Composites

A researcher at Clemson University of South Carolina, USA, has received a US$2 million grant to develop cheaper precursors for the production of carbon fibres. 

Giro Sport Design, based in Santa Cruz, California, USA, has launched a new cycling helmet – the Aerohead Ultimate MIPS – employing TeXtreme carbon fibre fabrics to create a light, strong and rigid

Hexcel Corp has made a strategic investment in Oxford Performance Materials (OPM), a producer of three-dimensionally (3D)-printed carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic parts.

A laser-based surface preparation process developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) could make joints between carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) and aluminium more robust and cheaper

Prepreg producer GMS Composites of Dandenong South, Victoria, Australia, has developed a flame retardant (FR) epoxy prepreg with high toughness and a relatively short gel time. 

The carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP)-bodied GT has become the latest Ford model to feature CFRP wheels. 

A plasma-based oxidation method that reduces dramatically the time and energy needed for the production of carbon fibre has been developed by RMX Technologies of Knoxville and the Department of Ene

A carbon fibre-reinforced polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) leading edge access door panel, made with recycled thermoplastic composites, has been developed by The ThermoPlastic composites Research Cente

Reichhold Group of Durham, North Carolina, USA and Polynt of Scanzorosciate, Italy, have agreed a merger that will create a global manufacturer of composite resins, coatings and other speciality ch

Dow Automotive Systems of Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA, has developed an injection bonding technique for use with its Betaforce composite bonding adhesives. 

EconCore and DuPont Performance Materials are working together to produce wide, strong and rigid honeycomb sandwich panels for the transportation, construction, leisure and energy industries.

A hybrid plastic–metal airbag housing with an integrated lead frame, co-developed and produced by Quadrant Creative Molding & Systems (QCMS) for automotive steering wheel airbag assemblies, is

As part of a significant growth programme, North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) is expanding its offering of conventional-weight prepreg following the installation of equipment at its facility in Zory,

The global aerospace ceramic matrix composite (CMC) industry is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9% from 2016 to 2021, according to a recent report from Lucintel. 

A natural fibre-reinforced acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) developed by ELIX Polymers of Tarragona, Spain, has picked up the 2016 Frost & Sullivan New Product Innovation Award. 

Aerospace composites manufacturer Albany International Corp of Rochester, New Hampshire, USA, has completed the acquisition of Harris Corp’s composite aerostructures division in Salt Lake City, Uta

Aliancys has installed a sheet moulding compound (SMC) line at its research and development (R&D) facilities in Zwolle, The Netherlands, which the company will use for joint development project

Aerospace composites manufacturer Albany International Corp of Rochester, New Hampshire, USA, has completed the acquisition of Harris Corp’s composite aerostructures division in Salt Lake City, Uta

Quickstep Holdings is entering the South Korean automotive market through a sales contract it has signed with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

A hybrid woven fabric that is highly permeable – making it suitable for use with resin-transfer moulding (RTM) processes – has been developed by Cytec Industries Inc (now Solvay Cytec Group). 

Custom compression moulder and compounder of sheet-moulding compound (SMC) R3 Composites of Grabill, Indiana, USA, has set up a subsidiary that will supply multi-material nonwoven products to both

A production method that could reduce the cost of carbon fibre by as much as 50% – and the energy used in its production by more than 60% – has been developed by researchers at the US Department of

A rapid curing epoxy resin, called MTR 760, has been developed by Solvay and has been used to manufacture the carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) bonnet for BMW’s M4 GTS.

Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi Rayon Co Ltd (MRC) to develop carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) structural components for t

A range of commingled yarns consisting of high-performance reinforcements combined with thermoplastic fibres to form a uniform mixed roving has been unveiled at JEC World, taking place in

Additive fibre spraying is a technology being developed in Germany as part of the iComposite 4.0 project.

Toho Tenax Europe GmbH has developed an integrated production system, from fibre to finished part, for making carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) components in a single step.

Johns Manville (JM) is to expand its glass fibre plant in Etowah, Tennessee, USA, to meet the increasing needs of the thermoplastics industry. 

SABIC has purchased a majority stake in fibre-reinforced thermoplastic unidirectional (UD) tapes producer Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastics (FRT) BV.

Albany International Corp has agreed to acquire Harris Corp’s composite aerostructures division for US$210 million, including the assumption of a $23 million capital lease. 

Toho Tenax of Tokyo, Japan, is introducing a flame-retardant (FR) thermoplastic prepreg reinforced with high-modulus carbon fibres.

Toho Tenax of Tokyo, Japan, is introducing a flame-retardant (FR) thermoplastic prepreg reinforced with high-modulus carbon fibres.

Revolution Fibres, based in  Auckland, New Zealand, has officially become the first nanofibre producer in the world to meet aerospace industry standards and is introducing its XantuLayr product as

Japanese companies Toray Industries Inc of Tokyo and Toyota Tsusho Corp of Nagoya are to develop a recycling process for carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRPs). 

An intumescent mat that can be activated on demand to provide protection without needing to experience the heat of a fire will be shown for the first time at JEC World in Paris, France, on

Effective from the beginning of 2016, SGL has formed a new business unit, Composites – Fibers and Materials (CFM), combining its existing activities in composites with those for carbon fibres for t

A large carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) aircraft component capable of structural health monitoring has been built by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as part of the Smart Intelligent Ai

Researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark are developing a chemical substance that could make it possible to recycle glass fibre-reinforced plastic components from wind turbines. 

Quickstep Holdings of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is to manufacture a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) air duct for use in Ford Motor Co’s high-performance Falcon XR6 Sprint. 

MarkForged of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, has launched an updated version of its Mark One three dimensional (3D) printer for the production of composites parts.

A lignin-based carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) car roof is being developed by researchers in Sweden.

North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) of Penthalaz, Switzerland, has won a JEC World 2016 Innovation Award for a thin-ply prepreg, which it developed to enable the manufacture of intricate watc

Hexcel and Boeing have celebrated the first flight of the 737 MAX 8 – the first member of Boeing’s 737 MAX family – which took to the skies near Boeing’s 737 Final Assembly plant in Renton, Washing

A trio of organizations in Sheffield, UK, are to develop metal composite hybrid anti-roll bars for trucks and trains.

Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) will receive an Innovation Award in the Automotive Exterior Parts category at JEC World 2016 for its multi-material boot lid concept

A shape-memory alloy (SMA) is being used by QinetiQ to improve the impact performance and damage tolerance of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRPs). 

Hexcel has revealed that its snap-curing epoxy-based carbon fibre prepreg is being used by BMW to reinforce the metal shell of the 7 Series’ B-pillar. 

GKN Aerospace has delivered the natural laminar flow (NLF) wing components it has developed for the Breakthrough Laminar Aircraft Demonstrator in Europe (BLADE) project.

A mass-producible carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) leaf spring for railroad trucks is being developed by Toho Tenax Co Ltd and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.