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Composites Weekly

Composites Weekly is an online podcast published each week by industry expert Jonathan Taylor. Jonathan has served as consultant in the composites industry for over 12 years. He brings you the latest news and information in the world of composites and provides interviews of leading manufacturers and distributors in the industry.
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Now displaying: Category: general
May 18, 2022
This week I welcome Dr. David Hicks and Dr. James Chen on the show. We'll be discussing LIFT,  a Detroit-based national manufacturing innovation institute, and its recent partnership with the University of Buffalo on a project to accelerate the development of materials for hypersonic systems.

LIFT, which is operated by the American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII), is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense, industry, and academia driving the U.S. mobility sector toward the future manufacturing revolution to support our nation’s economy and enhance our national security.

You can learn more at https://lift.technology/.

May 12, 2022
This week Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me again on the show to discuss the ACMA’s CCT Certification and Training Content resource center that is available to members and non-members.

This Education Hub is a great destination for composites resources for CCT training & testing, recorded webinars, conference proceedings, ANSI standards,  regulatory information, customized manufacturing training, and more. 

You can learn more by visiting http://www.acmaeducationhub.org.

Apr 27, 2022

This week, I welcome Ivan Madera on the podcast show. Ivan is the CEO and founder of Nikon-backed Morf3D, a trusted leader in metal additive manufacturing (AM) that specializes in AM optimization and engineering for the aerospace, defense, and space industries. 

 

Apr 21, 2022
On this episode Alex Corrêa, CEO of Gerdau Graphene joins me to discuss some of the exciting work they are doing.

Gerdau Graphene, is a company that is working to transform graphene into solutions that will revolutionize industries such as coatings, concrete, elastomers, polymers, and lubricants just to name a few. 

Graphene is an ultra-strong, lightweight, flexible, and superconductive two-dimensional nanomaterial formed by carbon atoms in a hexagonal structure.

It is the perfect combination of strength, lightness, flexibility, and transparency, and is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. 

With annual revenues exceeding $20 billion, Gerdau is the largest producer of steel in the Americas and employs more than 30,000. 

Alexandre Corrêa joined Gerdau in 2020 with the mission of scaling the company’s first advanced material spinoff, Gerdau Graphene, where they are focused on graphene application development. 

You can learn more by visiting their website at www.gerdaugraphene.com/en.html.

 

Apr 12, 2022
This week Kelsey Britton joins Andrew Pokelwaldt and me on the podcast to share her background and the work they are doing at IYRS School of Technology & Trades, a non-profit, post-secondary experiential learning institution in Newport, Rhode Island. It is the premier marine trades and modern manufacturing school in the United States. 

Kelsey Britton has a passion for designing and building with some of the lightest, strongest materials on earth. Before joining IYRS as an instructor, Kelsey worked for New England Boatworks where she helped build the 62-foot carbon fiber Tripp design racing boat ChessieRacing. On campus, Kelsey is the primary Rhino 3D computer graphics and CAD instructor, teaching students in multiple IYRS programs the software they'll use to design their school and capstone projects. Kelsey uses her knowledge and experience to instruct and guide students as they conceptualize and build composites projects as diverse as miniature working tug boats to high-impact bicycle helmets.

Mar 28, 2022
This week, Monica Rommel president of Specialty Materials Inc (SMI) joins me on the show. 

Monica is life long learner who has worked at two aerospace prime contractors as a materials engineer supporting the development of fighter jets, supersonic transports, and satellite payload systems.  

She now owns Specialty Materials Inc., the world's leading supplier of the highest quality Boron and silicon carbide fiber products, and advanced composite materials. 

Boron fiber is Produced in single-filament reactors by chemical vapor deposition. It exhibits a unique combination of high compression strength, high modulus, and large diameter.

No other composite material has higher compressive strength properties. 

Mar 23, 2022
This week, I welcome Pierre-Yves Lavertu of Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence Division on the podcast to discuss how engineers can investigate and predict the behavior of a large mix of composite
materials, and how to minimize weight, cost, and time-to-market for composite industrial parts.

We'll also be discussing how to improve the prediction of structural FEA by
accounting for the manufacturing process, as well as how to reduce material testing and prototyping. 

Mar 15, 2022
This week I'm pleased to have Doug Griffin of Carbon Fiber Recycling back on the show.

