, supported by Airbus and a variety of aerospace consortia, and involving almost every major aerostructures supplier in Europe.

Watch

Aerospace 29 Jan 2018

3D-printed composite wind blades and aircraft, closer than you think

Orbital Composites’ patented coaxial extrusion process is investigated at Airbus subsidiary CTC GmbH Stade and spins off advances in speed, scale, materials and multifunctionality as it aims for very large structures.

Aerospace 28 Jan 2018

CW Talks: Talking carbon nanotubes

CW Talks: The Composites Podcast, checks in with Joe Sprengard, president and CEO of General Nano, a manufacturer of carbon nanotube products for composites manufacturing, and 2016 winner of Boeing Supplier of the Year Award.

Workforce Development 26 Jan 2018

Composites bucking the market trend in M&A

During 2015 and 2016, the composites industry saw such impressive activity in mergers and acquisitions, it was perhaps to be expected that, in 2017, we would see a dip in transaction levels, especially given the global regulatory uncertainty and the impact that might have on larger, more complex deals.

Editorial 26 Jan 2018

Math, science, data and the composites industry’s future

My first plant tour as a business journalist was in February 1997. Fast forward to 2018 and suddenly what was old is new again.

Weaving 26 Jan 2018

Overmolding as enabler for composites, aerospace to automotive

CCP Gransden can make 50 to 100,000 parts/yr economically viable using PEEK, PPS, PEI or PA.

Space 25 Jan 2018

CW Talks catches up with Chuck Miller

The founder of tooling board manufacturer Coastal Enterprises explains how he went from engineering solutions for the the Saturn V rocket launch vehicle in the mid-1960s to making polyurethane boards for tool proofing.