H. Additive Manufacturing and Composites News

World’s first carbon fibre smartphone

A smartphone that sets new standards for lightness, slim design and sustainability has made its debut on the market – the Carbon 1 MK II from Berlin-based start-up Carbon Mobile. “Designed and engineered in Germany, the Carbon 1 MK II reignites miniaturization and drives sustainability in connected devices by replacing plastics and aluminium with advanced… Read more »

Perseverance rover takes composites to Mars

THE largest, most advanced rover NASA has sent to another world, Perseverance — and one that is supported by numerous composite materials and structures — touched down on Mars on 18 February after a 203-day journey travelling 293 million miles (472 million kilometers). Packed with groundbreaking technology, the Mars 2020 mission was launched in July… Read more »

The importance of fibre formation – fibre alignment in composites

When looking to invest in composite materials, potential users may assume that the fibres that determine the material’s performance can only be structured in a certain way. This could ring especially true for those who are accustomed to working with isotropic structures, such as those that make up steel and aluminium, where the material has… Read more »

CFRP use expanded in Porsche 911 GT3

ALTHOUGH the seventh generation of the Porsche 911 GT3 has an increased front track of 4.8cm compared with its predecessor, the curb weight of the 2022 model is still a light 1 432kg, and only slightly heavier (1.8kg) than the previous generation (1 430kg). That weight increase would have been much greater if the company… Read more »

New carbon fibre PPA could replace aluminum

BASF says that its Ultramid Advanced polyphthalamide (PPA) range now includes carbon-fibre reinforced grades with fillings of 20, 30 and 40%. According to the company, the new materials are suitable for lightweight parts that can safely replace aluminum and magnesium without loss in stiffness and strength and are electrically conductive. The reinforced materials also have… Read more »

Williams evolves composites-intensive EV platform

WILLIAMS Advanced Engineering in the UK introduced its FW-EVX electric vehicle (EV) platform in 2017, designed to give vehicle manufacturers a modular system with which to develop new vehicles. According to Composites World, WAE reports that it is applying this innovative modular platform for use in a series of EVs — sedans, sports cars, convertibles… Read more »

Rolls-Royce UltraFan aero-engine prototype

ROLLS-Royce has started building its first UltraFan prototype engine at its DemoWorks facility in Derby, UK, and is expected to complete the prototype by the end of the year. UltraFan, which the company says will be the world’s largest aero-engine and will contribute to sustainable air travel, features what will be the world’s largest fan… Read more »

New direct mould tooling technology for aerospace

SWISS company Decision SA, part of the leading European composites consortium, Carboman Group, and a specialist in the development, prototyping and production of large composite structures, has launched a new direct mould tooling technology for aerospace.  Decision’s latest tooling solution provides OEMs and manufacturers with short lead times for highly stable direct moulds for series… Read more »

Containerized 3D printing robots for AM wind blade manufacture

ORBITAL Composites based in the US, will collaborate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Maine to advance on-site, high-throughput manufacturing of wind blades with large-scale continuous fibre additive manufacturing via a $4 million grant from the US Dept of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Orbital notes that… Read more »

SA Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Awards showcase excellence

SEVERAL organisations leading South Africa into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) were recognized at the African Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Awards, presided over by the DTI at the Tramways in Port Elizabeth on 27 November. Awards were made to 11 organisations in six categories to identify, promote and reward innovation in the advanced manufacturing and composites… Read more »

Biocomposite of the year!

SIX candidates were been nominated for the ‘Biocomposite of the Year 2019’ award. Golden Compound from Germany won first place with its certified home compostable coffee capsules. KNN Cellulose from the Netherlands took second place with their biocomposite granulates made from recycled toilet paper. And Bcomp from Switzerland achieved third place with their powerRibs™, a… Read more »

Porsche launches low-volume production with bio-based materials

AUTOMAKER Porsche is leveraging the benefits of organic materials in automotive manufacturing applications. The new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport features body parts made of natural-fibre composite materials developed in the Application Centre for Wood Fibre Research HOFZET, part of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI, together with the Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites… Read more »

Iconic 60s replica racing roadster bodies built in SA

FOR classic car enthusiasts of the 1960s British AC Cobra® two-seater racing roadster, very deep pockets are needed to afford an original sports car. Back in 2001, world champion auto racers, Tony Martin and Reg Dodd founded Backdraft Racing Inc* to offer enthusiasts worldwide an affordable replica or custom built sports car based on the… Read more »

Recycling of wind turbine blades a composite triumph

THERE are more than 2.5 million tons of composite material in use in the wind energy sector with 130,000 wind turbines active in the European Union (EU) alone today. But as the industry develops, aging turbines will need to be replaced. In the next five years 12,000 wind turbines are expected to be decommissioned in… Read more »

Beautiful and functional – the role of biomimicry in additive manufacturing

By Prof Anton du Plessis, University of Stellenbosch ADDITIVE manufacturing technology, also known as 3D printing, has shown tremendous growth and development over the last few years. Today it is possible to print not only plastic prototypes, but serious functional end-use mechanical parts can be produced in a variety of material types including a large… Read more »

