Composite Products Worth Seeing

Can you believe February is almost over? The year is certainly going by fast, but there’s always time to check out the newest products for the composites industry.

ACG's new resin is used in many applications, including satellite projects.

We’re not beaming this news from space, but Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG) has continued the development of HTM 143, a cyanate ester system which has been specified on a number of large satellite projects. The company says the low moisture pick-up resin matrix, which has a 0.55 percent weight gain on neat resin, exhibits one of the lowest moisture pick-up rates of all cyanate ester systems currently on the market. Measured on typical high modulus carbon laminate, the outgassing characteristics of HTM143 meet mass loss, recovered mass loss, and collected volatile condensable material limits required by NASA. The system has an out life of 21 days and is available for use with a wide range of unidirectional, biaxial and woven carbon fiber materials.

In a similar refinement focus, Accu-Router, Inc. announced its latest Fanuc CNC control (0i-MD Series) has been fully integrated into its High Velocity machines. Among the new features offered include automatic cornering software for maximum cornering speeds and advanced look-ahead capability. The company also focused on making block processing speeds and closed loop feedback accomplish at faster rates. The desired end result is the ability to achieve machine motion and machining rates as much as five times faster than older CNC machines, as well as automatic cornering speeds that can reduce cycle times up to 30 percent. The company also has a Green CNC remanufacturing program upgrades older Accu-Routers with the new mechanical components.

If you’re on the docks ready to set sail, LRM Industries International, Inc. could provide your composite foundation. It has released EverDock modular dock panels, the first product in its family of innovative and environmentally friendly thermoplastic marine dock solutions. The 2 ft. long by 4 ft. wide panels replace treated wood or synthetic lumber board decking with a durable panel, which has integrated structural support. The panels also have a 5-inch deep rib structure underneath, which the company says eliminates the need for, and expense of, stringers commonly used by existing flat-panel decking products. The panels are also designed to be easily removed for storage during winter months.

CPX Inc. wants manufacturers to think positive about ID-ing, and thus has developed In-Mold Decorating (IMD) or In-Mold Labeling (IML), a process for labeling or decorating a thermoplastic component during the injection molding cycle. In the IMD / IML process, a label or printed film is placed in the open mold and held in the desired position by vacuum, electrostatic charge, or another appropriate method. The mold closes and the plastic resin is injected thus encapsulating the label or film. The process is designed to offer design flexibility and productivity advantages over traditional post-molding decorating techniques. The company is targeting applications in the appliance, automotive, and industrial industries

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 9:00 am and is filed under New Products. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.