Materials

Plastics

Latest Stories

Technology Report
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...

Feature Image

Articles
Materials

Unlocking the Potential of 3D-Printed Polymers in Aerospace and Defense

As we look ahead, it’s evident that the aerospace and defense industries are at the forefront of leveraging the potential of additive manufacturing. They are the main reason for the advent of high-performance polymers in AM.

Feature Image

Briefs
Green Design & Manufacturing

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.

Feature Image

News
Materials

Magna Introduces 100% Melt-Recyclable Foam for Seating

Magna last week announced the development of EcoSphere, which it calls an industry-first product that will prevent one category of material — seat foam padding and trim covers —...

Feature Image

Articles
Materials

Battle for the Box

Whether you call them packs, boxes, or trays, the structures that envelop and protect EV battery cells and their supporting electrical and thermal-management hardware are among the industry's top subsystem priorities.

Feature Image

Technical Innovation
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Yokohama Rolls out Latest Off-Highway Radial

Yokohama announced a new off-highway radial tire as well as new sizes for existing tire families at CONEXPO 2023 in Las Vegas. The Galaxy Hippo all-steel radial high-traction loader tire was the...

Feature Image

News
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Hyundai Bears down on EV Charging, Sustainability

Inoperative public charging stations are a major irritant to both EV owners and to Hyundai Motor North America, asserts Olabisi Boyle, the company’s VP of product planning and mobility...

Feature Image

INSIDER
Materials

Air Force Explores Use of Thermoplastic Fin for F-16

Collins Aerospace was awarded a contract by the Air Force Research Laboratory to build an advanced, high-impact resistant, F-16 ventral fin using Collins’ thermoplastic welding...

Feature Image

INSIDER
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Air Force Wind Tunnel Team Takes 3D Printing Program to Next Dimension

It started with a piece here, a small part there. But since its inception at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel 9 in White Oak,...

Feature Image

News
Robotics, Automation & Control

SAE International Extends Call for Abstracts, Seeks Submissions for AeroTech Conference

Engineering Events staff at SAE International in Warrendale, Pennsylvania, have extended the call for abstracts through September 21 for the...

Feature Image

INSIDER
Manufacturing & Prototyping

NASA to Increase Sustainable Aircraft Manufacturing with HiCAM

One of the aeronautical challenges of the 21st century is finding a way to quickly construct new, sustainable aircraft. Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM), one of...

Feature Image

Articles
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Using Open-Cavity Plastic Packages in Avionics Applications

See which methods can help semiconductors meet very tight time-to-market windows.

Feature Image

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.

Feature Image

Articles
Materials

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 way...

Feature Image

Application Briefs
Materials

Portable 3D Printing Factory

The fully operational, self-contained 3D printing “factory” is housed in a shipping container.

Feature Image

Products
Aerospace

New Products

4D radar sensors, edge databases, 3D simulation platforms, and more.

Feature Image

INSIDER
Aerospace

Nanoscale Materials Could Reduce Manufacturing, Aviation Greenhouse Gasses

The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) is partnering with 16 industrial partners on the MASTRO project, which is tasked with...

Feature Image

News
Test & Measurement

A Cool New Dimension to Automotive Plastics’ Testing

R&D testing in extreme temperatures has long been part of ensuring required longevity and performance of automotive materials. That is particularly so regarding plastics, the...

Feature Image

INSIDER
Materials

Army Awards $13.5 Million for High-Speed Missile Materials Research

The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University announced a new $13.5 million award from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development...

Feature Image

News
Green Design & Manufacturing

Plastics Exec Calls for Standards to Drive New Material Opportunities

The plastics industry is rethinking its next generation of automotive materials to meet new demands in what it calls “the ACCESS framework” – Autonomy,...

Feature Image

News
Materials

Carbon Fiber Research Eyes Roof Frames, Doors

It’s not just for exotic “supercars” and motorcycles anymore. The performance-enhancing attributes of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics continue to be explored by global automakers as they seek...

Feature Image

Articles
Materials

The Inside Story on Adhesive Tapes for Automotive Heat Shielding

Michael VanHaerents, automotive business development manager for Avery Dennison Performance Tapes, explains the unique properties and benefits of Avery Dennison’s adhesive tapes for heat-shield attachment.

Feature Image

Articles
Photonics/Optics

A Solution for Ice-Free Sensors

Sensor surfaces that are exposed to weather need to be kept clean so that ADAS and autonomous driving systems can function safely. Ice build-up in cold conditions is of particular concern, but Canatu thinks it...

Feature Image

INSIDER
Materials

Researchers Develop Innovative Tools to Accelerate Composites Certification

In partnership with industry, a team of Air Force Research Laboratory/Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) personnel are developing the capability to...

Feature Image

Articles
Manufacturing & Prototyping

2019’s Best Automotive Plastics Innovations

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) annual Automotive Innovation Awards Competition, now in its 49th year, is considered the “Oscars” for those developing polymer and...

Feature Image

Articles
Electronics & Computers

Streamlining Post-Processing in Additive Manufacturing

By focusing just on the AM build process, a fundamental part of the production process chain is often overlooked: post-processing.

Feature Image

Application Briefs
Photonics/Optics

Metal-Plated, High-Temperature Plastics

Imagine a material that lightens fuel loads and cuts costs every time a rocket blasts off from the launch pad.

Feature Image

Articles
Materials

New Manufacturing Process for Monocoque Components

A new process enables large monocoque components to more accurately retain their shape after cooling.

Feature Image

Technology Report
Aerospace

Continental Tire Rolls Towards a Smart and Connected Future

It is difficult to become emotional about tires except when they – literally – let us down. But tires are set to get smarter, communicate more effectively and react to...

Feature Image