Sara Black

Sara Black Senior Technical Editor Emeritus

Fabrics/Preforms

Spread-tow fabrics: better than traditional reinforcements in aerospace applications?

There’s a lot happening in the area of spread-tow fabrics, yet aerospace adoption has been slow because of a lack of analytical tools and performance tests, particularly impact tests.

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Filament Winding

Engineering large-diameter underground pipe

A combination of design and new materials enhances pipe performance without adding cost.

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Oshkosh’s AirVenture 2016 included a big infusion event

The big annual airshow featured the on-site infusion of complete aircraft fuselages for two kit aircraft.

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Automotive

Composite tanks best stainless steel over road, rail and sea

One-piece, filament wound containers cost less, hold more, last longer.

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Aerospace

Electric power for aircraft on the horizon

As a general aviation enthusiast and co-pilot — my husband and I fly a Mooney on occasion — I have been closely following the news about the Solar Impulse plane and the team’s historic round-the-world flight, on solar power alone.

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Pressure Vessels

Structural adhesives: The basics

An adhesive is “structural” if it has sufficient strength to transfer or share loads between highly stressed components. Here's what that requires.

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Adhesives

Structural adhesives, Part II: Aerospace

Tried-and-true legacy epoxies are a must for aerospace composites, but usage is increasing with improved forms.

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Carbon Fibers

Not your average carbon fiber part

A Swedish industrial designer and artisan, Ragnar Friberg, contacted CW recently about a new project: a one-of-a-kind custom champagne glass and an accompanying storage cabinet that incorporates carbon fiber — along with a number of high-end materials.

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Aerospace

Boeing 787 assembly aided by automated positioning/joining

Massive composite components mated via motion control software.

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Aerospace

Thermoplastic composites in flight ... for decades

Thermoplastic composite airframe components parts have a surprisingly long history. Here's one of the earliest applications.

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Sustainability

Argosy International expands on Taiwan expansion

Argosy’s composites manufacturing services manager, Thibaud Brunel, recently agreed to answer some questions about Argosy’s activities in the APAC aerospace sector.

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Carbon/epoxy Cadillac hood

Automated process for prepreg hood inner/outer cuts weight by 20% and yields Class A exterior out of the autoclave.

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