Aerospace
The making of the BMW i3
CompositesWorld's tour of the BMW i3 manufacturing and assembly plant in Leipzig, Germany, offers a glimpse of one possible future of automotive production.
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Move over honeycomb, thermoplastic sandwich is commercialized as DYNATECH
PEI foam core/skin sandwich panels claim to save up to 40 percent weight and 30 percent cost in rail and aircraft interiors vs. honeycomb.
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License to speed for composites manufacturing
RocTool pushes composites into new markets with its high-speed induction heating technology for molding.
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UHT Unitech touts microwave graphitization process for carbon fiber
In an unusual departure from the norm, Taiwan-based UHT Unitech is graphitizing 3K to 48K T700-grade carbon fiber to make T800- and T1000-grade carbon fiber.
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SAMPE Europe highlights: Composites face challenges in next commercial airframes
Airbus Research & Technology presented a sobering outlook and emphasized the need for improved cost, manufacturing and robustness.
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A surge in seaplanes?
The current bright spot in general aviation might be in light-sport aircraft (LSA), and more specifically in seaplanes.
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Carbon fiber cryotank angles for a place in launch systems
Boeing has manufactured two carbon fiber cryotanks that are being evaluated by NASA for use in heavy-lift launch systems. They offer 30 weight and 25 percent costs savings.
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UAVs may deliver Internet access
Facebook is considering use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to bring Internet access to remote areas. The composites industry could be among the beneficiaries.
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Move over steel — Aluminum is now the target
Dale Brosius, a consultant and president of Quickstep Composites (Dayton, Ohio), observes that chasing aluminum as a competitor is a much easier task than chasing steel — if the composites industry can meet cost and volume requirements.
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Highlights: JEC Europe 2014
Composites enable high performance and lower weight in washtubs, wheelchairs and engine exhaust cones. Plus new, ultralight materials.
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