CW Blog

Magnetic 3D printing the next generation of tailored composites

Fortify uses magnetic fields and digital light processing to produce tailored microstructures for high-resolution, 3D printed composite parts — and enables the next generation of multiscale, multifunctional composite metamaterials.

National Composites Week is born

National Composites Week will be held Aug. 26-30, celebrating the ways that composite materials and composites manufacturing contribute to today’s manufacturing landscape.

CAMX 2019 preview

CAMX 2019 will be held Sept. 23-26, 2019 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif., U.S.

Filament wound utility poles offer design flexibility

In Turkey, a utility pole manufacturer combines filament winding, automation, glass and carbon fiber composites to expand its product line.

Employment activity leads expansion in business activity

The Composites Fabricating Index for June 2019 came in at 52.7, continuing its stretch of more than 30 months of expanding activity.

Decommissioned wind turbine blades used for cement co-processing

An initiative to recycle wind turbine blades includes the use of recycled glass fiber composites for cement manufacturing, replacing raw material and saving energy.

Natural fiber enables e-bike for package delivery

New parcel delivery vehicle concept employs a natural fiber prepreg for low weight, vibration dampening, non-conductivity and flame retardancy.

Bigger, better, faster, more

Editor-in-chief Jeff Sloan considers the implications of propitious aircraft OEM announcements for the aerocomposites supply chain.

Combining plastics and composites for Class A parts without tools

Plastics Unlimited’s patented TEC process cuts secondary finishing and meets multiple demands for medium-volume parts.

Podcast: CW Talks interviews Achim Fischereder of Hexcel's automotive business segment

Episode 26: Achim Fischereder, Hexcel

Achim Fischereder, director of sales and marketing for the automotive business segment at Hexcel, discusses the state of composites in cars and trucks today and the outlook for the future.

Mechanical testing of textile composites

Standardized mechanical testing methods abound, but they often focus on composites with unidirectional layers. Here are some modifications to common test methods for testing textile composites.