Molds/Tools

Autoclave

Low-rate layup tools made cost-effective with high-density polyurethane foam blocks

Nemesis Air Racing, an air racing team and kit-plane company owned and operated by Jon and Patricia Sharp, use prebonded closed-cell, polyurethane foam blocks to build the Nemesis NXT.

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Maximum thrills: Minimal tools

Water slide manufacturer’s disastrous fire loss opens door to a closed molding process that reduces the number — and cost — of production molds, promising future gain.

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BMI

Tooling up for larger launch vehicles

NASA and Janicki Industries demonstrate composites’ cost advantage in tooling for fabrication of 10m/33 ft diameter payload fairing for next-generation launch vehicle.

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Automotive

Revisioning the Viper: Clamshell hood challenge

Autoclave-cured carbon-fiber prepreg hood/fender combo proves as technically formidable as it is visually stunning.

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Janicki Industries: Breaking the mold

Once known only as a toolmaker, Janicki offers unique precision, production capability and problem solving as it pioneers leading-edge composites technology.

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Defense

Building a better tail boom

Out-of-autoclave carbon fiber/thermoplastic demonstrator is a 30 percent lighter drop-in replacement for an existing aluminum design.

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Carbon Fibers

Faster cycle, better surface: Out of the autoclave

GM is first automaker to use Class A CFRP parts from new pressure-press technology.

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Construction

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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Autoclave

Pressurized Water-based mold temperature control comes to composites

HPC editor-in-chief Jeff Sloan details recent testing that gauged the comparative efficiency of electric, oil-based and water-based mold temperature control systems.

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Molds/Tools

Temperature control heats up

Faster infusion is one way to reduce cycle time, but another is faster cure, which typically requires an elevated temperature.

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