PLANTTOUR

Carbon Fibers

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.

Jeff Sloan
Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld

Plant tour: Joby Aviation, Marina, Calif., U.S. image
Fabrics/Preforms

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.

Marine

Plant tour: Avel Robotics, Lorient, France

From AFP hydrofoils to more efficient aircraft parts, Avel uses digital design, multiprocess production and a rule-breaking approach for complex 4D composites.

Carbon Fibers

Plant tour: AvCarb, Lowell, Mass., U.S.

Composites are often selected for their structural properties, but at AvCarb, innovation in carbon fiber-based products has driven fuel cell technology advances for decades.

ATL/AFP

Plant tour: ÉireComposites, Galway, Ireland

An in-house testing business and R&D focus has led to innovative materials use and projects in a range of markets, from civil aerospace to renewable energy to marine.

RTM

Plant tour: Dowty Propellers, Gloucester, U.K.

Transforming decades of design and RTM production reliability into more sustainable, next-generation composite propellers.

Carbon Fibers

Plant tour: National Institute for Aviation Research, Wichita, Kan., U.S.

NIAR, located at Wichita State University in the heart of the American aerospace manufacturing industry, has evolved to become a premier hub of teaching, R&D, creativity and innovation.

CompositesWorld's top ten plant tours of all time

The editors at CW have been lucky enough to visit many unique facilities over the years. These tours have provided an in-depth look into these company’s manufacturing processes and their of state-of-the-art equipment and technologies. Here are the top ten plant tours our audience took an interest in. 

Cara Decknadel
Digital Content Editor, Gardner Business Media, Inc.

CompositesWorld's top ten plant tours of all time image
Defense

Plant tour: Qarbon Aerospace, Milledgeville, Ga. and Red Oak, Texas

Veteran aerostructures Tier 1 transforms into 21st century leader in thermoplastic composites and multiple new markets.

Aerospace

Plant tour: Victrex Composites Solutions, Bristol, Rhode Island, U.S.

De-risking thermoplastic composites at industrial scale via hybrid overmolding.

Machining/Drilling

Plant tour: Bucci Composites, Faenza, Italy

A stalwart in Italy’s “Motor Valley” opens its doors for a discussion and exploration of the company’s history in composites manufacturing for high-performance cars and other applications.

Thermoplastics

Plant tour: ATC Manufacturing, Post Falls, Idaho, U.S.

ATC is at the top of the list when it comes to thermoplastic composites and aerostructures manufacturing. CW explains why.

Aerospace

Plant tour: Hexcel, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.

The scale, precision, speed and quality of carbon fiber manufacture has evolved substantially since the material’s modern introduction in the late 1960s. Hexcel offers a glimpse of the state of the art today.

Urban Air Mobility

Plant Tour: RUAG Space, Decatur, Alabama, U.S.

Out-of-autoclave composites manufacturing facility comes of age with first U.S.-made composite structures for the Atlas V launcher, and qualification parts for the Vulcan.

Materials

Plant tour: Middle River Aerostructure Systems, Baltimore, Md., U.S.

The historic Martin Aircraft factory is advancing digitized automation for more sustainable production of composite aerostructures.

Ginger Gardiner
Senior Technical Editor, CompositesWorld

Plant tour: Middle River Aerostructure Systems, Baltimore, Md., U.S. image
Construction

Plant Tour: Holland Composites, Lelystad, Netherlands

Balancing performance with affordable production, this industry veteran continues to explore composites’ infinite possibilities.

Aerospace

Plant Tour: Veelo Technologies, Woodlawn, Ohio, U.S.

Advanced materials company evolves from nanomaterials to multifunctional composites and processing solutions.

Epoxies

Plant Tour: STELIA Aerospace, Méaulte, France

Supplier of Airbus fuselage sections pushes boundaries of hybrid aerostructures production, assembly and thermoplastic composites.

Carbon Fibers

Plant tour: Meggitt San Diego, CA, US

This aerospace and defense fabricator upgrades to a larger facility and gets, in the process, a chance to rethink and optimize material, people and process flow. 

Plant tour: Composite Resources, Rock Hill, SC

Equipped to meet vertical needs with rapid turnaround, Rock Hill, SC’s Composite Resources has found the sweet spot between prototypers and large composites manufacturers.

Automotive

Plant Tour: Agility Fuel Solutions, Salisbury, NC, US

This systems integrator enables CFRP pressure vessel growth in commercial vehicles by combining composites and alternative fuel systems expertise.

Urban Air Mobility

Plant tour: Renegade Materials Corp., Miamisburg, Ohio, U.S.

Renegade Materials is known for high-performance prepregs for aerospace applications. Following its acquisition by Teijin in 2019, the company has expanded capacity and R&D efforts on a range of aerospace-targeted materials.

Hannah Mason
Technical Editor, CompositesWorld

Plant tour: Renegade Materials Corp., Miamisburg, Ohio, U.S. image
Carbon Fibers

Plant tour: Spirit AeroSystems, Wichita, KS

Spirit AeroSystems was an established aerospace supplier when it earned that distinction, winning the contract for the Boeing 787’s Section 41. Now its sights are set on the next generation of aircraft.

Molds/Tools

Plant tour: Tods Aerospace, Crewkerne, U.K.

Tods Aerospace, located in rural England, is part of the larger Unitech Aerospace manufacturing group and specializes in highly engineered aerospace defense structures.

Prepregs

Plant tour: Van Horn Aviation, Tempe, AZ

Van Horn Aviation seized a real opportunity in helicopter blades, with little composites acumen but big desire. The rest is history worth reading.

Urban Air Mobility

Plant tour: A&P, Cincinnati, OH

A&P has made a name for itself as a braider, but the depth and breadth of its technical aptitude comes into sharp focus with a peek behind usually closed doors.

Cutting/Kitting

Plant tour: FBM Composite Materials, Kiryat Gat, Israel

Tier 2 composites manufacturer FBM Composite Materials developed the right pill for a Boeing headache and became the sole supplier of 787-9 Dreamliner door surrounds.

Carbon Fibers

Plant tour: Elbit Systems Ltd., Haifa, Israel

Military and commercial tier supplier Elbit Cyclone maintains precision and quality as it continues growth in composites, complex assemblies and high-rate production.

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