Ginger Gardiner

Ginger Gardiner Senior Technical Editor

Aerospace

Leonardo and CETMA: disrupting composites for lower cost and environmental impact

Italian OEM and tier supplier Leonardo works with CETMA R&D to develop new composite materials, machines and processes, including induction welding for in-situ consolidation of thermoplastic composites.

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Thermoplastics

The industrialization of thermoplastic epoxy

Fast-processing composites that are strong yet tough, thermoformable, reformable, recyclable and even FST-compliant save cost in aircraft and rail equipment.

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Ketones

Electroimpact’s 6-axis continuous fiber 3D printer, one part of future multi-functional manufacturing cell

The Scalable Composite Robotic Additive Manufacturing (SCRAM) system 3D prints with continuous fiber tape or filament and seamlessly swaps end effectors for large-scale pellet deposition and CNC machining.

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Application

FRP profiles enable affordable aesthetic solution for unique residential architecture

The FRP profiles, manufactured by Italy-based M.M. S.r.l., allow easy fabrication and construction on-site in less than two days. 

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Automation

Conbility: Mass production of composite tape laminates

RWTH Aachen spin-off scales up production for low-cost, in-situ consolidated composites as inserts for lighter, cheaper injection-molded parts.

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Automation

Composites 4.0: Digital transformation, adaptive production, new paradigms

An evolving landscape of automation, sensors and AI software is not an end, but a means to achieve the cost, quality, efficiency and agility required for future manufacturing.  

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Aerospace

First all-CFRP fuselage in Mexico

UNAQ and RHEM Composites help produce body of third prototype for Oaxaca Aerospace’s Pegasus P-400T.

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Aerospace

ZAero project update

The 2019 final review demonstrated integration of an automated CFRP process chain: AFP inline inspection and rework, cure and resin flow sensors, part performance prediction and a decision support tool for line operators.

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Sustainability

Digital thread vs. digital twin

Visualizing the difference between digital representations and data flows and understanding the applications that are changing composites manufacturing and business models.

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Composites 4.0

Composites 4.0: Where to start?

Sensors, IoT platforms, data analytics — the tools for more intelligent, efficient manufacturing abound, but where to start is actually much simpler.

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Aerospace

No business case for reteaching robots

DLR Center for Lightweight Production Technology has developed an AI-equipped work cell where collaborative robots can switch from producing composite rear pressure bulkheads to fuselage panels without requiring reprogramming or retraining.

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Composites 4.0: Architecture and ontology

Adaptive systems, IoT platforms and apps, the need for 4.0 standardization and a new way to develop and certify composite aerostructures.

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