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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
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. 

Apr 14, 2021

On this episode, we’ll be discussing the ongoing resin supply issues with Steve Wetzel of Interplastic, and Dirk De Vuyst of IMI. 

Steve will be discussing the cause of resin supply shortages. As many know, the February freeze in Texas triggered mass blackouts and led to chemical plant shutdowns that are disrupting supply chains, causing a shortage of raw materials.

Dirk will be sharing some proactive strategies manufacturing members can implement during these challenging times. These include the 4 P’s – Protecting current customers, Pricing based on new costing, Procuring materials ahead of time, and Producing efficiently.

Mar 25, 2021

This week Tim Ross and David Dytman of RimCraft join me on this episode to discuss their custom equipment solutions for our industry. 

RimCraft of ROI Equipment is a company well known in the industries they service for having a wide array of standardized machines used universally throughout the GRFC, GRFG, and Resin industries, they are also able to customize their products to meet your specific needs.

As engineers, David and Tim understand the chemistry of the materials so well that they are able to design customize their systems accordingly, in a way that most big companies cannot.

David and Tim were recently approached by Tesla Motors to provide a syntactic dispense system for their car battery packs. They made the decision to pursue this project, and it has expanded to their new facility in Shanghai, China.

Every Tesla Model 3 on the road now utilizes RimCraft's technology. As a result of this relationship with Tesla, they have been able to expand their production capabilities.

On this episode, we'll be discussing their line of resin systems as well as the fact that RimCraft now offers replacement parts for the old 2400 and 4600 pumps that have been discontinued by MVP. 

You can learn more by visiting their website at https://www.rimcraft.com

Jan 26, 2021

This week Scott Acton, CEO of Forte Specialty Contractors joins me on the show to share their story as a company serving the hospitality, restaurant, nightlife, and entertainment industries. 

Scott's entrance into this arena began with a long family history of Disney projects, which is known for creative, unusual experiences requiring innovative construction techniques.

Part of developing this skill set for Scott included attending “Disney University” where he learned the business and leadership skills necessary to build a successful career.

His early work comprises several landmarks across North America, including portions of Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios, and Disney, showcasing Scott’s affinity to thematic design and construction.

Scott continues his legacy of innovation as the CEO of Forté and on this episode, you hear him share how they've expanded as a company to the point where they now use 3D printing to produce mockups of projects for their clients and subcontractors. They boast the largest 3D printer of-its-kind in the state of Nevada. 

You can learn more about their company by visiting them at https://fortedesignbuild.com

Dec 10, 2020

This week Jesse Henry, CEO of Heartland Industries joins me on the podcast to discuss their company. Heartland Industries provides manufacturers with a sustainable source of additives like fillers, reinforcements, & mineral extenders to enhance products they already make. 

On this episode, we'll be discussing the benefits of hemp fibers and how they process the hemp plant to make materials that are stronger, lighter, and cheaper than traditional products. 

American manufacturers would love to utilize hemp as an additive, but they don’t currently have a reliable supply chain. This leaves hemp sitting in the R&D departments of large corporations and universities. 

Today Heartland Industries is creating the first reliable supply chain of hemp-based materials for manufacturers across the composites industry. This will allow hemp to move beyond R&D departments and into manufactured goods. 

Nov 26, 2020

On this episode, John Schweitzer joins me to discuss the latest news on pending updates from OSHA on workplace exposure to styrene.

John is the senior adviser to the president of the American Composites Manufacturers Association. For questions, he can be reached at jschweitzer@acmanet.org

Nov 9, 2020

This week, I welcome Eric van Uden of Solico on the show to discuss a recent news event where a runaway train was saved by a composite "whale's tail" sculpture designed by Solico Engineering. 

Founded in 1989, Solico is based in the Netherlands and is BeNeLux's largest composite engineering company.
 

 

Oct 14, 2020

This week, Alex Sassenberg joins me on the podcast to share the story of Reckless Motorcycles, a company driven by a passion for Motorcycling & Powersports. With more than 60 combined years of experience in the fiberglass & motorcycle industry, they provide their customers with the best line of quality parts in the industry. 

Over 90 percent of their parts are manufactured with closed molding technology, eliminating VOC's and ensuring a safe & green workplace environment. All of their products are manufactured in-house from start to finish. 

