CompositesWorld V10N07 Jul2024

RTM and ATL/AFP
production sites:
PREPARING FOR
FUTURE AIRFRAMES
JULY 2024
The next-generation single-

aisle: Implications for the
composites industry / 10
Future quartz, oxide fibers
at Saint-Gobain ACC / 34
SMC composites progress
BinC solar EVs / 38
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
JULY 2024 / Vol: 10 No

–: 7
COLUMNS FEATURES
4 From the Editor 24 Plant tour: Aernnova
Stephen Heinz, vice president of R&I for
Syensqo, delivered an inspirational keynote at Composites, Toledo and
SAMPE 2024, highlighting the significant role of Illescas, Spain
composite materials in emerging technologies RTM and ATL/AFP high-rate production sites
and encouraging broader collaboration. feature this composites and engineering
leader’s continued push for excellence and
6 Finishing and Fastening innovation for future airframes.
Powered by an 85% air/15% pure polyimide 24 By Ginger Gardiner
aerogel, Blueshift’s novel material system
protects structures during transient thermal
events from -200°C to beyond 2400°C for 34 Future quartz and oxide
rockets, battery boxes and more. fibers at Saint-Gobain
10 Past, Present and Future Advanced Ceramic
While the world continues to wait for new Composites
single-aisle program announcements from New business builds on 100-year legacy in
Airbus and Boeing, it’s clear composites will quartz, prepares for growth and starts
play a role in their fabrication. But in what production of oxide fibers to meet increased
ways, and what capacity? demand for CMC.
By Ginger Gardiner
14 Gardner Business Index (GBI)
The total index reading backed down in May
from its anticipated expansion, contracting
34 38 SMC composites progress
again to land at 46.8. BinC solar electric vehicles
In an interview with one of Aptera’s
co-founders, CW sheds light on the
inspiration behind the crowd-funded solar
» DEPARTMENTS electric vehicle, its body in carbon (BinC)
and how composite materials are playing a
16 Trends role in its design.
By Stewart Mitchell
44 Applications
45 Showcase/Marketplace
46 New Products
48 Post Cure
38
» ON THE COVER
CW’s tour of Aernnova Composites’ manufacturing facilities in Toledo and Illescas, Spain, provides a glimpse of this
leading Tier 1’s capabilities in high-rate serial production of composite primary aerostructures and assemblies. Decades of
experience, a long history in composites R&D — including Clean Sky/Clean Aviation, Wing of Tomorrow and many other
programs — and a strong engineering core provide the foundation for ongoing digitization and automation, including RTM,
ATL/AFP and press-forming production, as well as development of thermoplastic composites for even lighter and higher
performance high-load structures for future aircraft. See p. 24.
Source | Aernnova Aerospace
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FROM THE EDITOR
» In late May, CW attended the SAMPE conference and trade demands materials with increased functionality, such as heat
show in Long Beach, California, an event that always provides resistance, damage resilience and transparency to electromagnetic
valuable insights into industry trends. This year’s function placed waves for communication systems.
an emphasis on advancing applications like vehicle electrifica- Not to be forgotten are challenges like incorporating sustainable
tion, hydrogen energy and sustainable solutions through broader solutions and life cycle considerations, including efficient produc-
industry collaboration, with a more open-minded approach to tion systems from part design and material selection to service life
material solutions. and recycling into every application. The industry’s commitment
The keynote address was delivered by Stephen Heinz, vice to reducing waste, minimizing the carbon footprint and develop-
president of R&I for Syensqo’s Composite Materials Division (for- ing sustainable materials has never been greater.
merly part of Solvay Group). Heinz delivered an inspirational talk, Various technology solutions on display at SAMPE, the confer-
highlighting the significant role of composite materials in today’s ence presentations and conversations at the event also under-
world. He discussed various aspects of advanced materials, focus- scored the continuous need for innovation, collaboration and
ing on composites adaptation to new technologies and societal shifts in order to
and their applica- achieve these overarching goals. Heinz even encouraged broader
“Our industry’s growth is tions across dif- community collaboration, including partnerships with startups
a result of a demand for a ferent industries to and universities, and emphasized embracing data management
more connected world.” enhance sustainabil- solutions, artificial intelligence, automation and augmented reality
ity and performance. to drive innovation.
Heinz emphasized the This call to action resonated through the conference as a
use of composite materials, such as carbon fiber, in creating light- reminder of the industry’s mission. This past year saw the loss of
weight structures for smart devices, automotive, aerospace and two of its leaders: Scott Beckwith, SAMPE global technical direc-
marine applications. He underscored the benefits of composites in tor, and Camelo Lo Faro, president of Solvay’s Materials Segment.
reducing weight, enhancing strength and improving resistance to Their passing is a significant loss in terms of leadership and expe-
corrosion and fatigue. rience, but also acts as a poignant reminder of the impact of one’s
Heinz also warned against falling into the common traps of life work. Both men dedicated their careers not only to the com-
being overprotective of R&D and having any one singular focus in posites industry but also to the vision that the industry serves.
developing applications. “Avoid marrying a solution,” he advised. Their contributions are examples of the true charge of the compos-
“No one approach is the solution to every problem.” ites industry — exploring materials and solutions for the better-
Heinz outlined Syensqo’s priorities, which include advancing ment of our world.
the functionality and lightweighting of evolving smart devices,
focusing on the green hydrogen market and exploring compos-
ite opportunities in electric vehicles (EVs) and urban air mobility
(UAM). Regarding the future of composites in aerospace, Heinz
avoided speculation about when a new commercial aircraft pro-
gram might emerge. Instead, he confidently stated, “The next com-
mercial aircraft will employ a lot of composite materials.”
The unifying theme across all these discussion points is the con-
tribution to more connected and sustainable technologies. “Our
industry’s growth is a result of a demand for a more connected
world,” Heinz said. He emphasized that the need for connectivity SCOTT FRANCIS — Editor-In- Chief

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FINISHING AND FASTENING
“Structured air” TPS safeguards

composite structures
By Rebeca Velie / Marketing Manager, Blueshift
and Ginger Gardiner / Senior Technical Editor
AeroZero peel-and-stick TPS (top left) is modeled for battery

enclosures (bottom left) and in the three models at right,
comparing temperature distributions in an acrylic plate with a
constant 300K applied to the bottom surface without TPS (top),
with a single layer of AeroZero (center) and with the three-layer
TripleZero TPS (bottom). Source (All Images) | Blueshift Materials
» Technological innovations in aerospace and defense mar- material science company, Blueshift launched its first commer-
kets are redefining our understanding of mobility. Historically, cial product in : a family of thermal protection systems (TPS)
government agencies and large commercial organizations (e.g., based on an aerogel comprising % air and % pure polyimide.
NASA, Boeing, Airbus, the U.S. Department of Defense) have The TPS can be customized for a variety of thermal events (e.g.,
invested heavily in large new vehicles, while the high cost of aeroheating, direct flame, contact heating). Thanks to its highly
manufacturing prevented smaller, privatized companies from porous nature, the material can slow down the flow of thermal
entering the industry. However, with the launch of SpaceX’s first energy from penetrating into underlying composite structures.
rocket in 2008, the tide began to turn from a market controlled by Its thin-profile format (starting at . mils in thickness) not only
only a few players, to one that has countless disrupters. This shift facilitates its application but frees space for additional functional
continues to drive innovation in spacecraft and electric aircraft, layers, such as graphite and various metals, including aluminum.
enabling a combination of lower cost technologies that have ever- Branded as AeroZero, this proprietary suite of TPS products can
increasing sophistication. be applied to various surfaces, including carbon fiber composites,
One such innovation includes technologies being developed by and has already proven effective in a wide range of applications,
Blueshift (Spencer, Mass., U.S.). Established in  as a deep-tech including rockets, battery and exhaust systems and electronics.

Aerogel-based TPS
Polyimide aerogel-based TPS

(a)
Blueshift’s technology began when a prominent electronics
company encountered overheating issues. “My co-founder,
Garrett Poe, worked with several groups to develop a process
to make polyimide gel and then proved it at lab scale,” says
Blueshift president Tim Burbey. Due to necessary funding
required for scale-up, the technology took time to develop, but
Poe and Burbey knew it had potential, especially in aerospace,
and founded Blueshift in 2013.
Burbey describes the technology that Blueshift has now com-
mercialized as “structured air.” It’s not a foam, he says. “Essentially
what we do is package air in a way to make it more usable for prod-
uct designers. It’s got a networked polymer structure, but it’s %
air with nanosized pockets — we have more than  trillion air (b)
pockets in what resembles a sheet of paper.”
“And you’ve probably heard a lot about silica aerogels,” he
continues, “but that is a very different product. For example,
when I say structured air, that implies a material with mechanical
strength. Silica aerogels do not have good mechanical strength and
are not suited for high-vibration environments. And the core dif-
ference between just a polyimide aerogel and a TPS is that TPS can
incorporate additional substrates — we add layers such as graphite
and aluminum, or other materials that ultimately combine into a
highly functional product.”
Thus, Blueshift TPS are developed to replace outdated “vin-
tage Apollo” material solutions, enabling significantly more effi-
(c)
cient vehicle designs with improved safety. For example, Blueshift
has achieved success in extending the lifespan of standard
°C-limited epoxy and carbon fiber composites by engineering
a system that can withstand demanding transient thermal condi-
tions ranging from -°C to temperatures exceeding °C in
modern aerospace applications.
The reasoning behind “structured air”

“Air dramatically slows down the transfer of energy and
temperature,” says Burbey. “Air is also radio frequency [RF] We can tailor our products to FIG. 1 (a) Conduction occurs as
transparent, which is important for all sensors and com- address conductive transfer, the result of energy transmitted due
to collisions of atoms in a solid or a
munications in aerospace vehicles.” However, air is only one which tends to create concen-
liquid. 300K is applied to the bottom
part. Polyimide, a high-temperature and chemically resistant trated hot spots, as well for surface. (b) Convection is the transfer
polymer, provides a distinctive structure that helps mitigate convective energy transfer. For of heat from one place to another
multiple thermal transfer conditions, including conduction, radiant energy, we can integrate due to random motion or the bulk
convection and radiant heat. reflective top layers, such as motion of molecules of a fluid (liquid/
gas). 300K is applied to the bottom
“Our materials aid in blocking the flow of heat/cold, regard- VDA polyimide.”
surface. (c) Radiation results from
less of the type of energy source,” explains Burbey. The skel- exposure to electromagnetic waves
etal structure created by the combination of air and polyimide Modeling for in a certain frequency range emitted
slows incoming thermal energy and restricts its penetration rate optimization from a source. Heat is shown traveling
— i.e., low thermal diffusivity. That also results in a low ther- Two additional elements of from a 25-kilowatt infrared (IR) lamp
to a silicon plate.
mal conductivity, which means more energy per unit volume is Blueshift’s capabilities include
required to alter the material’s temperature. “That combination modeling and simulation.
of these properties enables our products to excel in transient The demand for heat mitigation spans various applications with
thermal events,” he says. “For us, the faster rate of heat trans- diverse conditions and requirements. These include vehicles
fer and the more extreme the temperature regime is, the better. encountering high-speed aero heating from Mach 5 to Mach 25
FINISHING AND FASTENING
multilayer stack-ups of this technology — for example, we

have a three-layer version called TripleZero, and its thickness
is roughly 20 mils [0.5 millimeter].” When creating stack-ups,
Blueshift uses a proprietary high-temperature adhesive. “We
can also tailor the AeroZero product, for example, adding graph-
ite on top — which is a great heat spreader — in our AeroZero-
TPS Graphite variant.” The graphite layer disperses heat along
the XY-plane, while the AeroZero layer significantly slows heat
penetration along the Z-plane.
“And we have a lot of choice in these superstrates that help us
provide the necessary thermal protection while meeting other key
requirements,” he continues. “Our standard commercial products
can be provided in rolls as wide as  inches [ millimeters] but
we have plans to go wider. We can also slit the materials down to
narrow widths of  millimeters.”
Peel-and-stick application, making parts

This leads to how Blueshift materials are integrated into and onto
composite parts. Blueshift’s TPS line of products are supplied with
FIG. 2 Blueshift tailors
a temperature-resistant, pressure-sensitive adhesive. “They are
TPS products by stacking
layers of its AeroZero material or during re-entry into the atmo- literally peel-and-stick materials,” says Burbey. “Our systems are
(TripleZero, top) with other sphere, as well as battery thermal most often applied after the composite is cured, which is great,
materials, such as graphite, VDArunaway and engine fires. While no because we don’t have to worry about how the material processes
polyimide, metals and more. single material can address every or its compatibility during molding.” He notes that Blueshift TPS
thermal issue, Blueshift combines can be applied to almost any substrate, provided it has sufficient
and tailors its materials to solve niche problems for specific prod- preparation to provide a clean and smooth surface. Permanent
ucts and vehicle designs. bond strength is typically achieved 24+ hours after application.
“Modeling and simulation enable us to do this,” says Burbey. “It The peel-and-stick aspect of the material not only greatly sim-
all depends on the environment that the parts are going to see and plifies and quickens the actual TPS application process, but the
the type of heat source — for example, radiant versus conductive pliancy and thin profile of the materials also offer design flexibility
heating — as well as how much space is allowed in the configura- to engineers. “A good example is within the space industry,” says
tion. Will the material be in direct contact with something, or will Burbey. “Amidst a push to develop more sustainable space solu-
there be a gap? The time duration is also important, as is the goal tions, some companies have begun creating reusable rockets for
for heat reduction.” which protecting the underlying carbon fiber composite is crucial.
“For example, let’s say you have an environment with a ~°C Compared to the cork TPS solutions that were used on older space
flame, with  minutes of exposure. Our customers might have elec- vehicles, AeroZero-based TPS involve a less labor-intensive appli-
tronics that cannot see above °C, so we can model that system to cation process that allows for an easier preparation of vehicles for
determine the best fitting product to meet their requirements.” launch. Plus, at a fraction of the weight of cork, our materials can
That solution, he adds, should not only protect the electronics, withstand and perform under the extreme temperature require-
but also be lightweight and thin enough to minimize the impact on ments seen during the ascent and re-entry of a rocket into the
the overall vehicle or product design. atmosphere (°C for - minutes).”
Burbey notes Blueshift also has testing capabilities, including Burbey notes that Blueshift makes its own polyimide resin. “It’s
flame testing and a wide variety of material-level thermal analyses, bespoke to what our technology needs, and that process chain
to validate that modeling. “More recently, we have performed an extends all the way from the resin, aerogel and adhesive to stack-
assortment of flame tests to simulate thermal runaway in battery ing the various layers and cutting parts. For us, making parts
applications,” he says. “And we’ve had to develop materials that means we’re cutting our TPS to fit a complex structure.” Although
help with molten particles and blast mitigation.” Blueshift materials are made in a continuous roll-to-roll format,
Burbey notes most Blueshift customers are indeed buying parts.
Stacking layers “We can provide intricate shapes and designs,” he says, citing a
Blueshift tailors TPS products to fit individual applications by unique part for a lunar lander. “Our customers typically provide
combining materials and stacking layers. “Our core technology the shape and dimensions, and we cut our TPS using a large auto-
is called ‘AeroZero,’” says Burbey. “Some of our products include mated cutting table with a variety of different blades. We’ve also

