Composites 101

[joeswoes]

Can anyone recommend a seminar for a complete newbie in the field of composites that offers a broad spectrum of introductions from materials to processes to applications ? And, most importantly, a seminar which is not intended to sell someones products or services.

 

[sreid]

Check out books at Aircraft Spruce.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/

 

[TGund]

The American Composites Manufacturing Association (ACMA,

http://www.acmanet.org)

would be a good starting point. They have some good introductory technical materials and a certification program that is fairly reasonably priced. Also check out the SAMPE (

http://www.sampe.org)

organization, if you want more aerospace and advanced materials-based information.

As for seminars, I believe the SAMPE Tech Director Scott Beckwith has a traveling "composites for engineers" seminar. I think the SAMPE site has the info..

 

[EricatNordic]

When I had just gotten out of school and didn't have much experience, I found this helpful for design

http://www.mse.mtu.edu/~drjohn/my4150/compositesdesign/index.html

For picking materials and process details, working with our materials reps has been my primary way of learning.

-Eric

 

[vrnykl]

You might want to try this one:

http://www.stanford.edu/compositesdesign

"Composites Design tools"
This is 12 90-minute weekly introductory lectures /tool courses.

 

[Flipperz]

check out ABARIS training at abaris.com. I have taken two of their composite repair courses and the tooling course. They are extremely knowledgeable and stay current on process and material development. The training is broken up into in class and shop practical exercises and i learned a lot even having had years of experience prior to going.

 

[greentank]

i've just kinda passed the sit you're in now.. I found two textbooks quite valuable.. Composites for Construction, Structural Design with FRP Materials by Lawrence C. Bank and Engineering Mechanics of Composite Materials, 2nd Edition by Isaac M Daniel and Ori Ishai.. Also the ACMA Corrosion Conference was extremely helpful.. Hmmm.. Some would argue with me but I found going through old standards helpful.. Being in the tank industry RTP-1 and ASTM D-3299 were the ones I use and found useful.. Also AWWA C-950 was helpful but that one has been replaced by AWWA M45..
A big thing is talk to guys that have been in the industry forever.. I just let them talk.. You'd be surprised at what you learn just listening to them go on about the old days and what happened.. I found out that Fiberglass is a lot stronger than we engineers give it credit for.. So far i've used this forum a lot too..

Hopefully that helps..