Reinforcements

Glass Fibers 31 Jan 2011

Bathware production: Feeder facilitates faster flow

Shower pans molder Just Trays Ltd. (Leeds, West Yorkshire) invests $1.6 million (USD) to improve its manufacturing processes, including the purchase of two of Model T5 Low Headroom Bulk Bag Dischargers from Spiroflow Ltd. (Clitheroe, Lancashire, U.K. and Monroe, N.C.).

Carbon Fibers 1 Jan 2011

Time for a new "SACMA"

American Fiber Manufacturers Assn. president Paul O’Day says it’s high time for a new “SACMA.”

Aerospace 1 Jan 2011

Supply and demand, redux

HPC editor-in-chief Jeff Sloan says carbon fiber producers and users need to re-associate.

Weaving 1 Jan 2011

Spread-tow fabrics reduce waveboard weight

Fanatic (Molln, Austria) recently introduced a new version of its windsurfing waveboard, called FreeWave TeXtreme, made with TeXtreme spread carbon tow fabric from Oxeon AB (Boras, Sweden).

Autoclave 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.

Out of Autoclave 1 Jan 2011

Out-of-autoclave prepregs: Hype or revolution?

Oven-cured, vacuum-bagged prepregs show promise in production primary structures.

Autoclave 1 Jan 2011

GKN A350 spar program update

Automated fiber placement to replace established tape laying/drape forming process for the composite rear spars on the new midsize commercial passenger jet.

Prepregs 1 Jan 2011

Drag racing champ wins with composite rear wing

A composite rear wing assembly built by Aerodine Composites Group (Indianapolis, Ind.) was critical to 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series champion Larry Dixon’s effort at the wheel of the Al-Anabi Top Fuel dragster.