COMPOSITES EUROPE 2012 Blog

Airbus is outstripping Boeing. At the world’s largest aviation trade show held recently at Le Bourget near to Paris, the competition between the two largest aircraft makers for the custom of the airlines dominated the news coverage. The Europeans attracted 730 orders (418 of which were binding) to a total value of roughly EUR 50 billion whereas the Americans “merely” posted 142 orders (58 of which binding) worth EUR 15 billion.

The Airbus A320 NEO is to be launched in 2015 and consumes 15 percent less fuel than the current model (photo: Airbus/Fixion).

Read Full Post

Lightweight means to realize a weight reduction, with sufficient rigidity, dynamic stability and strength. This is to ensure that the developed components and structures fulfill their tasks safely over the period of use.

Read Full Post

The Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF presented a four-meter-high exhibit at the COMPOSITES EUROPE – which is equipped with sensor technology SHM-wing mock-up of a light aircraft.

Fiber composites offer special advantages because of their lightweight potential in the aviation sector. The lightweight advantages may be more complex because of the damage behavior in comparison with metallic materials therefore they are not always fully exploit. In the airline for example, the impact is from foreign bodies in composite structures is a particular risk factor, limits the applications and often leads to large safety factors that require a certain amount of oversizing. Sensors which recognize, for example in the wing not externally visible structural damage at an early stage can reduce the inspection effort. The operational safety of the structure is ensured by the design and inspections at regular intervals manually. Through automated monitoring with additional structure integrated sensors can be saved in future costs and weight.

Read Full Post

When the new Airbus A350 XWB (XWB stands for eXtra Wide Body) takes off on its maiden flight in two years time, this will also represent a milestone for the composites industry. 50% of the fuselage of the wide-bodied aircraft, which is being developed as a competitor to the Boeing 787, is made of composite materials. Last summer, Airbus purchased Read Full Post

Despite the increase in production capacities, the demand for carbon fibres continues to be far greater than the supply. This is evident from the annual market survey by the AVK – Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V. The worldwide capacity in 2007 is estimated to have been 55,000 tons. The applications are multifarious and consist primarily of the sports sector, wind energy, the oil industry, the automobile and transport sector as well as civil engineering. By 2010, an annual increase in the demand for CRP is predicted to be between 14 and 16 per cent. This is due to the development of new applications over and above the previous use. Current new developments can be found, e.g. with hydrogen tanks, although the main application continues to be aviation. Experts think that even though fibre production will experience a double-digit increase as expected, there will continue to be bottlenecks at least in the medium-term. Read Full Post

Block material is usually used for the manufacture of ultra firm, lighter weight carbon composites.  This involves the curing of a combination of epoxy resins, micro glass spheres and a curing agent in an autoclave.  When curing the pre-impregnated carbon fibres, a composite laminate is produced in the same shape as the original model.  This in turn forms the basis for the pertinent carbon component.  Epoxy based composite materials have become the norm especially for high speed use, for example in Formula 1.

Block materials are also becoming the norm not only in high-tech applications, such as those for speedy runabouts, but also in other industries.  In addition to the customary automobile industry, examples can also be found in railway and ship building as well as in aviation.  In addition, companies in the wind energy sector are increasingly relying on the blocks that are stuck together from slabs in defined standard sizes.  At the Composites Europe Trade Fair, which will take place in Stuttgart from 27 to 29 October 2009, high-tech as well as routine applications will be on display.

Read Full Post