Over 150 Attend School in Advanced Composites Processes and Materials

Two-day session led by Composites One, Closed Mold Alliance, MVP and IACMI-The Composites Institute

Attendees gained hands-on experience in Reusable Bag Molding from Composites One Technical Services Manager Jim Noonan (left) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility.

Over 150 students, academics, technicians and business owners from 23 states now have a better

understanding of the latest developments in advanced materials and processes, thanks to attending a two-day school presented by Composites One in partnership with the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), one of eight organizations comprising the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation.

“When we developed this new partnership, it was with the goal of helping prepare the next generation of composites professionals, as well as ensuring that our industry’s existing workforce is up to speed on the latest technologies,” said Composites One Marketing Communications Director Marcy Offner. “Judging by the comments that we heard from attendees, we’re on our way to achieving that goal.

IACMI –The Composites Institute CEO Craig Blue agreed, adding, “This collaboration reinforces our mission to accelerate the development and adoption of cutting-edge technologies for low-cost, energy-efficient manufacturing of advanced composites, positively impacting innovation and workforce development.”

Held April 5-6 at IACMI – The Composites Institute headquarters in Knoxville, TN, the Solutions in Process and Advanced Materials for Today’s Composites Manufacturer school featured over a dozen sessions led by subject matter experts from Composites One, the Closed Mold Alliance, IACMI – The Composites Institute, the University of Tennessee, and Magnum Venus Products (MVP). They included live demos of reusable bag molding, light resin transfer molding, prepreg and high temperature compression molding, and presentations on vacuum infusion, and designing with carbon fiber.

Attendees also heard an actual customer case history from Scout Boats, and toured the Oak Ridge National

Laboratory Carbon Fiber Technology Facility, the world’s most capable open-access carbon fiber semi-production facility/laboratory.

“The Solutions in Process and Advanced Materials for Today’s Composites Manufacturer school would not be possible without the expertise and support of our supplier partners,” said Offner. They include 3A Composites, Ashland Performance Materials, Axiom Materials Inc., Chem-Trend, Chomarat, Owens Corning, Polynt Composites USA, Inc., Quantum Composites, SikaAxson, Soul Composites, SWORL (a division of Prairie Technology Group, Inc.), United Initiators Inc., and Vectorply.

Following this event will be three more schools this year, including (check compositesone.com for dates and registration details):

• Intermediate Processing & Wind Energy Workshop – Denver, Colorado
• Process & Advanced Materials Workshop – West Lafayette, Indiana
• Process & Automotive Market Advances in Composites – Detroit, Michigan

All are designed to help participants become more adept in advanced and closed mold processing, out-of-autoclave production, additive manufacturing (3D printing) light-weighting of products, prototyping, selecting systems and equipment, advancements in composites and high performance materials, data acquisition, modeling and simulation. Sessions will be led by experienced process experts from Composites One and the Closed Mold Alliance, a resource dedicated to helping manufacturers make a successful conversion to closed mold and other advanced processes, and IACMI. Along with Composites One, the Closed Mold Alliance founding members include Magnum Venus Products and RTM North Ltd.

For more information, please call Composites One at 800-621-8003, or visit compositesone.com.

Download the full press release.