Out of Autoclave
Inside R and D: A-VaRTM takes flight in Japan
Tests show out-of-autoclave process can reduce costs on new regional jet.
Read MorePultruding cost out of aerospace parts
Design-for-manufacturing effort proves to be cost-effective for carbon/epoxy airfoil on expendable UAV.
Read MoreJEC Composites 2009/SAMPE Europe preview
Organizers predict good turnout in poor economy for annual Paris tradeshow.
Read MoreIs it really low-tech vs. high tech?
I’ll bet that a lot of folks who read this column regularly — assuming I’m lucky and lots of folks are reading — have spent their entire careers working with E-glass without ever thinking they were high-performance geeks, too. To them, welcome to the club!
Read MoreLow-cost methods realize high-concept Superbus
Multifunctional mass-transport vehicle concept takes shape via resin-infused carbon/epoxy and vacuum-formed glass-reinforced thermoplastic sandwich construction.
Read MoreNAIA 2009 show highlights
The Detroit auto exhibition’s hybrid and electric vehicle introductions underscore the need for lightweighting with low investment cost, which composites can provide.
Read MoreComposites ride and support the rails
Increased ridership and heavier axle loads on rail systems around the world signal a potential boon for composites.
Read MoreFiber reinforcement forms
Rovings, the most common form of glass, can be chopped, woven or otherwise processed to create secondary fiber forms for composite manufacturing, such as mats, woven fabrics, braids, knitted fabrics and hybrid fabrics. Rovings are supplied by weight, with a specified filament diameter. The term yield is commonly used
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 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.
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