Ginger Gardiner Senior Technical Editor

Out of Autoclave 28 Oct 2013

Co-infused stringers and carbon fiber at Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show

Midnight Express Boats takes almost 4,000 lb out of its newest model, the 39S, with a switch to infusion and better optimized laminates.

Aerospace 14 Oct 2013

C-Series composite wing

The C-Series and Learjet 85 feature wing structures manufactured with dry fiber placement, but with cure in an autoclave. CW looks at how it's done.

Pressure Vessels 1 Oct 2013

Wind blades: Pi preforms increase shear web failure load

Easily coinfused structural joint increases ultimate strength and fatigue life, offering solutions for designers as blades get longer and move offshore.

Weaving 2 Sep 2013

Tailored Fiber Placement: Besting metal in volume production

Affordable automated production of highly optimized preforms and parts.

Aerospace 2 Sep 2013

Tooling up for larger launch vehicles

NASA and Janicki Industries demonstrate composites’ cost advantage in tooling for fabrication of 10m/33 ft diameter payload fairing for next-generation launch vehicle.

Wind/Energy 31 Jul 2013

Modular design eases big wind blade build

First segmented composite blade increases power generation, eases installation and keeps weight and costs in check.

Wind/Energy 31 Jul 2013

In the process of designing its G128 wind turbine blade and the INNOBLADE segmented blade technology that simplifies its transport (see “Modular design eases big wind blade build,” under “Editor’s Picks,” at top right), Gamesa (Vizcaya, Spain) has introduced several innovative auxiliary technologies that reduce cost and simplify processing, particularly in the context of blade delivery and installation.

Aerospace 1 Jul 2013

Cutting the cost of integrated composite aerostructures

A unitized all-composite aircraft door concept is realized in one shot with no fasteners.

Wind/Energy 1 Jul 2013

Big machines, small tolerances

An examination of the lengths Janicki Industries (Sedro-Woolley, Wash.) goes to ensure dimensional precision in its massive CNC-machining operations.

Out of Autoclave 1 Jul 2013

Janicki Industries: Breaking the mold

Once known only as a toolmaker, Janicki offers unique precision, production capability and problem solving as it pioneers leading-edge composites technology.