FABRICS/PREFORMS

Automotive

Bio-inspired EV underbody panel developed by TPI Composites, Helicoid Industries

Composite underbody panel for battery pack protection, made of stacked multiaxial noncrimp fabric, will serve high-volume commercial and automotive markets.

Grace Nehls
Managing Editor, CompositesWorld

Bio-inspired EV underbody panel developed by TPI Composites, Helicoid Industries
Real-time assessment of thermoset composites curing
Glass Fibers

Real-time assessment of thermoset composites curing

The combination of material state management (MSM) software and an encapsulated sample rheometer (ESR) enables real-time cure recipe management or cure model development inside the autoclave.
#troubleshooter

Alternate Text
Fabrics/Preforms

Plastics Unlimited completes facility expansion

A 30,000-square-foot expansion to the Preston, Iowa, facility adds assembly and warehouse space, thermoforming and composites manufacturing equipment and robots. 
#automation #discontinuousfiber

Fabrics/Preforms

Reliance Industries enhances polyester textiles with FRX Nofia technology

Polymeric phosphorus-based additive solution brings fire retardance and sustainability to Recron FS fabrics, enabling safe, responsible end-use applications.  
#sustainability

RTM

One-piece, one-shot, 17-meter wing spar for high-rate aircraft manufacture

GKN Aerospace has spent the last five years developing materials strategies and resin transfer molding (RTM) for an aircraft trailing edge wing spar for the Airbus Wing of Tomorrow program.
#wingoftomorrow #space #airbus

Preforming goes industrial: Part 1

Preforming goes industrial: Part 1

ATL and AFP-based preforming options now abound for processing dry and/or impregnated reinforcements as quickly as 1 minute or less with potential yearly part yields in the millions.
#outofautoclave #automation #windblades

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Joby Aviation plant tour, eVTOL fuselage assembly with technicians
ATL/AFP |

Plant tour: Joby Aviation, Marina, Calif., U.S.

As the advanced air mobility market begins to take shape, market leader Joby Aviation works to industrialize composites manufacturing for its first-generation, composites-intensive, all-electric air taxi.
#planttour #wingoftomorrow #space

Jeff Sloan Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld

Videos / Podcasts

JEC 2022 FRP rebar
Automotive

JEC World 2022, Part 3: Emphasizing emerging markets, thermoplastics and carbon fiber

CW editor-in-chief Jeff Sloan identifies companies exhibiting at JEC World 2022 that are advancing both materials and technologies for the growing AAM, hydrogen, automotive and sustainability markets.
#windblades #sustainability #wingoftomorrow

JEC World 2022, Part 1: Highlights in sustainable, digital, industrialized composites
Glass Fibers

JEC World 2022, Part 1: Highlights in sustainable, digital, industrialized composites

JEC World 2022 offered numerous new developments in composites materials, processes and applications, according to CW senior editor, Ginger Gardiner, most targeting improved sustainability for wider applications.
#sustainability #hydrogen #repair

Kevlar
Fabrics/Preforms

Difficult Materials Make Automated Fabric Cutting More Indispensable than Ever

With lingering supply chain shortages, difficult-to-cut materials like Kevlar and many others demand a more accurate and efficient cutting process. Automated cutting is the answer.
#customcontent

CosiMo: Smart thermoplastic RTM process demonstrated for battery box cover challenge simulator
Thermoplastics

CosiMo: Smart thermoplastic RTM process demonstrated for battery box cover challenge simulator

Project uses network of DEA, temperature/pressure and ultrasonic sensors plus digital simulation and AI modeling to monitor and optimize injection of caprolactam into complex glass fiber preform and in-situ polymerization of PA6.
#automation #windblades #electricvehicles

Robotic computed tomography – removing NDT barriers for composites
Aerospace

Robotic computed tomography – removing NDT barriers for composites

Radalytica uses collaborative robots, ultra-sensitive X-ray photon detectors and the ability to combine CT with ultrasound, surface profiling and other inspection methods to optimize composites part quality, production and reduce cost.
#automation #wingoftomorrow #space

Braided preforms and resin infusion for next-generation aerocomposites
Aerospace

Braided preforms and resin infusion for next-generation aerocomposites

Spintech shows significant cost and labor savings using its Smart Tooling, dry fiber preforms and RTM/VARTM technology on aircraft wing and inlet duct demonstrators.
#composites-basics #insidemanufacturing #braiding

Optimized fiber reinforcements, fabrics, NCFs
Carbon Fibers

Optimized fiber reinforcements, fabrics, NCFs

In this Digital Demo, Vectorply provides an overview of its fiber formatting capabilities and technical support operations.

