CW Blog

Adhesives 3 Aug 2016

Additive manufacturing comes to composites fabrication

The use of continuous fiber in additive manufacturing systems is not trivial, but it is being done. As this fabrication technology evolves and matures, options for applying it in everything from automotive to aerospace to consumer composites will expand tremendously, creating a host of new opportunities for the composites industry. Read here for who is providing what kind of additive manufacturing technology for use in composites fabrication.

Carbon Fibers 29 Jul 2016

Sizing for carbon fiber

This sidebar to CW's August 2016 feature story on sizings for glass fiber outlines the current thrust of inquiry into sizings for carbon fibers.

Pressure Vessels 29 Jul 2016

Imagining the utility of IoT in our increasingly data-driven age

CompositesWorld's editor-in-chief Jeff Sloan imagines one potential outcome of the Internet of Things: inline composite part inspection.

Filament Winding 1 Jun 2020

Composite tanks best stainless steel over road, rail and sea

One-piece, filament wound containers cost less, hold more, last longer.

Automotive 28 Jul 2016

Carbon fiber lightens medical laser chassis

Reduced weight shortens surgical and diagnostic procedures.

Aerospace 28 Jul 2016

The FAA: Keeping up with aerocomposites evolution

Composite and metallic structures must conform to the same performance-based standard of safety.

Aerospace 28 Jul 2016

Follow the leader — or maybe not

The easy explanation for lack of proliferation of carbon composites is the “not invented here” syndrome.

Cutting/Kitting 27 Jul 2016

Bringing lean manufacturing to cutting and kitting

AGFM/GFM is developing a cutting and kitting system designed to maximize operator efficiency at the cutting table, and to minimize ply layup sequencing errors during sorting.

Workforce Development 26 Jul 2016

Electric power for aircraft on the horizon

As a general aviation enthusiast and co-pilot — my husband and I fly a Mooney on occasion — I have been closely following the news about the Solar Impulse plane and the team’s historic round-the-world flight, on solar power alone.