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SAMPE Composites Today Workshop in Michigan

IACMI Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Uday Vaidya, will present as the luncheon special speaker on the topic of “Advances in Vehicles Technologies for Lightweighting and Reduced Embodied Energy”

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Composites Today: New Technologies, Market Advances, Additive Manufacturing & Recycling Applications

In addition to being an overview of composites technologies and their many applications, this new workshop provides an in-depth focus on Additive Manufacturing, Recycling, Composites Markets and key Manufacturing Methods used in the major market segments. This workshop offers a tour on the afternoon before the Workshop (June 13th) to see Plasan Carbon Composites – an active company on the leading edge of using advanced and traditional composites in automotive applications.
Day one of the workshop begins with a keynote presentation by Dana Swan of Arkema, Inc., a leader in Thermoplastic Composites in automotive and aerospace applications, will discuss new advances for automotive applications.
Since composite structures in many market segments utilize a variety of different materials and processes each segment has unique manufacturing methods. These manufacturing methods vary with both the structural performance required as well as the production volume of the parts being made. Consequently, processes for aerospace and defense structures are different from automotive and wind energy – just like consumer sporting goods vary due to their volume and product size. Material types as well as material cost per unit vary considerably. The workshop provides new and experienced design engineers, manufacturing and process engineers, sales and marketing personnel, and composites technologists to update their knowledge with where composites are going and what the materials and processes are that would get them there. Additive Manufacturing and Recycling Technology have been added because of their importance to composites engineers, technologists, and to various aspects of business.

The Day 2 Keynote Speaker, Keith Graham, Carbon Conversions, Inc. a leader in carbon fiber recycling and applications technologies will discuss advances today and various applications.
The course covers important, up-to-date aspects of the current and projected markets, critical materials used in forming composites, manufacturing methods for both Advanced Composites and FRP Composites, along with numerous examples of applications and some pertinent videos to enhance the learning process. Included references to textiles and fabrics, fiber systems, resin types and “tricks of the trade” used in manufacturing, are offered within this revised and updated workshop. Examples of manufacturing defects associated with various process environments are also included. BTG Composites Inc. developed this course to meet SAMPE’s needs in updating educational technologies associated with composite materials and structures across a wider variety of markets segments. Course syllabus.

Benefits of Attending – “Takeaways for Attendees”

  • Enjoy a tour of Plasan Carbon Composites prior to the Workshop
  • Discover where Thermoplastic Composites for Automotive Applications have been – and where it is heading from a material supplier (Arkema, Inc.) in the opening Day 1 Keynote Address
  • Learn where the Composites Market appears to be focusing on for the future
  • Learn about “Advanced Composites” vs. “FRP Composites”
  • Explore market segments that cross numerous boundaries of size, shape, production volume:

o   Aerospace, defense and space
o   Automotive and transportation
o   Sports and recreation
o   Energy and alternative energy (wind, tidal, oil & gas, and others)
o   Construction and infrastructure
o   Others often outside your normal field of focus

  • Understand the lingo that encompasses much of these composites worlds
  • Additive Manufacturing – covered so you will understand benefits and challenges in the composites world
  • Luncheon Special Speaker: Dr. Uday Vaidya, Chief Technical Officer, IACMI – The Composites Institute on the topic of “Advances in Vehicles Technologies for Lightweighting and Reduced Embodied Energy”
  • Discover where Carbon Fiber Recycling and Applications are moving forward – and where it is heading from a leader in the field (Carbon Conversions, Inc.) in the opening Day 2 Keynote Address
  • Hear more about what “automotive market resin systems” is and how “automotive parts are fabricated” using high volume production processes” – e.g. cure cycles in minutes vs. hours
  • Learn where thermosets and thermoplastics are being used and where they are going
  • Prepreg systems and why “out-of-autoclave” (OOA) is of high interest and not just industry hype
  • Learn about numerous manufacturing processes and acquire new ideas for your projects
  • Understand the role that “recycling” plays and hear what is going on in the industry
  • Network with other class attendees and the Instructor across a wide range of topics
  • Discuss your project, process problems or ideas during break times and networking
  • Clarify technology questions that have gone unanswered in the past