Design & Tooling

Deepsea submersible incorporates composite pressure capsule

Spencer Composites Corp. (Sacramento, Calif.) fabricates the inner carbon/epoxy composite pressure capsule for a submersible deepsea vessel the late Steve Fossett was to take to the depths of the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench.

Read More
Aerospace

The digital thread: Transformation to automation

Dr. Leslie Cohen traces the “digital thread” on which automation of composites fabrication processes depends.

Read More

Guide for Testing Polymer Matrix Composite Materials

Dr. Donald Adams offers insight into ASTM D 4762, a compendium of knowledge about standards relevant to testing polymer composites.

Read More
Carbon Fibers

Digital design, RTM update aircraft propeller

Second-generation type-certified propeller delivers for Cirrus Aircraft’s SR-22 at a more affordable price.

Read More
Glass Fibers

Building a bigger Big Wheel

Machining specialist scales up the 1970s icon, producing plugs and tools for an exact fiberglass replica at a Disney resort.

Read More
Bonding

Block shear strength of adhesive bonds

Dr. Don Adams describes two methods (ASTM D 905 and ASTM D 4501) for loading adhesive bonds in direct shear while minimizing undesirable peel and through-thickness tensile stresses.

Read More
Autoclave

Orion re-entry system: Composites displace metal

World’s largest heat shield updates metal design with out-of-autoclave process.

Read More
Marine

Integrated software: Streamlined hull & tool design

Although its reputation was solid, rigid inflatable boat (RIB) builder Planatech (Athens, Greece) recently sought ways to design new composite products and their corresponding tool sets faster, without compromising quality.

Read More
Carbon Fibers

Cost-effective carbon composite reflector dish

Modular manufacturing method forms different dish sizes with near mirror-perfect reflective surfaces, without resort to one-off tools.

Read More
Adhesives

Residential construction breakthrough: Composites find a home

Composite materials get the go-ahead for an unconventional but code-compliant California house.

Read More
Airtech
release agents, purging compounds, process chemical specialties
HEATCON Composite Systems
Airtech
CompositesWorld
American Elements
Alpha’s Premier ESR®
Composites One - distributor
Airtech International Inc.