Zhongfu Lianzhong launches 5-metre diameter fibreglass pipeline

DN5000 fibreglass pipelines were rolled off the production line and supplied in batches at Zhongfu Lianzhong’s headquarters in Jiangsu province, China. This achievement marks the company’s technological breakthrough in the field of fibreglass pipe manufacturing, says the company.

As a leading enterprise in the pipe and tank field of China’s composite materials industry, Zhongfu Lianzhong has been committed to the research and development and innovation of fibreglass pipe technology. The DN5000 FRP pipeline was launched after breaking through the limitations of equipment, process, materials and testing, which not only demonstrates Zhongfu Lianzhong’s technical strength in the manufacture of large FRP structural parts, but also sets a new benchmark for the pipe industry.

FRP pipes have the advantages of light weight, high strength, corrosion resistance and long service life, so they have gradually replaced traditional metal pipes in many fields. The successful launch of DN5000 glass fibre pipes will further promote the application of glass fibre pipes in large-scale engineering projects.

#composites #ZhongfuLianzhong #CarbonFibreStone #fibreglass #pipelines

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Dear exhibitors and visitors!

📄 The press release on the Seventeenth International Exhibition "Composite-Expo 2025", which took place from March 25 to 27 at the Expocentre Fairgrounds, is posted on the Composite-Expo website: statistics, participant reviews, photo report.

📸 Photos of the 2025 exhibition

⚡️ In 2026, the 18th Composite Expo exhibition and its business program will be held from April 22 to 24 at a new venue - the Crocus Expo IEC (Pavilion 3, Hall 13).

🔸 Booking of stands has already started

Contacts of the organizing committee:
Phones: +7 (495) 137-78-25, +7 800 333-78-25
E-mail: info@composite-expo.ru

Hurry to take priority exhibition locations!

Traditionally, the 17th Polyurethanex 2026 exhibition will be held in parallel.

European natural fibers emerge in bio-based architectural projects

The Alliance for European Flax Linen and Hemp highlights several projects in which flax and hemp fibers are being used, emphasizing their increasing use as high-performance, low-impact construction methods.

The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp (Paris, France) highlights a growing wave of innovative architectural and civil engineering applications featuring flax and hemp fibers. As the global construction industry turns toward sustainable solutions, the organization is seeing flax and hemp emerging as high-performance, low-impact alternatives for a new generation of bio-based architecture.

For instance, flax is stepping beyond interior and insulation use to form key structural elements in buildings. At the forefront of this transformation is the University of Stuttgart’s (Germany) ITECH Research Pavilion 2024 program in Germany. Two lightweight structures have been created using filament-wound flax fibers, demonstrating the material’s strength and design flexibility.

The main pavilion, a semi-permanent structure, features 20 flax fiber roof beams, crafted from Terre de Lin’s (Saint-Pierre-le-Viger, France) 100 Tex rovings and industrially processed by HA-CO Carbon GmbH (Wallerstein, Germany). A second, smaller pavilion incorporates co-wound wood and Safilin’s (Sailly-sur-la-Lys, France) 200 Tex flax fibers in its columns and roof structure. Both projects highlight coreless robotic winding technologies and deliver striking examples of sustainable construction methods.

Flax is also proving its value in cladding and façade systems. French manufacturer Temca (Xertigny, France) recently completed 880 lightweight shading panels using Bcomp’s (Fribourg, Switzerland) ampliTex flax fiber material for the Cité Scolaire Internationale Jacques Chirac business school in Marseille. Designed by architects Rudy Ricciotti and Roland Carta for Bouygues Bâtiment Sud-Est, the system uses RTM-molded ampliTex combined with UV-resistant gelcoat and fire-rated resin, providing a nature-inspired, energy-efficient solution with reduced weight and hardware requirements compared to traditional materials.

Meanwhile, Dutch composite innovator NPSP (Delft) continues its work integrating bio-based materials in public infrastructure. In collaboration with Alliance member Procotex (Plouay, France) and material partner Nabasco, NPSP has delivered façades across Europe, including the vibrant green cladding of Amsterdam’s NEMO Science Museum, designed by Renzo Piano. Nabasco Natural panels offer both design freedom and high fire safety standards, paving the way for bio-based façades in modern urban design.

Recyclable molded composites company Demgy (Saint-Aubin-sur-Gaillon, France) has partnered with green roof experts Plantika (Vienna, Austria) to introduce Flaxcomp sandwich base panels for rooftop garden modules. Replacing aluminum with perforated flax composites, the solution enhances water drainage and aeration while reducing environmental impact. If successful, the trial may lead to full flax composite construction in future urban greening projects, marking a critical advance toward circular building solutions.

“These projects reflect the growing ambition of our industry to deliver carbon-smart, beautiful and high-performing structures using natural European fibers,” says Bruno Pech, innovation project manager.

The Alliance for European Flax Linen & Hemp continues to support its members and partners in advancing bio-based innovation across architecture and civil engineering.

#composites #NaturalFibers #BioBased

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Airtech acquires Kimya Assets to extend additive manufacturing filament capabilities and solutions

Airtech Advanced Materials Group announced the integration of Kimya’s high-performance filament portfolio into its established range of pellets and filaments for additive manufacturing applications.

This strategic enhancement includes Kimya’s technical filament materials, development and production capabilities, validation equipment and intellectual property – further expanding Airtech’s offering for Large-Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM) and high-performance thermoplastic applications.