Aerogel-based TPS
had projects where we actually apply our TPS on the customer’s electrified aircraft. This requires the evolution of material solutions
part and then ship it back to them.” beyond what was developed decades ago. It also requires a bal-
ance between weight, flexibility and performance.
Current and future applications “We founded Blueshift because we could see the technology’s
Blueshift has achieved significant success with its TPS for light- potential to address these challenges and enable the ongoing revo-
weight structures — applications ranging from electric aircraft to lution in mobility,” says Burbey. “We’re helping companies suc-
space vehicles/satellites to specialty medical devices. AeroZero ceed in some of the most difficult applications, and we’ll continue
TPS is also being used in battery box applications to mitigate the to expand our capabilities and pursue even further developments
risk of thermal runaway. This need is growing due to the increas- to offer solutions for future composites.”
ing demand for higher power density batteries. Manufacturers
are developing these batteries in compact pouch or cylindrical
packs, housed in small modules and then stacked to form com-
plex systems. However, in confining the high-power density, the
risk of thermal runaway increases. AeroZero TPS variants have ABOUT THE AUTHORS
been integrated into interior and exterior walls of battery modules
Rebeca Velie is the marketing manager at Blueshift (Spencer,
and housings to help slow the spread of fire or explosion as well Mass., U.S.). She has a B.A. in psychology and environmental
as temperature soak. The TPS have demonstrated effectiveness studies from Wesleyan University where she conducted and
published a peer-reviewed, data-driven research paper.
against 1000°C direct flames for up to 60 minutes with no burn-
through and are being integrated into systems that are helping to
promote passenger safety. CW senior technical editor Ginger Gardiner has an engineering/
Similarly within aerospace, addressing the challenges confront- materials background and more than 20 years of experience in
the composites industry.
ing designers has significantly intensified. For example, weight
savings has become more critical to enable reusable launch vehi-
cles as well as integration of heavy, power-dense battery packs into
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
The next-generation single-aisle:

Implications for the composites industry
By Collin Heller / Vice President and Richard Apps /
Co-Founder, Counterpoint Market Intelligence
Airbus A320 hangar. Source | Airbus
» In a 2007 interview with Design News, Dr. Alan Miller, at the a result, the ’s production required significant investment in
time the director of technology integration for the Boeing 787 carbon fiber and part manufacturing capabilities. It also paved the
program, commented on the challenges the aerospace industry way for greater adoption in new programs, such as the X, A
faced in composites adoption. “We have had no applications and A.
[before the Dreamliner] with high volumes. The composites Despite widespread adoption of composites, the two most
industry has never had to deal with this before. That was a moun- widely produced aircraft in the industry, the Airbus A and
tain we had to climb.” Boeing  families, contain comparatively little composites. The
The  was a step-change in composites use for commercial  MAX, the latest iteration of the Boeing  that first entered
aircraft. The aerostructure design, which was about % compos- service in , contains only about % composites in the aero-
ite, surpassed any other large commercial aircraft at the time. As structure. The A contains about %. Together, these aircraft

Next-gen aircraft outlook
account for nearly % of available seat miles flown globally. improved engines, this design provides the  with a much lower
Incorporating more composites into their design remains a mas- fuel burn per seat kilometer. The , in fact, has a % heavier
sive opportunity for the aerospace and composites industries, but empty weight (excluding engines) than the . Yet despite this, it
also a considerable challenge compared to today’s twin-aisle pro- still achieves substantial fuel savings and nearly twice the range
grams (such as the  or A) or the smaller A single-aisle due to its more efficient geometry.
program, which contains % composites. The X adopted a similar strategy with its composite wing,
At Counterpoint Market Intelligence (Cambridgeshire, U.K.), we extending the span of the wing from . meters for the -ER
believe the next new aircraft programs from Boeing and Airbus will to . meters for the -. According to Boeing, this results in
be single-aisle aircraft. Those programs will almost certainly feature about a % reduction in fuel burn. The longer wings are so effec-
more composites than the current generation. And while twin-aisle tive, that the design can justify folding wingtips to ensure the air-
aircraft are typically produced at rates of - per month, a new sin- craft stays within the same aerodrome code as existing  aircraft
gle-aisle design will require processes capable of reaching up to  and can access existing airport gates.
aircraft per month. Such a shift has the potential to be yet another Some high-level calculations can provide insight into the
step-change for both the aerospace and composites industries — all trade-offs for these programs (Fig. , p. ). If we consider an
of which has implications on the design of the aircraft, the timing of Airbus Aneo, which has a % lower wing weight due to com-
its introduction and the technology required. It appears the composite materials but the same geometry as current designs, our
posites industry has another hill to climb. calculations estimate a .-% decrease in fuel burn for a typical
mission. Suppose instead, we replace the wing with an all-com-
DESIGN: Worth the weight posite design that weighs the same as the metallic wing, but has
Many conversations around composites versus metallics focus on a longer span and thinner cross-section. If such a wing were to
weight savings; the lightweight properties are seen as the main raise the average cruise lift-to-drag ratio from  to , we esti-
driver of fuel savings for the aircraft. The true benefit of composites, mate this would equate to a -% decrease in fuel burn despite
however, is more nuanced. Composites can often enable greater offering no weight savings. These aerodynamic improvements
design freedom and aerodynamic benefits, which outpace weight have a greater impact than the weight savings, but they can only
savings alone. be achieved by a shift to composites.
Fig.  illustrates a - in blue, a mostly metallic design that As a result, we at Counterpoint believe that the next genera-
entered service in the s. Overlaid in gray is a -, which has tion of single-aisle aircraft will almost certainly have a compos-
a roughly similar length and seating capacity. Notably, the  ite wing. The potential fuel savings are far too great to consider a
wing extends significantly longer than the older  design. If we metallic structure.
examined the cross-sectional thickness of the wing, we would find For the fuselage, however, the trade-off is not as clear. The fuse-
the  to be about % thinner on average. That longer, thinner lage itself does not have any aerodynamic benefits like the wing.
wing reduces drag on the aircraft, resulting in a more aerodynami- Composites tend to have greater benefits on widebody aircraft
cally efficient design. where the fuselage walls are comparatively thicker. The more
Composites enable this design through their combination of frequent takeoff and landing cycles of narrowbody aircraft often
strength, stiffness and lightweight characteristics. Combined with necessitate extra material, which reduces the benefit of switch-
ing to composites. We estimate that a %
reduction in fuselage weight using com-
FIG. 1 The 787 features a longer,
posites would result in a .% drop in fuel
thinner wing than the 767.
Source | Counterpoint Market Intelligence consumption. With the impact of climate
change, every drop of fuel savings cer-
tainly matters. But the use of composites
in the fuselage has other drawbacks, both
in cost and manufacturability. Whether or
not the OEMs choose a composite fuse-
lage likely comes down to two interlinked
factors: timing and technology.
TIMING: When tomorrow

becomes today
Perhaps the greatest unknown for the
next-generation single-aisle is its arrival
date. Boeing’s 737 MAX program entered
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
into service in 2017.

Airbus’s A320neo
has been in service
since 2016 and the
A321XLR variant is
forecast to be deliv-
ered later this year.
The Aneo (along
with the LR and XLR
variants) has been
an issue for Boeing
for several years; the FIG. 2 Indicative fuel burn improvements.
Source | Counterpoint Market Intelligence
aircraft satisfies a
key need in terms of
range, capacity and
economics for many is likely to move forward with its own agenda. For instance, the
airlines. Despite Boeing’s attempts to compete using the MAX, the company has been invested for almost a decade in its Wing of
Airbus models outperform in terms of range. At the end of March Tomorrow (WOT) program. These developments could translate
, Airbus had a backlog of , A family aircraft, , of into a rewinged Aneo family of aircraft, which we believe would
those being A. The entire Boeing  family, by comparison, had be a likely response to any new single-aisle program from Boeing.
, aircraft in backlog. The aerospace supply base appears eager for a next-generation
Prior to the pandemic, Boeing’s solution to Airbus’ challenge aircraft. The industry itself has faced low profitability for several
was the “new midsize airplane” (NMA), sometimes referred to as years, and new programs create an opportunity for differentiation
the middle-of-the-market aircraft or . That aircraft was under- and growth. Beyond the economics, many suppliers have under-
stood to be a small twin-aisle, but the program was ultimately utilized engineering talent, and a new program can help reinvigo-
shelved following the pandemic and challenges with the  MAX. rate its workforce.
For Boeing, a new single-aisle offers an opportunity to better com-
pete with Airbus’ offerings — particularly the AXLR. As the TECHNOLOGY: Scaling up
 is based on a design originating from the s, a clean-sheet At its peak in 2019, Boeing 787 production reached 14 per month.
approach could offer significant improvements, even compared to Airbus is planning to raise A350 rates to 12 per month in 2028. For
the latest models. the A320 family, however, the rates are much higher. Airbus has
However, in November , Boeing CEO David Calhoun stated announced plans to increase production of the A320neo family of
that he did not expect a new program until the mid-s, stating aircraft to 75 per month by 2026.
“I don’t think we are even going to get to the drawing board this Such high production rates present many challenges for com-
decade.” For a  entry into service, industry would expect a new posites.  aerostructures are made using automated tape layup
program announcement around , giving about four years until (ATL) of carbon fiber prepreg, which requires an autoclave. The
the start of the next program. cure time for the  center wing box, for example, is - hours. At
Moreover, in March this year, Calhoun announced he will be a very high production rate, those parts would require a very large
stepping down at the end of  along with the chair of the board capital outlay for autoclaves, plus the factory space to support that
of directors. While there’s no guarantee of a shift in strategy, it is much work-in-progress material.
possible that Boeing could re-evaluate its product decisions and Out-of-autoclave (OOA) solutions exist, and this forms much of
move forward plans for a new aircraft by a few years. And although the research behind WOT and similar programs. There are few exam-
Boeing may not have immediate plans for a new program, we ples, however, at the scale of this aircraft and its rate of production.
understand that R&D programs continue to ensure the company The A, which is smaller than the A, features an all-composite
is prepared. wing that relies on resin infusion. Although the original intention of
For Airbus, industry commentary has traditionally stated that the program was to produce the wing without an autoclave, one is
Airbus is likely to wait for Boeing to announce a decision before still required for final curing due to imperfections with the infusion
announcing one of its own. More recently, however, we believe process. We anticipate that, for these aircraft to be produced eco-
Airbus’ decision is increasingly decoupled from Boeing, and it nomically, OOA processes would be necessary for the wing.

Next-gen aircraft outlook
higher portion of the

overall value of the
carbon fiber industry.
To give a sense of scale
within aerospace, how-
ever, our most optimis-
tic urban air mobility
(UAM) forecast of ,
units per year predicts
only , metric tonnes
of carbon fiber required
FIG. 3 Annual carbon fiber demand.
for the entire industry.
Source | Counterpoint Market Intelligence
So, while UAM has been
hyped up as the next
frontier for composites in
For the fuselage, technology development remains active. aerospace, our analysis suggests that the next single-aisle program
As part of Clean Sky /Clean Aviation, the EU currently has the will have a far greater impact on the composites industry.
MultiFunctional Fuselage Demonstrator (MFFD) program, which Beyond meeting the materials production requirements, the
showcases several novel thermoplastic composite technologies. greatest challenge for the industry will be achieving quality and
A composite fuselage is also featured in the HondaJet HA- consistent production rates at a viable cost for composite parts.
Echelon — which aims for certification in  — that enables the Despite advancements in automation, much of today’s aerostruc-
aircraft to fly at higher altitudes and burn less fuel. Notably, this tures activity remains labor-intensive. Composites, in particular,
design also features thermoplastics, with Spirit AeroSystems and require skilled labor. To meet the rate challenges presented by
GKN Aerospace helping to pioneer many of the processes used. If these aircraft, aerospace composite technology must evolve from a
this aircraft program proves successful — both from a quality and craft industry to one predominated by more automated and high-
production economics standpoint — this could bolster further rate processes.
confidence in the use of thermoplastic composite aerostructures. Achieving this adoption of composites in the next airframes
The further into the future Airbus and Boeing push these new requires new technology, an advanced supply chain and leader-
aircraft programs, the more likely we believe thermoplastic com- ship from the OEMs. This next mountain to climb in aerospace
posites — including a fuselage — are to be included in the design. composites is not just about a ramp-up — it’s an opportunity to
If Boeing announces plans for an aircraft in the first half of the redefine the boundaries of aerospace and composites produc-
s, we believe it will most likely have a composite wing and alu- tion technology.
minum fuselage. Alternately, if this happens toward the end of the
next decade, it is more likely to feature a composite fuselage and
thermoplastic technology.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
The next mountain to climb Collin Heller is vice president of Counterpoint Market
For the composites industry, the implications of two large-scale Intelligence (Cambridgeshire, U.K.) where he provides market
intelligence on aerospace supply chains. Prior to Counterpoint,
single-aisle programs could be significant (Fig. 3). Assuming two
Heller worked as a strategy consultant in the aviation, aero-
fully ramped-up composite-wing single-aisle programs deliv- space and raw materials industries. He has supported several
ering 100 aircraft each per month (or 200 in total), we estimate M&A transactions within the composites industry.
demand for more than 10,000 metric tonnes of carbon fiber per
year. With the fuselage included, this rises to more than 13,000 Richard Apps co-founded Counterpoint Market Intelligence
metric tonnes. This represents more than 90% of current aero- in 2004 as a source of rigorous analysis for the aerospace
and defense industry. Prior to this, Apps worked at GKN on
space carbon fiber demand by volume and nearly 10% of the strategic planning, business development and the evaluation of
130,000+ metric tonnes of carbon fiber consumed across all acquisitions. He also managed GKN’s industrial offset commit-
segments each year. However, the dollar value of this increase ments in Kuwait and prior to that he was the group strategic
planning manager for Westland Group. He managed R&D
in carbon fiber would be much higher than the 10% because the projects at BICC (now Balfour Beatty) and was a production
carbon fiber consumed by aerospace represents a significantly controller at Marconi Avionics (now part of BAE Systems).
GARDNER BUSINESS INDEX: COMPOSITES FABRICATING
Composites GBI shows faster

activity contraction
May — 46.8 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
» The GBI: Composites Fabricating activity was 0.4 point away from reaching a reading of 50 in Jan Schafer, MBA, is
the director of market
April, but May saw the biggest single month of accelerated contraction in years. research for Gardner
An index of , or what we call “flat,” proved elusive with May’s index of ., down from Intelligence, a division of
Gardner Business Media
April’s .. Most manufacturing segments saw downturns this month, so it is likely that broad-
(Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.). She has been an
scale economic factors were at play. essential part of Gardner Intelligence for over
No contracting component accelerated contraction to a degree commensurate with the total five years, and has led research and analysis
in various industries for over 30 years.
index. Production accelerated contraction a little while other components slowed contraction
jschafer@gardnerweb.com
or stayed steady.
Supplier deliveries continued to lengthen at an accelerated rate, likely a function of
lingering and/or new supply chain challenges since steady new orders cannot be stretching
supplier deliveries.
Business sentiment (not included in the GBI calculation) has sustained again in May the
same positive value it has had since March.
GBI: Composites Fabricating GBI: Composites Fabricating in May is

down 2.8 points from April.
Source (All Images) | Gardner Intelligence
GBI: Composites Fabricating — Production and New Orders Accelerated contraction in production
(three-month moving average) appears to be the only driver of accelerated
contraction in the overall index.
Production (3-MMA) New Orders (3-MMA)
PRESENTED BY
Stay ahead of the curve with Gardner Intelligence.