Lightweight rear seat shell in composite design

TEPEX continuous-fibre-reinforced composites from Lanxess are becoming established in large-scale production of various structural components for lightweight automotive design. One current example of this is the Audi A8. This sedan car is also offered with two electrically adjustable individual rear seats, the shells of which have been developed by Faurecia Automotive Seating and are manufactured… Read more »

High-volume, zero-waste process enabled by Hexcel moulding compound

A HIGH-performance moulding compound from Hexcel has been used to produce a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) transmission crossmember, using a zero-waste process ideal for high-volume manufacture. The automotive part is comparable with aluminum versions in terms of its performance and price, but could be 30–35% lighter. The transmission crossmember has been developed by Hexcel and… Read more »

On the path to industrialisation of pultrusion process

THE manufacture of vehicle parts made of composite materials instead of steel is a lightweight and therefore sustainable solution that reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This also applies to commercial vehicles such as trucks, which are used heavily on a daily basis. Carbon Truck & Trailer GmbH (CarbonTT) designs truck chassis from carbon fibre-reinforced… Read more »

Baakens River gets composite bridge

WORK is completed on the R8-million pedestrian bridge over the lower Baakens River to capitalise on the precinct’s mushrooming heritage, culture and outdoor activity hub. Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) spokesperson Luvuyo Bangazi said, in a first for South Africa, the 40-metre arch bridge is made mostly of new generation composite materials, creating a tourism… Read more »

Maiden flight of CFRP air taxi

LILIUM (Munich, Germany) has revealed its new all-electric, five-seater air taxi prototype, the Lilium Jet, which completed its maiden flight in the skies over Germany earlier this year. The structure of the Lilium Jet is nearly all carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), the company says, a key component of the ultra-lightweight design. The full-scale, full-weight prototype… Read more »

Beautiful and functional – the role of biomimicry in additive manufacturing

By Prof Anton du Plessis, University of Stellenbosch ADDITIVE manufacturing technology, also known as 3D printing, has shown tremendous growth and development over the last few years. Today it is possible to print not only plastic prototypes, but serious functional end-use mechanical parts can be produced in a variety of material types including a large… Read more »

SABIC thermoplastic materials at forefront of aircraft manufacturing

AIRLINES are seeking competitive advantages to be gained from the enhanced inflight experience – particularly in the form of increased cabin comfort – both in premium and economy classes. Additionally, airlines are looking to capitalize on product differentiation through strong branding and distinctive interior design. From an operational perspective, the ‘light weighting’ of aircraft components… Read more »

There’s a new carbon fibre filament in town

ROYAL DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living has recently launched a new carbon fibre filled grade PA6/66 filament Novamid® ID1030 CF10 for 3D printing. Despite the low carbon fibre loading of 10% – much lower than other carbon filled materials – it produces functional prototyping and industrial parts with properties… Read more »

Covestro and EconCore join forces in composites development

ECONCORE N.V. and Covestro are combining their technologies in order to produce strong and lightweight honeycomb panels with outstanding performance. One of the targeted key performance aspects is to comply with Fire, Smoke, Toxicity (FST) requirements for public transportation applications, including railway and aerospace. Covestro has developed and tested a wide range of polycarbonates and… Read more »

Advanced manufacturing awards to recognise and inspire SA’s innovators

LEADING lights in the field of advanced technology, including 4IR, will be acknowledged at South Africa’s official National Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Awards on November 27. The National Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Awards, co-hosted by South Africa’s Department of DTI and the national Composites Cluster, showcases South Africa’s capabilities and promote advanced manufacturing innovation in industry and… Read more »

Successful first flight for Stratolaunch

SOLVAY reports that the , the Scaled Composites Stratolaunch aircraft has been successfully flown for the first time. This twin-fuselage aircraft is reportedly the world’s largest aircraft by wingspan and was designed to air launch rockets into space. It features Solvay’s out-of-autoclave prepreg technology on the primary structure, while the company’s VTM 264 epoxy was… Read more »

Sicomin provide epoxy resins for revolutionary flying car concept

THE Antelope flying car with its sleek, futuristic design looks like something out of a science fiction movie, but the concept is far less pie-in-sky than several decades ago. Flying vehicles are being developed all around the world and could become the future of urban transport. The Antelope was designed by graduates of the Royal… Read more »

SKF unveils Black Design composite innovations

SKF’s Black Design concept is a unique technology that enables lightweight, high performance composite structural parts to be designed and manufactured for a much wider variety of aerospace applications, including structural cleats and products such as hubs and carriers that integrate bearings within the composite part. Black Design is a disruptive metal-replacement technology that makes… Read more »

Porsche rolling out carbon fibre wheels

SPORTS car specialist Porsche is bringing an all-carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic wheel to the market, saying it will be the first global automaker to offer the CFRP wheel when it debuts in early 2018 as an option on the 911 Turbo S Exclusive series. According to Plastics News Europe, at 8.8kg, the composite wheel is 20% lighter… Read more »

