CW Blog

Carbon Fibers

Software supplier aids parts producer with greater accuracy

Paul Crosby (Crosby Composites, Brackley, Northamptonshire, U.K.) says PowerMILL software, which converts CAD models to NC toolpaths for multiaxis milling, has helped produce F1 composite parts to levels of accuracy rarely seen in the industry.

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The Short Beam Shear test method for composite materials

Dr. Donald F. Adams (Wyoming Test Fixtures (Salt Lake City, Utah) suggests larger support and loading cylinders for the Short Beam Shear test method.

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Wind/Energy

Toray + Zoltek = potential game changer?

Consultant Dale Brosius, also president of Dayton, Ohio-based Quickstep Composites LLC, the U.S. subsidiary of Australia-based Quickstep Technologies (Bankstown Airport, New South Wales), sees the Toray buyout of Zoltek as a potential auto-industry game changer.

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Marine

Co-infused stringers and carbon fiber at Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show

Midnight Express Boats takes almost 4,000 lb out of its newest model, the 39S, with a switch to infusion and better optimized laminates.

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Aerospace

C-Series composite wing

The C-Series and Learjet 85 feature wing structures manufactured with dry fiber placement, but with cure in an autoclave. CW looks at how it's done.

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Aerospace

Toray makes waves with Zoltek purchase

Toray was already the largest carbon fiber maker in the world, and with Zoltek it not only gets bigger, but expands into new markets.

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Structural preform technologies emerge from the shadows

Not yet in full production, with one exception, all are aimed at accelerating composite part manufacture at fast automotive rates.

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Sustainability

Wind blades: Progress and challenges

Despite double-digit wind energy industry growth, turbine blade manufacturers and materials suppliers acknowledge a pressing need to reduce costs and innovate.

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Marine

Composite submarine camels win with long-term durability

U.S. Navy wisely opts for more expensive submarine moorings that maximize lifecycle cost efficiency.

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Construction

Manhole covers: Composites replace cast iron on university campus

Traditional cast-iron manhole covers are replaced on a college campus with composite versions manufactured by Fibrelite Composites (Skipton, North Yorkshire, U.K., and Pawcatuck, Conn.).

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Sustainability

Sewer system: Corrosion protection for buried odor-control ductwork

ECS Environmental Solutions (Belton, Texas) was contracted to provide odor control equipment and relied on Vipel vinyl ester resin from AOC Resins (Collierville, Tenn.) for more than 1,000 ft/305m of fiberglass ductwork and accessories.

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Sustainability

The positive consequences of regulating styrene

In 1859, Thomas Austin imported 24 wild rabbits from England and released them into the Victoria, Australia, countryside to provide animals for sport hunting.

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