Visit the blog at gardnerintelligence.com or email jschafer@gardnerweb.com

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TRENDS
State-of-the-art VTOL rigid airship is to be fabricated with Exel thin-wall carbon fiber
tubes; composite Eco Bracket for aerospace cuts weight and cost in half; carbon fiber
composites market report provides statistics, analyses and trends regarding 2023
demand; a 30-foot combat drone inlet showcases novel overbraiding; and more.
AEROSPACE
Exel pull-wound composites to enable Flying Whales airship design

Exel Composites (Vantaa, Finland) is collaborating with development manager at Exel Composites, explains. “We
French airship manufacturer and operator Flying Whales are working closely with Flying Whales to develop a unique
(Suresne) to develop thin-wall carbon fiber tubes for a state- tube that meets the technical requirements and specifica-
of-the-art rigid airship. The airship will deliver up to 60 tons tions needed to make this project viable. Most aerospace
of cargo to remote and difficult-to-reach locations globally. standards don’t cover airships yet.”
This will also cut emissions compared to current land and “Pull-winding is ideal for these applications as it allows
air transportation. Exel will provide R&D support during the extra reinforcements to be added to the tubes compared
airship’s rigid structure prototyping phase, developing and to other techniques,”
manufacturing the estimated 80 kilometers of carbon fiber Klein continues.
tubing needed to make this concept a reality. “Furthermore, being
Flying Whales is the designer of the LCA60T, a a continuous manu-
200-meter-long vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) facturing process, it
airship that uses helium lifting technology to transport its allows us to produce
weight and cargo capacity. The airship will function like the large volumes of
an airborne crane, carrying the cargo and transporting it tubes needed for this
to the customer. “With this airship being one of the larg- project while main-
est ever developed, the frame needs to be able to distrib- taining quality, stabil-
ute the structure’s entire load,” Guillaume Klein, business ity and uniformity.”
AEROSPACE
Diehl Aviation, 9T Labs present Eco Bracket

Diehl Aviation (Überlingen, Germany) and 9T Labs (Zurich, The Eco Bracket, however, in addition to being composite,
Switzerland) have released the Eco Bracket, a lightweight is reported to provide optimal load distribution and combines
component made from a combination of 3D printed carbon high mechanical performance with cost efficiency. At the
fiber elements and recycled thermoplastic composites same time, the Eco Bracket focuses on environmental sustain-
derived from manufacturing waste. ability and reduces the CO2 footprint of the component.
In the aviation industry, aluminum brackets are used The bracket’s benefits include:
to mount cabin • 50% weight reduction: The use of lightweight materials
components and and design optimization have reduced weight by 50%
systems to the compared to conventional aluminum brackets.
aircraft structure. • 50% cost savings: Manufacturing costs can also be
Traditionally, halved with the same mechanical performance compared
expensive metal to the aluminum solution.
components are • Environmentally friendly: By reusing production waste
the norm in high- and recycling used components at the end of their
use areas, such as life, the Eco Bracket promotes sustainable production
the overhead bins methods.
above the seats.

TRENDS
CARBON FIBER
ATA Industrial Group report evaluates the state of the global carbon fiber market
A report developed by Lin Gang, vice president of ATA and Hexcel reports); and delivery volume reports for appli-
CFT Guangzhou Co. Ltd. (Guangzhou, China), breaks down cation markets like those released by Boeing and Airbus, as
statistics, trends and observations surrounding the global well as the operational status of sports equipment giants.
and Chinese carbon fiber markets, in an effort to calculate Download the complete report at short.compositesworld.
the global demand for carbon fiber. Titled, “2023 Global com/Global-cf-report.
Carbon Fiber Composites Market
Report,” the 70-page report navigates:
• The Chinese carbon fiber market
W yoming
• Over 40 types of
(by year, application, province and
fixtures in stock,
origin), as well as theoretical capaci- ready to be shipped.
T est
ties and new developments • Expert consultation
• The global carbon fiber market by with Dr. Dan Adams
year, application, region, process and • Email or call today to
F ixtures
matrix discuss your fixture and
• Composite application trends and custom design needs.
prospects INC.
• A look at carbon fiber recycling,
carbon peaking, and carbon neutral-
ity and ESG. FRACTURE TOUGHNESS TEST FIXTURES
“According to our statistics and
comprehensive evaluation of multiple Standard fixtures are kept
sources, the global demand for carbon in stock like our:
fiber in 2023 was 115,000 tons, a
decrease of 14.8% compared to 135,000 ASTM D6671
tons in 2022,” Lin says in the report. MIXED MODE
“This is the first time since 1995 that
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NEW MODE I SINGLE
there has been negative demand growth CANTILEVER BEAM
globally. For Chinese enterprises, this is
an unprecedented experience and chal- FRACTURE TOUGHNESS
lenge. Where should the global carbon OF SANDWICH PANELS
fiber market go?”
Data and conclusions for 2023 were
obtained through annual sales data of
Chinese carbon fiber manufacturers and Dr. Daniel O. Adams, President
multi-channel data verification; annual 40+ years of Composite Testing Experience
sales data and business situations of
international carbon fiber manufactur- 2960 E. Millcreek Canyon Road
Salt Lake City, UT 84109 email: wtf@wyomingtestfixtures.com
ers (e.g., shipment volume of Japanese Phone (801) 484.5055 www.wyomingtestfixtures.com
carbon fiber enterprises, annual SGL
TRENDS
DEFENSE
Composite combat drone inlet duct proves novel fabrication approach

Wichita State University’s (WSU) National Institute for based on volume, cost, weight and mission requirements,”
Aviation Research (NIAR) recently partnered with A&P says Waruna Seneviratne, ATLAS director.
Technology (Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.) and Fiber Dynamics The complex curvature of the inlet duct demanded a novel
(Wichita, Kan., U.S.) to build a composite inlet duct for a approach to manufacture. Placement of tows using automated
combat drone aircraft using a novel overbraiding technology. tape laying (ATL) is limited due to the radius of curvature, and
Researchers with NIAR’s Advanced Technologies hand placement of prepreg would result in excessive cutting
Lab for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS) designed the inlet and splicing. The overbraiding technology was developed by
duct as part of a manufacturing demonstrator called A&P Technology and was identified by AFRL as a key process
Frankenstein for high-rate production of aircraft parts. The technology is
(FS-19), capable of producing multiple duct preforms per shift.
which is The demonstrator inlet duct is approximately 8 inches
a 30-foot long with perimeters ranging from 56.5-96.6 inches. Fiber
unmanned Dynamics created a melt-out mandrel using its Thermocore
combat Lost Core Tooling System. A&P Technology used this system
aircraft. to overbraided five layers of triaxial braid at a constant
The project, thickness of 0.10 inch thick, resulting in angle changes along
part of the the length of the part ranging from 55-74°. There were no
Air Force cuts or splices created during the overbraiding process, and
Research the precise control of fiber angle provides consistently high
Laboratory’s part-to-part repeatability.
(AFRL, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, U.S.) A&P Technology and Fiber Dynamics are working through
Manufacturing for Affordable Sustainable Composites the MASC research program to develop a path to certifica-
(MASC) program, is a proof of concept for low-cost, high- tion of overbraided structures. NIAR and A&P previously
rate production worthiness. partnered to generate FAA-approved design allowables for
“This manufacturing demonstrator is intended to gener- 2×2 biaxial braid for resin transfer molding (RTM) of control
ate a cost model based on manufacturing data that includes surfaces of a Raytheon Premier I Part 23 business jet. By
various materials and manufacturing and assembly methods, creating a certification method for a more automated layup
allowing manufacturers to use the information for on-demand process like overbraiding, MASC continues its work to create
flexible manufacturing and assembly of composite structures affordable and sustainable methods of manufacture.
PRESSURE VESSELS
Luxfer Gas Cylinders awarded grant for 700-bar Type 4 tank development
Luxfer Gas Cylinders (Riverside, Calif., U.S.), a division of the number of components and amount of time to manu-
Luxfer Holdings Plc, has been awarded a clean technology facture while also having the capability of storing gaseous
grant from Alberta Innovates Hydrogen Centre of Excellence pressure up to 700 bar (10,000 psi). The development work
to support the development of a new Type 4 700-bar will take place in Luxfer’s Calgary, Alberta, facility.
hydrogen cylinder. This next-generation
The government of Alberta, through Alberta Innovates Type 4 hydrogen cylin-
and Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), announced $57 der will play an impor-
million, worth $280 million, in innovation funding for 28 proj- tant role in growth
ects to advance a hydrogen economy, reduce emissions and markets requiring light-
create jobs in Alberta. Projects are to cover the spectrum weight, high-volume
of hydrogen production, storage, transmission, distribu- hydrogen storage solu-
tion and use. Through the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence tions such as fuel cell
– Competition 2, 20 applications were accepted for funding, transit buses, heavy-
including Luxfer. duty trucks, vans, bulk
Luxfer will use the Alberta Innovates grant to develop a gas transport, boats
polymer-lined, high-pressure hydrogen cylinder that reduces and trains.

TRENDS
MATERIALS RECYCLING
Hypetex wins Innovate UK Smart grant Hexcel, Fairmat agreement bolsters

for FlaxTex composite U.S. composite recycling efforts
Hypetex (London, Hexcel Corp. (Stamford, Conn., U.S.) and Fairmat (Paris,
U.K.) has been France) have announced a 10-year agreement to recycle
awarded a signifi- carbon fiber composite materials from Hexcel’s Salt Lake
cant grant from City facility for reuse in composite materials sold into
Innovate UK to various commercial markets.
develop FlaxTex, a Fairmat recently opened its new 15,000-square-foot state-
technical colored of-the-art recycling facility near the Hexcel Salt Lake City
flax fiber, which the site, which is claimed to be home to the largest high-perfor-
company says will mance carbon fiber manufacturing facility in North America.
have applications Under the agreement between both companies, Fairmat will
in the sustainable recycle Hexcel’s composite material scrap at this new site.
manufacture of cars, boats and other products that are Similar to the successful collaboration established previ-
usually made with carbon fiber. ously with Hexcel composite material manufacturing sites in
While strong and lightweight, FlaxTex is also 100% biode- Europe, this agreement underscores both companies’ dedi-
gradable, having a net positive carbon footprint at point cation to sustainable solutions and long-term collaboration.
of manufacturing. In addition, it can be colorized, which The Hexcel team is eager to expand its existing relation-
simultaneously enhances its performance properties. As ship with Fairmat in the U.S. at its Salt Lake City manu-
such, FlaxTex’s mechanical properties are said to represent facturing site,
the closest sustainable substitute for materials like glass and according to
carbon fiber in composite structures. Philippe Chevrier,
The performance of standard flax fiber, for example, is president –
often hindered by its high moisture absorption, resulting Americas &
in reduced structural integrity when used in composite Global Fibers,
construction. In addition, the natural brown color of flax has Hexcel. “Hexcel is
sometimes been deemed unappealing. strongly commit-
On the other hand, FlaxTex removes moisture through ted to responsi-
the coloring process and seals the fibers, which water- ble environmental
proofs them and enables their core mechanical properties. stewardship,”
Moreover, Hypetex’s patented nano-pigment color technol- Chevrier says.
ogy adds an aesthetic quality to the material. “We have a robust carbon fiber recycling program in place,
Over the course of a 12-month industrial research project, and this latest agreement with Fairmat to recycle compos-
Hypetex will further optimize its resin systems and processes, ite materials expands our efforts and bolsters our shared
expanding the use of FlaxTex across various markets. commitment to sustainability.”
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TRENDS
AUTOMOTIVE NEW SPACE
Bcomp ampliTex makes appearance in Rocket Lab launches climate science

Cupra EV Cup Bucket seats satellites for NASA
Cupra (Barcelona, Spain), a subsidiary of Spanish car In late May, Rocket Lab USA Inc. (Colorado Springs, Colo.,
manufacturer SEAT, which is part of Volkswagen Group, U.S.) launched the first of two back-to-back launches for
has announced the use of Bcomp’s (Fribourg, Switzerland) NASA’s (Washington, D.C., U.S.) Polar Radiant Energy in the
natural fiber composite materials for the new Cup Bucket Far-InfraRed Experiment (PREFIRE) mission, specifically
seats in the Cupra Born VZ electric vehicles (EVs), the latest tasked with measuring heat loss from both the Arctic and
addition to the brand’s vehicle line-up. Antarctica, in an aim to help researchers better understand
Cupra focuses on innovation and sustainability in an Earth’s energy budget. The launch was achieved via the
effort to redefine the automotive industry. This approach company’s composite Electron rocket.
is exemplified by the Cupra Born VZ, which combines high ‘Ready, Aim, PREFIRE’ lifted off from Rocket Lab Launch
performance with eco-friendly design, aiming to inspire a Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on May 24 and ‘PREFIRE
and Ice’ followed on June 5. Both were deployed to a
525-kilometer circular low Earth orbit (LEO).
Rocket Lab’s ability to launch dedicated missions to
precise orbits on demand is critical to the success of
PREFIRE. The mission requires two separate satellites
to follow similar trajectories but along different paths to
overlap with each other every few hours near the Arctic and
Antarctica and capture accurate heat loss measurements.
Both PREFIRE satellites are equipped with a device called a
thermopile, similar to sensors found in household thermo-
stats, to measure heat loss at far-infrared wavelengths which
have never been systematically measured before, according
to the company. This data collected by the PREFIRE mission
will help to improve climate and ice models and provide
better predictions of how the planet’s sea level and weather
are likely to change in the future.
new generation of drivers with its progressive and respon- “Missions like PREFIRE demonstrate the benefit of
sible engineering. Electron — dedicated launch for small satellites to precise
According to Francesca Sangalli, head of color and trim orbits on precise schedules,” Rocket Lab founder and CEO,
concept and strategy at Cupra, “We’ve been researching Peter Beck, says. “We’ve demonstrated this back-to-back
the use of flax fiber for some time to integrate it in our car launch capability for NASA once before with the TROPICS
seats. We are changing the sporty aesthetics to incorporate mission [May 2023] and we’re excited to deliver it once
a functional part made of flax fiber in the interior of a car.” again for PREFIRE.”
For the car’s interior design, Cupra’s collaboration with This successful mission was Rocket Lab’s 48th Electron
Bcomp and Sabelt, known for its high-performance automo- launch overall and sixth launch of 2024.
tive seats, has resulted in the creation of natural fiber Cup
Bucket seats. Replacing the original seat backs made from
carbon and glass fiber, the Cup Bucket option incorporates
ampliTex fibers, which is reported to reduce CO2 emissions
by 49% compared to the hybrid version, in addition to offer-
ing end-of-life options. Enhanced vibration damping and
increased safety are additional benefits. The ampliTex natu-
ral fibers provide both a structural layer and a visual surface
that introduces an elegant natural appearance and high level
of comfort, according to Cupra.
The all-natural fiber Cup Bucket seats are available exclu-
sively to the Cupra Born VZ EV. The vehicle delivers 322
horsepower and an instant torque of 545 newton-meters,
enabling it to accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers/hour in
5.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 200 kilometers/hour.

