Out of Autoclave
Composites, chemistry and science
I met a guy in bar. We started talking composites. I learned some important things.
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Composites Polycon 2007 Showcase
Tampa show attendance is up despite slow economy. ACMA reschedules 2008 show.
Read MoreIBEX 2007 Breaks Boat Show Record
In Miami Beach, IBEX, with 900 exhibitors, produces its — and the world's — largest boatbuilding event.
Read MoreSMC Flexes Muscles in Other Markets
Often identified with automotive body applications, sheet molding compound shows growing promise in a variety of other temperature- and weather-resistant applications.
Read MoreFriction products: Carbon fiber stopping power
Low weight, thermal shock resistance, and extreme strength drive growth of carbon-reinforced friction products and materials in brake applications.
Read MoreA multitude of markets - 11/1/2007
The overall outlook for the composites industry remains healthy, driven by developments in the commercial aircraft market - the advent of Boeing's 787 and Airbus Industrie's (Toulouse, France) A380, the future arrivals of the Airbus A400M military transport and its mid-sized A350 XWB, and a host of general aviation
Read MoreResin infusion processes
Ever-increasing demand for faster production rates has pressed the industry to replace hand layup with alternative fabrication processes and has encouraged fabricators to automate those processes wherever possible. A common alternative is resin transfer molding (RTM), sometimes referred to as liquid molding. RTM is a
Read MorePart design criteria
Designers of composite parts can choose from a wide variety of fiber reinforcements and resin systems. Knowledge of material properties is a prerequisite to satisfactory product design, but cost is a major factor, as well. Over-designed composites cannot compete with lower-cost, established material systems. The
Read MoreResin matrices: Thermosets
Unsaturated polyester resins are the most widely used in commercial, mass-production applications, thanks to their ease of handling, good balance of mechanical, electrical and chemical properties and relatively low cost. Typically coupled with glass fiber reinforcements, polyesters adapt well to a range of fabrication
Read MoreTooling considerations
The molds used for forming composites, also known as tools, can be made from virtually any material. For parts cured at ambient or low temperature, or for prototyping, where tight control of dimensional accuracy isn't required, materials such as fiberglass, high-density foams, machinable epoxy "boards"or even clay or
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