Sara Black Senior Technical Editor Emeritus

Out of Autoclave 19 Jan 2017

Composite driveshafts in production vehicles

Perennially appealing to auto racing and supercar enthusiasts, the composite driveshaft, for a time, also found use, from 1980 though the early 2000s, on a few production cars and vans as well.

Materials Testing 11 Jan 2017

A better method of structural health monitoring?

Fibersail, a 2014 startup firm with offices in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Leça de Palmeira, Portugal, aims to change the current state of real-time structural health/shape monitoring for composite structures — initially, for wind farm operators.

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Out of Autoclave 22 Dec 2016

Acell roofing and panel systems: A revolution in construction

Acell’s patented molding technology combines sheet molding compound (SMC) skins and a core of frangible yet fire-resistant phenolic foam.

Weaving 12 Dec 2016

Durable composite pallet comes to market

Selective reinforcements paired with commodity materials, plus long-term partnerships, make this pallet concept a winner.

Aerospace 7 Dec 2016

Is supersonic flight making a comeback?

Boom Technology (Denver, CO, US), a 2014 start-up aircraft developer, is in the process of building the XB-1, a flying 1/3-scale demonstrator of its supersonic (faster than sound) commercial aircraft.

Construction 16 Nov 2016

Carbon fiber performs aesthetically and structurally

From the informative website called Composites and Architecture, hosted by Kreysler and Associates (American Canyon, CA, US), comes a unique use of carbon fiber strands.

Aerospace 9 Nov 2016

Is the market ready for another widebody aircraft?

This past week, the Airshow China 2016 event was held, from November 1 – 6 in Zhuhai, China. A notable outcome from the show, reported in several media outlets, was that Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) have advanced their plans for their collaborative twin-aisle widebody aircraft.

Adhesives 24 Oct 2016

This unique composite solution will make gas pipelines safer

Haydale Composite Solutions (HCS, Loughborough, UK) has developed a revolutionary composite “gas transition piece” for UK’s utility company National Grid. The composite piece fits around high pressure natural gas transmission pipes.

Pressure Vessels 7 Oct 2016

Innovative molding technology for high-performance apps

Composites are relatively new materials, and since their begining, able and motivated individuals have been diligently trying to make them better. A case in point is TEK-USA (Canal Fulton, OH, US).

Automotive 20 Sep 2016

Swedish show truck turns heads

Fifty-one years ago, Swedish car mechanic Sven-Erik Bergendahl, nicknamed Svempa, started his tow truck business with a 1957 Plymouth sedan that he transformed into a truck, and since then, Svempa has created eye-catching and souped-up tow vehicles for car and truck shows across Europe.