TRENDS
AEROSPACE
New CMC turbine vanes successfully tested in wind tunnel

The 3DCeraTurb project research team — comprising environmental barrier coating (EBC) and tested by an inter-
multiple institutes within the German Aerospace Center disciplinary team.
(DLR, Cologne) — is exploring how ceramic matrix compos- Three SiC/SiC turbine vanes were recently manufactured
ites (CMC) can be used to manufacture high-pressure at the DLR Institute of Structures and Design department of
turbine vanes for aeroengines. The goal is to reduce weight Ceramic Composites and Structures. During the 3DCeraTurb
as well as the need for cooling air/expensive coolant, project, DLR’s liquid silicon infiltration (LSI) manufacturing
resulting in reduced emissions. These new CMC inlet process was adapted from flat plates to a more complex
guide vanes were developed, manufactured, coated with geometry for the first time. A particular challenge was the
draping of dry fabric layers into a graphite mold to
apply a chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) fiber coating.
Another highlight was the demonstration that cylindri-
cal cooling holes could be integrated into the trailing
edge of the CMC vanes without damaging the material.
Wind tunnel tests were then performed at the DLR
Institute of Propulsion Technology in Göttingen. The
new heat-resistant inlet guide vanes, made of SiC/SiC
CMC, are aimed for a geared turbofan engine. The lower
density of fiber-reinforced ceramics makes it possible
to reduce the weight of these components, and thus
the overall engine, resulting in an improved thrust-
to-weight ratio. Also, due to CMC’s high-temperature
resistance, no coolant is required, yet the turbine vanes
can withstand up to 1315°C.
AEROSPACE
NIAR receives $10 million NASA funding for high-temp advanced materials
Wichita State University’s (WSU) National Institute for analysis, and testing refractory materials and structures.
Aviation Research (NIAR) is to receive more than $10 million It will complement existing resources available through
from NASA (Washington, D.C., U.S.) for research related to Wichita’s National Defense Prototype Center (NDPC),
the development, maturation and implementation of high- a collaboration between NIAR and Spirit AeroSystems
temperature advanced materials, including composites, for (Wichita, Kan., U.S.) that provides a secure space for high-
use in hot structures and thermal protection systems (TPS) temperature materials testing, development, prototyping
for hypersonic vehicles. and industrialization.
Currently, there are several technological gaps for
novel, high-speed materials and structures, including
the selection of materials that are capable of withstand-
ing extreme temperatures and extended flight times, as
well as the development of reliable design databases.
NIAR and NASA believe that the ability to generate
high-fidelity data for these materials is a crucial step in
the process of successfully inserting emerging materials
into critical space applications. These materials must be
proven to perform in extremely challenging environ-
ments, while demonstrating manufacturability, consis-
tent production and long-term sustainment.
The research program will require procurement of
equipment focused on automated fabrication, process-
ing and densification, characterization, design and
TRENDS
SPORTS/RECREATION
Arris co-founder develops composite rock climbing gear

Inspired by two decades of outdoor rock climbing, Arris explains Davidson. “I immediately recognized the potential
Composites’ (Berkeley, Calif., U.S.) co-founder and chief of the technology for making cam lobes as they appear to
engineer, Erick Davidson, sought to develop cams — trad be an ideal geometry for aligned continuous thermoplastic
protection designed to be placed in parallel-sided cracks composites, but a few years passed before I took on the
in rock to support climbing — that were lightweight, high challenge as a personal project.”
performance and were large enough to ensure climbers After making and testing a few carbon fiber cams in
felt safer in wide cracks. This work has led to a composite the lab on the weekends, Davidson knew he had to get
cam made outdoors for the real test. “Having tested the cams in the lab
using Arris’ and seeing them perform well, I was confident they would
Additive perform outdoors,” says Davidson. “Still, the lab testing is an
Molding idealized setup, so you can never be entirely sure without
process. doing some actual climbing.”
A cam Davidson’s wife, an avid off-width climber, went after
tradition- challenging pitches with the Arris carbon fiber cams and
ally has experienced no issues with handling or placement. The
three cams were so light she had to double-check to ensure she
or four had selected the correct one. “At 30% weight savings,” says
curved Davidson, “these carbon fiber cams weigh less than the next
pieces smaller size aluminum cams.”
of metal Additionally, Davidson is pleased with the performance
called lobes. A spring-loaded trigger wire retracts the of the integrated aluminum friction strip. The aluminum
lobes as needed to make the device narrower, and then interface, essential for its friction and wear properties, is
expands outward to release and fit the rock, once the co-molded onto the composite lobes and has exceeded
trigger is released. Traditionally, cam lobes are made from his expectations.
aluminum. In addition to more lab testing and extensive practical
“Climbers are always after lighter gear, so composites testing on future climbing trips, Davidson hopes to continue
seemed like a natural fit, but there wasn’t a composites testing the capabilities of his novel cam innovation, even
technology suitable for making cam lobes until Arris,” replacing other metal components with carbon fiber.
AUTOMOTIVE
TPI manufactures all-composite Kenworth SuperTruck 2 cab

TPI Composites Inc. (Scottsdale, Ariz., U.S.) has announced and Paccar vice president. “This was realized through a
its contributions to the development, engineering and combination of improving fuel efficiency up to 12.8 miles per
manufacturing of the all-composite cab for the Kenworth gallon while reducing our combination weight by more than
SuperTruck 2 demonstrator. TPI’s composites expertise 7,000 pounds.”
enabled development of critical components and cab struc- The ultramodern style of the Kenworth all-composite
tures with weight reduction and improved freight efficiency. cab is 20% lighter than a comparable metallic cab typical
The truck was developed over a 6-year period as part of Class 8 vehicles while also providing improvements
of a collaboration with the Department of Energy’s (DOE) in aerodynamics.
SuperTruck program, designed to challenge truck makers to The project was led
improve freight efficiency using a diesel engine as the main by Paccar, which
power source. The project was the result of a joint invest- designs and manu-
ment by the DOE and Paccar, Kenworth’s parent company. factures premium
“The goal was a 100% freight efficiency improvement over light-, medium- and
our 2009 Kenworth T660, which at the time was arguably heavy-duty trucks
the most fuel-efficient truck in the industry. We surpassed under the Kenworth,
the performance of that model to improve efficiency by up Peterbilt and DAF
to 136%,” says Jim Walenczak, general manager of Kenworth nameplates.

TRENDS
SPORTS/RECREATION
Composite accelerator pedal enhances Formula SAE performance

In close partnership with the TU Wien Formula SAE Racing When considering motorsports, these distinctions are
Team, Venox Systems (Lingenau, Austria) was tasked with important. Weight reduction enables a more precise weight
developing a composite gas pedal made of continuous distribution, which leads to an increase in balance, traction
carbon fiber with optimized performance and durability for and agility. A high specific tensile strength means that the
improved driving results, as well as reduced cost and short- material is more resistant and can withstand more load.
ened production time. Final results, which met these objec- Production time is another factor. The aluminum compo-
tives, in addition to successfully outperforming aluminum nent requires ~4 weeks due to preparation time, while the
versions in terms of lightness and strength, were used for 3D printed carbon fiber/PEEK component can be produced
the 2023’s Formula SAE racing series. in ~2 weeks; printing time takes only about 12 hours.
Formula SAE is a worldwide competition in which student Moreover, additive manufacturing often enables production
teams from countries across the world compete against of components with improved mechanical properties, opti-
each other with their own designed and developed race mized material efficiency and increased design flexibility.
cars. Prior to reaching out to Venox, the TU Wien team was
using a gas pedal made out of aluminum. While easy to
obtain, easy to work with and protected against corrosion
via an oxide layer, its weight and specific tensile strength
compared to something like carbon fiber made it disadvan-
tageous, especially in a race where every gram counts.
Venox Systems’ go-to solution was 3D printed continuous
carbon fiber. It maintains a specific density of 1.9 newtons/
square millimeter (179 N/mm2)(versus aluminum’s 2.8) and
its strength reaches 1,600 grams/per cubic centimeter
(versus 500), representing a 320% improvement. However,
the difference between the two materials became particu-
larly clear when the strength-to-density ratio was compared.
The carbon fiber-reinforced polyetherketoneketone (PEKK)
achieved a specific strength of 842 179 N/mm2, compared to
aluminum’s 179 N/mm2 — an improvement of 472%.
CONSTRUCTION
Renco USA brings Lego-style composite building system to construction

Renco USA Inc. to that already used for aerospace, marine and large truck
(Miami, Fla., U.S.) connections. Not only does this reduce cost, Renco USA
has brought reports, but it also enables for rapid assembly with less
its mineral people — a four-building multifamily project in Palm Springs,
composite, fiber- Florida, “required a crew of only about 11 workers with vary-
reinforced (MCFR) ing levels of skill and experience,” to construct it in about 8
building system — weeks, following color-coded plans.
using repurposed Notably, reports ENR, “Renco USA’s MCFR system quali-
resins, glass fibers fies for LEED points for its recycled content, is rated to
and naturally withstand winds up to approximately 275 miles per hour
occurring calcium and its blocks, joists, decking and adhesives have passed
compounds — to residential construction in an effort to tests in ANSI-certified laboratories for structural perfor-
design strong, resilient and sustainable structures. mance, physical characteristics and fire resistance.” The
The system “uses blocks that interlock like Lego bricks to material has also been certified to withstand Category
create everything from structural walls to floors and roofs,” 5 hurricanes and jas successfully passed more than 400
according to Engineering News-Record (ENR), bonded safety tests to design and install its products under the
together with a methyl methacrylate bonding agent, similar International Building Code.
PLANT TOUR
The ICSA facility in Toledo (top)

produces complex RTM parts while
Illescas (inset) specializes in AFP/
ATL of large structures such as the
Airbus A350 horizontal tail plane
(HTP) and the Boeing 787 aft
pressure bulkhead (APB).
Source | CW, Aernnova
PLANT TOUR:
Aernnova Composites
Toledo and Illescas, Spain
RTM and ATL/AFP high-rate » Aernnova Aerospace (Álava, Spain) is a leading Tier 1 aero-
production sites feature this structures supplier with 5,442 employees in 16 locations across
composites and engineering leader’s eight countries supporting 30 different aircraft programs. In addi-
tion to its engineering, services and metallic components busi-
continued push for excellence and
nesses, Aernnova Composites is a key part of the group’s integrated
innovation for future airframes. aerostructures capability and comprises six plants with 1,343
employees in Spain, Portugal and the U.K., supplying Airbus and
Airbus Helicopters, Boeing, Embraer, Dassault, General Dynamics
By Ginger Gardiner / Senior Technical Editor
and others.
Aernnova is a company committed to sustainability, techno-
logical development and digitization, says Dr. Miguel Castillo, vice
president of technology development for Aernnova, noting: “We
go from concept, design, prototyping, testing and certification
to production.” The industry’s respect for this full capability and
decades of expertise can be seen in contracts awarded by Heart
Aerospace to co-design the airframe of the ES- electric aircraft,
and by HondaJet to design and build flaps, ailerons and spoilers
for the Echelon HA-. Aernnova is currently working with Boom

Aernnova Aerospace plant tour
MADRID
ILLESCAS
TOLEDO
Source | Getty Images
Supersonic to design and develop the composite wing for Overture,

as well as with air mobility company Lilium, developing the com-
posite wing and nacelles for the Lilium Jet. “Instead of rotors, this
aircraft uses vectored thrust from  electric engines,” explains
Enrique Sanchez, director of composites manufacturing engineer-
ing for the Aernnova plants in Spain. “We are developing the articu-
lated nacelles that enable this ducted fan propulsion.”
Aernnova has also developed a strategic partnership with
Embraer, acquiring the Brazilian OEM’s two facilities in Evora,
Portugal — one for metallics and one for composites — and is
increasing production to support current and future single-aisle
aircraft. It also acquired Hamble Aerostructures in Southampton,
U.K. from GE Aerospace. With significant composites capability,
this facility produces the large fixed trailing edge for the Airbus
A wing, comprising more than , components.
Of the remaining four composites sites in Spain, the Orense and
Álava plants in the north are dedicated mostly to parts made using
hand layup (HLU) processes. CW’s tour focused on the ICSA facility
in Toledo, well-known for its serial production using resin transfer
molding (RTM), and Aernnova Illescas, which uses automated tape
laying (ATL) and fiber placement (AFP) to produce the carbon fiber-
reinforced polymer (CFRP) leading edge (LE) and other compo-
nents for the Airbus A horizontal tail plane (HTP). The latter also
serves as Aernnova Composites’ headquarters and is located adja-
cent to the Airbus Illescas composites plant outside of Madrid.
R&D, thermoplastic composites, digitization

R&D and innovation are part of Aernnova’s DNA, says Castillo.
Aernnova Composites has decades of expertise in forming complex, integrated
Notably, Aernnova is a founding member of the Clean Sky/Clean
RTM structures such as the upper shell demonstrator for a rear fuselage with
Aviation program, and also participates in regional and customer- patented multi-flange RTM frames (top) and this structural grid for A350
focused R&D projects. This has enabled Aernnova to mature a passenger doors (bottom). Source | CW
wide range of composite technologies and manufacturing to dem-
onstration/high technology readiness levels (TRL, see Learn More % weight and reaching TRL /. Regarding TPC development,
for online sidebar). Castillo notes this started with stamp forming via work with the
These range from high temperature-resistant composites in the composites R&D center FIDAMC (Getafe, Spain). “But now we
SuCoHS project to thermoplastic composite (TPC) wingbox covers want to bring that in-house and industrialize it,” says Castillo. “We
and fuselage components in Clean Sky  projects to the  JEC also produced parts for the Clean Sky  MFFD and ARE projects
Innovation Award finalist all-CFRP railcar with OEM Talgo saving and have worked with Cetma’s [Brindisi, Italy] technologies for
PLANT TOUR
continuous compression molding [CCM] and induction welding. “was similar to the -meter IIAMS demonstrator by MTorres, but
We will mature a range of these technologies to TRL  by the end of shorter, at  meters.” Other RTM achievements include:
 for elementary parts, and then continue to mature our weld- • A -meter-diameter air intake for a business jet using a one-
ing capabilities with partners.” shot process.
Another large area of work is RTM, including patented designs • A -meter flap for the Airbus Wing of Tomorrow program
for multi-flange fuselage frames and CFRP struts with an inte- (Learn More for online sidebar)
grated metallic insert for attachment. “The one-shot wingbox • A winglet for a Clean Sky  program using RTM with foam core
skin we made with Airbus in the APOLO project,” says Castillo, and resin infusion for the leading edge.
• Modular-designed RTM tools with partner Aitiip in the
HERON project that facilitate innovative heating and demold-
TOP: In this small corner of the ICSA cleanroom are (left to right) machined core
ing, made with a high-deposition hybrid additive layer manu-
for A220 APU doors, vacuum bagged A320 elevator leading edge (LE) ribs and an
auxiliary power unit (APU) door layup tool; the black lid of a vacuum table is seen facturing (ALM) process.
in the rear corner, along the wall. BOTTOM: A Tecnatom ultrasound testing (UT) • Integrated “one-shot” structures for the RACER compound
cell is scanning four A220 APU doors. Source | CW helicopter’s horizontal and vertical stabilizers.
Aernnova also completed the ATEA-AERO project to develop

a new landing gear door for next-generation conventional air-
craft. “This is a high-curvature part where drape-formed spars
are integrated as a single part with the skin in an RTM process,”
says Castillo.
He notes Aernnova is in the third year of a digitalization program
called Zero Latency. “We are changing our enterprise systems and
connecting these to production data, but it is more than just .. It
will change the whole way we work and include AI support. More
than % of our operations will be covered this year.” Aernnova is
also advancing robotics for improved assembly processes, including
more flexible systems that are able to handle a wide variety of parts
for more resilient and adaptable production lines.
ICSA TOUR
Built in 1991, Internacional de Composites S.A. (ICSA) has more
than 30 years of experience in composites production and was
acquired by Aernnova in 2003. Our tour is led by Sanchez and
Carlos Torollo, engineering manager for ICSA. We enter a lobby
filled with examples of production parts including empennage
fairings for the Airbus A380, A350 and A320, and the A350 HTP LE
as well as the RTM structural grids for the A350 passenger (pax)
door which are made in this plant. We walk through a door to
where a single, large freezer on the right stores rolls of prepreg and
kits of cut prepreg plies. On the left is a material testing lab. “We
test incoming prepreg and can do chemical and mechanical test-
ing as needed to support programs,” says Torollo.
He notes the production floor flow is like a “C.” It starts with
materials receiving, cutting and hand layup at the entry where we
are, and then moves through machining, paint, assembly and non-
destructive testing (NDT)/inspection in the middle before curving
back to the right for RTM production.
Cleanroom and cure

