Design/Simulation
Designing for high pressure: Large-diameter underground pipe
Careful analysis is needed to ensure success of buried composite piping for industrial applications.
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Integrated, optimized aircraft door
This composites manufacturer is betting its one-piece 3-D preform and RTM process will trim weight from today’s fastener-intensive “black aluminum” aircraft doors.
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Ply placement: Largest laser projection system for wind blade manufacture
Following the recent installation of a 16-projector system for an aircraft fuselage application, Assembly Guidance Systems Inc. (Chelmsford, Mass.) recently delivered what it says is the largest unified laser-projection system of its kind, for wind turbine blade fabrication.
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Software enables submarine shipyard’s composites-for-metal effort
When Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (Kiel, Germany) looked for a software solution to reduce the risk of using composites for a greater range of thicker parts, FiberSIM software from VISTAGY Inc. (Waltham, Mass.) enabled its engineers to develop initial designs more quickly and to better understand the impact of design changes.
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Thermocouple innovation shortens autoclave setup for stringers/frames
ATK Aerospace Structures (Clearfield, Utah) trials a thermocouple system from TE Wire & Cable LLC (Saddle Brook, N.J.) called AccuConnect, which cuts thermocouple setup time from 2.5 hours to 20 minutes.
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Sea and land transport: Hydro elevation
Composites lightweight and toughen the hull and superstructure of this transplanted amphibious naval hovercraft.
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Self-deployable, composite satellite boom
Researchers design and validate a boom made of ultrathin carbon-fiber/epoxy laminate, using a novel, highly accurate analysis method.
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PLM software streamlines robotic cell development
FASTCURVE and FASTTIP, part of FASTSUITE from CENIT (Stuttgart, Germany), have been used successfully by Hyde Group Holdings Ltd. (Cheshire, U.K.) to optimize composite wing manufacturing.
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Concert hall composites: Acoustic alchemy
Massive composite acoustic structures will reflect and diffuse sound to heighten audio quality in a new high-profile performance space.
Read MoreTopology optimization
For Airbus (Toulouse, France), topology optimization is just one of many computer-aided optimization techniques that have been employed in the aircraft design process — and employed ever earlier — to reduce time and cost.
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