Search Results

High-pressure gas storage vessels represent one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for advanced composites, particularly for filament-wound carbon fiber composites. Although they are used in self-contained breathing apparatuses and provide oxygen and gas storage on aerospace vehicles, the primary end markets are for storage of liquid propane gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen gas (H₂).

Filament winding is a specialized technique used in composite manufacturing, involving the precise and automated winding of continuous fibers onto a rotating mandrel or mold. This method allows for the creation of strong and seamless structures, optimizing the alignment and orientation of the fibers to meet specific design requirements. Filament winding is employed in producing cylindrical or conical composite parts, such as pipes, pressure vessels, and aerospace components, enabling engineers to tailor the strength, stiffness, and performance characteristics of the final product.

Processes in composites manufacturing encompass a diverse array of techniques employed to fabricate composite materials. These processes include methods like hand layup, where layers of resin and reinforcement materials are manually placed, and vacuum infusion, where a vacuum draws resin into a preform. Other techniques like compression molding, filament winding, and automated methods such as 3D printing are utilized to create intricate and specialized composite structures. Each process offers unique advantages in terms of precision, scalability, and efficiency, catering to diverse industry needs. As technology advances, newer methods are emerging, promising faster production cycles, reduced waste, and increased customization, driving the evolution of composite manufacturing towards more sophisticated and versatile methodologies.

The wind energy market has long been considered the world’s largest market, by volume, for glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites — and increasingly, carbon fiber composites — as larger turbines and longer wind blades are developed, requiring higher performance, lighter weight materials. The outer skins of wind and tidal turbine blades generally comprise infused, GFRP laminates sandwiching foam core. Inside the blade, rib-like shear webs bonded to spar caps reinforce the structure. Spar caps are often made from GFRP or, as blade lengths lengthen, pultruded carbon fiber for additional strength.

Unfilled resin compounds decrease foam cell size and reduce resin uptake by the foam during manufacture for the creation of lighter, longer wind blades.

Denmark-based Fiberline says this transaction is its largest carbon fiber profile contract in the wind industry to date.

The company’s 12.8 million-square-foot aerospace manufacturing facility will be converted to Kansas wind-generated electricity.

The U.S. Department of Energy reports 7,599 megawatts of land-based wind installed in 2018, and 25,824 megawatts of offshore wind in various stages of development.

A group of European wind and chemical industry partners aims to broaden the range of recycling options for composite wind blades.

A 10-partner consortium has received funding for a three-year R&D project aiming at commercialization of sustainable techniques for recycling wind blades.

Lightweight, durable IsoTruss carbon fiber tower addresses high winds, snow and ice impacting remote Elk Mountain communications infrastructure.

Developers have establishd a domestic supply chain for critical components to make the 132-MW project located off of Long Island, New York a reality.

Demonstration machine can precisely slit and wind up to 48 tapes from continuous thermoset UD carbon fiber prepreg, with additional material compatibilities.

Ocelot, backed by more than 60 years of machine control systems, is McClean Anderson’s latest filament winding machine featuring the latest hardware and software technologies.