We enter the cleanroom, where two automated cutters from Lectra
(Paris, France) are used to prepare prepreg kits. Laser projectors
in this HLU area are supplied by Virtek (Waterloo, Ont., Canada)

or SL Laser (Traunreut, Germany). “We are the single source for

the A320 elevator composite parts, which are very high-rate HLU
components,” says Torollo.
Fixed HLU stations are mixed with “pop-up” stations, moved
as required for ramps/changes in production rates. A vacuum
table along the wall is used for compacting layups. We see an A
HTP fairing leading edge extension (LEX) in progress as well as
rounded, triangular LE ribs which are vacuum bagged on small
tools, ready for cure, as is a layup on a larger metal tool for the
A auxiliary power unit (APU) door.
Quite a bit of production uses reusable bags, says Sanchez, such
as parts for the NH helicopter. Aernnova also makes the cockpit
dashboard panel for the Airbus Helicopters H. We see A ele-
vators in progress, for which ICSA makes more than , skins/
year (top and bottom for left and right wings). We also see honey-
comb-cored components for the A elevators, and a Kuzan K-
laser projection system on wheels, which can be used to aid HLU
where needed.
We exit the cleanroom into a curing area with three autoclaves
supplied by TEICE (Spain), IROP (Italy) and Maschinenbau Scholz
(Coesfeld, Germany) —  × . meters,  ×  meters and  × .
meters in diameter — and a  × . × -meter oven with an adja-
cent room for tool storage, demolding and tool cleaning.
Main production hall

From the curing area, we walk into the main production hall which
stretches the length of the building. The next area comprises three
NDT cells. One is an ultrasound testing (UT) cell on rails with dual
water squirters that uses through-transmission (TTU) for larger,
flat parts and sandwich parts. Just beyond are several stations
where technicians perform hand UT scans of areas highlighted for
further inspection.
The next NDT cell is a Tecnitest (Madrid, Spain) immersion tank
that can perform single-side and TTU C-scans. The third cell by
Tecnatom (Madrid) is the newest, featuring a gantry on rails. It can
adapt in the X-axis (rails), Y-axis (toward or away from the part)
and Z-axis (height). It is also used for sandwich structures.
As we walk through this area, we see completed skins for the
A and A elevators, featuring a blue film containing light-
ning strike protection (LSP). In an adjacent assembly area, techni-
cians are attaching metal anti-erosion plates to an A HTP LE.
We also see work on A elevators, and a typical SQCDP (safety,
quality, cost, deliveries, persons) station for tracking and review-
ing key production indicators (KPIs). “These stations share statisti-
cal process control data and other relevant production and qual-
ity indicators with the production floor in all our factories,” notes
Sanchez. We leave the main production hall and enter the RTM
production area.
Bindered dry fabric plies are cut and kitted (top) and then hand laid into
blanks that are converted into preforms using hot drape forming (HDF)
RTM production machines (center). These preforms are then RTM’d into small parts or assembled
The first room is for kitting plies, filled with a Lectra cutter and into complex preforms and then RTM’d into large, integrated structures.
numerous racks with stacked kits, managed by a single Source | CW, Aernnova
PLANT TOUR
technician. We then enter a large cleanroom with a layup area to demolding area. Some of these are heated using electrical resis-
our left. Here, a technician has a workstation dashboard screen tance and some use heated oil. Our second approach is to use hot
suspended in his cell. He speaks to the system as he completes plate presses which heat tools by conduction from the platens.”
each ply, and it checks it off in the workflow software. There are two injection/cure stations for the self-heated tools
Just beyond these layup areas is a large hot drape forming used for producing the inner structural grids that will be mated
(HDF) machine made by Serra, a sister Aernnova company in with prepreg skins at Aeronnova Illescas for the A pax doors
Barcelona and Romania. Layups are heated to °C for  hours to and two stations for the A HTP LE. In the left rear corner, we
melt the binder and compact them into a shaped preform that will watch a technician assemble a multipiece tool at a station for the
be placed into an RTM mold set. The machine uses a single HDF A HTP trailing edge ribs made using a hot platen press.
top unit — equipped with infrared lamps for heating and forced air “We make the A HTP LE in one shot, integrating the skin
for cooling — with two tables for layups. While one is in the HDF with ribs,” says Sanchez. “We deliver eight sections per plane
processing preforms, the other is being loaded, for faster through- and are ramping production. One big challenge was to maintain
put. There are also two small Multitherm HDF tables from Elkom temperature of such massive molds at ±°C, and we changed our
(Postfach, Germany). control system strategy to achieve this.” Finished sets are shipped
“We then assemble these preforms like puzzle pieces into the to Airbus Getafe for assembly of the HTP, which resembles a mini
RTM tools to enable larger, integrated structures,” says Sanchez. To wing set with a -meter span. Airbus has said that it will increase
our right are twin vertical storage systems by Hänel Lean Life (Bad A prodution from /month in  to /month by .
Friedrichshall, Germany) used for the various production pro- We exit the cure room into the demolding and NDI area. There is
grams’ preforming tools. a robot trimming cell for deburring the edges of dry preforms. We
see a base and top for the RTM tool used to produce the A pax
Toolroom, injection, demold and NDI door inner structure. An overhead crane is used to lift the mold top
We turn right into the toolroom. Here, numerous large, self-heated from the base. “This is a very controlled process in order to remove
steel RTM molds — wrapped in thermal insulation blankets to the part without any damage,” notes Torollo. The base of the two-
hold heat inside — await injection/cure cycle or have just fin- part tool for the A HTP LE is also here, and we can see the slots
ished and will move next to demolding. “We have two strategies where rib preforms are placed but also the whole piece removed
for RTM production here,” says Sanchez. “The first are these self- from it as an integrated structure. The resin flash will be trimmed
heated matched tools. After we place the preforms and tooling off and then it will undergo final quality control inspection.
inserts inside, we close and clamp top and bottom tools and
connect them to injection units. The tools heat up to 120°C, resin AERNNOVA ILLESCAS TOUR
is injected, cured under vacuum and pressure, and then the tools For this second tour, Enrique Sanchez is again our guide, aided
ramp down/cool before they are disconnected and moved to the by Jorge Garcia Martinez, head of manufacturing engineering for
the Aernnova Illescas site,
which has 300 employees
on the production floor,
400 total with white collar
included. Signs through-
out the engineering offices
confirm that diversification
is an ongoing effort, but
Martinez says it is still chal-
lenging to hire women tech-
nicians here. Still, two of the
Seen from a stairway above the

cutting room and prepreg freezer
area, one of two ATL 35-meter-
long flat table machines can be
seen at front with a hand layup
(HLU) station beyond, featuring
two large skin tools with pink
bagging film. The aisle splitting the
cleanroom into two sections can be
seen at right. Source | CW

TOP: ATL #3 features a 35-meter-long

table where a TorresLayup head at back lays
the blanks and a TorresPanex head at front
cuts the blanks. BOTTOM: ATL #4 laying
onto a curved cure tool with HDF cell to the
right. Source | CW
landing gear wheels from the

pressurized cargo hold. This
part is sent to Airbus Atlantic in
Rochefort, France, for further
assembly. “We’re also devel-
oping the . × -meter cargo
door for the A freighter,”
says Martinez. “The skin will be
made by Airbus Illescas, and we
will produce the internal struc-
ture, which comprises more
than  parts including 
frames plus stiffeners, pins and
clips. We are starting to make
the tooling for this now.”
“We also make the Boeing 
aft pressure bulkhead [APB],”
says Martinez. “The shape is
complex, demands a high level
of quality and we also had to
demonstrate our ability to ramp
to rate  in just  months. But
we delivered on-quality and on-
time to the  assembly line in
Charleston, with the first part
perfect — drop-in ready with no
five C-suite directors for this site and 26% of the overall Aernnova issues. The program VP there had all the production workers sign
Illescas workforce are women. a banner thanking us for such a good job. We still have that banner
This plant was built initially for production of the compos- on our production floor.”
ite components and assemblies for the A HTP. “We won this “For the A, we make the vertical stabilizer skins and spars
through a competitive process with other manufacturers,” explains which are then assembled at Leonardo’s Foggia plant,” he contin-
Sanchez. “We made the design for the product, the tooling, the ues. “We also make the A center wingbox, which is assembled
process and the production facility to support the production rate in Aernnova’s Berantevilla, Alava, plant using a completely robotic
needed. We started prototype activities in  and then fitted the process. We also make the wing spars for the Dassault Falcon X;
line with automation. We inaugurated the plant in , the same Dassault makes the skins and assembles the all-CFRP wings.”
year as Airbus Illescas next door.” As discussed above, Aernnova is relied on not just for structural
Other parts in production here include the A # and # pax engineering but also manufacturing engineering. “We developed
doors. “The # and # doors are made by Airbus Helicopters in the industrialized production for the A elevator and rudder, but
Donauwörth, Germany,” says Sanchez. “We make the outer prepreg then this became part of a transfer to Airbus China,” says Sanchez.
skin here and then integrate the RTM inner structure from ICSA “The rudder and elevators were industrialized here and then trans-
along with other components in one specific assembly cell.” Finished ferred completely to be produced at Harbin.”
doors are sent to Donauwörth for attaching door mechanisms.
Aernnova Illescas also makes the upper spar for the engine ATL versus AFP
pylons on the A- and its main landing gear bay (MLGB) The Illescas facility tour begins in its 14,000-square-meter clean-
bulkhead which separates the unpressurized storage area for the room. There are not many workers in this highly automated
PLANT TOUR
production area. ATL and

AFP machines fill the room
to the left and right of us and
also straight ahead, across
the main aisle that splits the
room into two sections. To our
left, beyond the nearest ATL
machine, are two large Serra
HDF machines.
“We have six ATL machines,
all made by MTorres [Torres
de Elorz, Spain], but each
is specialized for produc-
tion of different parts,” notes
Martinez. “Three lay up onto
flat tables, producing blanks
that are then shaped in the
HDF machines, and three are
ATL cells that lay onto slightly
curved curing tools. We also
have monotape machines that
load one roll of  meters
and multitape machines that load two or four -meter rolls stringers and stiffeners onto -meter-long flat tables. “All ATL
at the same time.” machines that lay on flat tables have a TorresLayup head to lay
He explains differences between ATL and AFP: “ATL systems tape and a TorresPanex head to cut the blanks,” explains Sanchez.
can make any kind of layup pattern but are limited to shal- “We make several parts at the same time and then cut the blanks
low curvatures. You need to know about ATL in order to use it to be formed in the HDF machine. The laying and cutting heads
efficiently. AFP is very different, always cutting at a -degree can cross so that we’re running both at the same time —laying first
angle, which results in steps at the edges instead of an angled at the beginning of the table, and then swapping to lay at the end
line. So, this requires a special laminate design, and AFP sys- of the table. We never stop the ATL head — the goal is to keep it
tems can handle very complex geometry, but they require laying as much as possible.”
more maintenance.” Regarding speed, Martinez adds that the We walk to the main aisle in the cleanroom and turn right.
early AFP systems were slow, but now AFP has become a very Beyond the two large ATL flat table cells is a large prepreg freezer.
fast process. There is also a cutting room with a Lectra automated cutter and
The ATL to our left is a gantry system on rails laying onto a a machine for cutting noodles used to fill the triangular hole
curved cure tool. That tool starts in an HLU station just beyond between T-stringers and skins. This hole results when two “L”
this ATL cell, where a ply of glass fiber prepreg with copper stringer pieces are butted back-to-back to form the “T” — but this
mesh for LSP is applied. There are two tall towers with Virtek leaves an area between the skin and the L’s that needs to be filled.
laser projectors. The tool is then moved to the ATL cell for the This is standard procedure globally in CFRP skin-stringer produc-
CFRP prepreg tape layup. It then returns to the HLU station for tion — although every facility has a different approach to making
a final ply of glass fiber prepreg that serves as an isolation layer the noodles.
to prevent galvanic corrosion with aluminum fittings. This ply “We make ATL laminates and cut triangular sections for the
also helps to prevent flacking — delamination that occurs on noodles,” says Martinez. “We then locate these as we mate the
the back side of holes when drilling the finished part. Next, pre- stringers to the skin. Traditionally, we made fillers by hand-rolling
cured stringers will be located onto this skin and applied with prepreg into long snakes and then HDF formed them into noodles.
adhesive. The assembly is then vacuum bagged and cured in the But now we have developed a specific machine for cutting the
autoclave. We also see HLU of splice straps used to join fuselage prepreg into shape.” The cut plies are manually removed from the
sections for the A. These are delivered to Premium Aerotec Lectra cutter. “We investigated automation, but the business case
Group in Augsburg, Germany. Four straps are made on each wasn’t there,” he explains.
curved tool. We exit the cutting room and proceed back through the
To our right, two ATL systems, across the aisle from each other, large cleanroom, past a team vacuum bagging a finished layup.
fill out that end of the cleanroom. They are laying blanks for Traditional bagging film is used, instead of reusable vacuum

