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Composites out perform reinforced concrete in US bridge
SMC used for Frontera THE ROOF of the Frontera structed
Vauxhall
Sport is to be conof sheet moulding
compound (SMC) supplied by DSM Compounds and moulded by Mitras Automotive
tor which makes SMC a cost effective option for series volume vehicles such as the Frontera. DSM also says that the material offers an ideal fit with steel as a result of similar ther-
(UK).
Mitras will mould, assemble and paint the roof sections at its plant in Winsford, Cheshire. The composite roof is said to have good aesthetics and offers weight savings considerable when compared to a steel roof. Using SMC in the design has led to a reduction in the num-
mal expansion and improved sound insulation compared to metallic
components.
Mitras
will provide the complete roofs ready for track side assembly. A E4.5 million
investment
was recently announced Mitras’ Winsford plant. will
almost
double
for This Mitras’
ber of parts used and reduced the roof’s assembly stages.
capacity in 2000. The 6000 m2 extension will house a new
A further benefit is said to be the lower tooling costs, a fac-
paint plant as well as provide additional assembly room.
Composites reinforced
out perform concrete
in US bridge
TWO US BRIDGES - one in California and one in Ohio from are set to benefit Glasforms lnc’s latest technology in fibre reinforced plastic (FRP). Working with Martin Marietta Composites (MMC) Glasforms says it has pushed the limits of pultrusion technology to develop MMC’s fourth generation composite bridge decks - DuraSpanr”. The bridges are scheduled to receive the FRP deck installations later this year. DuraSpan is said to possess better stiffness and strength than reinforced concrete, with the pultruded assembled decks 20% stiffer than standard reinforced concrete decks. In addition, Glasforms says that testing has shown the DuraSpan deck to have an expected 75 year life span for highway use. The first of the decks will be installed in Kings Canyon
National Park, California. The bridge, measuring 26 m long ,and 13 m wide, will be installed with six deck sections on concrete filled, filament wound carbon composite girders. The second deck, measuring 15 m long and 14 m wide, will be installed in Darke Country, Ohio. This deck will be assembled in six panel sections 2.4 m wide and 14 m long. The bridge decks include 26 plies of triaxial and quadriaxial fabric weighing 0.5 kg/m2 fully impregnated in the die. This yields deck beams weighing 0.7 kg/m2. This is said to provide high axial strength and stiffness while enhancing orthotropic composite properties. The FRP deck design uses a custom pultruded beam 19.5 cm high by 3.9 m wide. A semiautomated assembly line produces the decks from raw materials in less than a day.
4
1999
RElNFDRCEDplastics
Sport roof
May
Composite
wing box delivered
for Japanese
F-2 aircraft
US FIRM Lockheed Martin Systems Tactical Aircraft (LMTAS) has delivered its first composite wing box assembly for the production of the F-2 aircraft in Japan. The wing box represents the first US manufactured production unit of the F-2’s co-cured, composite wing box assembly. Japanese manufacturing techwere transferred to niques Lockheed Martin during the development and prototyping stage of the programme. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) designed the lower wing box structure, including the lower skin, spars, ribs and cap all made from carbon/epoxy composite and co-cured together in an autoclave. Fuji Heavy Industries of Japan designed the carbon/composite upper wing skin. The co-cured technology used in the F-2 wings represents
the first application of its kind on a tactical fighter plane. “The on schedule delivery of this first production wing box assembly is a significant milestone,” says Dain M. Hancock, LMTAS president. “This demonstrates the close and effective relationship that we have with our Japanese partners in transferring co-cured composite wing technology to the US from Japan, and in supplying Japan with our high quality aerospace components. We continue to be pleased with our involvement in this major cooperative programme between our two countries.” Lockheed Martin also supplies aft fuselages, leading-edge flaps and other avionics items for the F-2 programme. Numerous items have been delivered since the F-2 production phase was initiated in September 1996.
Vauxhall
Sport is to be conof sheet moulding
compound (SMC) supplied by DSM Compounds and moulded by Mitras Automotive
tor which makes SMC a cost effective option for series volume vehicles such as the Frontera. DSM also says that the material offers an ideal fit with steel as a result of similar ther-
(UK).
Mitras will mould, assemble and paint the roof sections at its plant in Winsford, Cheshire. The composite roof is said to have good aesthetics and offers weight savings considerable when compared to a steel roof. Using SMC in the design has led to a reduction in the num-
mal expansion and improved sound insulation compared to metallic
components.
Mitras
will provide the complete roofs ready for track side assembly. A E4.5 million
investment
was recently announced Mitras’ Winsford plant. will
almost
double
for This Mitras’
ber of parts used and reduced the roof’s assembly stages.
capacity in 2000. The 6000 m2 extension will house a new
A further benefit is said to be the lower tooling costs, a fac-
paint plant as well as provide additional assembly room.
Composites reinforced
out perform concrete
in US bridge
TWO US BRIDGES - one in California and one in Ohio from are set to benefit Glasforms lnc’s latest technology in fibre reinforced plastic (FRP). Working with Martin Marietta Composites (MMC) Glasforms says it has pushed the limits of pultrusion technology to develop MMC’s fourth generation composite bridge decks - DuraSpanr”. The bridges are scheduled to receive the FRP deck installations later this year. DuraSpan is said to possess better stiffness and strength than reinforced concrete, with the pultruded assembled decks 20% stiffer than standard reinforced concrete decks. In addition, Glasforms says that testing has shown the DuraSpan deck to have an expected 75 year life span for highway use. The first of the decks will be installed in Kings Canyon
National Park, California. The bridge, measuring 26 m long ,and 13 m wide, will be installed with six deck sections on concrete filled, filament wound carbon composite girders. The second deck, measuring 15 m long and 14 m wide, will be installed in Darke Country, Ohio. This deck will be assembled in six panel sections 2.4 m wide and 14 m long. The bridge decks include 26 plies of triaxial and quadriaxial fabric weighing 0.5 kg/m2 fully impregnated in the die. This yields deck beams weighing 0.7 kg/m2. This is said to provide high axial strength and stiffness while enhancing orthotropic composite properties. The FRP deck design uses a custom pultruded beam 19.5 cm high by 3.9 m wide. A semiautomated assembly line produces the decks from raw materials in less than a day.
4
1999
RElNFDRCEDplastics
Sport roof
May
Composite
wing box delivered
for Japanese
F-2 aircraft
US FIRM Lockheed Martin Systems Tactical Aircraft (LMTAS) has delivered its first composite wing box assembly for the production of the F-2 aircraft in Japan. The wing box represents the first US manufactured production unit of the F-2’s co-cured, composite wing box assembly. Japanese manufacturing techwere transferred to niques Lockheed Martin during the development and prototyping stage of the programme. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) designed the lower wing box structure, including the lower skin, spars, ribs and cap all made from carbon/epoxy composite and co-cured together in an autoclave. Fuji Heavy Industries of Japan designed the carbon/composite upper wing skin. The co-cured technology used in the F-2 wings represents
the first application of its kind on a tactical fighter plane. “The on schedule delivery of this first production wing box assembly is a significant milestone,” says Dain M. Hancock, LMTAS president. “This demonstrates the close and effective relationship that we have with our Japanese partners in transferring co-cured composite wing technology to the US from Japan, and in supplying Japan with our high quality aerospace components. We continue to be pleased with our involvement in this major cooperative programme between our two countries.” Lockheed Martin also supplies aft fuselages, leading-edge flaps and other avionics items for the F-2 programme. Numerous items have been delivered since the F-2 production phase was initiated in September 1996.