Carbon Fiber Recycling is a sustainable materials company, developing and operating technologies for the recovery of resources from difficult to recycle polymer composites. Their special focus is on the extraction of carbon fibers from finished composites, including laminates, trimmings, tooling, R&D, and end-of-life components. The recovered carbon fibers are made available in milled or random chopped form.

Mar 7, 2022
This week, Andrew Pokelwaldt, director of certifications for the ACMA joins me to discuss mold and tool care, prep, and setup for FRP composite production. 

Andrew will be joining me each month on the show to discuss different topics related to composites training and education. 

The ACMA's education hub can be accessed at http://www.acmaeducationhub.org. There you'll find all of the resources your company or organization needs for CCT training & testing, recorded webinars, conference proceedings, ANSI standards and guidelines, regulatory information, customized manufacturing training, and much more. 

 

Mar 1, 2022

This week, I welcome two supply chain experts on the podcast to discuss how the Russia-Ukraine Conflict will impact supply chains for our industry as well as other manufacturing sectors. 

My first guest is Dr. Ednilson Bernardes. He is a global supply chain management professor and program coordinator at West Virginia University’s John Chambers College of Business and Economics. He's an expert in process transformation and supply network innovation.

My second guest is Lee Smith. He's an attorney and leader of Baker Donelson's International Trade and National Security practice. He advises clients on matters involving export controls, supply chain, customs compliance, trade policy, and free trade agreement interpretation.

 

Feb 15, 2022
This week Kelly Debusk joins me on the podcast to discuss some basics for resolving ventilation issues. In today’s environment, manufacturers face growing regulations from the EPA and OSHA; regulations that have the potential to hinder the operations of companies in our industry. Understanding the basics of the systems affected is critical. Kelly wrote a great article for the winter issue of Cast Polymer Connection and if you haven’t read it, I’d encourage you to do so along with listening to our interview on this podcast.
Feb 1, 2022

This week Frank Fox and Tom Tymon join me on the show to discuss how they are using their backgrounds in chemistry and textile engineering to do something good for the planet and developed a process to recycle scrap leather.

Dec 16, 2021

This week I welcome Bill Easter, the CEO of X-Mat on the show. X-Mat is a company that has developed a revolutionary, high-performance material that combines some of the best properties of metals (electrical conductivity), engineering plastics (lightweight), and ceramics (high operating temperature). 

 Their technology has the power to disrupt many industries and we'll be discussing some of the latest projects they are involved in on today's episode. 

Nov 10, 2021

This week, I welcome Sonny Vu to the show. Sonny is a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Arevo, an advanced manufacturing technology company that automates the design and production of large, complex continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer (“CFRP”) composite structures. 

Their technology has the ability to build complex-geometry parts using chopped carbon fiber or, more importantly, continuous fiber reinforcement and high-performance polymers. However, the real innovation is combining digital technology with a six-axis robot to enable 3D parts with 3D fiber orientation.

On this episode, Sonny will discuss his background as a serial entrepreneur and what drew his interest to Arevo's technology and market potential. 

Oct 31, 2021

This week I welcome Casey Welch to the show. Casey is the co-founder and president of Tallo, a company that connects the next generation of talent with opportunities in the workplace. 

On this episode, we'll be discussing the worker shortage for so many industries including manufacturing and trucking.

Casey will be sharing some interesting data from their survey of over 29,000 Gen Z high school and college students on their choice of careers and the industries they are most interested in. 

Casey will also share some important strategies for attracting this next generation of talent. 

You can learn more about their company by visiting https://tallo.com

Oct 18, 2021

This week Meredith Glasgow of Current joins me on the show to discuss their company.

Current Inc. has been a family-owned and operated business since 1962 serving industries such as aerospace, automotive, electrical, marine, oil & gas, and sports.  

They specialize in industrial laminates and copper-clad laminates. Their copper-clad laminates are applicable to circuit board assemblies. They can withstand high pressures and high temperatures. 

Oct 14, 2021

On this episode, I welcome Brett Walker, CEO of Electroninks on the show to discuss how they are working to be the leading worldwide brand of particle-free metal complex inks for printed electronics and semiconductor applications.

Electroninks was founded in 2013 with a deep knowledge base in materials science, chemistry, and design.

