Lightweight structural cores are used on aircrafts to reduce weight and increase payload and fight distance. This article discusses the classification of lightweight structural cores, namely, honeycomb, balsa, and foam. It reviews the four primary manufacturing methods used to produce honeycomb: adhesive bonding and expansion, corrugation and adhesive bonding, corrugation and braze welding, and extrusion. The article describes cell configuration and properties of honeycomb. It discusses the factors influencing specification of structural cores, including materials, size, density, mechanical properties, environmental compatibility, formability, durability, and thermal behavior. The article provides information on the benefits and concepts of a sandwich panel containing lightweight structural cores.

Brittle materials, such as ceramics, intermetallics, and graphites, are increasingly being used in the fabrication of lightweight components. This article focuses on the design methodologies and characterization of certain material properties. It describes the fundamental concepts and models associated with performing time-independent and time-dependent reliability analyses for brittle materials exhibiting scatter in ultimate strength. The article discusses the two-parameter and three-parameter Weibull distribution for representing the underlying probability density function for tensile strength. It reviews life prediction reliability models used for predicting the life of a component with complex geometry and loading. The article outlines reliability algorithms and presents several applications to illustrate the utilization of these reliability algorithms in structural applications.

Thin-wall gray cast iron (TWGCI) can be seen as a potential material for the preparation of lightweight castings in automotive engineering applications. This article discusses the most important challenges for TWGCI: cooling rate, solidification, macrostructure, microstructure, and chilling tendency. It reviews the tensile properties and thermophysical properties of gray cast iron. The article describes the variables that influence molten iron preparation: charge materials, melting furnace thermal regime, chemical composition, modification and inoculation treatment, holding time/pouring procedure, mold properties (mold temperature, thermophysical properties of mold and mold coating), and casting design.

Continuous fiber composite materials offer dramatic opportunities for producing lightweight laminates with tremendous performance capabilities. This article describes the kinematics of fabric deformation and explains the algorithms used in draping simulation. It discusses the basic components, such as laminate and ply, of continuous fiber composite. The article provides information on the core sample and ply analysis. It details producibility, flat-pattern evaluations, and laminate surface offset. The article discusses various interfaces, such as the structural analysis interface, the resin transfer molding interface, the fiber placement and tape-laying interface, and the laser projection interface.

Alloy 5005, available as architectural sheet and components, was introduced in 1935 to fill the need of the mobile-home industry for a lightweight, inexpensive, workable, corrosion-resistant siding material. This datasheet provides information on composition limits, mill product specifications, processing effects on physical and mechanical properties, and fabrication characteristics of this 5xxx series alloy.

The prepreg hand lay-up process is a versatile, reliable, cost-effective, and high quality process for fabricating large or small components. This article discusses the technique characteristics and applications of the process. It describes the stages involved in the process of lay-up, namely, lay-up definition, ply-kit cutting, layup, debulking, and preparation for curing. The article concludes with a discussion on the component properties and design guidelines of the prepreg hand lay-up process.

This article discusses the historical background of composite construction in recreational equipment and sporting goods. It provides information on the applications of composites in baseball bats, tennis rackets, and golf clubs. The applications of composites in bicycling, winter sports, aquatic sports, track, field, and archery equipment are also discussed.

Aluminum powders can be formed into components by several competing technologies, including powder metallurgy (PM), metal injection molding, powder forging, and additive manufacturing. This article explores PM methodologies that are being exploited to manufacture such components. It reviews emerging technologies that promise to offer exciting ways to produce aluminum parts. The article discusses the various steps involved in PM, such as powder production, compaction, sintering, repressing, and heat treatment. It provides information on aluminum production statistics and the wear-resistance applications of PM.

Portland cement concrete has low environmental impact, versatility, durability, and economy, which make it the most abundant construction material in the world. This article details the types and causes of concrete degradation. Concrete can be degraded by corrosion of reinforcing steel and other embedded metals, chlorides, carbonation, galvanic corrosion, chemical attack, alkali-aggregate reaction, abrasion, erosion, and cavitation as well as many other factors. The article addresses the durability of concrete by two approaches, namely, the prescriptive approach and the performance approach. In the former, designers specify materials, proportions, and construction methods based on fundamental principles and practices that exhibit satisfactory performance. In the latter, designers identify functional requirements such as strength, durability, and volume changes and rely on concrete producers and contractors to develop concrete mixtures to meet those requirements.

Honeycomb is a product consisting of very thin sheets attached to form connecting cells. This article briefly explains the construction, core characteristics, properties, and testing methods of the honeycomb structures. It discusses the special processes carried out in customizing the shape of core to fit customer's specific needs. The article provides information on the basic concept of creating sandwich structures and its corresponding aspects like material selection, design guidelines, and structural efficiency.

This article illustrates the polymer matrices used for composite materials. It describes the use of prepeg materials in manufacturing high-performance composites. The article discusses the various infusion processes for the development of fiber-reinforced composites, namely, resin transfer molding, vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding, and resin film infusion. It explains the composite- and matrix-toughening methods for fiber-reinforced composites, such as dispersed-phase toughening and interlayer toughening. The article concludes with information on optical microscopy, which provides an insight into the micro- and macrostructure of fiber-reinforced composites.