Donna Dawson Senior Writer Emeritus
Spread-tow technology takes off
New, ultralight-areal-weight prepreg tapes form the thin-ply laminates will enable Solar Impulse 2’s sun-powered flight around the world.
Read MoreAirframers vie for shares in growing short-haul market
OEMs of aircraft with 150 or fewer seats exploit composites’ appeal to fuel efficiency-conscious regional air carriers.
Read MoreAll-composite ROTORwing prototype UAV
Composites enable construction, and handle unique VTOL loads, of unmanned aerial vehicles’ helicopter-to-airplane conversion.
Read MoreThe Curiosity Mars rover: Descent stage composites
Apart from the aeroshell that protected the Curiosity rover during its months in space and Mars descent sequence, only a few other parts of the mission’s descent stage were made from composite materials. Here, HPC identifies and describes them.
Read MoreComposites carry the Curiosity rover to a safe Mars landing
From launch to touchdown, composites performed in flight and stuck the landing!
Read MoreDesigning pressure vessels for seawater desalination plants
Safe high-pressure service challenges manufacturers of composite pressure vessels.
Read MoreU.S. crew and cargo candidate takes shape with composites
Crew-capable Dream Chaser to enable ISS transport missions from U.S.
Read MoreSwimming pools: Fiberglass resurfacing option extends useful life
GRC Fiberglass Coatings (Santa Rosa, Calif.) rehabilitates aging swimming pools in the U.S. and Canada using a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) approach first developed for steel and concrete corrosion protection in African gold refineries.
Read MoreComposites slake the world's thirst
As the global thirst for drinkable water increases, the composites industry is drinking in the tremendous possibilities in seawater desalination.
Read MoreComposite-cored conductors: Holding the line
After a decade of incremental inroads, two different composite-cored electric power transmission products are connecting with those who specify for the grid.
Read MoreCured in place pipe: Trenchless trends
A variety of CIPP products are enabling the rehabilitation, rather than excavation and replacement, of underground pipe for wastewater and drinking water.
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