How are composites used in buses?

Opportunities for composites have arisen as more all-electric buses have been designed and developed. Like consumer vehicles, battery enclosures for battery-electric buses are likely to use composites for their light weight, design flexibility and tailorability to meet a range of property requirements. Several all-composite or partially composite all-electric bus designs have also been developed. Source: EV battery enclosure inspires material, process innovations

Are composites used in hyperloop designs?

Some! Several designs have included carbon fiber composite components in the pods and/or tracks for various prototype and competition models over the past several years. Source: Into the Hyperloop

MASS TRANSIT

Aerospace

Orbital Composites licenses AMCM technology

Additive manufacturing compression molding (AMCM), co-developed with ORNL, combines robotic AM and continuous fiber technologies to revolutionize high-volume composites manufacturing.

Grace Nehls
Managing Editor, CompositesWorld

Fabrics/Preforms

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.
#automation #electricvehicles

Automotive

SPE ACCE 2023 innovative parts competition is open for nominations

Any register conference participant may nominate original equipment, aftermarket or prototype composite parts for automotive, truck and UAM applications by July 30, 2023.

Mass Transit

SHD Composites backs Team BRIT disabled racing driver

Forty-one-year-old Paul Fullick seeks to make history with all-disabled racing drivers competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Mass Transit

Teijin Automotive Technologies supplies exterior body panels to Lotus Emira

The new premium sports car features exterior doors and panels made from Teijin Automotive Technologies’ compression molded TCA Ultra Lite material.

Recycled carbon fiber on the rails

Aiming to increase the cost-weight viability of carbon fiber-reinforced composite structural components in railway vehicles, a prototype rail bogie prominently features recycled carbon fiber.
#sustainability #focusondesign #autoclave

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Urban Air Mobility |

How Small Machine Shops Can Fight Supply Chain Problems

Supply chain disruptions are still presenting challenges in manufacturing. This article examines the effects on aerospace, automotive and medical industries. It also covers ways that machine shops can be successful securing work despite the challenges created by the supply chain.
#wingoftomorrow #space #medical

Videos / Podcasts

Automotive

3D Printed Cutting Tool for Large Transmission Part: The Cool Parts Show Bonus

March 23, 2023 - 12:30 AM EST

A boring tool that was once 30 kg challenged the performance of the machining center using it. The replacement tool is 11.5 kg, and more efficient as well, thanks to generative design.

Automotive

Teijin Automotive innovates core technologies for body panels

March 21, 2023 - 12:00 PM EST

The company’s latest Hexacore and Foam-A-Core products have been developed to meet needs for high impact, fast cycle times and low moisture absorption.

Mass Transit

8 Transformations 3D Printing Is Making Possible

March 14, 2023 - 12:00 AM EST

Additive manufacturing changes every space it touches; progress can be tracked by looking for moments of transformation. Here are 8 places where 3D printing is enabling transformative change.
#wingoftomorrow #space #windblades

Automotive

How AM Enables Cobot Automation for Thyssenkrupp Bilstein (Includes Video)

March 01, 2023 - 12:32 AM EST

The shock absorber maker has responded to its staffing shortages through extensive use of collaborative robots. In-house 3D printing makes this possible by providing the related hardware needed to complete the cobot-automated cells.
#composites4-0 #automation

Filament Winding

Hexagon Purus opens new U.S. facility to manufacture composite hydrogen tanks

February 02, 2023 - 6:00 AM EST

CW attends the opening of Westminster, Maryland, site and shares the company’s history, vision and leading role in H2 storage systems.
#wingoftomorrow #space #windblades

Automotive

Reinventing the Wheel with Robot-Automated CNC Multitasking

February 02, 2023 - 12:00 AM EST

One race team discovers how to efficiently manufacture a new wheel nut design for the next-generation NASCAR stock car with the help of a CNC mill/turn and a built-in robot.
#automation

Automotive

Lingrove plant-based ekoa composite featured in Hyundai Palisade concept vehicle

January 10, 2023 - 4:30 PM EST

Carbon-neutral biocomposite enables interactive doorspear with look and feel of wood while protecting trees, enabling transparency and capacitive touch for futuretech.
#sustainability

Carbon Fibers |

Automotive chassis components lighten up with composites

Composite and hybrid components reduce mass, increase functionality on electric and conventional passenger vehicles.
#electricvehicles #feature

Peggy Malnati Contributing Writer

Mass Transit

Frasle Mobility launches composites-focused brand Composs

A production line in Brazil will produce composite automotive fender and tail light components for truck manufacturers.

Carbon Fibers

The T.33 Spider: Another carbon fiber masterpiece from Gordon Murray

The legendary performance designer-engineer believes in purity of execution, and the T.33 Spider shows that the approach still drives him.

Mass Transit

Innoptus Solar Team uses Jetcam software to optimize production of solar vehicle

The world title-holding, Belgium racing team is producing its tenth composites-intensive solar car using Jetcam Expert nesting software.

Aerospace

SPE announces first keynote for ACCE 2023 event

Joe Summers, commercial director at Airborne and managing director at Airborne UK, will speak about composites’ role in electrification, automotive/aerospace crossover and urban air mobility.
#wingoftomorrow #space

Mass Transit

Lacks Enterprises supplies 2023 Dodge Challenger with carbon fiber wheels

High-performance wheels, optional for the powerful Demon 170 muscle car, provide greater performance and weight reduction for an improved ride.

Automotive

Classic Citroën vans reimagined using composites, AOC resins

Caselani Srl, with support from AOC Resins and designer David Obendorfer, retrofits close to 400 vans/year to meet modern needs and comfort for Type H car enthusiasts.

Automotive |

Pretend Your Audi EV Is the Prototype

While camouflage car coverings are meant to disguise surfaces of development vehicles, what Audi is doing to the RS e-tron will turn a whole lot of heads — and it is an electric vehicle that you can have in your own driveway.

Gary S. Vasilash Transportation Editor, Gardner Business Media