CompositesWorld
Issue link: https://cw.epubxp.com/i/930524
NEWS 23 CompositesWorld.com Carbon Fiber 2017 Highlights MT in 2021 and peaking at 262,000 MT in 2025. Red noted that prin- cipal demand continues to come from industrial applications, which represent 75% of the market vs. 14% for aerospace and 11% for consumer goods. Major segments within indus- trial include automotive, wind, rail, pressure vessels and other energy (oil & gas, energy storage, tidal and wave power). He projected that ground transportation — including automotive, bus, truck and rail — will consume nearly 30,000 MT of carbon fiber by 2025, but pointed out that pressure vessels will command the highest segment volume by 2025, exceeding 53,000 MT of carbon fiber. Automation was a strong confer- ence theme this year. Airbus Group Innovations' Rainer Rauh discussed the development of automated, inline inspection of automated fiber place- ment (AFP), using laser sensors and digital tools, by Airbus subsidiary InFactory Solutions (Taufkirchen, Germany). Rauh revealed that 32% of AFP machine production time is consumed with manual inspection and rework (see photo). The sensor systems and data analysis tools in qualification for aircraft production by InFactory, however, reportedly can reduce inspection time by 95% and rework time by 73% — resulting in a 48% drop in the overall part process- ing time. Several sessions focused on additive manufacturing. A highlight was Cole Nielsen, CEO of Orbital Composites (San Jose, CA, US), who presented a vision of the future for 3D-printed, continuous fiber- reinforced composites, based on his company's patented co-extrusion head, which allows not only the printing of thermoplastics, but also thermosets. A modified version of the system mixes and maintains tempera- ture of two-component epoxies — and even metal or ceramic matrices — to completely surround continuous fibers and copper wires with good matrix-fiber distribution in the depos- ited plies. Wires? Yes. For integrated printed circuits michelman.com Meet us at JEC 2018 | Pavillion #6, Booth K83 March 6-7-8, 2018 | Paris Nord Villepinte WITH HYDROSIZE ® OPTIMIZED ADHESION INFERIOR ADHESION HYDROSIZE WITHOUT ® Enhancing composite performance through optimized fiber-polymer interface adhesion. (continued on p. 24)