Materials
Mining the potential of polyurethane composites
Pultruded rollers for mine conveyors outperform steel and portend a huge new market.
Read MoreOne-piece molded truck body uses customized resin formulation
When General Motors Corp. (Flint, Mich. ) opted to update its small Astro cargo van in 2007 concurrent with the introduction of new Colorado and Canyon light truck platforms, customers talked and GM listened.
Read MoreDielectric heating speeds honeycomb core manufacture
Many composites, particularly those made with glass or aramid fibers in a polymer matrix, tend to be inherently nonconductive.
Read MoreAircraft delays alter carbon fiber supply/demand balance
When Boeing announced in early December that it was officially pushing back the first flight and the first delivery of the 787 Dreamliner to second quarter 2009 and first quarter 2010, respectively, one of the first questions that circulated among our staff centered on the issue of carbon fiber supply.
Read More787 integrates new composite wing deicing system
The composite wing leading edge on Boeing’s Dreamliner features an integrated heating element that incorporates a sprayed metal conductive layer within the laminate stack.
Read MoreRestoring a museum masterpiece with composites
Carbon fiber/vinyl ester reinforcement extends the structural life of architectural and art-world landmark.
Read MoreWind Blade Manufacturing: Cost-efficient materials-based strategies
The wind blade’s four key elements — the root, the spar, the aerodynamic shell or fairing, and the surfacing system — have present unique manufacturing challenges that must be met with carefully selected composite material systems and molding strategies.
Read MoreShared composite material property databases
For more than a decade, NASA, FAA, industry and academia have been working toward the goal of creating a centralized composite material property database similar to that for metals. Their efforts, while productive, have not come with the war-like strength that the standardization of metals did. The composites industry is guided by Composite Materials Handbook 17 or CMH-17 (formerly known as MIL-HDBK-17).
Read MorePrepreg forecast: Strong growth through 2013
Prepreg applications are on the rise in the composites industry as manufacturers in a variety of industries increasingly adopt this versatile material. Today, prepregs find use in commercial aerospace, military/defense, general aviation, space/satellite, marine, sporting goods, automotive, civil engineering, wind
Read MorePolyurethane long fiber technology (LFT) replaces wood in spa surround
To many consumers, the thought of a relaxing soak in a hot tub is mighty appealing — but the thought of spa maintenance, particularly replacing rotted wood in the spa's cabinet-like enclosure, probably isn't. For spa manufacturer Clearwater Spas (Woodinville, Wash.), that reality and the fact that building decorativ
Read More
