National Composites Week: Improving Lives

Pop.Up Next from Audi, Airbus and Italdesign is an example of an all-electric, fully automated concept for horizontal and vertical mobility. Source | Audi

As we celebrate National Composites Week, it’s exciting to consider some of the many ways the composites industry contributes to improving lives. Composites play a large role in the development of new aircraft from commercial airlines to experimental craft aimed at solving urban mobility concerns. Composites also play a role in light-weighting for automotive, particularly with the increasing development of electric vehicles.

Composite Advantage’s fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite pipe pilings are being used to replace aging timber fenders on bridges at New Jersey’s Cape May resort.

Source | Composite Advantage

Composites are playing an increasingly larger role in infrastructure and the safety of such structures as bridges. Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) is being used in the rehabilitation of aging and dilapidated bridges, as well as waterfront structures or anywhere that corrosion plays a factor in the lifetime of structures constructed of traditional materials.

This carbon fiber guide dog handle weighs more than 50% less than the previous version, offering more comfort to the guide dog as well as the owner. CW Photo | Scott Francis

Here are a few stories CW has reported on in the past few months that illustrate some of the ways composites contribute to improving lives.

About National Composites Week

National Composites Week was organized and launched by braiding specialist A&P Technology (Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.), global advanced composites company Hexcel (Stamford, Conn., U.S.) and CompositesWorld to celebrate the myriad ways that composite materials and composites manufacturing contributes to the products and structures that shape the American manufacturing landscape today.

Go to www.NationalCompositesWeek.com for more information, and to download a Host Guide, a sample press release, a sample letter to the editor and other templates designed to help participants develop and execute events and outreach at their facilities. Use the hashtag #NationalCompositesWeek during the week to join the celebration!