Out of Autoclave
A 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 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
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Fabric Forms Get Sophisticated
Closed molding applications and demand for greater design flexibility are driving fabric suppliers to create a variety of products that mix and match fibers, fiber forms, core and resin.
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Composite rigid inflatable boats adapt for hard work, safe play
Glass, aramid and carbon fiber composites reduce weight and enable modular design and construction of these versatile RIBs.
Read MoreComposites Polycon 2007 Preview
The annual ACMA/ICPA exhibition and conference revisits the Florida coast with expanded educational and networking opportunities.
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Inside Manufacturing: 45,000 Fan Ducts Per Year from RTM
Unique tooling technology optimizes closed molding process efficiency for volume production of industrial part.
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Paris Air Show review
The biennial aircraft showcase confirms composites as an established,permanent presence in commercial aircraft construction.
Read MoreCarbon fiber buys its way onboard
First used in one-off yacht and powerboat designs, where cost is no obstacle in the search for a performance edge in local regattas or around-the-world races, carbon fiber has since carved a niche in categories that were once the exclusive reserve of glass-reinforced composites, metals or wood. In applications as
Read MoreMarket Trends: Will advanced composites move into the marine mainstream?
The days when carbon fiber was just a material that gave wealthy yachters the chance to “hang more lead off their keels” have passed. While the marine carbon fiber market is still small, carbon is moving into a more diverse range of increasingly commercial, large-scale marine applications. The potential for growth is
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