Full size composite replica Spitfire fighter aircraft for Lesotho

THE Spitfire Heritage Trust has recently completed a major project, successfully building from scratch an exact, full size ‘all fibreglass’ replica of the iconic WWII ‘Battle of Britain’ Supermarine Spitfire Mk VB (Type 359). Designed by Reginald Mitchell and produced from 1938-1948 at Supermarine Aviation where Mitchell was employed as an engineer, the original Spitfire… Read more »

Graphene sensor under development by research consortium

The Graphosite project, awarded funding by Innovate UK, is developing a high-sensitivity graphene sensor to detect defects in composite materials. A research consortium has been awarded funding by Innovate UK for the Graphosite project, aimed at creating a graphene sensor that will be able to detect defects in composite materials during both the manufacturing process… Read more »

Beautiful and functional – the role of bio-mimicry in additive manufacturing

ADDITIVE manufacturing technology, also known as 3D printing, has shown tremendous growth and development over the last few years. Today it is possible to print not only plastic prototypes, but serious functional end-use mechanical parts can be produced in a variety of material types including a large range of polymers, composites, ceramics and metals. While… Read more »

Solution to an architectural challenge!

FRASCADA Projects, a specialist manufacturer of composite architectural cladding panels using unique and innovative processes, recently completed a massive ‘floating yacht’ light fitting for the new Table Bay Mall in Cape Town using a unique product range called Decolite™. Decolite™ was introduced in 2002 by the company and has evolved into an industry standard for… Read more »

AMS ballistic protection solution defends against pirate attack

THE true value or quality of something can only be judged when it’s put to use – the results are what counts! Advanced Materials Solutions (AMS) in Stikland, Bellville in the Western Cape, recently received unambiguous evidence that their lightweight, composite ballistic protection solution for a series of wheelhouse structures installed on patrol vessels off… Read more »

Composites version of S\V14 may become reality

WHAT began as a philanthropic gesture to design a low-cost sailing keelboat specifically for disabled sailors, has morphed into a significant challenge and serious passion for Cape Town-based naval architects, Alex Simonis and Maarten Voogd of Simonis Voogd Design. It all started in October 2015 when Peter Jacops, a specialist inspector for the certification of… Read more »

Ultra-lightweight seat features carbon fibre structure made with 3D winding

AN innovative ultra-lightweight seat weighing only 10kg was presented to the public at the ‘Step Change in Lightweight Construction’ symposium near Trier in Germany. The innovative joint project involves a total of seven highly specialised companies from Germany and Austria. The feasibility study of the lightweight seat was developed in seven months as a joint… Read more »

Sicomin to redefine sandwich core infusion technology with launch of MaxCore

SICOMIN, a leading supplier of advanced epoxy systems is redefining engineered sandwich construction through the introduction of MaxCore. MaxCore is a new concept of sandwich core particularly suitable for infusion processes launched at JEC World 2019.  Fibre reinforcements are inserted in multiple orientations and are responsible for 100% of the mechanical properties of the core…. Read more »

SABIC thermoplastic materials at forefront of aircraft manufacturing

AIRLINES are seeking competitive advantages to be gained from the enhanced in-flight experience – particularly in the form of increased cabin comfort – both in premium and economy classes. Additionally, airlines are looking to capitalize on product differentiation through strong branding and distinctive interior design. From an operational perspective, the ‘light weighting’ of aircraft components… Read more »

High-volume, zero-waste process enabled by Hexcel moulding compound

A HIGH-performance moulding compound from Hexcel has been used to produce a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) transmission crossmember using a zero-waste process ideal for high-volume manufacture. The automotive part is comparable with aluminum versions in terms of its performance and price, but could be 30–35% lighter. The transmission crossmember has been developed by Hexcel and… Read more »

Additive manufacturing is one step closer to industrial production

ROYAL DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living has recently launched a new carbon fibre filled grade PA6/66 filament Novamid® ID1030 CF10 for 3D printing. Despite the low carbon fibre loading of 10% – much lower than other carbon filled materials – it produces functional prototyping and industrial parts with properties… Read more »

Covestro and EconCore join forces in composites development

ECONCPRE N.V. and Covestro are combining their technologies in order to produce strong and lightweight honeycomb panels with outstanding performance. One of the targeted key performance aspects is to comply with Fire, Smoke, Toxicity (FST) requirements for public transportation applications, including railway and aerospace. Covestro has developed and tested a wide range of polycarbonates and… Read more »

3D-printed pedestrian bridge installed in park

THE world’s first 3D printed plastic bridge has been installed in a Shanghai park serving as a physical landmark in the downtown park, as well as a landmark in large scale 3D printing. The bridge weighs 5 800kg and was printed in just over 30 days and is the first project to be completed by… Read more »

Solvay’s Torlon PAI enables durable, safe tools for cleaning composites

SOLVAY announced that Performance Plastics Ltd. chose Torlon® PAI for its expanded line of EnduroSharp™ Scraper Blades. Designed to remove tough materials from delicate fibre-reinforced composite surfaces, the latest additions to Performance Plastics’ portfolio include gap blades, gap filler removal bits and discs, as well as adhesive cutters and reamers. All of the new EnduroSharp™… Read more »