Since its founding, Electroninks has been adopted into the consumer electronics supply chain and developed its own entire consumer product line, Circuit Scribe.

Currently, Electroninks develops high-performance solutions for many markets including display, plating, interconnects, and wearables, as well as consumer devices.

On today's episode, Brett will be sharing the history and background of the company as well as some of the advantages their material technologies offer to the market. 

Sep 27, 2021

On this episode, I share a recent interview I did with Andrew Pokelwaldt, of the ACMA, and Brannon Pittman of HK Research discussing Gelcoat issues. Gel coating is typically a common problem area when working with composites, especially in the colder months, and can be a struggle for even experienced fabricators.

On this episode, Andrew and Brannon will be walking us through application steps and procedures for avoiding many problems that can arise during the gel coating process.

 

Sep 15, 2021

Nearly $130 billion dollars is needed to repair deteriorating infrastructures throughout North America. 

And while steel and concrete may be the most popular methods for reinforcing structures, they are labor-intensive and time-consuming. 

CIISolutions was formed in 2018 by Dr. Bahira Abdulsalam to provide a better solution. They specialize in the repair and strengthening of structures like bridges, parking structures, and seawalls with Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP).

CII Solutions is an engineering and manufacturing company based in Canada, and they provide advanced, sustainable, and cost-efficient solutions for the civil engineering sector.

This week, Dr. Abdulsalam joins me on the show to talk about the work they are doing at CII Solutions. 

Dr. Bahira Abdulsalam has a Masters's Degree in structural strengthening using composites, a Pd.D. in FRP internal reinforcement, and a Post-doctorate Industrial Fellowship in composite manufacturing.

Aug 21, 2021

This week, I welcome William Hoff CEO of Geopolymer International, a firm that creates and distributes ecologically friendly building materials. William has been in
the construction industry for over 40 years, with experience in massive projects and is an expert in concrete and concrete alternatives.

William focuses on sustainable materials, and commits to bringing new technologies compliant with standard certifications, and permitting requirements needed to make them a reality. Currently, he's working with Geopolymer, 3-D concrete printing, and modular housing to achieve his goals.

You can learn more about them by visiting https://geopolymerinternational.com

Jul 31, 2021

This week, Martin Gambling of GRM Consulting joins me on the show to discuss how they are using OmniQuest's GENESIS is being used in the Motorsports industry today, and is migrating into automotive hypercar development, mainstream automotive, and marine composites sector as well. 

Jul 26, 2021

This week, Bob Barsotti the global R&D manager of Arkema joins me on the show to discuss their Kepstan Pekk Resins. 

These polyether-ketone-ketone resins are made from a tailored combination of two monomers and are designed for applications requiring extreme performance, usually in a combination of multiple categories.

Compared to PEEK resins, Kepstan® PEKK resins generally offer higher temperature performance, significantly higher compression strength, a broader range of tailored properties, improved barrier performance, and a better coefficient of friction control.

You can learn more by visiting https://www.extremematerials-arkema.com/en/product-families/kepstan-pekk-polymer-range/ 

 

Jul 20, 2021

This past week Bentley Park, CEO of APJeT®, Inc. joined me on the show to discuss their unique air plasma technology and the benefits to a number of industries including the composites and additive manufacturing industry. 

APJeT® is an advanced technology company located in Research Triangle Park, Morrisville, NC. They recently announced a new industrial application for its breakthrough air plasma technology.

Eliminating the need for heat and chemicals for substrate preparation prior to dyeing or printing, the APJeT cold plasma process increases wettability and adhesion, while reducing safety risks, environmental impact, and degradation of the substrate material.

 

Jul 10, 2021

This week, I have a two-part interview with Chris Hurdleston and Marcos Vidal of ACS International, and also Marco Suess of Dorfner

ACS International is a leading supplier of raw materials for composites industries such as cast polymer, solid surface, and fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP).

Apr 29, 2021

On this episode, I welcome two guests from the transportation industry to discuss the two biggest drivers of increasing rates in the US - COVID-19, and supply chain disruptions. 

Jim Grundy, a transportation expert, and CEO of Sisu energy joins me for the first part of the discussion, and John Barnett of Steamboat Transportation Group joins me for the 2nd part. 

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