Composites Weekly

This week I welcome Chris Camfferman, managing director of marketing for Deckorators, a company that manufactures composite decking using their patented "Eovations" technology. This technology provides the best stiffness-to-weight ratio and lowest thermal expansion/contraction of any thermoplastic deck board available. 

Deckorators composite decking is composed of a mix of polypropylene and calcium carbonate, which is used instead of wood fiber to prevent moisture absorption and minimize thermal movement. In this process, the polymer-mineral blend is extruded and stretched. The resulting cavitation creates tiny air pockets that keep the board lightweight as it takes on a fiber-like structure similar to wood for superior strength.

The result is a fibrous composite board that looks and works like wood. At the same time, each board is:

• 35 percent lighter than most wood-plastic composite decking and similar in weight to PVC.
• Twice as strong as PVC decking in terms of stiffness-to-weight ratio for superior durability.
• Extremely stable with the lowest thermal expansion/contraction of any thermoplastic deck board.

On this interview, Chris will be sharing the background of Deckorators and how their Eovations technology is creating a superior product. 

You can learn more about their company by visiting them at www.deckoroators.com. 

 

On this week’s episode, I welcome Greg Paulsen of Xometry on the show. Greg leads the Project Engineering team at Xometry, which acts as the primary interface for project management, services, and support.  Today, we’ll be discussing how their proprietary software platform enables product designers and engineers to instantly access the capacity of a network... The post Revitalizing American Manufacturing by Providing Better Ways to Source Custom Parts appeared first on Composites Weekly.

On this week's episode, I welcome Greg Paulsen of Xometry on the show to discuss how their proprietary software platform enables product designers and engineers to instantly access the capacity of a network of manufacturing facilities. This software makes it easy for all customers — from startups to Fortune 100 companies — to access manufacturing on demand by providing the most efficient way to source high-quality custom parts.

We'll also be discussing Xometry's Carbon DLS™, a technology that unlocks new business opportunities and product designs previously impossible, including mass customization and on-demand inventory. 

The Carbon Platform enables companies to bring products to market that were never thought possible.

You learn more about Xometry by visiting them at https://www.xometry.com.

This week, I welcome Dr. Karl Englund of Global Fiberglass Solutions. GFS is a composite fiberglass recycling and green manufacturing firm that specializes in recycling thermoset composite fiberglass waste, and using this material to manufacture new products. They provide industrial fiberglass waste recycling services to industries worldwide, including the wind energy, aerospace, maritime and manufacturing sectors.... The post Providing Solutions for Industrial Fiberglass Waste – Interview with Dr. Karl Englund appeared first on Composites Weekly.

This week, we welcome Matthew Butterman on the show to discuss the growing role of newer composites in the Bicycle industry. Matthew is the news editor of Handbuilt Bicycle News and a 25-year veteran of the bicycle industry. He is also the current News Director for the Philly Bike Expo. On this episode, we’ll be discussing... The post How Newer Composite Technology and Handbuilt Craftsmanship is Changing the Bicycle Industry appeared first on Composites Weekly.

This week, we welcome Matthew Butterman on the show to discuss the growing role of composites in the Bicycle fabrication industry. Matthew is the news editor of Handbuilt Bicycle News and a 25-year veteran of the bicycle industry. He is also the current News Director for the Philly Bike Expo. On this episode, we'll be discussing how new carbon fiber technologies are benefiting the bicycle industry through better performing frames.

The use of carbon fiber composites in this $48 billion worldwide industry is growing every day. Particularly for high-end racing and performance bicycles, carbon fiber is the go-to material.

The popular narrative holds that carbon fiber bikes are made in Asian factories.   While most raw carbon fiber is sourced from Asia, a growing number of small, boutique bicycle frame builders in the U.S.. are working with carbon fiber exclusively. These handbuilt bicycle craftsmen are drawn to carbon fiber because of its orthotropic (different properties in multiple directions) nature, as opposed to the isotropic (same properties in all directions) nature of metal bicycles.    On this episode, Matthew and I will be discussing the history of carbon fiber in this industry as well as some of the newer advancements with hybrid composite technologies that combine carbon fiber with other lightweight fibers that provide resistance to impact damage.

This week, I welcome Andrew de Geofroy, Vice President of Application Engineering at MarkForged on the show to discuss their 3D continuous filament fabrication (CFF) process, which is capable of printing with carbon fiber reinforcement. This advancement in 3D printing introduces a turning point in additive manufacturing by combining two materials. Their unique fabrication process... The post Discussing The Benefits of Continuous Filament Fabrication with Andrew de Geofroy of MarkForged appeared first on Composites Weekly.

On this episode, I am pleased to welcome Tim Kenerson of AIT Bridges. AIT is an engineering and manufacturing company that supplies advanced composite materials for bridges while providing low-cost solutions to an aging infrastructure industry.  On this episode, we’ll be discussing the addition of a composite tub girder to its composite bridge system offering. The... The post Providing Composite Solutions to the Aging Infrastructure Industry – Interview with Tim Kenerson of AIT Bridges appeared first on Composites Weekly.

On this episode, I am pleased to welcome Tim Kenerson of AIT Bridges. AIT is an engineering and manufacturing company that supplies advanced composite materials for bridges while providing low-cost solutions to an aging infrastructure industry. 

On this episode, we'll be discussing the addition of a composite tub girder to its composite bridge system offering.

The new technology has been developed in cooperation with The University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center. The tub girder (named as such as its wooden mold is shaped like a bathtub) can now be used for about 80 percent of bridges around the US and has many advantages over conventional steel and concrete girders. They are resistant to corrosion and can be manufactured to be as strong as needed.

Ken is the Senior Design Engineer at AIT and has been with the company for almost 7 years. He coordinates with Consultant Engineers and Owners on the project design process and manages the engineering team who works together to bring the project from concept to contract. 

You can learn more about AIT by visiting their website at https://www.aitbridges.com/. 

This week, I welcome Marlo Stradley of Powerblanket on the show to discuss how they are helping manufacturers protect valuable equipment and fluids from freezing and overheating.  In 2005, Powerblanket started with one problem, “How do you cure concrete quickly with maximum strength year-round?” This question drove the creation of the Concrete Curing Blanket, which, in... The post Helping Manufacturers Prevent Waste, Lost Time and Unnecessary Labor Costs – Interview with Marlo Stradley of Powerblanket appeared first on Composites Weekly.