CompositesWorld
Issue link: https://cw.epubxp.com/i/532917
CompositesWorld.com 15 NEWS N E W S N S N E W S E N W S W An overarching goal of composites engineering is to transcend "black metal" design — simply replacing metal with a composite. So, Piranha Propellers (Jackson, CA, US) deserves credit for not only developing and manufacturing replacement propellers from long glass fber-reinforced polymer, but for rethinking the propeller altogether. The result features interchangeable blades that can be easily swapped out when damaged or worn. Molded from Complēt MT Series long glass fber material (60% fber in a nylon 6 matrix) from PlastiComp (Winona, MN, US), the injection molded blades are designed to absorb impact energy and break, before propagating damage to the propeller shaft, thereby restricting replacement efort and cost to individual blade unit(s), instead of the entire propeller assembly. Piranha owner and founder Brad Stahl says the biggest challenge in marketing the propellers has been convincing customers that composites can do the job. Indeed, says Stahl, "Piranha's Hydrothrust propeller provides 400% more reverse thrust than standard propellers, and twice as much as competing metal props." MARINE Rethinking marine propeller design, with composites Source | Surface Generation North Coast Composites delivers the complete parts solution. For 35 years North Coast Tool & Mold has been an industry leader in the manufacture of molds for high performance composites. Y ISO9001-2000 AS9100B C o m p o s i t e s The Companies of North Coast North Coast Tool & Mold Corp. North Coast Composites, Inc. www.northcoastcomposites.com 216.398.8550 Surface Generation opens two PtFS multi-zone heated mold technology centers Multi-zone Tool Heating & Marine Props Source | Piranha Propellers Surface Generation Ltd. (Oakham, Rutledge, UK) announced on May 27 that it has opened two new tech- nology demonstration facilities, after trials demonstrated signifcant quality improvements in parts created using its novel injection molding techniques. The new centers, in Rutland, UK, and Taipei, Taiwan, will demonstrate Surface Generation's patented Production to Functional Specifcations (PtFS) heated mold technology to prospec- tive customers. PtFS ofers multi-zone mold temperature control, which enables more precise channeling and cooling of molten materials in the mold cavity throughout the process. The company has trialed the tech- nology for large consumer-electronics and automotive manufacturers, using PtFS with an injection molding machine provided by ENGEL (UK) Ltd. (Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick, UK). Thin- and thick-section tests demonstrated signifcant process improvements for injection molding applications, includ- ing reduction of injection pressures by 75%, making it possible to encapsulate sensitive electronics without damage; resin-rich Class A surfaces with high fber reinforcement; the possibility for higher fber-reinforcement levels; elimination of sink marks and warping through highly localized cooling; and less residual stress through directional solidifcation. The company says that its mold temperature technology makes injection molding much simpler, and that manufacturer interest is growing.