Search Results for carbon fiber composites

From graphene to next-generation composites to 3D printing, advanced materials and processes are helping sportswear manufacturers, sporting goods companies, and sports medicine practitioners take their game to the next level. This special report reviews some of the most innovative technologies making an impact on today’s sports and recreation industry. Technologies addressed include graphene used in sportswear, new production methods for carbon fiber composites, and 3D printed implants to address knee injuries.

An ambitious automotive concept incorporates mixed materials in all major vehicle systems of a five-passenger sedan to achieve an overall weight reduction of 23%. This article explores the vehicle design and material usage details, system by system.

Coating development using cold gas spray technology demonstrates the feasibility of bonding polymers to metal substrates and metals to polymer composite substrates with good adhesion. The examples addressed are polyetheretherketone (PEEK) coatings on steel and aluminum substrates and metallic coatings on carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites.

This article compares two nondestructive test methods that are widely used to assess impact damage in carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Infrared line scanning thermography (LST) and immersion ultrasonic testing (UT) are shown to be equally capable of detecting delaminations and internal cracking caused by low-velocity impacts, although LST was easier to use and provided results more quickly that were easier to interpret.

This article discusses the capabilities of a compression test system developed to evaluate composite coil springs for automotive suspension systems.

Non-contacting extensometry offers a wide range of benefits in materials tests. Depending on the specific application, non-contacting extensometry may be the only option for strain measurement.

While today's composites encompass a broad and well-established family of materials, the commercial market for high-performance, structural composites has actually existed for well over 30 years. Adoption in the aerospace industry has resulted in a wide range of static test methods offering reliable results. This article reviews some recent innovations in composites testing, including developments related to fatigue testing, high strain rate testing, thermography, and high capacity test systems.

A brief literature review and case study explore the effect of particulate reinforcements and processing parameters on the tribological behavior of polymer matrix composites made by 3D printing via fused filament fabrication.

Today’s materials engineering leadership role is expected to expand and have a greater impact on evolving the organizational, technological, and strategic initiatives of original equipment manufacturers.

Materials testing systems must be robust and flexible, capable of determining the mechanical properties of a broad range of materials and components ranging from metals to composites and from plastics to natural, bio-based materials. This article provides an overview of electromechanical testing systems, servohydraulic systems, and vibrophores for high cycle fatigue testing.

Engineers at the Ford Motor Co. are using integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) tools, allowing them to accurately simulate the heat treatment of gears and predict phase transformation kinetics and distortion.

This article evaluates the sliding wear behavior of fiber-reinforced 7075 Al alloy composites. It explains how the composite samples were made and shows how different fiber materials, volume percentages, and orientations affect hardness and wear resistance. It also interprets wear test results and what they reveal about wear mechanisms in metal-matrix composites.

The use of braided reinforcements enables the creation of composite parts with an efficient fiber architecture and provides manufacturers with a material that results in fewer processing steps and less waste than woven alternatives. The article provides an overview of braiding machinery, braid materials, and properties of braid structures.

Custom multiaxial fabrics enable use of resin infusion to achieve challenging weight specifications. This article provides a case study of how one materials supplier worked with a yacht builder to achieve weight and cost savings by using both innovative materials and a unique manufacturing process.

During the 20th century, the use of aluminum alloys helped the Allied Powers win World War II and made modern global air travel possible. Continuous improvements in engine technology, alloys, and manufacturing methods enabled the development of practical and efficient aircraft with varying passenger capacity and range capability. Conventional wrought aluminum alloys make up 70-80% of the weight of single-aisle airliners. Aluminum sheet, plate, forgings, extrusions, and castings all continue to be utilized in modern aircraft construction. This article explores a brief history of the special alloys, tempers, and product forms required to meet the unique challenges of flight.

Consumer demand for greater fuel efficiency and a changing regulatory environment have stimulated substantial interest in alternative materials for passenger vehicles. Automotive manufacturers now have a wide variety of choices available, ranging from various grades of steel and aluminum to the most advanced lightweight composite materials. This article describes testing innovations introduced to keep pace with the use of new materials in automobiles.

Automotive manufacturers are making significant investments in the design and development of bioplastics and biocomposites-based components.

Measuring material properties is disproportionately more complex for fiber-reinforced composites than for materials such as metals and plastics. It is further complicated by more than 150 composite test standards in use around the globe. This article assesses the challenges involved in testing fiber-reinforced composites and presents a rational approach for specimen preparation, handling, and fixturing that can simplify testing and improve throughput without sacrificing measurement accuracy.

The evolution of carbon nanotube composites, as inspired by the Materials Genome Initiative, unlocks new potential for materials sustainability in challenging deep space applications. This article describes research and development work at the Institute for Ultra-Strong Composites by Computational Design (US-COMP), a NASA Space Technology Research Institute consortium. US-COMP has developed a novel composite material with mechanical properties per unit mass that exceed state-of-the-art structural composites.

Laser cladding applies thin deposits of hard or corrosion-resistant materials to surfaces susceptible to damage. This article discusses the advantages and drawbacks of laser cladding in comparison to thermal spraying.