Past Events (2006)

Officially, the 6th Annual SAMPE UK and Ireland Chapter's Technical Conference carried the theme of Advanced Lightweight Structures, and was organized jointly by SAMPE, plus the Nottingham University Composites Club, and supported by the National Composites Network.  As noted by the organizers, together with Chapter Chairman Andrew Long, this activity built on last year's well received "Out of Autoclave Moulding" conference held at the East Midlands Airport.

The Program

The conference comprised an exciting program totaling seven presentations, focused on novel materials and processing solutions for three sectors: performance cars, Airbus aircraft, and wind energy. Four of the seven papers dealt with automotive applications. Conference organizer Andrew Mills extended a warm welcome to all, noting that the day's activities will provide an invaluable opportunity to learn of recent advances in materials and processing for lightweight structures.
 
In the automotive session, Rob Backhouse, of McLaren Automotive, spoke on Affordable CFC Structures for the Mercedes McLaren SLR. We learned that a variety of manufacturing processes are used, including an innovative method for achieving the required internal pressure for molding the large, complex hollow RTM unitized central structure. In a paper with the intriguing title Metal with the Dark Side, Anthony Dodworth, of Bentley Motors Ltd, described development of a hybrid carbon composite and sprayed metal panel with excellent springback capabilities, able to well survive the dreaded "shopping cart" test. By the way, look for an all-composite Bentley before too long. Ryan Smith and Simon Lazarus, of the host Cranfield University's Center for Lightweight Composites, addressed a CFC Space Frame for the Caterham 7 sports car. Focus was application of the Cranfield-developed "Coretex" process for VARTM, utilizing a braided carbon preform to stiffen and lighten the vehicle frame. Advances in High Speed CF Preforming for Volume Car Bodies, was the final paper in this session, presented by Tom Turner, of Nottingham University. The effort was part of the ALBOS (Affordable Lightweight Body Structures) program sponsored by the DTI. It utilized DCFP (DisContinuous Fiber Process) which produces far less waste than NCF preforming, while being more amenable to automation.



Symposium orgniser Andrew Mills giving opening remarks

Conference orgniser Andrew Mills
giving opening remarks
Symposium presentors with chapter committee members
Presentors with chapter committee members

The Airbus session comprised two presentations from Airbus UK: Airbus A350 Composites Technology, by Tim Birkett, together with Manufacture of a Composite Truss Structure - within the NOTS program, by Jago Pridie. The first included an overview of Airbus and its composite applications over the years, but went beyond, to address composites in the ongoing A380 and A400M models. The second Airbus UK paper described development of a carbon composite wing truss structure, utilizing filament wound truss elements placed in an infused truss frame, built up of "binded" non-crimp fabric.

The seventh and final paper, VESTAS Wind Turbine Blade Technology, was given by John Rimmer, of VESTAS. It dealt with manufacture of the firm's large, 40 meter composite blades, of wood, glass and carbon prepreg. Interesting: the wind energy industry has enjoyed a whopping 32% average annual growth rate - over the last ten years! The huge VESTAS blades require 39 man days of production time, but only 24 actual hours to produce, at the company's modern facility on the Isle of Wight.

Those who were able to stay later, beyond the presentations, received a look at Cranfield's new composites R&D facilities, along with some of the work being done, including research on stitching and pinning.

(By Gary Turner, European Section Editor, SAMPE Journal)

Note: The proceedings can be found here.



Past Events (2005)

Past Events (2004 and before)