Sheet Molding Compound
Materials & Processes: Fiber formats for composites
Fibers used to reinforce composites are supplied directly by fiber manufacturers and indirectly by converters in a number of different forms, which vary depending on the application. Here's a guide to what's available.
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Lower cost, less waste: Inline prepreg production
New technologies move direct (fabricator-based) prepregging closer to reality.
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2016 JEC World in Paris (Day 2): Composites in transition
The JEC Europe show has evolved over the past two decades into a very large and very busy convention, with a grown-up feel.
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Natural fiber composites: Market share, one part at a time
Suppliers and adventurous composites fabricators put the “feel good” aspect in the rearview mirror, winning customers by competing on price and performance.
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Low-density SMC: Better living through chemistry
Proprietary sizing, special glass roving and microspheres strip 9 kilos of weight from Corvette body panels.
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Wet compression molding
Automated process cuts cycle time and cost for CFRP parts with potential for 65% fiber volume via Dynamic Fluid Compression Molding variant.
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Turnkey manufacturing systems: Simplifying automated HP-RTM
Having offered turnkey systems for composites since the 1990s for sheet molding compound (SMC), long fiber thermoplastic (LFT) and glass mat thermoplastic (GMT), Dieffenbacher (Eppingen, Germany) now has automated systems for high-pressure resin transfer molding (HP-RTM).
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Turnkey manufacturing systems: Materials, markets and maturation
Automated production cells promise affordability and less risk in scaling up composites production, but are they really the path forward?
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Green resins: Closer to maturity
As more players approach the market, R&D expands, but overall market growth in the composites arena is still slow but steady.
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Structural adhesives: Plus ça change ….
A CW columnist and the chief commercialization officer for the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, Knoxville, TN, US), Dale Brosius makes the case that, in both the aerospace and automotive sectors, it’s time to develop robust adhesive alternatives to fasteners.
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