They also provide tooling for boat manufacturers as well.

https://www.recklessmotorcycles.com

 

Oct 7, 2020

This week I feature a recent interview with Andrew Pokelwaldt as he joined me to discuss some quality control tips for open mold fabrication facilities that use gel coats and resins. The interview is based on a recent article he wrote entitled The Importance of Temperature and Measurement“.

Andrew is the director of Certifications, American Composites Manufacturers Association. You can email him at apokelwaldt@acmanet.org.

Aug 29, 2020

On this episode, we’ll address the topic of the ever-increasing manufacturing skills gap in the US and what is being done to engage and inspire more young Americans of all backgrounds to build great careers in the manufacturing trades. 

This is a two-part episode, featuring interviews with two guests. 

My first guest is Sarah Boisvert. She is the author of The New Collar Workforce: An Insider’s Guide to Making Impactful Changes to Manufacturing and Training. It’s a culmination of research with 200 manufacturers in the US on the skills needed mostly for operators and technicians on the factory floor.  

My 2nd guest is Chris Brenchley, the co-founder, and CEO of SurehandSurehand is a self-service hiring platform that instantly matches industrial employers with skilled tradespeople.

Workers can create their free Surehand profile here: https://surehand.com

Employers can learn more and create their Surehand Recruiter preview account here: https://surehand.com/employers

Aug 17, 2020

This week, I welcome Eugene Giller, and Alex Orphanos of RIZE on the show to discuss their newest RIZIUM™ Glass Fiber Material, a composite 3D printing material with the high-dimensional stability and high stiffness for the strength required for printing large parts.

RIZE Inc. is a next-generation additive manufacturing company helping customers drive sustainable and inclusive innovation. Prestigious organizations such as NASA, PSMI, Wichita State University, and the US Army use RIZE solutions to support their additive manufacturing needs.

RIZIUM Glass Fiber is the only composite 3D printing material suitable for full-color parts, and the stability to support parts with complex geometries that often can warp. It also doesn't expose the user to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carcinogens that are often emitted by more typical ABS and PLA materials.

RIZIUM GF is recyclable, requires minimal to no post-processing to remove support structures, 

It is UL GREENGUARD certified, and safe to be used at home by those teams that are not fully back in a factory setting due to the pandemic. This new material expands the portfolio of the RIZIUM Alliance, where other 3D printing industry partners can implement safer, sustainable, recyclable 3D printing on a variety of platforms, such as the RIZE 2XC.

You can learn more by visiting https://www.rize3d.com/materials/rizium-gf

Aug 3, 2020

This week, I welcome Bob Yancey of Hexcel on the show. Hexcel is a leading producer of carbon fiber reinforcements and resin systems and the world leader in honeycomb manufacturing for the commercial aerospace industry. 

Bob is the business development director for Hexcel and his work includes developing new and emerging business opportunities for advanced composites & new manufacturing technologies like powder bed fusion with reinforcement, automated fiber placement, and automated tape laying. 

Jul 23, 2020

This week Tom Wright of Bedford Reinforced Plastics (BRP) rejoins me on the show to discuss the ReadyLadder, the first-of-its-kind modular fixed ladder system. It allows for easy
installation and faster shipment than custom fixed ladders.

The ready-to-ship access ladders are produced using Bedford’s long-lasting, FRP material. They won’t rust, rot, corrode or conduct electricity, and they’re lightweight for easy installation.

ReadyLadder is able to stand up to high humidity, saltwater, insects, harsh climates, and other tough environments. 

This makes it an excellent choice for a wide range of industries, including cooling towers, mining, oil and gas, plant and chemical processing, pulp and paper, utilities, wastewater, and water treatment and more.

Jul 22, 2020

This week, Francesco Pantaleone of Roboze joins me to discuss their company. Roboze was founded back in 2013 with a team of professional visionaries in the 3D printing sector with a passion for challenging design standards on a global scale.

Roboze customers turn to Roboze engineers to address and surpass their industrial needs in the Oil & Gas, Automotive, Motorsport, Aerospace, Manufacturing, and Defense sectors.

Their singular mission is to provide the best professional 3D printers, with FFF technology for extreme industrial applications through continuous product innovation, to create tangible competitive advantages in terms of precision, flexibility, personalization, and convenience for their end customers.

These are the strengths that separate Roboze from its competition.

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