produce the spars for the Dassault

FX wings.”
As we continue to move through
the cleanroom, Sanchez explains
there are three main processes
here. The first is co-curing —
uncured stiffeners are mated to
an uncured skin and autoclave
cured together. The second is co-
bonding where precured stiffeners
are mated to an uncured skin with
adhesive and then autoclave cured
— this is used in the HTP skins. The
third process is secondary bond-
ing, where precured HTP ribs, for
example, are bonded to a cured
structure using adhesive and cured
in an autoclave.
In the left rear corner from
where we entered the cleanroom
is an area for preparing A HTP
components for co-bonding. “We
LEFT: Two tools are used to alternate
bags, explains Martinez, don’t need tooling for this bonding of stiffeners to ribs because
AFP layup and inspection to meet rate
“because there are a lot of the dimensions are already set,” notes Martinez. “There is also
for Boeing 787 APBs. ABOVE: For the
A350 main landing gear bay (MLGB) pleats needed and the reus- no shimming.”
able bags are too expensive.
bulkhead, Illescas produces ATL blanks, In this same area, a turning rack locates stringers into a curved jig
preforms them into stringers using HDFWe investigated it, but again and then flips this to place them onto the skin for the A center
and co-bonds stringers to ATL prepreg couldn’t make the business wingbox skins. The assembly is then bagged and autoclave cured.
skin in the autoclave. Source | Aernnova
case. However, we do use
reusable bags for the  APB.” We pass ATL # on our right. It is AFP for 787 APB, autoclaves
much smaller, dedicated to ribs for the HTP LE. “We didn’t need We walk across the aisle to a large AFP machine in the right rear
such a big machine for these parts and so were able to use a more corner of the cleanroom, passing large tools for the Boeing 787
cost-effective cell.” APB. “In this AFP cell, we have two areas in the bed for two of the
APB tools,” says Sanchez. “We lay on one while we inspect the
HDF for stringers, assembling preforms for curing other and vice versa. The cell has an automated head changer to
Across from ATL #5, we stop to look at tools that will go into the swap the head loaded with 16 spools of 1/2-inch-wide tape with
HDF machine on our left. They feature male tooling inserts and are the head carrying eight spools of 1/8-inch-wide tape. Both are
loaded with eight blanks that will be preformed into L’s which will needed to complete the layup.”
later be combined to make four T-stringers. The vacuum bagged We then walk back to the central aisle and exit the cleanroom
blanks on the tool are placed in the HDF machine and heated to into the autoclave area. Three Olmar (Gijón, Spain) autoclaves
60°C, after which vacuum is applied to shape the blanks while the measure  ×  meters,  ×  meters and  × . meters in diam-
prepreg remains uncured. “We move the resulting preforms to a eter. “We can cure every product we make in all of these,” says
curing tool to form the final geometry,” says Martinez. “Preforming Martinez. In front of each autoclave is a double-length of rail to
is just to create the shape to locate the layups on the curing tools. fit two rack carts for faster changeout — one can be removed and
You would get wrinkles if you put flat blanks directly onto tooling then pushed sideways by AGVs while the second is then loaded
inserts in the curing tools.” into the autoclave.
“We make these stringers net shape — no trimming,” he con- We pass skins for the A center wingbox on racks. Sanchez
tinues. “We used to trim, but we completed an internal project to notes that Aernnova continues to align with Airbus ramps in pro-
improve this. We had to demonstrate that the net-shape product duction rates. For the A, Airbus is targeting  aircraft/month
was the same quality, including making tests and micrographs by . As we walk away from the autoclaves toward the NDT
to show cross-sections and properties. We have also developed area, we pass skins for the A HTP on tools after curing, an
an alternative process where, instead of HDF, we use a press, to upper spar for the A- engine pylon and three racks of
PLANT TOUR
net-shape stringers for the A HTP stacked drilling of titanium/CFRP/titanium. “We drill this in one
Read this article online as well as outer skins for a dozen shot with an automatic drilling machine,” says Sanchez.
w/ sidebar | short. A pax doors. Racks of finished A center wingbox skins sit next to A
compositesworld.com/
Aernnova-pt HTP and MLGB bulkhead assemblies, the latter a large semicircle
Inspection and assembly with stiffeners. We pass a small cell that Sanchez describes as a
The NDT area features a large development to automate the previously manual job of sealant
squirter UT cell by GE and a application. “In the past, this took a lot of time,” he explains. “It
robotic UT cell by Tecnatom that also required skilled artisans because the sealing is functional, but
has two sections: one for a jig that the application must also be very neat to provide a high-quality
can use a water squirter on the finish. Such skilled personnel are harder to find, and automation
left and an immersion tank on will improve efficiency to meet higher production rates.”
the right. “We use the GE squirter We see fittings being installed in spars for the A HTP.
cell for larger parts because they Martinez explains that while some are mechanically attached,
must be inspected one by one,” others are bonded and so receive four chicken rivets, two at each
says Sanchez. “That was the first machine we had, so certain end, one on each side of the stiffener flange. We exit this area
parts are specified to be inspected with it. However, it’s better to back into the offices and main lobby.
inspect small parts in the Tecnatom immersion tank.” He notes
the GE machine can do pulse-echo but not TTU, and both cells Ready for the future
can do C-scans. Every composites manufacturer has a personality. Aernnova’s
For the Tecnatom cell, a scanning fixture can be rolled into the is confident, but not showy. It pursues new technologies and
left section and inspected with the robot using a water squirter. automation but as a means to achieve improved, higher rate
Meanwhile, an overhead crane lowers a fixture that is loaded with production. It does invest in new capabilities, but in a mea-
sured, practical way with a view to actual production. As a
Tier 1 supplier, it must be extremely conscientious, explains
Castillo. “We have no room for less-than-optimal processes
and operations.” And yet, it is obvious that engineering and
“We will launch thermoplastic
engineers form the spine of the company, providing a kind of
composites in 2024-25, aiming for veritas, stability and direction.
TRL 6 by 2026.” This is key now more than ever. “The industry has changed,”
notes Castillo. “After the pandemic, making decisions of where
to go is much more challenging. But we are ramping up Hamble
and Evora, and we continue to mature automation and new tech-
many parts — e.g.,  ribs or two spars — into the immersion tank. nologies across all our composites sites, including for RTM, press
“While we are scanning in the tank, we are preparing the load forming and other out-of-autoclave processes. We will launch
in the non-immersion side next door,” says Martinez. “We then thermoplastic composites in -, aiming for TRL  by .
move the robot over to do the non-immersion scanning while we For now, we will push to meet the demands of increased A,
remove scanned parts and reload the tank. We are using phased A and A production.”
array UT with  transducers so we can cover a large area quickly. However, he adds that Aernnova Composites sites have capac-
However, before we scan, we must debubble the water in the tank ity for growth and will continue to diversify within the company’s
in order to get an accurate image.” aerospace focus. “We have decades of expertise in engineering and
This cycle is repeated continuously, as every part produced production, combined with a wide range of capabilities that pro-
here is % inspected, notes Martinez. “We also have stations vides real benefits in producing lighter, higher performance and
where manual UT inspections are completed to review areas high-rate structures for all types of future aircraft.”
flagged for anomalies.” He adds that all areas of every part must
be scanned, especially radii and flanges, because most of these
parts are structural and considered flight- and/or safety-critical.
We walk past a  APB sitting ready to be scanned. There are
also racks of A MLGB bulkheads, as we enter a large assem-
bly area. CW senior technical editor Ginger Gardiner has an
engineering/materials background and more than 20 years
Here, we see  APBs being assembled and the banner on the of experience in the composites industry.
wall from Boeing Charleston. Titanium fittings are attached all ginger@compositesworld.com
the way around the .-meter-diameter bulkhead, which requires

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WORK IN PROGRESS
Future quartz
and oxide fibers
at Saint-Gobain
Advanced
Ceramic
Composites
Saint-Gobain ACC produces a wide range of high-

performance ceramic fiber-reinforced composites.
Source | Saint-Gobain Advanced Ceramic Composites
New business builds on EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is an excerpt of a longer online article. To access the original,
use the QR code provided in the “Learn More” box on p. 36.
100-year legacy in quartz,
prepares for growth and Saint-Gobain (La Défense, Paris, France) is a multinational brand well known in
starts production of oxide composites for its manufacture of glass fiber reinforcements through subsidiar-
ies Vetrotex and Adfors. Established in 1665 to break the monopoly that Venice
fibers to meet increased
had in mirror manufacturing, its history has been compelled by technological
demand for CMC.
innovation — from its subsequent development of the revolutionary table rolling
process for glass, to the foundation of Quartz & Silice in 1922, to its 1930 intro-
By Ginger Gardiner / Senior Technical Editor duction of FGlas reinforcement fibers in Germany.
Now, again, Saint-Gobain seeks to break a monopoly, this time in the produc-
tion of aluminum oxide (alumina) ceramic fibers used in ceramic matrix com-
posites (CMC). But it also sees a bright future for its historic quartz fiber business.
Formation of Saint-Gobain ACC

Saint-Gobain Quartz (Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France) has evolved into a new
business: Saint-Gobain Advanced Ceramic Composites (ACC). Announced in
April 2023, the name reflects the company’s focus on growth in high-potential
markets including:
• Quartzel quartz fiber which is high-purity >.% silica (SiO) offer-
ing excellent dielectric properties and a unique combination of physical,
mechanical and thermal properties not provided by other lower purity silica
fibers like E-glass.
• Continuous alumina and mullite ceramic fibers with thermo-mechanical
resistance and long-term stability up to °C.
• CMC made from oxide fibers in an oxide matrix, which can be formed into a
wide array of shapes for parts offering durability at very high temperatures.

Saint-Gobain ACC developments
“Our business has a long history, celebrating its th anniver- work mainly with industrial companies, and with companies
sary in ,” says Aymeric d’Ydewalle, general manager of Saint- doing metal casting and heat treatment,” says Walter Pritzkow,
Gobain ACC. “There has been a lot of innovation through the who founded Walter E.C. Pritzkow Spezialkeramik near Stuttgart
years, and quartz fibers remain the largest part of our business.” in . The company’s award-winning Keramikblech Ox/Ox CMC
However, as the company looked to its next  years, its leaders (referred to as OCMC) uses fabrics made with M (Minneapolis,
began questioning how to expand and diversify its offerings. “We Minn., U.S.) Nextel  and  fibers. It produces small series (up
looked into possible adjacent products and technologies, which to  parts) but also has larger production runs for customers,
led us to considering oxide ceramic fibers,” he continues. “That led such as ,-, burner components per year.
to concluding a deal almost  years ago with the DITF in Germany Why not use SiC? “Because SiC/SiC and C/SiC are much more
[Denkendorf ], to acquire the technology they have developed in complex materials and require longer processing,” explains
producing these fibers.” Pritzkow. He sees a large potential for OCMC parts, with more
“Our new name reflects our repositioning to encompass applications being developed in recent years. “Large compa-
a range of high-performance fibers for composites,” says nies want to run thermal processes at higher temperatures. We
d’Ydewalle. “We have our legacy businesses in quartz with exist- have also worked with engine manufacturers.” This growth will be
ing customers and business, but we are also bringing to market even faster, he notes, if oxide fiber costs come down. “We’ll get
new technology in alumina fiber for CMC via the agreement with more opportunities to replace metal parts which are destroyed
DITF. And we have decades of experience and knowledge that
has been developed into Saint-Gobain global R&D centers, where
we can help a broader set of customers infiltrate new applications
across these materials. We believe CMC will emerge more and
more in the next years and Saint-Gobain ACC will have an impor-
tant part to play in that. Our intention is not only to become a
global leader in such high-performance fibers, but we also want
to accompany our customers into the adoption of CMC and other
technologies in the future.”
New markets for CMC

As explained in CW’s 2023 article, “A new era for ceramic matrix
composites,” although the CMC market really opened up with GE
Aerospace’s use and production of silicon carbide (SiC/SiC) CMC
for more efficient aeroengines, oxide fiber-reinforced oxide (Ox/
Ox) CMC are also seeing increased demand.
Saint-Gobain ACC has acquired aluminum oxide (alumina) ceramic fiber
In general, SiC/SiC is seen as a higher temperature material technology from DITF and will begin production by 2025. Source | DITF, Saint-Gobain ACC
(-°C) than Ox/Ox (-°C). However, as explained
by Dr. Bernd Clauss, head of the DITF Competence Center High
Performance Fibers, this capability depends on time and tempera-
ture. The lower figure for oxide fiber aligns more with long dura-
tions, such as CMC turbine components that must survive ,
hours, he says, “but for applications … which survive for only 
seconds, … oxide fiber can go to °C.” He adds that SiC/SiC
composites are increasing in the hot section of aeroengines while
Ox/Ox are used in adjacent lower temperature regions. However,
Ox fibers don’t require coating like SiC fibers do and have a lower
overall cost. “For oxide CMC, we use non-coated fibers and get a
porous matrix at the end, which gives a fiber-dominated behavior
and the damage tolerance you need for CMC,” says Clauss.
There is a growing market for Ox/Ox CMC in aeroengines, but
perhaps even more so in industrial applications. These materi-
als are increasingly being sought for use in thermal industrial
processes, where higher temperatures increase efficiency. For
example, prototype CMC reaction vessels have shown as much OCMC are being used to increase efficiency in a variety of industrial processes.
as -% improvement in steam cracking of hydrocarbons. “We Source | Walter E. C. Pritzkow Spezi-alkeramik, BASF
WORK IN PROGRESS
in weeks and months due to coking and corrosion,” he explains. Saint-Gobain ACC enabling
“OCMC parts provide a much higher lifetime — for example, our OCMC growth Read this article online |
flame tubes last up to  years.” For his industrial customers, these “Saint-Gobain has been working short.compositesworld.
com/SaintGobainACC
parts provide a significant reduction in maintenance, shutdown toward Ox-Ox CMC for many years,”
and part replacement costs. says d’Ydewalle, “in collaboration
with a broad set of customers, espe-
Offering a new supply of oxide fiber cially in Europe, and also jointly with
One obstacle for OCMC growth has been a limited supply of fiber. a number of sister businesses within
To date, almost all OCMC use Nextel 610 and 720 fibers from Saint-Gobain that see potential in
3M. “Nextel fabric is the most expensive part of our products,” CMC.” For example, Saint-Gobain
notes Pritzkow, “and delivery is a problem, often with delays of has a lot of experience serving the
3-6 months.” This will change in 2025, when ACC will make its market with monolithic ceramics in
continuous oxide fibers commercially available from its French a wide set of applications, and some-
production site. “Our first target is 4-5 tons/year,” says d’Ydewalle, times there are constraints in terms of stress and temperature
noting this will be expanded quickly to 10+ tons/year. that demand more advanced products, like CMC. “We have taken
Saint-Gobain ACC will commercialize OxCeFi A and OxCeFi ownership of this long-term R&D work and will continue that with
M fibers, which were developed by DITF over decades, with a variety of partners.”
production validated in a pilot line since . According to DITF, One example is Saint-Gobain ACC’s participation in a multi-
OxCeFi A fiber is similar to Nextel , being % corundum year program funded by France and the European Union
(α-alumina), without using iron oxide for controlled structure forma- (“France ” and “Next-Generation EU supporting Relaunch
tion. However, DITF claims there is no counterpart to OxCeFi M France”) with a leading French aerospace company, announced
fiber which is % mullite, because Nextel  is typically a mix- in . “Today, we have the capability to make small- and
ture of corundum and mullite. OxCeFi M reportedly offers similar medium-scale samplings of oxide fibers in France, and we are
creep resistance but optimized high-temperature stability. Pritzkow developing our CMC capability. Our initial focus is on OCMC, for
has tested these oxide fibers in unidirectional and woven fabrics which we are leveraging a variety of materials including alumina,
and confirms they are at the same level as Nextel fibers. He has also silica and quartz — so that we can cover quite a wide range of
assisted in validating the fiber’s performance in OCMC parts. applications and performance.”
In addition to aeroengines, d’Ydewalle says
The oxide fibers that Saint-Gobain ACC is commercializing at its French facility have been validated other key markets are space and non-civil-
in a pilot line at DITF since 2018, woven into fabrics as well as small- and large-scale braided textiles ian applications. “Such key technologies have
and successfully converted into OCMC parts. Source | DITF, Saint-Gobain ACC become a matter of sovereignty,” he explains.
“We see that France and Europe do not want to
have such a critical dependency on the U.S. even
though it’s a strong ally. They prefer to have their
own supply chains.”
Outside of aeroengines, space and non-civil-
ian markets, d’Ydewalle sees an even wider set
of opportunities than just the refractory and
chemical industries. “We also see possible appli-
cations in hydrogen systems and batteries for
automotive and eVTOL aircraft — all kinds of
applications that need improved materials to
resist high temperatures. This is where having
our vertical integration and being able to pro-
pose novel solutions to our customers is impor-
tant. It’s not like in aerospace where there is a
big competency in CMC that has been devel-
oped at all the main aerospace jet engine play-
ers. In these other segments, CMC is still new.
So, we need to work with customers here to help
develop and validate parts in these applica-
tions to demonstrate that the technology makes

Saint-Gobain ACC developments
spacecraft, which will carry crew into space on NASA’s