Formnext Forum Austin
rendering of composite Artura rear floor from McLaren Automotive for ASCEND consortium
Mass Transit |

ASCEND program update: Designing next-gen, high-rate auto and aerospace composites

GKN Aerospace, McLaren Automotive and U.K.-based partners share goals and progress aiming at high-rate, Industry 4.0-enabled, sustainable materials and processes.
#automation #wingoftomorrow #space

Hannah Mason Technical Editor, CompositesWorld
Tri-Mack introduces thin, lightweight thermoplastic composite enclosures
Carbon Fibers

Tri-Mack introduces thin, lightweight thermoplastic composite enclosures

Durable, low-cost manufacturing support wide range of industrial uses, with option for embedded EMI shielding.  
#paek #peek #trends

Australia’s Gale Pacific, Deakin University to develop novel composite fabric 
Fabrics/Preforms

Australia’s Gale Pacific, Deakin University to develop novel composite fabric 

The technical fabrics manufacturer will harness research capabilities at Deakin’s Carbon Nexus facility to increase product range and applications.
#workforcedevelopment

Solvay expands Solvalite portfolio into automotive, invest in Xencor LFT production facilities
Automotive

Solvay expands Solvalite portfolio into automotive, invest in Xencor LFT production facilities

New fast curing carbon fiber and woven fabric prepregs target high-volume automotive applications such as body panels with optimized structural part performance.

Thermoplastics

Saint-Gobain, Roctool join efforts to boost composite 3D textile preform parts manufacturing

3D automated knitted preform layup technology and heat and cooling technologies for additional curing efficiency open a new window of application opportunities for composite and thermoplastic parts.
#automation #autoclave

Fabrics/Preforms

Saertex expands production range with pultruded planks for rotor blades

SAERplanks pultruded profiles, opening new avenues in the wind industry, comprise heavy-tow carbon fibers produced using a novel hybrid resin system for reliable performance, high productivity and minimum scrap rates.
#windblades

Fabrics/Preforms

Saertex opens production facility in Mexico for textile reinforcements

Saertex Mexico S.A. de C.V plant will begin production of multiaxial glass fiber noncrimp fabrics immediately, with goals to add production lines for expansion into wind power sector.
#windblades

Albany Engineered Composites woven LEAP fan blades
RTM |

Plant tour: Albany Engineered Composites, Rochester, N.H., U.S.

Efficient, high-quality, well-controlled composites manufacturing at volume is the mantra for this 3D weaving specialist.
#wingoftomorrow #space #planttour

Jeff Sloan Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld

NEW PRODUCTS: FABRICS/PREFORMS

CAMX 2022 exhibit preview: Microtex Composites
Fabrics/Preforms

CAMX 2022 exhibit preview: Microtex Composites

Microtex Composites presents Microtex-Style, a new composite fabric option to support creative part and structure customization for industry customers.  
#camx

CAMX 2022 exhibit preview: Composite Alliance Corp.
RTM

CAMX 2022 exhibit preview: Composite Alliance Corp.

Composite part design and fabrication is supported through standard and custom solutions with global tooling, machinery and service supplier Composite Alliance Corp.
#camx

CAMX 2022 exhibit preview: Teubert
CAMX Expo

CAMX 2022 exhibit preview: Teubert

Teubert highlights enhancements made to its continuous compression molding (CCM) system, including production scale-up, reducing required energy during production, live measurement of pressure distribution.  
#camx

The Gill Corp. announces novel Gillcore HF fiberglass honeycomb core
Glass Fibers

The Gill Corp. announces novel Gillcore HF fiberglass honeycomb core

High-temperature fiberglass-reinforced phenolic honeycomb core meets all AMS 3715 requirements with optimized moisture resistance.  

CAMX 2022 exhibit preview: Kastilo Technical Fabrics GmbH
Fabrics/Preforms

CAMX 2022 exhibit preview: Kastilo Technical Fabrics GmbH

Kastilo highlights its specialization in PTFE-coated fabrics and belts, including its Magic Surface film lamination coating and PTFE-coated Multiple fabric/belts.
#camx

AGY, Kaneka develop transparent fiber-reinforced composite
Glass Fibers

AGY, Kaneka develop transparent fiber-reinforced composite

The S-2 Glass fiber/epoxy material offers tunable transparency, low haze, good impact and mechanical properties.

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