Composites

A carbon fibre-filled polyamide (PA) 6.66 filament (Novamid ID1030 CF10) for three-dimensional (3D) printing has been launched by Royal DSM of Heerlen, The Netherlands.

Laboratory facilities for the recently founded ThermoPlastic Composites Application Centre (TPAC) have been opened in Enschede, The Netherlands.  

AMSilk of Planegg, Germany, is to develop composites reinforced with its artificial silk fibre and is working with Airbus of Toulouse, France, to explore the materials' potential for aerospace appl

A centre for the development of production processes, designs and pricing strategies for the manufacture of lightweight hybrid components, in particular for the automotive industry, has been opened

Thin ply prepreg and process automation developer North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) is opening laboratory facilities and a 300-m² cleanroom production area at its headquarters in Renens,

Scania Growth Capital of Södertälje, Sweden, is investing SEK35 million in its compatriot Arlöv-based Corebon AB, the developer of an induction heating method for curing composite parts.

Carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) oil control valves are being used by an Asian carmaker in place of conventional machined aluminium versions to reduce the weight and cost of its engine

Teijin Ltd  of Tokyo, Japan, is positioning itself as one of the largest suppliers of composites to the automotive industry with its acquisition of component manufacturer Inapal Plasticos SA of Por

A composite suitable for producing film-free canvas laminates, particularly for sailing sports, has been developed by sailcloth producer Dimension-Polyant.

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) of Preston, UK, unveiled the world’s first graphene-skinned unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the Farnborough Air Show 2018 in the UK on 16–22 J

The largest radial triaxial braider in the UK is currently being installed at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) to support the development of lightweight pre

Teijin Group subsidiary Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) is to invest approximately €5.1-million to install a sheet moulding compound (SMC) line at its facility in Pouance, France.

Teijin Frontier Co Ltd is to acquire J.H. Ziegler, a specialist in high-performance nonwovens based in Achern, Germany.

Kordsa SA of Izmit, Turkey, has announced the completion of its acquisition of two USA-based suppliers of custom-designed composite reinforcements for the aerospace sector.

An improved moulded inner dash trim part for a vehicle has been developed by Autoneum of Winterthur, Switzerland.

July was a busy month for Solvay of Brussels, Belgium, with the company signing extensions to contracts for the supply of its composites with Airbus, Spirit AeroSystems and Safran.

Magna International of Aurora, Ontario, Canada, collected three first-place awards at the 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Awards gala held in Dusseldorf, Germany, on 6

Software company MultiMechanics of Omaha, Nebraska, and composite additive manufacturing specialist Fortify of Boston, Massachusetts, (both in the USA)  have formed a partnership with the aim of  i

After working together for more than 20 years, composites supplier Hexcel Corp of Stamford, Connecticut, USA,  and distribution company Groupe Gazechim Composites are to establish a joint venture t

Fibre-based products manufacturer Domtar of Fort Mill, South Carolina, has bought a majority interest in lignin composites specialist Prisma Renewable Composites of Knoxville, Tennessee, both in th

The University of Maine (UMaine) has unveiled an innovative, rapidly deployable bridge system at its Advanced Structures and Composites Center in Orono, USA.

A reinforced thermoplastic containing electrically conductive fibres that allow it to be heated more quickly and evenly than is possible using conventional techniques is being developed by Toyota M

Lanxess of Leverkusen, Germany, is to open an applications development and technical services (AD & TS) laboratory for polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) in Latina, Italy.

Resins from Scott Bader of Wollaston are being used by NORCO of Poole  to manufacture unique 14-m-long canopies to be installed by  property developers St George on the One Blackfriars development

Unidirectional and biaxial glass-fibre reinforcements designed specifically for the manufacture of the long, thick laminates used in wind turbine blades have been launched by Ahlstrom-Munksjö of St

Filament winding equipment from Roth Composite Machinery of Steffenberg, Germany, is being used by Avio of Colleferro, Italy, to manufacture the carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) booster cases

A fabric reinforcement that enables composites made with it to avoid detection with radar has been developed by Richard Chi-Hsueh of San Diego, California, USA.

A facility for the manufacture of high-modulus glass fibre products is to be established in China by Chongqing Polycomp International Corp of Chongqing following the signing of a strategic cooperat

A single-ply textile support and reinforcement for rubbers and/or plastics has been developed by spinning company Gebrüder Otto.

Highly damage-resistant composites are being developed by researchers in the USA through examination of the mechanisms of crack resistance in the dactyl club of the mantis shrimp.

A lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) engine bay brace for the high-performance Audi R8 has been developed by the carmaker, materials supplier Hexcel and pullwinding specialist Secar

Waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are being transformed into high-performance composites by a research consortium in Germany.

A fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) laminate with high structural integrity for use as a planar body component for vehicles is disclosed by Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW).

The first vehicle from Volvo’s performance electric vehicle company, Polestar, will feature the extensive use of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP)—marking the first time the Swedish carmaker h

Composites from Rockwood Composites of Newton Abbot have been used to assemble the central core for the UK’s latest fusion device, the ST40 from Tokamak Energy of Abingdon.

A carbon fibre-reinforced bioplastic door leaf for rail carriages that is 35% lighter than aluminium alternatives while costing a similar amount to produce has been developed TRB Lightweight Struct

EconCore has installed a laboratory-scale extrusion and forming line for the manufacture of thermoplastic honeycomb cores at its research and development (R&D) facilities in Leuven, Belgium.

PolyOne Corp of Avon Lake, Ohio, has bought long fibre-reinforced thermoplastics (LFT) specialist PlastiComp of Winona, Minnesota, both in the USA.

A bio-based resin designed specifically to combat the fire risk that lithium ion batteries pose has been launched by prepreg supplier SHD Composite Materials Ltd of Sleaford, UK.

Hexcel of Stamford, Connecticut, USA,  has formed a joint venture with Chinese aerospace parts manufacturer Future Aerospace of  Sichuan Sheng to establish a materials testing laboratory in China.

An overmoulding process that can produce strong components with both soft and hard sections has been demonstrated by KraussMaffei of Munich, Germany.

Mitsui Chemicals Inc's joint venture with Idemitsu Kosan Co Ltd, Prime Polymer Co Ltd, intends to establish new production facilities for its Mostron-L glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (GFRPP).

A composite that spontaneously repairs itself after extreme mechanical damage has been developed for use in electronics by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

A range of strong and ductile glass fibre-reinforced polycarbonates (PCs) has been launched by SABIC.

A curing process that could reduce the cost, time and energy needed to produce composite parts compared with the current methods is being developed by researchers at the University of Illinois in C

A range of strong glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (PP) compounds is being launched by Asahi Kasei North America of Fowlerville, Michigan, USA.

A range of reinforced thermoplastic compounds that weigh 5–10% less than typical filled compounds, but demonstrate equivalent mechanical properties and similar shrinkage values, has been developed

A strong and flexible composite made from two different types of cellulose – one wood pulp and the other from the carcasses of a marine invertebrate – has been developed by researchers at the Natio