Artemis missions.
Digitization driving growth, future products

Today, quartz composite radomes are also being used by
commercial aircraft to enable SATCOM wifi connectivity.
As weather antennas and avion-
Quartzel fiber can
ics have advanced, the speed
be processed into
woven textiles, braids and amount of critical data has
and nonwoven veils. increased. “We see a growing
Source | Saint-Gobain ACC need for quartz for Wi-Fi and
nose radomes in both civilian
and non-civilian aerospace applications,”
says d’Ydewalle.
“More data and connectivity mean higher
frequencies are used,” he explains. “We’ve
invested in R&D for circuit boards in elec-
tronics and can see that in the years to come
— boosted especially by the emergence of
AI — there’s going to be a need for copper
clad laminates [CCL] used for printed cir-
cuit boards [PCB] that can support very high
sense. Also, it’s a way to differentiate ourselves versus the big frequency signals.” He notes that above  gigahertz, the dielectric
players out there. We have no interest in being just another sup- properties of typical reinforcements like glass fiber would damage
plier; we want to work with and enable our customers.” the integrity of the signal, which can cause the PCBs to become
slow or unreliable and ultimately degrade the electronics.
History in quartz fiber “We are preparing for this future where certain CCLs will need
The first fused quartz filaments were produced by Saint-Gobain to use quartz to maintain signal integrity at extremely high fre-
Quartz in 1960. Developed for space and non-civilian programs, quencies,” says d’Ydewalle, noting these applications spread
applications quickly expanded beyond France. “In 1974, we beyond aerospace. “There are data center switches in all kinds
worked with Lockheed Martin to make parts for the U.S. Space of systems, and with AI, there is a tremendous increase in the
Shuttle,” says d’Ydewalle. “And then decided to support the U.S. amount of data that needs to be processed. Basically, you would
demand, establishing our plant in Louisville, Kentucky in 1988.” have less processability and less capability to process this data if
He notes that quartz offers a special balance of properties result- you used glass fiber PCBs.”
ing from its high-purity silica composition and fine filament format As part of meeting this market demand, Saint-Gobain ACC is
that is high strength and thermally resistant, with high electromag- developing new quartz fiber products. “Typically, the aerospace
netic transparency, yet flexible enough for efficient processing to market requires yarns that are  and  microns in diameter,” says
create complex and tailored advanced composite parts. d’Ydewalle. “But to meet the standard product sizes established
The market for quartz composites continued to grow, driven in the electronics market, there is a need to provide diameters of 
primarily by demand for electromagnetic transparent compos- microns or even below. And this is challenging because the thin-
ite radomes in non-civilian aircraft programs. This expanded to ner the quartz fiber is, the more fragile it is. Thus, it also drives new
other aircraft and naval programs in the U.S. and Europe. Quartz thresholds in process control, but we are meeting these challenges
fiber was also used in other critical aviation parts including lead- and preparing for this growth.”
ing edge stealth structures, thermal dissipation skins and ablative
surfaces for spacecraft thermal protection systems (TPS) necessary
during atmospheric re-entry.
An important example is the compression pads which form
part of the TPS for NASA’s Orion spacecraft. NASA worked with D
weaver Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM, Bally, Penn., U.S.). Quartz fiber CW senior technical editor Ginger Gardiner has an engi-
neering/materials background and more than 20 years of
was chosen for its low thermal conductivity and less brittle nature experience in the composites industry.
versus carbon fiber. NASA and BRM infused a D woven fabric ginger@compositesworld.com
with resin to form the compression pads now flying on the Orion
FEATURE
SMC composites progress The vehicle’s carbon fiber-

reinforced polymer (CFRP) body
at the assembly stage in Aptera’s
BinC solar electric vehicles facility. The body in carbon (BinC)

structural approach uses carbon
fiber sheet molding compound
In an interview with one of Aptera’s co-founders, CW sheds (CF-SMC) techniques developed
in collaboration with CPC Group to
light on the inspiration behind the crowd-funded solar electric
achieve high strength-to-weight
vehicle, its body in carbon (BinC) and how composite materials ratios and scalability in production.
are playing a role in its design. Source (All Images) | Aptera
By Stewart Mitchell / Contributing Writer
» Aptera (Carlsbad, U.S.) is a California startup developing a with glass fiber sheet molding compound (GF-SMC). As the com-
solar electric vehicle (sEV) that offers a 1,000-mile range and pany leads up to production-intent builds (anticipated for ),
the ability to avoid plugging in thanks to 700 watts of continu- CW’s contributing writer, Stewart Mitchell, touched base with
ous charging power provided by its solar panels while driving Aptera co-founder, Steve Fambro, to talk more about Aptera’s use of
or parked. However, this performance demands a new ultimate composites, its work with CPC, the sEV’s design and manufacturing
in efficiency — both in aerodynamic shape and light weight. process, Aptera’s goals and targets for production and more.
Composites have helped to achieve both, comprising the vehicle’s
body in carbon (fiber), or BinC, which reportedly can be recycled : Can you explain your background and approach to
up to five times for an ultra-low CO2 life cycle cost. This also aligns incorporating carbon fiber composites into the vehicle’s
with Aptera’s drive for sustainability. structure in Aptera, as well as the key benefits over the
Working alongside composite parts supplier CPC Group traditional framework that you may have considered?
(Modena, Italy), Aptera’s BinC is composed of only six main parts STEVE FAMBRO (SF): The story of how I got involved with
— the tub, roll bar, two roof panels and two side panels — all made composites goes back to when I first contemplated starting my
from carbon fiber sheet molding compound (CF-SMC) combined company, which was around 2005. At that time, I was considering

Aptera Q&A
building a vehicle with aerodynamic shapes, and I knew that to At the time, we had different ideas and approaches to how a
achieve an extraordinary range with an electric vehicle (EV), it composite car should be built. I wanted to use a bunch of flat fac-
would have to be very lightweight and have a low drag coefficient eted panels that would be CNC cut, and then bond them together
or drag product. This is when I started exploring the use of com- to make a structure and put a simple aeroshell over it. Chris
posites, because I was a private pilot and had experience with thought we should make as few parts as possible, and as long and
composite aircraft, specifically Diamond Aircraft. as contiguous as possible, to make it stronger and lighter. We hired
Initially, I thought about building something inspired by a Burt a composite expert to help adjudicate that, and he very quickly
Rutan design, the Long-EZ, which was my introduction to struc- agreed with Chris.
tural composites. I read everything I could about Burt Rutan, and We started building stuff like the section of the old, original
bought his booklets and training videos on how to make compos- Aptera, which was green Divinycell. This was all open mold
ite parts. I started by making little hand-laid beams with Divinycell vacuum resin infusion, a lightweight, high-performance structure.
foam core and unidirectional and bidirectional fibers. Rutan’s However, these structures required a lot of labor, not only to cut
handbooks had a little test that people could do to become more the cloth but also to lay it in the right orientation, prepare the mold
comfortable with composites — you build these beams, support and so on. There was no real way to automate the labor in resin
them double-ended and stand on them. Being able to support my infusion composite sandwich panels, none that we’d seen, at least.
bodyweight with these lightweight beams was impressive and gave When we started back in , we were fully prepared to use this
me the confidence to further explore composites. method because we thought ,-, cars a year could be done
I continued my journey by buying blueprints of experimental by hand. Then, when we launched the concept, we got , orders
aircraft and learning everything I could about composite materi- for Aptera in the first week, and we realized that it was not possible
als. I even went back to the de Havilland Mosquito, which was the to do it by hand. We would need thousands of employees to make
first composite aircraft. I learned about using end grain balsa as it happen, the variability would be too high and it would result in
a core material and explored hardpoints. I learned how to apply hundreds of mold sets, which was not feasible.
a load in a composite panel — whether it’s applied along the face In the early stages, we were still pushing the envelope and work-
sheet or orthogonal to it, and what kind of material would be ing with a local San Diego company with a UV cure resin. We
needed for the hardpoint. De Havilland did it differently by using made all the parts with this resin, which had a very fast cycle time.
round circles of hardwood to bolt on those loads. However, it was still not scalable, and that’s when we hired Akos
As I was learning these things, it was right around the time when Feher, our current VP of engineering, to go out and find us the best
I met Chris Anthony, the other co-founder of Aptera. Chris had a method to produce structures in these volumes. He introduced us to
boat company, Epic Boats, and he was using vacuum resin-infused CPC Group (Modena, Italy), and we were really impressed with the
bottoms to make these lightweight sandwich core boats. This was precision and quality of the parts they were able to produce. It was
a wakeboard boat, a very specific kind of pleasure watercraft that clear that their method was the best fit for our needs and would help
had a pump system to bring in water as a ballast to increase its us achieve the level of efficiency and consistency we were looking
weight and make an extra-large wake. His boat could be towed for. We quickly began to move forward with CPC as our manufactur-
much more easily and used less energy to tow it thanks to its light ing partner and have already achieved amazing results together.
weight; it could be towed with a small car.
Chris and I met through a common friend. I was having all my : Where is the balance between refined body design
composite materials sent to the company he worked with, and and volume production?
a friend recognized the SF: Internally [in Aptera] discussing the topic of composites, it
resins and stuff like that. was noted that the BMW i3 car was a good example to examine.
She said, “Hey, I’ve got However, upon closer inspection, we discovered that the i3 was
a friend who’s building already quite outdated, especially in 2019. This was evident from
this boat company. You a Monroe teardown report, which is a detailed analysis of the car’s
guys should talk.” That’s components, providing valuable insights into the car’s carbon fiber
how we met and how we teardown and how it was assembled.
began on this composites Of particular interest were the composite parts made by
journey together. Dieffenbacher for BMW. While the use of roll tape or custom
blanks with different fiber orientation in a matrix was a valid way
to make these parts, it still required a high cycle time and signifi-
Steve Fambro,
co-founder of Aptera, who cant human touch. This made it challenging to scale up produc-
has driven the innovative tion for high-volume manufacturing.
use of SMC composites in Looking at BMW’s success in the marketplace, it was appar-
the vehicle’s design. ent that the i was considered a low-volume car that did not sell
FEATURE
Over the past few years, CPC has developed expertise in design-
ing parts for this process, simulating and validating them in-house.
We relied heavily on their expertise in selecting the right materials
for our project. At the time, CPC had a large but still minority own-
ership by Mitsubishi, specifically Mitsubishi Rayon or Mitsubishi
Chemical. Last year, Mitsubishi completed the full acquisition of
CPC, and while there is a transition of activities and staff, it will
take place over a couple of years. For our specific product, CPC
chose Mitsubishi products, and they use a proprietary resin matrix
for the Aptera BinC. I can’t mention the exact formula, but it was
chosen to minimize weight, maximize strength and ensure that the
product is producible at the rate we need it to be.
: SMC removes orientation-based performance. Can you

describe the process you used to define the features of the
part? Could you provide some specific stiffness numbers
for any of the panels, which would help readers understand
the strength of these parts better?
SF: In our project, we did not provide specific metrics for every
panel property. Instead, we focused on vehicle-level targets such
as torsional and bending moments, resonance and frequency
modes. We knew that SMC or CF-SMC would not produce a panel
An interior view of Aptera’s
composite chassis illustrates as well in the U.S., with annual sales as light per unit strength as a sandwich core. However, our main
the scale and integration of of , to , units. However, goal was to have a clear way to simulate the material accurately.
the BinC parts, which are said this did not mean that BMW was Finite element analysis (FEA) was a huge part of the develop-
to represent the largest parts incapable of making more; it simply ment process. My background is electrical engineering. FEA is
CPC has ever produced in SMC.
required significant capitalization to similar in both electrical and physical domains, and it is sensitive
set up a plant to produce these parts. to discontinuities at interfaces and material changes. Modeling
This was a crucial barrier for the Aptera team, as we were unsure materials helped us predict the failure point but not beyond that.
if we could raise the amount of money required for that level of However, the material we used is well-characterized, making it
production. Therefore, we needed to find an alternative method to almost as simple to model as aluminum or steel. This material’s
produce the required parts, which led us to explore other options. characterization is the result of R&D and intellectual property
CPC’s method of SMC body part fabrication was the right method (IP) that CPC has developed. Our vehicle has a composite tub, roll
that was more feasible for Aptera’s needs. structure inside the body and an aluminum subframe in the front
and rear. To simulate crashes, the material needed to be perfectly
: Can you provide details regarding the specific types understood and modifiable. The material is well understood in the
of fibers and resin systems used in the construction of the software model, allowing us to trust the simulations. Although we
carbon [fiber] body? How were these materials selected may have given up some weight advantages compared to a sand-
and what factors were considered in qualifying their wich construction with a foam core, we gained overall productivity
structural performance? and design robustness. We have a very good idea of how the vehi-
SF: In the Aptera project, our partner, CPC in Modena, played a cle will perform even before we conduct crash tests in real life.
significant role in the materials selected and what factors were
considered in qualifying their structural performance. Working : Is the material isotropic and exhibiting consistent fiber
with them enabled us to take a leap forward in our experience behavior in all directions?
level. Chris and I had previously worked with open mold resin SF: The process of creating these parts involves a great deal of
infusion, but with CPC, we were able to work with closed CF-SMC, precision and attention to detail. The fibers used in the manufac-
a more advanced process. CPC already has an existing business of turing process must remain random and not become aligned or
producing these parts for various supercar manufacturers, main- coagulate, which requires a great deal of expertise and experience.
stream OEMs and other white-label applications. They are highly This is achieved through years of R&D, including mold design
integrated, making the tools, producing the parts and even assem- and simulation of the material flowing through the mold under a
bling them into substructures or entire structures as white-label pressure of 5,000 tons. The simulation must be precisely correlated
products for OEMs. with real-life behavior to ensure concordance, which is critical to

Aptera Q&A
the final product. All of this expertise and knowledge is already in : The integration of solar panels into the structure is a
place when you sign up with CPC, so there is no need to reinvent unique construction feature. How integrated are the solar
the wheel. panels in terms of structure? What were the specific tech-
nical challenges that had to be overcome to integrate the
: Has a novel manufacturing process been developed solar panels?
specifically to produce this product, or is it an evolution of SF: The panel design for our vehicle presented several challenges,
an existing process that has been adapted for this purpose? the most significant of which was the difference in coefficient
SF: Through collaboration with CPC and their partner companies, of thermal expansion (CTE) between the different materials. To
we were able to design and build the BinC using much of their address this issue, we decided to use chemically strengthened
understanding in under a year using a manufacturing process that glass materials for solar arrays with favorable CTEs that can match
leverages existing composite materials and simulation technology. up with the BinC structure without the need for large gaps and
We started with a basic design made from resin-infused parts, and seals. This design also provides a more aesthetic look and ensures
with the knowledge of materials and power of simulation, we were better aerodynamics.
able to rapidly iterate through design changes necessary to make Initially, we had considered embedding the solar panels within
the vehicle out of SMC. The result is a strong, durable and reli- the composite panel itself. However, we faced several techni-
able structure that we can put into the manufacturing process and cal challenges, including yellowing of the resin and the need for
have it ready for production in just one year. This process is highly appropriate UV stabilization agents for bonding the cell surface
efficient and already being used for other high-volume customers, chemistry. Therefore, we decided to keep the panels separate and
although it is not yet publicized. removable for serviceability and opted for a structural design that
can add strength to the vehicle. This also contributed to the deci-
sion to use the chosen materials for the solar panel to more closely
Close-up of the integrated fixture points in the CF-SMC door used in
the BinC’s construction. align the CTEs of the two materials. This design not only ensures a
robust and rugged panel but also facilitates repair and upgrades.
Although we have the option to structurally bond the panels to
the composite, we chose to make them removable to enhance ser-
viceability. This design is similar to how a windshield is removable
from the frame of a vehicle.
Most of our IP is related to solar panel design and manufactur-
ing, and we have gone off on the deep end in solar to make this
happen. We had visions and had done experiments of embed-
ding the solar in the composite panel itself, but the technical
challenges were too significant to make that design viable for a
road vehicle. However, we may consider such a design for air-
borne operations.
: What is the interface between the solar panel and the

body and how does it deal with CTE?
SF: The solar arrays are bonded to the front hood, dash or insert
panel, roof and rear deck. They are attached using a bonding
process that improves the structural rigidity and resilience of the
vehicle. The rear deck, in particular, is a challenging component
due to its size and may be the largest panel ever made in a single
shot. However, all the components are bonded in a similar manner
to create a closed section, like a D-channel, which enhances their
overall strength and durability.
: Can you confirm if all the sections of the solar panel

