Space
Low-cost methods realize high-concept Superbus
Multifunctional mass-transport vehicle concept takes shape via resin-infused carbon/epoxy and vacuum-formed glass-reinforced thermoplastic sandwich construction.
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Composites stabilize space-based telescope
Composite Primary Mirror Backplane Support Structure to hold James Webb Space Telescope’s thermal stability within extremely tight 38-nm dimensional tolerance.
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Prepreg forecast: Strong growth through 2013
Prepreg applications are on the rise in the composites industry as manufacturers in a variety of industries increasingly adopt this versatile material. Today, prepregs find use in commercial aerospace, military/defense, general aviation, space/satellite, marine, sporting goods, automotive, civil engineering, wind
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Composites enable micro air vehicle
Real-time sensing capability makes slow-flight VTOL MAV a "man replacement."
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Dust Collection: Expense or Investment?
Well-engineered dust control systems not only improve shop air quality but also boost productivity, prolong machine life and save energy.
Read MoreMarket Trends: The MRO challenge #x97; managing uncertainty
According to a recent report by Aerostrategy Management Consulting, spending by air transport maintenance and repair organizations (MROs) worldwide totaled $40.8 billion (USD) in 2006. Moreover, Aerostrategy (Ann Arbor, Mich. and Amersham, Buckinghamshire, U.K.) reports that spending on air transport maintenance
Read MoreOther fiber options
Quartz fibers, while more expensive than glass, have lower density, higher strength and higher stiffness than E-glass, and about twice the elongation-to-break, making them a good choice where durability is a priority. Quartz fibers also have a near-zero CTE; they can maintain their performance properties under
Read MoreFocus on Design: Solar-powered composite car designed to win
Three for three in Australia’s famed solar car race, university students from The Netherlands take this redesigned <420-lb carbon composite vehicle Down Under for number four.
Read MoreMarket Trends: Standing on the Threshold
In his book by the same name, Malcom Gladwell describes The Tipping Point as “that magical moment when an idea, trend or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips and spreads like wildfire.” After decades of strong growth driven by a desire for improved performance, high-performance composites have arrived at the
Read MoreComposites: Past, Present Future: Phenolics Revisited
Phenolics were the first commercialized thermosetting resins made from synthetic components. The earliest phenolic resin — polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, formed from phenol (carbolic acid) and formaldehyde — is credited to Dr. Leo Baekeland, a Belgian immigrant to the U.S., although German chemist Adolf von
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