Design & Tooling
Tooling (2015)
Composite parts are formed in molds, also known as tools. Tools can be made from virtually any material. The material type, shape and complexity depend upon the part and length of production run. Here's a short summary of the issues involved in electing and making tools.
Read MoreTools for collecting, managing and using autocomposites data
As the composites universe expands into new markets and applications, resins and fiber reinforcements of many types are, increasingly, landing on the desks of design engineers who have little or no experience with composites.
Read MoreMaterials library seeks composites industry submissions
If you’re a designer for Adidas, Motorola or Toyota, where do you get information about cutting-edge material developments?
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Tensile testing composites: Simple concept, difficult in practice
Dr. Daniel O. Adams, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Composite Mechanics Laboratory at the University of Utah, and the vice president of Wyoming Test Fixtures Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT, US), takes over for his father, Dr. Donald F. Adams, as the anchor writer in CompositesWorld magazine's revamped CW Design and Testing column. First subject? The challenges of tensile testing unidirectional composites.
Read MoreHaydale acquires EPL Composite Solutions Ltd.
Graphenes and nanomaterials specialist Haydale will acquire EPL Composite Solutions, a specialist in the design, development and commercialization of advanced composites polymer materials in the U.K. and overseas.
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The Picture Frame Shear Test method
Dr. Donald F. Adams (Wyoming Test Fixtures, Salt Lake City, Utah) reviews the history of the Picture Frame Shear Test method.
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Turning data into gold
The composites manufacturing environment is awash in data. It's possible to harvest that data and start predicting problems before they occur.
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Ultrasound evaluation of prepreg impregnation levels
The Ultran Group has developed non-contact ultrasound (NCU) that can accurately assess prepreg level of impregnation (LOI) with implications for out-of-autoclave processing, inline quality control and even automated tape laying.
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Software Update: Simulation saves
A look inside the increasingly well-equipped virtual toolbox for composite design, analysis, and manufacturing.
Read MoreSoftware Update: Simulating a repair
CompositesWorld recently hosted a webinar with Altair’s (Troy, Mich.) Robert Yancey and Tim Harrell, structural analyst, United Launch Alliance (Centennial, Colo.), who discussed the use of Altair’s OptiStruct software to design a doubler repair patch for a rocket motor that was damaged with a gouge defect. “These composite components are very costly, so therefore if a manufacturing default happens, it is advantageous to fix the part,” explains Harrell.
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