are uniform in shape or if they are specifically curved to fit
different body elements? Are there any restrictions on the
compatibility of certain parts with specific sections? For
example, can part A only fit into section A, and is there a
specific part that fits into section A and not others?
FEATURE
SF: The hood and roof of the vehicle : Because composites are known to be sensitive to UV,
Read this article online | have conformal 3D curved pieces could you explain how this particular structure is able to
short.compositesworld. that fit in only one direction and withstand frequent exposure to direct sunlight?
com/Aptera-BinC-QA
mimic the shape of the vehicle. This SF: Our vehicle’s exterior surface, particularly on the top half, is
is the challenge for our IP, as we primarily composed of glass solar panels, which provides excellent
have to make the large panels con- insulation. To protect the doors and sides, we use a 3M film wrap
formal and build the cells without instead of painting the vehicle. This allows us to save on the cost of
breaking them or causing micro- building a new paint shop, which can cost several hundred million
cracking that would lead to prema- dollars in the U.S., while also being better for the environment.
ture failure. This has been the focus The use of wraps is a cost-effective and reliable solution, provid-
of our work for the past few years, ing robust performance and allowing for greater customization in
and we have successfully designed color options. This approach eliminates the need to produce vola-
all the panels to be conformal to the tile chemicals and aerosols, which can be challenging to control.
vehicle’s surface, as intended in the CAD.
The design of a solar car raises concerns about thermal expan- : The field of aerodynamics plays a crucial role in deter-
sion and the bonding between its components. The finish of the mining the behavior of this vehicle and its overall design,
vehicle and the substructures that connect the base panels to the structure and performance. Can you share more about the
car’s frame must be taken into consideration in relation to the ther- origins of your aero profile and what inspired its design?
mal expansion that occurs due to exposure to sunlight. The final SF: In 2003-2004, before EVs were commercially available, I became
structure is created through the bonding of the solar panels, but the interested in building an EV as a hobby. As I talked to people who
bonding and the subframe also need to be considered, especially had converted their cars to electric, I realized that most of them
in relation to CTEs. The i teardown process revealed several com- could only drive for 30-40 miles before needing a recharge. I was
plexities in the use of materials and the CTE of those materials. The curious to understand why this was the case, so I used MATLAB to
i vehicle uses around  different structural adhesives with varying run some calculations. I discovered that the primary factor limiting
CTEs, depending on the materials being bonded. However, we have the range of these EVs at highway speeds was drag. In fact, over half
only one adhesive that we use, thanks to our high compatibility with of the energy consumed by these vehicles was being used to push
CTE. We made sure to avoid using different adhesive formulas for air out of the way. This struck me as wasteful, and I wondered why
different sections of insulation by revisiting the panel design and vehicle designers would knowingly create such inefficient designs.
aligning the CTEs with the CF-SMC matrix. I began to study low-drag vehicles and discovered the skin effect
with the body and ground effects. These effects were minimized if
the car was based on the principle of a teardrop-shape with a flat
bottom. This can significantly reduce drag. By surrounding two
people in a shape modeled after this effect, I believed we could
create a vehicle that was much more energy-efficient than tradi-
tional designs. This inspired me to design my own low-drag vehi-
cle, which ultimately became the basis for the Aptera vehicle we
built. The Aptera vehicle draws heavily from concepts found in the
aerospace industry and Formula racing car design, with particular
attention paid to front suspension systems like the wishbone sus-
pension, as well as the use of outboard wheels.
The concept faces opposing forces due to the need for a large,
paneled structure on the solar side while still maintaining an aero-
dynamic shape with minimum drag. Most high-performance solar
cars are effective, though they lack compartment space, making it
uncomfortable for passengers to sit and look out. In things like the
Solar Challenge, solar cars use low-drag bicycle wheels, rudimen-
tary seats and feature small slots through the front of the car for
the driver to peer through. Therefore, the challenge is to maximize
volume to accommodate solar panels while maintaining a sleek
Detailed view of the Aptera’s carbon fiber rear deck structure, designed for
and aerodynamic shape.
integration of proprietary solar panels. Here, detailed material science meets
solar panel array engineering requirements, including thermal expansion and At the Torino Automotive Museum, I saw a solar car for the
structural integrity. first time in my life. It was displayed in a circular facility, in a hall

Aptera Q&A
The BinC inner

door panel structure impacts. Our vehicle has a carbon [fiber]
has significant roll hoop and a steel tube that connects to
structural engineering lateral structures. We use a combination of
requirements, metal and composite materials for crash
including side impact
protection, but we can use expanding engi-
performance and
lightweighting. neered foams in certain areas in the future.
In crash scenarios, the composites interact
with metal structures in a way that requires a well-engineered
primary safety cell to withstand those interactions.
: What specific research have you conducted regarding

composite behavior in crash scenarios and their interaction
with metal structures?
SF: CPC has developed an innovative and new approach for
designing car parts that is not being implemented by any of their
competitors to the same degree. They have specific targets for
strength, safety and weight, which they aim to achieve through
material selection, thickness and grades of steel or aluminum.
They use simulations to identify the best materials and adjust the
design accordingly. They don’t have any fixed rules regarding the
use of steel or aluminum; it’s determined on a case-by-case basis.
They design hard points into the composite material, which are
modeled based on load and forces in X, Y and Z directions. This
approach ensures consistency in strength and quality repeatabil-
ity, and the science behind these hard points guarantees a certain
level of performance that is repeatable across every part.
: Can you provide details about the sustainability of this

vehicle’s lifecycle? Are there any other sustainability fea-
tures besides its solar usage and the potential ability to
showcasing future technologies. Among other interesting con- operate without consuming fossil fuels in certain areas of
cepts, they had a Shell Eco Marathon car that looked like a coffin the world?
on wheels — incredibly small. The driver had to lie down in the SF: The composite material used in Aptera’s vehicle can be recy-
car, facing a slit. I had always imagined these cars to be larger, but cled up to five times, which is a new development in the industry.
they are very small. Due to our larger aerodynamic design, we It has been designed to have a much longer life than traditional
have a larger wetted area, which increases the skin drag. However, steel or aluminum structures due to its non-fatiguing and non-
it also gives us plenty of surface area to install the solar panels. rusting properties. The accelerator and brake pedals are made
from repurposed old skateboard decks, which are selected to
: How did you analyze crash safety and the behavior of ensure no structural issues and treated with a finish to give them
composites under compression, particularly high-speed a sandpaper texture. The fabrics and materials used in the vehicle
compression? I am unsure of the specific regulations are made from repurposed or recycled materials, with some inno-
regarding crash viability for a certain volume of vehicles, vative bio-products, such as pineapple and mushroom leather.
but given the high number of orders received, I assume Aptera is not trying to appear pure or green, but we are trying to
that full manufacturing, safety testing and homologation create something sustainable that serves our mission.
will be necessary.
SF: Much of our vehicle design meets the standards for motor-
cycles in the U.S., but we have chosen to go beyond that and design
to automotive standards for safety. Our vehicle has airbags and a Stewart Mitchell is a Bristol, U.K.-based engineering journalist
combination of metallic and composite structures that enable crash with experience covering technology in Formula 1, electric and
and rollover protection. We use FEA and crash modeling to ensure hybrid powertrain and autonomous systems. He has a degree
in motorsport engineering from Oxford Brookes University
the safety of our vehicle. In the latest software simulation, we have (Oxford, U.K.), and is a member of The Institution of Mechanical
demonstrated the effectiveness of our design against side and front Engineers (London, U.K.). smitchell@compositesworld.com
APPLICATIONS
Pull-wound carbon » Emergency medical stretchers, particularly those used by the military,
require a difficult-to-achieve set of parameters: they must be lightweight
fiber poles enable and foldable so as to be easily carried in a backpack and durable enough
lightweight, compact, to survive rough handling and potentially harsh environments, but also
strong and rigid enough to carry a patient securely. Carbon fiber pultru-
rigid emergency sion and pull-winding specialist Epsilon Composite (Gaillan en Médoc,
France) set out to develop a carbon fiber composite stretcher design that
stretcher achieved each of those parameters.
According to Alexandre Lull, deputy CEO of Epsilon Composite, the
Based on military feedback, original idea came from former military special forces members, who
explained the need for a better lightweight stretcher design. Other exist-
Epsilon Composite developed an
ing options made from aluminum or carbon fiber composites are either
optimized, foldable stretcher that relatively heavy, bulky or too flexible to enable both easy transport and
combines telescopic pull-wound secure transfer of a wounded person, Lull says.
carbon fiber tubes. Over the next 2 years, the Epsilon team developed and patented what
is now called its Blacklite retractable stretcher. It comprises two parallel
poles made up of a series of telescopic tubes, one mounted inside the
other, a flexible fabric suspended between the poles and a two-part
transverse stiffener in the middle for added rigidity.
The parallel poles are each composed of eight carbon fiber/epoxy tele-
scopic tubes manufactured via pull-winding. The ends of each tube are
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for the fabric of the stretcher and as additional reinforcement to prevent
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To store the stretcher, the stiffener rods are removed, the rest of the
Epsilon Composite’s Blacklite stretcher features a frame and attached fabric are folded in half and then the telescopic tubes
foldable carbon fiber/epoxy frame to combine light weight,
slide together into a compact shape that fits in a small bag.
portability and rigidity. Source (All Images) | Epsilon Composite
In 2019, French special forces units began testing Epsilon’s proto-
type stretchers, first in training, then in the field. Based on feedback
from this testing, Epsilon adjusted and improved the design several
times over the following years. For example, extra abrasion protection
was added in areas of the stretcher that saw impact on rocky terrain.
Designed based on feedback from French special forces,
Assembly tolerances were also tightened to ensure the tube connec-
the stretcher features robust, easily foldable parallel poles
and a transverse stiffener for extra support. tions remained stable, even if the stretcher was unfolded roughly in
an emergency situation. The textile parts of the stretcher were also
redesigned to improve ergonomics.
The final commercial design is “roughly the size and weight of a large
water bottle,” Lull says, weighing less than 2.5 kilograms and measuring
40 × 10 × 10 centimeters, though rated to carry up to 200 kilograms.
The commercial product was launched in March 2023 at the
Special Operations Forces Innovation Network Seminar (SOFINS) in
Bordeaux, France. Epsilon hopes to expand the product into more
applications — with potential uses both in military and in emergency
rescue operations — and also into more regions, including looking for
The stretcher folds up and fits into a small carrying bag. a distribution partner in the U.S.

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Fiberglass pressure vessels with IoT provide real-time insight into refilling needs
Hexagon Ragasco (Raufoss, Norway), a business of Hexagon the line; and an outer layer, an HDPE casing, is added, both
Composites (Oslo, Norway), and Linde (Dublin, Ireland), to provide protection and ergonomic grip and to enable
a global industrial gas company and LPG marketer, has customers to brand their pressure vessels.
launched composite Linktra Smart cylinders nationwide in Notably, the company’s Linktra Smart cylinders comes
Norway. with an Internet of Things (IoT) offer that enables the
Linktra Smart cylinders, deployed under the name connection of the cylinder to consumers’ mobile phones,
AGA Smart Cylinders, are developed in a three-step, fully allowing them to quickly see gas level and receive push
automated notifications when it is time to refill. Linktra also connects
manufacturing to the IT systems of LPG distributors, providing insight
process: An into consumer-usage patterns, enabling optimized logis-
inner liner of tics — which means the cylinder is always in stock when a
polyethylene customer is ready to refill.
(HDPE) is blow “The AGA Smart Cylinder allows users to have full control
molded; glass of the LPG cylinder gas level for their domestic or leisure
fiber-reinforced activities,” says Morten Roness, head of consumer sales
composite Norway, Linde. “At the same time, we at Linde, obtain real-
material is time data to optimize our logistic operations and product
wound around availability for customers.” hexagongroup.com, linde.com
» Composite structural design software » Fiber-reinforced compounds

New version of composites design tool Carbon fiber-reinforced PVDF compounds
Version 5.2 of Anaglyph Ltd.’s (London, U.K.) Laminate are functionalized for 3D printing
Tools software application has been released, bringing Xenia Materials (Mussolente, Italy), a global developer of
additional features and capabilities to tailor the pre- and carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP), presents its
post-processing of composite structures. It is used by range of CFRP PVDF-based compounds for pellet-fed 3D
composites printing applications. This group of materials combines
designers and the properties of the integrated carbon fiber with PVDF,
stress analysts. providing high performance and chemical resistance.
Features Use of carbon fiber in 3D printing helps prevent warping
added to during the printing phase, maintains a smooth surface
this version finish, and ensures dimensional stability and low thermal
include a expansion. According to the company, by adding carbon
nesting feature fiber to the base material, it enhances the qualities of
with several the PVDF polymer. This novel mix keeps the ease of use
customiz- of regular PVDF while boosting strength and reducing
able parameters; “Undo/Redo” for materials, sets and electrical resistance, meeting ATEX standards.
offsets; import ability for PCOMPP/PLY/DRAPE/STACK Xenia Materials engineers and manufactures high-
from .fem files; a Laminate Stack view showing the stack performing materials, offering a wide choice of carbon
profiles across the entire laminate; and GUI features for and/or glass fibers as well as ultra-light, structural thermo-
model rotation modes, realistic cross-sections join-in and plastic composites. Furthermore, Xenia has functionalized
toolbars. and adjusted each
A more comprehensive list of these enhancements is formulation for the
online at anaglyph.co.uk/release_highlights_lt_52.htm. 3D printing field, to
Laminate Tools is a standalone Windows application be used in any type of
that addresses the entire Geometry Import-Design- fused granulate fabri-
Analysis-Check-Manufacture process of composites cation (FGF) printer.
structural design. It links the various disciplines and xeniamaterials.com/
communicates original data between all involved in the en
process. anaglyph.co.uk
POST CURE
Highlighting the behind-the-scenes
of composites manufacturing
Enhancing the load-carrying capacity

of composite bolted joints
» FiberJoints (Aalborg, Denmark) is a startup company Inefficient load transfer between joined members, which
that has introduced an innovative patch reinforcement, often necessitates additional material to compensate for
illustrated below, that tackles a common issue associ- high stresses near the bolt.
ated with traditional composite bolted joint applications: FiberJoints’ patch resolves this inefficiency by redistrib-
uting the high stresses to the adjacent
composite layers through a braided
sleeve. The key to ensuring sufficient
Source | FiberJoints
load transfer between the central metal
bushing and the braided sleeve lies in a
third element — the fiber ring, not visible
in this figure. Made of metal or polymer,
the fiber ring can be straight, threaded
or countersunk, customized to joining
requirments per application.
Mechanical tests have demonstrated that
the patch has the capacity to double the
strength of composite bolted joints. This
advantage opens possibilities for creating
lighter and more efficient composite
designs, making the technology particularly
promising for various applications.
FiberJoints is eager to explore a diverse
range of composite products that can
benefit from the composite patch, as
well as potential collaboration to further
advance the application.
Show us what you have!

The CompositesWorld team wants to feature your composite part, manu-
facturing process or facility in next month’s issue.
Send an image and caption to CW Technical Editor Hannah Mason at

hmason@compositesworld.com, or connect with us on social media.
@CompositesWorld CompositesWorld @CompositesWrld @CompositesWorld CompositesWorld

24
OCTOBER 8-10, 2024
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Register To day fo Carbon

for C o Fiber 2024!
20
Carbon Fiber 2024 is the preeminent EXPERT-LED

conference on carbon fiber and its expanding COMPOSITES CONTENT
role in the composites industry. Conference Conference presentations will focus on
discussions offer access to industry experts technical and business issues as well as
market trends. Take home actionable
and cutting-edge info on streamlining insights from experts on topics affecting
manufacturing costs, market outlooks, the composites industry today:
forecasting and more. You will make • How sustainability and decarbonization
challenges are impacting the global carbon
invaluable contacts as you network fiber supply chain
with the industry’s most innovative • Consumption outlook in markets with a
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