Processes

IACMI 14 Feb 2023

Thermosets vs. thermoplastics: Is the battle over?

Dale Brosius, the chief commercialization officer for the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) and a regular CW columnist, sees a shift in the industry from infighting between proponents of thermoset and thermoplastic composites to a healthier competitive atmosphere that serves to make composites overall more competitive with legacy materials.

Automotive 25 Jun 2015

Engel: Full speed ahead on composites R&D

CW attended the Engel Symposium 2015 and visited its Technology Center for Lightweight Composites in St. Valentin, Austria.

Fabrics/Preforms 1 Jun 2015

First all-carbon yacht a winner

Vacuum infusion with customized fabrics enables demanding yacht build

Composites Basics 1 Jun 2015

Understanding the influence of fiber orientation on structural analysis of fiber-filled parts

The effect of fiber orientation on material properties is a key way the injection molding process impacts mechanical performance. Doug Kenik and Angie Schrader of the Design, Lifecycle & Simulation product group at Autodesk (Waltham, MA, US) illustrates two ways fiber orientation influences the structural behavior of fiber-filled parts and discuss the need for a bi-directional approach to design and analysis.

Carbon Fibers 1 Jun 2015

Prepreg compression molding makes its commercial debut

Ultra-thin, preformed laminate designs enable CFRP decklid manufacture at lower-than-expected mass and at cycle times approaching mass-production speed.

Curing 1 Jun 2015

Out-of-autoclave processing: <1% void content?

Research sheds light on air and air-bubble behavior in OOA aerospace prepregs.

Injection/Overmolding 1 Jun 2015

Carbon fiber as a replacement for glass fiber in D-LFT auto parts

Research progresses toward attainment of 80-90% of continuous carbon fiber tensile modulus in lighter parts molded from direct long fiber thermoplastic compounds.

Aerospace 1 Jun 2015

The ends will be justified by the means

CW Editor-in-chief Jeff Sloan recalls the one question he's consistently fielded throughout his quarter century in magazine editing and publishing: “Don’t you worry about running out of things to write about?” Here's his answer.

Aerospace 5 May 2015