Recent studies suggest that machine manufacturing is set to be a big growth factor in the composites industry.
This is according to the organizers of Composites Europe, who have cited surveys conducted by Composites Germany and VDMA-Forum Composite Technology.
According to Reed Expo, automotive, construction, aviation and wind power are the major customer industries for fiber composites, a sector where more and more mass-production applications can be found. By contrast, machine manufacturing as an application area for composite structures is still doomed to a shadowy existence. Quantities are still too small, challenges too complex. However, their lightweight construction properties due to their low density and mass, high strength and stiffness, abrasion, corrosion, temperature and chemical resistance, adjustable thermal expansion coefficient, electrical conductivity as well as their potential for incorporating smart components, make these materials increasingly attractive for machine manufacturers.
A report entitled Taking Stock of Lightweight Construction in Germany published in 2015 the VDI Centre for Resource Efficiency sees machinery and plant construction as a large and growing market for lightweight construction solutions, said the composite event organizers.
Composites Europe, taking place from 6–8 November 2018, will showcase the manufacturing processes used to make fiber-reinforced plastics, from raw materials to processing methods to lightweight construction innovations in automotive engineering, aerospace, boatbuilding, wind energy and construction.
This story is reprinted from material from Composites Europe, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
