CAMX 2015: Keynote Q&A: Gary Smyth, GM Global Research & Development

Keynote Q&A: Gary Smyth, GM Global Research & Development Gary J. Smyth, Ph.D., executive director, Global R&D Laboratories, GM Global Research & Development, will be the keynote speaker at CAMX 2015 (Oct. 26-29, Dallas, TX, US), discussing the carmaker’s material and manufacturing strategies as it pursues lightweighting in new-car development. CompositesWorld offers this Q&A with Smyth, as a preview to …

CAMX 2015: A Topic for Every Interest – CAMX 2015

A Topic for Every Interest – CAMX 2015 PlugsCAMX 2015 is fast approaching (Oct. 26-29, Dallas, TX, US), which means it’s time to start planning how you’ll spend your time — on the show floor and in the conferences. The CAMX conference, as it did last year, rolls out a variety of presentation types, ranging from education sessions to panels …

CAMX 2015: Resins for the Fast Zone

Resins for the Fast Zone An automotive supplier must have the ability to produce a composite part in a minute, or at least in minutes — not hours or days, the norm for composites in most other industries. Meeting that part-per-minutes goal is a huge hurdle that a few composite fabricators have cleared, and many more are involved in development …

CAMX 2015: 3D Printing for Tooling; GM Keynote at CAMX

3D Printing Moves Into Tooling Components Some pundits predict that 3D printing, or additive manufacturing (AM), will change our world forever. While that may yet be, one thing is clear: The growth of 3D printing over the past two decades has wrought significant change in composites tooling. Although AM’s most obvious advantage is direct part production without tooling, the growing …

CAMX 2015: Gain Knowledge on Critical Market Sectors at CAMX

A Critical Market Sector: Downhole Composites in Oil and Gas The U.S. has experienced an unprecedented onshore energy boom over the past decade that has brought the country nearly to energy-independence. Much of that boom has been the result of a technology called hydraulic fracturing, often termed “fracing,” the process of artificially fracturing or perforating low-permeability rock strata in the …

CAMX 2015: Learn About High-Pressure RTM and Much More at CAMX

HP-RTM on the Rise Already used in series production of structural carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) parts in BMW’s i3 and i8 models, high-pressure resin transfer molding (HP-RTM) is viewed by some as new technology. To others, it is merely modernization of early RTM processes, like that used to build Dodge Viper parts (25 years ago!). What differentiates HP-RTM from …

CAMX 2015: Mark Your Calendar for CAMX 2015 in Dallas

Composites Riding High in Commercial Aero Engines Composites debuted in a commercial aircraft engine 20 years ago when GE Aviation introduced the GE90, which featured first-of-its-kind carbon fiber fan blades. Since then, composites have steadily worked their way into more structures, including fan surrounds, nacelles and other components. Today, every major engine manufacturer uses composites to some extent, and almost …