Ginger Gardiner

Ginger Gardiner Senior Technical Editor

Carbon Fibers

Compression molding: New materials and markets

From multifunctional aircraft interiors to compounds using continuous fabrics to the growing use of recycled carbon fiber – compression molding offers new opportunities.

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Seriforge: A new paradigm for composite preforms

Silicon Valley startup aims to produce complex 3D carbon fiber preforms with z-axis reinforcement at mass production scale using automated processing lines.

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3D-printed hybrid golf club head scores

Multi-material blend joins composite, titanium and brass.

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SMC 4.0

The story behind the supplier-orchestrated effort that eliminated unacceptable defects levels in painted Class A SMC exterior auto parts.

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Composites 4.0

CTC’s CEO on digital manufacturing for composites

The Composite Technology Center (Stade, Germany) advances composites production and sustainability through Industry 4.0 working groups.

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Aerospace

Hydraulic hybrids: Boosting fuel economy without batteries

Carbon fiber helps to lightweight hydraulic accumulators, increasing efficiency in hybrid vehicles and myriad other applications.

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Space

Automating NDT for CFRP aerostructures

Robotic laser shearography enables 100% inspection of complex, flight-critical composite structures.

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Automotive

Composites in Class A body panels: Evolution continues

Low-density SMCs lead the way as fiber-reinforced polymers make headway in auto components that must please the eye.

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Glass Fibers

Class A composites: A history

Composites have made a lingering and increasingly positive impression in the for exterior automotive body panels.

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Space

SpaceX announces COPV’s role in September rocket explosion

Buckles (voids) between carbon composite overwrap and aluminum liner in cryotank led to ignition of super chilled oxygen — will be fixed long-term via COPV design change.

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Glass Fibers

Hybrid steel/composite transmission gears

Scalable gear design trims heavy-truck weight, preserves wear life, controls cost.

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Aerospace

Plant Tour: Tri-Mack Plastics Manufacturing, Bristol, RI, US

Precision thermoplastics parts manufacturer expands into hybrid composites to help meet OEM demand for higher performance while trimming weight, cost and lead times.

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Composite raw materials