Ducommun Wins Apache Blade Contract
Friday January 30, 2004
Ducommun has been awarded a $24 million (USD) follow-on contract to manufacture main rotor blades for the Apache AH-64 helicopter. The Apache rotor blades are designed to withstand direct small ... Read More
Cargill Commercializing Soy Polyols
Friday January 30, 2004
Soybean polyol can form the basis for a wide range of polyurethane products, including foam, plastics and composites. Cargill could begin refining soy polyol for commercial use in as little ... Read More
Zonda Super-Car
Friday January 30, 2004
The Zonda super-car features a carbon fiber chassis and body. The 7.3-liter, V12 engine from Mercedes-Benz puts out 555 hp, and propels the car from 0 to 100 kmh in ... Read More
Forum: Accidents, Analysis, Storage and Machining
Thursday January 29, 2004
There have been several interesting posts in the Forum over the past month. A degree student is looking for information about several recent accidents involving composite structures, a new user ... Read More
HITCO Delivers A380 Carbon Composite Tail Structure
Sunday January 25, 2004
HITCO Carbon Composites, Inc. (HITCO) celebrated the delivery of the first operational ship set of the carbon fiber tail structure parts for the vertical tail plane of the Airbus A380. ... Read More
CAD/CAM Aids Molded Seat Design
Sunday January 25, 2004
Jacob Composite GmbH designed a lightweight rear seat for the BMW M3 CSL. The seat is molded from a foam core covered with fiberglass-reinforced thermoplastic sheet and then PP-fleece. The ... Read More
Decade-by-Decade History of Flight
Sunday January 25, 2004
Writer and aviator Michael Maya Charles takes a look at aircraft technology, one decade at a time, from the Wright Brothers to today. Composites became the material of choice in ... Read More
Composite Products at International Builders' Show
Sunday January 25, 2004
New products introduced at the International Builders' Show include several composite decking and railing systems, composite roofing systems, and even composite fasteners. The IBS Virtual Trade Show has links to ... Read More
Florida Boatmakers Merge
Sunday January 25, 2004
Florida Boat Works and Sonic USA have formed First Derivative Technologies LLC. Florida Boat Works' Dakota line will be manufactured using Sonic's lighter composites, increasing the top speed of the ... Read More
IkonMetal Composites
Saturday January 17, 2004
Ikonics Corp. has developed a new powder metal/resin composite that has the properties of a metal but can be etched by sandblasting. The new material, called IkonMetal composites, was ... Read More
Traveling Exhibit Highlights Cool Materials
Saturday January 17, 2004
Strange Matter, a new traveling science museum and exhibition and Web site, was developed to generate interest in the field of materials science. The hands-on exhibit targets 5th to 8th ... Read More
Future Warrior Relies on Nanomaterials
Saturday January 17, 2004
The Future Warrior program, a partnership between the U.S. Army and MIT, is a research project to showcase concepts for future battlefield gear. The latest demonstration makes extensive use of ... Read More
US Global Nanospace Appoints Chief Science Officer
Saturday January 17, 2004
US Global Nanospace, Inc. announced that Dr. Jiang Zhu of Rice University has been appointed Chief Science Officer for the company. Currently a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Rice University, a ... Read More
High-Volume Thermoplastic Valve Cover Saves Weight, Cost
Sunday January 11, 2004
Three 2004 Chrysler and Dodge models feature a high-volume thermoplastic valve cover, the first in North America. The cover significantly cuts weight and cost compared to the metal cover it ... Read More
New Glass Mat Thermoplastic Offers Enhanced Properties
Sunday January 11, 2004
SymaLITE GMT, and new glass mat thermoplastic from Quadrant Plastics Composites, offers 20 percent to 50 percent better mechanical properties than competing materials, and can be expanded to many times ... Read More
Wichita Looks Beyond Aviation
Sunday January 11, 2004
The city of Wichita (Kansas, U.S.A.) has long depended on the aviation industry for a large fraction of its jobs. Demand for aircraft is expected to pick up as the ... Read More
Low-Cost Asian Airlines Turn to Airbus
Sunday January 11, 2004
Low-cost, no-frills airlines are beginning to flood the Asian market, and they are looking to Airbus for their aircraft. The A319 and A320 are popular choices, and even the super-jumbo ... Read More
American Road Bikes Gain European Market Share
Sunday January 4, 2004
American road bicycle manufacturers are gaining a reputation in Europe for advanced technology and innovation, something they lacked a few years ago. Lance Armstrong's win of the Tour de France ... Read More
Washington and Wichita Split Center Funding
Thursday January 1, 2004
Both the University of Washington and Wichita State University will receive funding from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish a Center for Excellence in Advanced Materials. Washington is ... Read More
Low-Cost Composite Sailboat Spars
Thursday January 1, 2004
Maine Composites has developed a process that will cut the cost of composite sailboat spars in half. The process relies on two new machines: a computer-controlled router to cut the ... Read More