Processes
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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Reinforced Thermoplastics: LFRT/GMT Roundup
Recent advancements in these reinforced thermoplastic technologies are expanding their performance, enabling new applications.
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Reinforced Thermoplastics: LFRT vs. GMT
As the suppliers of long fiber-reinforced thermoplastics and glass-mat thermoplastics battle for market supremacy, the winner is … the composites OEM.
Read MoreSpeaking Out: Composite Structural Design and Manufacturing ... the Times are A-Changin&'
In the early 1990s, I had the pleasure of working on one of the largest aerospace composites research and development (R&D) projects that has ever been conducted. The program focused on composite fuselage and wing structure for large aircraft. Designs were developed and manufacturing processes were demonstrated at
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Structural, Aesthetic Injection Molded Wood Fiber Components
Robert Joyce had extruded enough wood fiber composite sheet products to know that to achieve structural integrity, calendaring was essential. “I learned that pressure was important,” says Joyce, principal of Innovative Plastics and Molding (Lambertville, Mich.). He also knew that one of the unachieved goals of the
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Bonding Technology: Thermosetting Structural Adhesives
A wealth of epoxies, polyurethanes and acrylics speed assembly and cut manufacturing cost in an ever-wider range of composites applications.
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Market Trends: Composites Affordability Initiative, Part II
The Air Force Research Laboratory's Dr. John Russell continues an outline the U.S. Department of Defense Composites Affordability Initiative. Part II of a two-part series.
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Inside manufacturing: Dual-Laminate Pipe Comes of Age
Computerized pipe fusion and customized multimandrel filament winding equipment mass-produces nearly four miles of pipe for chemical plant in China.
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Inside Manufacturing: An autoclave for the 787 center wing box
Development partners overcome cultural and geographical challenges to ensure cure of this massive composite structure for Boeing's Dreamliner.
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Testing Tech: Adhesion testing of sandwich panels
In my three preceding columns, I discussed the testing of sandwich panels as unit structures. This included flexural and shear testing of beams and panels. However, such tests — and hardware components that are designed accordingly — will not produce the desired results unless the adhesives that hold these panels
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