Materials
Deep draw: Unique laminate architecture enables bus part
For a major mass-transit manufacturer, Amtech LLC (Wapato, Wash.) successfully thermoforms a luggage cover with a remarkably deep draw of 40 inches (1,016 mm), using a laminate architecture that includes a top layer of 0.180-inch/4.5-mm gauge Grade 4800 thermoplastic sheet, supplied by Boltaron (Newcomerstown, Ohio).
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Cure for cratering: Gel coat perfected with design of experiments software
Resin manufacturer Interplastic Corp. – Thermoset Resins Div. (St. Paul, Minn.), a major gel coat producer, recently developed a new gel coat with the aid of Design-Expert design of experiments software from Stat-Ease Inc. (Minneapolis, Minn.).
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In new Corvette Stingray, another step forward for composites
Plasan Carbon Composites puts its "pressure press" process, developed with Globe Machine, to work in the manufacture of the hood and roof for the new 2014 Corvette Stingray, introduced last week at the Detroit Auto Show.
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TenCate's acquisition of Amber Composites a sensible surprise
TenCate, known for years as a thermoplastics specialist, is signaling more and more that it wants to move into new markets with new materials.
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An impec-able bike frame: Handmade by machine
Long on technology firsts, this optimized, automated manufacturing process produces nothing short of the “perfect” bike frame.
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Next-generation braiding for next-gen bike
When Grenchen, Switzerland-based Bicycle Manufacturing Co. (BMC) decided to braid the tubes for its impec racing bike frame, the use of carbon fiber and the complex tube designs and shapes prompted the use of radial braiding technology from August Herzog Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG (Oldenburg, Germany)
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A400M wing assembly: Challenge of integrating composites
The Atlas military transport’s decade of development has lighted the path for Airbus wing development on the A350 and future programs.
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Kinetic sculpture made possible with carbon fiber composites
Halo, an unusual wind-activated kinetic sculpture is realized with the help of Gurit (Newport, Isle of Wight, U.K.) and molder Innovation Composites (South Nowra, New South Wales, Australia)
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Bi-angle fabrics find first commercial application
Bicycle manufacturer sees dramatic productivity gains using unbalanced fabrics conceived at Stanford University and manufactured by Chomarat.
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Waiting for $5/lb carbon fiber?
HPC editor-in-chief Jeff Sloan suggests we say goodbye to $5/lb carbon fiber and expect that composites will earn their way onto autos by saving drivers money.
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