Processes

Wind/Energy 1 Apr 2011

Small wind: Green energy gets greener

Kilowatt-rated vertical axis wind turbines supply green electric power where utility-scale turbines can’t.

Adhesives 1 Apr 2011

Under the hood: Thermoplastics tackle tough jobs

Reinforced plastics save weight and cost, increase underhood productivity.

Automation 1 Mar 2011

Status update on composites automation

Consultant Carroll Grant reviews progress made in recent years toward greater variety in automated composites processing machine sizes configurations and capabilities.

Carbon Fibers 1 Mar 2011

Mae West: Pipe dream in Munich

Unique fiber architecture and mandrel-less filament winding process make “impossible” rotational paraboloid sculpture possible in carbon composites.

Adhesives 31 Jan 2011

Low-volume thermoplastics: Differential pressure molding

Cost-effective tooling and presses enable semi-automated prototyping and low-volume production of thermoplastic composites.

Workforce Development 31 Jan 2011

Single bagging can do the job

Mechnical engineer Peter Schwarzel (CarbonWorks, Coombabah, Queensland, Australia) comments on the “Engineering Insights” article in the CT December 2010 issue, titled “Double-bag infusion: 70 percent fiber volume?”

ATL/AFP 26 Jan 2011

Addressing the cost of aerospace composites

In the aerospace composites industry’s history, millions of research and development (R&D) dollars have been spent addressing cost.

Prepregs 1 Jan 2011

Performance requirements: CAI vs. OHC

John Russell, who manages nonautoclave research programs for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio), recently threw down the gauntlet at the Fall SAMPE conference in Salt Lake City, Utah: “Give us a 25 percent improvement in notch properties with no microcracking in high-modulus fibers.” While OOA prepreg suppliers can’t do much about fiber microcracking, Advanced Composites Group (ACG, Tulsa, Okla.) already has announced that its XMTM47 material will be commercial by next year, designed for 120°C/248°F service with the increased notched performance requested.