Composites

A glass bubble filler (Glass Bubbles S32HS) that enables the production of sheet-moulding compound (SMC) parts with densities of less than 1 g.cm^–3 and class-A-paintable finishes has bee

A unique high-pressure resin-transfer moulding (HP-RTM) and composite press facility at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Composites Centre in the UK is no

UK cabling specialist Rockford of Rendlesham is working with French composites manufacturer Equip’Aero Technique of L'isle-Jourdain to electrify composites for use in aircraft interiors.

An electrically conductive ceramic coating that enables vehicle manufacturers of hybrid and electric vehicles to use carbon or glass fibre-reinforced plastic composite battery casings has been deve

A range of glass fibre-reinforced polyamide (PA) 66 compounds designed to bridge the cost–performance gap between standard engineering thermoplastics and high-temperature-resistant speciality polym

A radial tyre reinforced with lightweight composite carbon fibre belt strips is the subject of International Patent Publication WO2018/063109 by Kordsa Teknik Tekstil.

A surface treatment for aramid fibres that improves the mechanical properties of rubber composites reinforced with them has been developed by Textilcord Steinfort (now Glanzstoff Textilcord) of Ste

A biodegradable composite made of silk fibres that can be used to repair broken load-bearing bones without the complications sometimes presented by other materials has been developed by researchers

A composite that gets stiffer and stronger when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been developed by researchers at the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) in Adelphi, Maryland, and the Univer

All engineered products within the nonwovens business of Johns Manville will in future be sold under the name of Evalith.

Recycled carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) can be used to increase the strength and toughness of permeable concrete, according to research carried out at Washington State University in Pullman

An attractive reinforced styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN) resin has been launched by Ineos Styrolution of Frankfurt, Germany.

An out-of-autoclave production process that could dramatically reduce the time and energy required for the manufacture of large carbon fibre-reinforced (CFRP) parts has been developed in Japan.

Composite reinforcements specialist Metyx Group is to establish a technical textiles division in the USA through the acquisition of a manufacturing facility in Ranlo, North Carolina.

A ±45° spread-tow, carbon fibre lattice that can be used to increase the torsional stiffness of a composite part while keeping weight low has been launched by Oxeon of Boras, Sweden.

A carbon fibre filament-reinforced thermoset part that can withstand temperatures of greater than 300°C has been three-dimensionally (3D) printed by researchers in the USA.

Toray Industries is to buy TenCate Advanced Composites (TCAC) from Koninklijke Ten Cate for €930 million.

Automotive parts supplier Magna Exteriors used JEC World (held on 6–8 March 2018 in Paris, France) to show a graphene-enhanced composite tailgate and to announce the opening of a developme

Covestro is to begin the commercial production of continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) at a facility in Markt Bibart, Germany.

ELG Carbon Fibre is to increase the recycling capacity at its facility in Coseley, UK, to satisfy increasing demand. 

A French consortium claims to have demonstrated the feasibility of manufacturing large, net-shape composite parts for the automotive industry on an industrial scale.

Carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastics from Lehvoss Group of Hamburg, Germany, are being used in the manufacture of the world’s first three-dimensionally (3D)-printed yacht.

Pultruder Exel Composites is to highlight its composite laminates developed for use in 5G data network-enabled city infrastructure at JEC World in Paris, France, on 6–8 March 2018.

The US luge team is using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology from Stratasys to rapidly and cost-effectively build and test carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) racing sleds that are tailo

An elastomer and metal-particle composite that automatically stiffens by up to 300% in response to mechanical stress has been developed by researchers at Iowa State University in Ames, USA.

Conbility GmbH is to develop and commercialize the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT)’s tape placement and winding systems, which consolidate composite tapes in-situ with

LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world, is to buy A. Schulman Inc for US$2.25 billion.

Following several years of working together, recycler ELG Carbon Fibre, and injection-moulding specialists Sanko Engineering and Tooling (SET) and Sanko Gosei UK have formalized their commercial pa

Thin-ply prepreg specialist North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) and watchmaker Richard Mille have signed a long-term collaboration and exclusive supply agreement, part of which will see NTPT expand it

Teijin is launching a range of polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) compounds made with resin technologies developed by Initz Co Ltd and is building a new resin plant in Thailand.

Kaneka Corp, via its wholly owned subsidiary, Kaneka Aerospace (KAE), has acquired the commercial rights, technologies and patents of Henkel's benzoxazine-based high performance composites business

A system for removing ice from wind turbine blades that would otherwise reduce their capacity for producing energy has been developed by Vestas of Aarhus, Denmark.

A centre for the development of fibre placement technologies for the manufacture of composite parts has been founded in Germany by SGL Group of Wiesbaden and the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, C

Honeycomb cores made from modified polycarbonates (PCs), polyamide (PA) 66 and polyphenylene sulphide (PPS), and the results of tests carried out on these materials, will be shown at JEC World

Thermoplastics compounder RTP Co is to open a 7990-m² manufacturing facility in Wroclaw, Poland. 

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) has granted Copro Technology GmbH the license for a cost-effective technology it has developed for the continuous roll-forming of carbon fibre preforms.  

A research project that will advance the understanding of the behaviour of composite tubes made from thin-ply prepregs is underway in Switzerland. 

The manufacture of glass fibre fabrics with defined carbon fibre reinforcements will be one area of focus on Karl Mayer’s stand at JEC World in Paris, France, on 6–8 March. 

Boeing’s composites-intensive 787-10 Dreamliner has been cleared for commercial service by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

SGL Carbon has sold its 51% shareholding in the SGL Kümpers joint venture to Kümpers GmbH and Franz-Jürgen Kümpers. 

A filament winding line for the series production of vessels for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has been set-up by Roth Composite Machinery of Steffenberg, Germany. 

An electrically conductive metallized nonwoven that can be used to protect composites from lightning strikes has been launched by General Nano of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. 

The European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) has added data for thermoplastics to its Eco Calculator, an online tool that enables the environmental impact of the production of a given compo

Mechanically bonded hybrid metal and reinforced thermoset components are to be developed as the result of a joint development agreement between Sumitomo Bakelite Co Ltd of Tokyo, Japan, and GRIP Me

Spread-tow carbon fibre fabrics from Oxeon of Boras, Sweden, have been used to produce high-performance skis. 

An intelligent heated tool can cure composite parts significantly faster and at half the cost of those cured in an autoclave, according to its developers in the UK. 

A glass fibre roving designed for use in thermoplastic composites, such as tapes and long fibre-reinforced thermoplastics (LFTs) where high heat resistance is required, has been launched by Johns M

General Motors (GM) of Detroit, Michigan, USA, plans to use carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) to make the beds for premium versions of its pickup trucks, according to a report in the Wal