Ginger Gardiner

Ginger Gardiner Senior Technical Editor

Aerospace

Sixth Element: Lamborghini accelerates CFRP

The automaker’s R&D centers in Italy and the U.S. implement aerospace-inspired design philosophy to radically enhance the use — and the benefits — of CFRP.

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Sustainability

The PTC: Symptom of policy uncertainty

The U.S. federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2012, because Congress claims it cannot afford the yearly cost (estimated at $3.5 billion). Here's why Congress is wrong and who's really behind opposition to the PTC.

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Wind/Energy

WINDPOWER 2012 report

Continued technology-driven performance gains are overshadowed by PTC gloom and predicted Asian overcapacity.

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Infusion

The evolution of infusion

As resin infusion continues to infiltrate composites, fabricators across the market spectrum drive materials and process developments in pursuit of process control.

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Molds/Tools

Temperature control heats up

Faster infusion is one way to reduce cycle time, but another is faster cure, which typically requires an elevated temperature.

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Backgrounder: Proxima pDCPD

Materia Inc.'s (Pasadena, Calif.) Proxima, a completely new type of polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD) thermoset resin, is said to offer the same mechanical properties as, and better long-term durability than, epoxy

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Adhesives

Infused CFRP: New One-Design paradigm

The Farr 400 opens a new frontier in Grand Prix sail racing, with greater precision at lower cost.

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Marine

Sailboat building in the blood

Founded by Hannes Waimer, Premier Composite Technologies (PCT, Dubai, United Arab Emirates) is the latest incarnation of a family enterprise that has built Farr One-Design boats for more than 20 years.

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Composite fuselage helps HondaJet upend biz-jet market

CFRP composites enable unitized structure with low-drag aerodynamics that transform aircraft performance and reduce cost.

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Adhesives

Thermoplastic Wind Blades: To be or not?

Will future wind blades incorporate thermoplastic composites? It depends on whom you ask.

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Adhesives

Big parts? Big tooling breakthrough

Electrically heated carbon fiber/PEEK/ceramic tooling and powdered epoxy resin system could revolutionize production of large composite aerospace structures.

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Patented MECHTool system

Galway, Ireland-based ÉireComposites’ patented MECHTool (Mold Efficient Cooling and Heating) system was developed to replace traditional ovens in a number of thermoplastic molding processes.

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