Composites Used in Michigan Bridge Repair
A Michigan highway bridge is to be repaired this spring with a new technique using fiber reinforced polymers to halt deterioration of the freeway overpass. According to Anita Richardson, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Transportation “There are cracks in the beams that we’ve been inspecting and monitoring,” The cracking doesn’t appear to be too severe [...]
Membrane Tube Infusion (MTI): Designed to Improve Vacuum Assist RTM
MTI (Membrane Tube Infusion) is an innovative new production aid designed to improve the Vacuum Assist Resin Transfer Molding process with as little effort as possible. This aid won the German Advanced Composites Inc. an ACE Award for Equipment and Tooling Innovation at COMPOSITES 2013 in Orlando, Fla. According to Dominik Dierkes, one of the developers [...]
“No Credible Evidence” That Styrene Increases Cancer Risk
A new study called Cancer Mortality of Workers Exposed to Styrene in the US Reinforced Plastics and Composite Industry published by the Styrene Information and Research Center (SIRC), shows nearly 16,000 styrene-exposed workers in the U.S. composites industry have “no credible evidence that styrene exposure increases risk from cancers of the lymphatic and hematopoietic tissue, [...]
Featherweight Composites – How an Underutilized Product from the Poultry Industry Can Benefit Composite Manufacturers
Eastern Bioplastics in Mt. Crawford, Va has developed a system for turning chicken feathers into a composite fiber. The processed feathers are mixed with prolypropylene and polyethylene and then the blended material is run through an extruder where they are turned in injection mold pellets. The company currently has a patent pending on the wash cycle that’s used [...]
Explaining the Benefits of Kenaf Fiber as a Fiberglass Replacement – Interview with Larry Dickinson of 3F
This week on the show, Larry Dickinson, president of 3F, joins me to talk about his work developing natural fibers like Kenaf to be used as a substitute for fiberglass. Kenaf is a plant originally native to Africa, but is now being grown in the states. Larry believes that this plant will eventually be a [...]
Proper Maintenance Equals Huge Savings
We’ve all heard the saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” at some point in our lives. It’s a statement that’s very often neglected by chopper and gel-coat gun operators when it comes to their equipment. You can see what I mean when you look at this photo to the right. [...]
Reducing Scrap Waste and Saving the Environment – Interview With Sabine Unger President of Eco-Wolf Inc.
This week, I had the privilege of interviewing Sabine Unger, president of Eco-Wolf Inc. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a blog about Eco-Wolf’s amazing technology – The Eco-Grinder, the ECO-Dispensing Macerator, and the NO-ROLL system. Sabine’s father Wolfgang Unger is the inventor of recycling and reincorporating FRP and other natural fibers. Back in the [...]
Reduce Resin & Gelcoat Costs