Composites

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

A production cell capable of switching from filament winding (FW) to automated fibre placement (AFP) processes in a matter of minutes has been developed by Mikrosam of Prilep, Republic of Macedonia

Hexcel Corp of Stamford has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Aerospace & Defense (A&D) business of Oxford Performance Materials (OPM) of South Windsor, both in Connecticut

Chomarat of Le Cheylard, France, is to present two applications of its C-Ply multiaxial reinforcement for composites – a drone wing and a kayak – at the CAMX Expo in Orlando, Florida, USA,

Multiaxials producer Saertex USA has reorganized its processes at its facility in Huntersville, North Carolina, to assist in its growth in North American markets. 

A radiolucent, 30%-by-weight carbon fibre-reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has been launched for the manufacture of implantable devices by Solvay of Brussels, Belgium. 

An open-mould process for producing composites that automates the impregnating, curing and laminating processes while aligning the reinforcing glass fibres has been developed by two companies in Ja

Teijin is to establish a new carbon fibre production facility in Greenwood, South Carolina, USA, which will be run by a subsidiary, Teijin Carbon Fibers (TCF). 

Composites recycling specialist ELG Carbon Fibre (ELG) and Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) are working to ensure that as much of the yacht team’s carbon fibre process and end-of-life waste are

Electric GT has announced a partnership with Bcomp to replace some traditional carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) panels on its racing car with translucent natural fibre-reinforced alternatives

SGL Group is buying BMW Group's 49% equity investment in their joint venture SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers (SGL-ACF), which supplies the carmaker with carbon fibres for its i3, i8 and 7 Series model

Far-UK has sold its controlling interest in carbon fibre braiding specialist Axon Automotive Ltd to Bawtry Investments Ltd.

A range of reinforced compounds designed to address the unique requirements of large-format additive manufacturing has been launched by Sabic of Houston, Texas, USA. 

Solvay of Brussels, Belgium, and Strata of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), have formalized their joint venture (JV) to supply Boeing with advanced composite materials from a facility to be built