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Materials

Altair Honors Innovations in Automotive Lightweighting and Sustainability

General Motors engineers opted for a battery structure comprised entirely of high-performance polymeric materials for the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray’s hybrid...

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Briefs
Manned Systems

‘Nanostitches’ Enable Lighter and Tougher Composite Materials

To save on fuel and reduce aircraft emissions, engineers are looking to build lighter, stronger airplanes out of advanced composites. These engineered materials are made from high-performance fibers that are embedded in polymer sheets. The sheets can be stacked and pressed into one multilayered material and made into extremely lightweight and durable structures.

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Articles
Materials

Aerospace Production: Overcoming Challenges in Composite Machining

Composite materials play an important role in aerospace manufacturing. The light weight, durability and ability to create complex shapes from molds make these materials ideal for frames and structural components that enable lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft.

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Articles
Test & Measurement

Ensure Aerospace Composite Quality with Force Measurement, Material Testing

Force measurement and material testing is an essential process for product designers and manufacturers to ensure part integrity, and to gain insightful data for creating the highest quality composite components.

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News
Materials

SPE Names 2023’s Best Automotive Plastics Innovations

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) in early November, 2023 announced the winners of the 52nd annual Automotive Innovation Awards Gala (IAG). The annual competition highlights...

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Briefs
Materials

Towards Sustainable Recycling of Epoxy-Based Polymers: Approaches and Challenges of Epoxy Biodegradation

Epoxy polymers are widely used in various industries. However, the disposal of epoxy polymers and composites thereof has become a significant concern due to their recalcitrant nature and the adverse environmental effects caused by traditional recycling methods.

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Briefs
Materials

Composite Repair Engineering Case Studies for U.S. Army Aerostructures

As technologies develop, aircraft mature, and strides are made in advanced materials development and analysis, aircraft have increased use of advanced composites within the aerostructure. These advanced materials are now being used in highly loaded structures, including aerodynamic profiles.

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Application Briefs
RF & Microwave Electronics

PHASA-35 Stratospheric Flight

British engineers have successfully completed a stratospheric flight trial of BAE Systems’ High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) - PHASA-35.

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News
Green Design & Manufacturing

Recaro Pioneers Seating Shells Made with CF Recyclate

The green flag is about to drop on an auto-racing first: a seat shell infused with recycled carbon fiber.

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Briefs
Aerospace

Deep Reinforcement Learning Achieves Multifunctional Morphing Airfoil Control

Uncrewed aerial vehicles are growing in popularity for both civilian and military applications, which makes improving their efficiency an attractive objective.

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Technical Innovation
Energy

Liebherr Reveals ‘Hybrid’ CFRP Cylinders and Parallel-Pump Concept

Reducing weight from components and systems is a major trend in passenger vehicles to boost fuel efficiency and driving range.

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Briefs
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Additive Manufacturing Utilizing a Novel In-Line Mixing System for Design of Functionally Graded Ceramic Composites

Exploring the development of a direct ink writing system with multimaterial and in-line mixing capabilities for printing inks composed of high solids-loaded ceramic particulate suspensions.

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Briefs
Materials

Hierarchical Diamond-Based Ceramic Composites

This research developed and utilized advanced processing, modeling, and micromechanical tools.

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Briefs
Defense

Biobased Carbon Fibers and Thermosetting Resins for Use in DOD Composites Applications

The aim was to use renewable resources derived from plants and other sources to prepare high-performance carbon fiber and thermosetting matrix resins with high strength and high thermal resistance.

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Articles
RF & Microwave Electronics

Solving Signal Interference Challenges in Aerospace and Defense Electronics

As the complexity of signal challenges in aerospace and defense technology increases, design engineers need to creatively combine materials to solve multiple problems at once.

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News
Materials

Launching Aerospace Battery Tech for EVs

Advanced materials and energy storage company Nanoramic Laboratories is in the early stages of a 30-month project to develop a low-cost/fast-charge Li-ion battery for electric vehicles using its...

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Articles
Test & Measurement

Advancing Metrology at Mach Speed

Drone-mounted inspection tools are breaking barriers for the F-35.

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Briefs
Energy

Fatigue Behavior of an Advanced Melt-Infiltrated SIC/SIC Composite with Environmental Barrier Coating at 1200°C in Air and in Steam

SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites are being evaluated for aircraft engine hot-section components.

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Briefs
Materials

Novel Whisker Mitigating Composite Conformal Coat Assessment

DoD electronics have an increased failure risk due to tin whisker short circuits, unless properly mitigated by design.

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Briefs
Materials

Bio-Based Polyurethane Containing Isosorbide for Use in Composites and Coatings

Polyurethane can be easily molded or cast into a film at ambient conditions.

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Articles
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Developing Thermoplastic Composites for Use in Commercial Aircraft

Thermoplastic composite materials (TPC) are gaining momentum for use in commercial airplanes and other aerospace applications, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

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Articles
Electronics & Computers

Weaving a New Future for Composites

The advantages of composites are rarely debated. Born mostly from aerospace research, incredibly light but strong creations such as carbon fiber have upended mass-to-strength formulas, changing the...

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Technical Innovation
Power

Altair Honors Weight-Saving Innovations

Sustainable and stylish: two words not commonly paired but that aptly apply to this year’s Altair Enlighten Award winner for Sustainable Product – Vehicle, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The...

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Articles
Materials

New Composites Target EV Applications

Lightweighting solutions that are financially viable, reliable and sustainable for conventionally powered vehicles are arguably even more important for electric vehicles (EVs). Range anxiety remains...

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Application Briefs
Materials

Add-On Armor Solutions

For added armor, ALLTEC Composite Material of Brazil and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

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Articles
Test & Measurement

Advanced CT Inspection and Data Analysis

Learn about the ways to ensure that your composite designs are structurally sound.

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Articles
Energy

Lightweight Steel on a (Cold) Roll

Automotive OEMs are faced with the difficult task of significantly improving fuel economy and safety, while maintaining a competitive position in the market – as well as investing in the electrified...

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Briefs
Materials

Biobased Carbon Fibers and Thermosetting Resins for Use in DOD Composites Applications

Advanced bio-based fibers and high-performance thermosetting resins will help reduce the dependence of military composites on high-cost petroleum.

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Articles
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Metamaterials R&D Targets NVH Abatement

Acoustics engineers have a broad variety of materials from which to choose for reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in vehicles. But their selection often comes with a measurable...

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