Ginger Gardiner

Ginger Gardiner Senior Technical Editor

Cutting/Kitting

Automated preforming: Intelligent automation in pick-and-place systems

Layups go industrial with hand-like grippers that can fold fabric or prepreg into corners and robot-mounted cameras that inspect from fabric to cut plies to fiber gaps in final preforms.

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Wind/Energy

Plant Tour: FiberCore Europe, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

From debond-proof bridges to cost-saving infrastructure rehab, InfraCore technology is establishing composites as the fourth major construction material.

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Carbon Fibers

First all-electric production yacht features carbon fiber construction

Leader in luxury yacht innovation commits to fossil fuel-less future

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Aerospace

Composites and metal vie for fuselage and driveshafts in "Racer" next-gen, high-speed rotorcraft

New compound helicopter demonstrator set to fly in 2020 with hybrid fuselage and flexible metal driveshafts for twin pusher turboprops but will trial carbon composite shafts by 2021.

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Bonding

bigHead, Cranfield University discuss Knowledge Transfer Partnership

bigHead Bonding Fasteners and Cranfield University have formed a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) focused on new joining technologies for composite materials.

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RTM

Automated Preforming, Part 5: Holistic Quality Optimization

Simulation and testing key to integrated approach for optimization of automated preforming, offering time and cost savings as well as basis for automated quality inspection.

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IBEX 2017 show report

Increased attendance and exhibitors despite Irma, continued delivery of latest in composite technologies for marine industry.

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Molds/Tools

Reconfigurable tooling: Revolutionizing composites manufacturing

Shape-changing molds eliminate tooling for large 3D panels while automated assembly fixtures go modular, using metrology to reduce cost and shimming.

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Infrastructure

High-speed, 3D winding of large, complex-shaped composites

Cygnet Texkimp is translating decades of fiber-handling and processing know-how into machinery that opens new opportunities for composites manufacturing.

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Recycling

Recycling VOCs

Passive reactor turns styrene and phenol/formaldehyde fumes into carbon dioxide and water.

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Automated Preforming, Part 4: Drapability Testing

Textechno discusses how this test works, the new German test standard and its benefits for composites

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Core

KraussMaffei doubles pultrusion speed and continued developing composites processes for large series production

New iPul pultrusion system doubles production speed while intelligent automation cuts cycle time in FiberForm and RTM processes.

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prepeg and slit tape products
Alpha’s Premier ESR®
Composite raw materials
Quickly Make Molds, Tools and Fixtures