Processes
Pultruders need some self-control
Pultrusion veteran Joe Sumerak argues that in today’s more-competitive global marketplace, pultruders can no longer afford to overprice their products to compensate for process and supervision inefficiency.
Read More
Chemical vapor deposition of diamond material helps reduce cutting time, increase quality for JSF wing skins
Who wouldn’t give $105,000 to gain $222 million? Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. (LMAC, Ft. Worth, Texas) did and in the process was able to fabricate dimension-critical aerostructures more efficiently, more accurately, and faster. LMAC is a major components manufacturer for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the
Read More
Formulating challenge: Creating better epoxies for vacuum-infused aerospace parts
More attention is being focused on fabricating processes for aircraft structures that can save time and money and improve efficiency while yielding high-quality parts. Historically, nearly all aircraft designers have assumed autoclave cure as the norm, despite the well-documented cost and time advantages of
Read More
Focus on Design: The promise of rapid manufacturing
Selective Laser Sintering technology and new materials abbreviate the design phase and produce a key part for a new motorcycle racing engine.
Read More
Inside Analysis: Simulating VARTM for better infusion
A resin flow simulation tool is helping to optimize liquid molding of aerospace parts.
Read More
SMC 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 More
Engineering Insights: Pedestrian Bridge Makes Case for Composites
Infusion molded deck incorporates high-performance core, which facilitates fast processing.
Read More
Inside Manufacturing: Multiphase Process Forms Complex Shapes
Manufacturer adds extrusion and injection molding to thermoplastic pultrusion process to produce corrosion-resistant threaded rod.
Read More
Robotic trimming radically shortens Corvette fender production cycle
Plasan USA (Bennington, Vt.) molds the Chevrolet Z06 Corvette’s front fenders with hand layed, autoclave-cured carbon/epoxy prepreg. Until recently, however, manual deflashing, trimming and drilling of the demolded parts consumed more than an hour to meet requirements for edge quality and fastener hole location
Read MoreCritical fiber sizing
To achieve desirable properties in composite components, adhesion between fiber and matrix must be optimized. Adhesion requires sufficient saturation with resin (wetout) at the fiber/matrix interface. To ensure good adhesion, attention must be given to fiber surface preparation, such as the use of a surface finish or
Read More
