CW Blog
The Learjet 85: Large step out of the autoclave
HPC editor-in-chief Jeff Sloan examines the significance of the Bombardier Learjet 85’s first flight.
Read MoreThe promise of composites in automotive
The composites industry has for many years fervently sought a place at the high-volume automotive table. Now that that place appears set — thanks to unprecedented demand for vehicle lightweighting — the industry can’t help but wonder if the opportunity is a serious and sustainable one. Is this really the chance that’s been hoped for?
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Sun + composites = long-duration solar-powered flight
The Solar Impulse 2 solar-powered plane aims to fly around the world in 2015. Titan Aerospace's Solara 50 solar-powered UAV will provide Internet access for Google. Both rely heavily on composites.
Watch
The making of the BMW i3
CompositesWorld's tour of the BMW i3 manufacturing and assembly plant in Leipzig, Germany, offers a glimpse of one possible future of automotive production.
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Towerless wind turbine
Altaeros' BAT (Buoyant Airborne Turbine) prototype will be tested soon in Alaska. Remote settlements or communities far from the power grid pay dearly for electricity.
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Move over honeycomb, thermoplastic sandwich is commercialized as DYNATECH
PEI foam core/skin sandwich panels claim to save up to 40 percent weight and 30 percent cost in rail and aircraft interiors vs. honeycomb.
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License to speed for composites manufacturing
RocTool pushes composites into new markets with its high-speed induction heating technology for molding.
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UHT Unitech touts microwave graphitization process for carbon fiber
In an unusual departure from the norm, Taiwan-based UHT Unitech is graphitizing 3K to 48K T700-grade carbon fiber to make T800- and T1000-grade carbon fiber.
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SAMPE Europe highlights: Composites face challenges in next commercial airframes
Airbus Research & Technology presented a sobering outlook and emphasized the need for improved cost, manufacturing and robustness.
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Wind, coal and the cost of energy
The U.S. Congress is considering extending the renewable energy production tax credit, which bodes well for wind turbine manufacturers. But despite wind's dropping costs, we still live in a world oriented toward and dependent on coal for electricity.
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A surge in seaplanes?
The current bright spot in general aviation might be in light-sport aircraft (LSA), and more specifically in seaplanes.
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Carbon fiber cryotank angles for a place in launch systems
Boeing has manufactured two carbon fiber cryotanks that are being evaluated by NASA for use in heavy-lift launch systems. They offer 30 weight and 25 percent costs savings.
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