Production of these high-quality filaments will soon begin at Airtech Europe headquarters in Luxembourg, EU, and will be offered alongside Airtech’s trusted Dahltram® pellet and filament resins. This integration supports Airtech’s goal to deliver a broader portfolio of additive manufacturing materials with reliable global availability and strong technical support.

“Airtech is excited to bring Kimya filaments to the global market and build on the great foundation of quality and technical support they had established,” said Gregory Haye, director of additive manufacturing at Airtech Advanced Materials Group. “We found Kimya’s portfolio to be highly aligned with our technical and customer-focused approach at Airtech to develop, sell and support our family of high-performance resins. These materials are very complementary to our existing offerings, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds as we work to scale Kimya filaments to global markets and launch new and exciting formulations.”

This development reinforces Airtech’s commitment to providing advanced material solutions for the additive manufacturing industry, supporting both new and existing customers with expanded capabilities and global reach.

#composites #Airtech #Kimya

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📄 Invitation to attend Composite-Expo 2026 from the Department of Metallurgy and Materials of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia

Dear participants and visitors!

We have posted on the official website of Composite Expo and the exhibition's YouTube channel:

🔸 Final video report on the 17th Composite-Expo 2025 exhibition

🔸 Exhibitors video interviews

Booking of stands for Composite-Expo 2026 is actively ongoing!

Let us remind you that next year the exhibition will be held on April 22-24 at the Crocus Expo IEC, Pavilion 3, Hall 13.

AM method enables tool-free, energy-efficient thermoset composites production

University researchers highlight how the combination of a thermally curable resin system with photothermal curing eliminates the post-curing steps involved in discontinuous, continuous fiber parts fabrication.

Researchers at Arizona State University (ASU, Mesa, U.S.) and Colorado State University (CSU, Fort Collins, U.S.) have introduced an additive manufacturing (AM) method that enables fabrication of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoset composites without molds, ovens or support structures. By combining a thermally curable resin system with photothermal curing, the approach achieves rapid in situ rigidization of both discontinuous and continuous fiber composites, offering a scalable, energy-efficient alternative to traditional composites processing.

Published in Nature Communications journal, the study highlights how this technique enables fabrication of continuous fiber parts with fiber volume fractions up to 70% and void contents below 1.5%, performance metrics that are reported to rival those of autoclave-cured aerospace components. Unlike conventional methods, which require sustained oven- or autoclave curing and labor-intensive layup on custom tooling, this process cures the thermoset matrix at the point of deposition, eliminating post-curing steps and reducing overall cycle time and energy input.

“We have integrated thermal curing directly into the print path using a compact laser source,” explains Professor Mostafa Yourdkhani, senior author of the study. “This enables us to fabricate structural composite components not just on a substrate, but in free space, without the use of molds or support materials. The result is faster, more flexible manufacturing with drastically lower energy consumption.”

The system leverages a low-power laser diode to generate localized heating via the carbon fiber reinforcement, which serves both as a load-bearing material and a photothermal conversion medium. This targeted energy input cures the thermosresponsive thermoset resin system in under one second, enabling high-speed deposition and curing of structural-grade thermoset composites. Resulting printed parts exhibited optimal mechanical performance, with tensile moduli exceeding 100 GPa and tensile strengths over 1.4 GPa in continuous fiber configurations.

Unlike UV-curable resins, which are limited by low light penetration and often require extensive postprocessing, this thermal curing approach enables complete cross-linking during printing. The thermoset polymer also offers high thermal stability, low shrinkage, strong chemical and moisture resistance, and high impact resistance, properties that are critical for demanding applications in aerospace, automotive, renewable energy and marine sectors.

The research team demonstrated both layer-by-layer and freeform printing strategies, including complex out-of-plane fiber placement and long, unsupported composite spans fabricated using a six-axis robotic arm. These capabilities showcase high geometric flexibility and performance in thermoset composite AM.

With demonstrated compatibility across various reinforcement types, including aramid, glass and carbon fibers, this method is well-positioned for applications such as structural prototyping, composite tooling, on-demand component manufacturing and field-deployable composite repairs.

#composites #ThermosetCompositesProduction #3Dprinting

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Purdue develops rapid actuator-less deployable drone blade

Launching drones single-handedly on the battlefield is a military competitive advantage, but building a drone to do so is a complex challenge. A Purdue University solution has the wind beneath its wings.

With folded blades, a drone fits in tight places. Picture a cylinder 15 cm (6 in) wide and 1 m (3 ft) long – about the size of 3 paper towel rolls stacked longwise. Imagine a soldier carrying a cannister this size like a backpack, a drone nested inside. When the command comes, the soldier launches the drone, and the blades have 2 seconds to unfold and reconfigure.

However, there is a mission-critical obstacle: the mechanical actuators struggle to power this spontaneous transformation.

Purdue University’s actuator-less deployment drone blade

Purdue University’s Composites Manufacturing and Simulation Center (CMSC) is developing an actuator-less deployment drone blade. The concept has been proven in simulations and static experiments. The next R&D phase begins soon, with testing in a new wind tunnel built expressly for this purpose.

Leading the project is Kawai Kwok, Ph.D., Purdue associate professor, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and leader of Purdue’s Aerospace Structures Design Lab. “The design will be challenging, but if we can change our thinking about static structures for aerospace applications and consider dynamic deployable and reconfigurable structures, there will be many benefits,” he said.

330 million years of actuator-less flights

Purdue’s inspiration comes from earth’s first in flight: the humble insect. Winged insects date back 330 million years to the Carboniferous period – named for underground coal deposits originating then. Now, these prehistoric contemporaries reunite for a carbon-fibre composite breakthrough.

#composites #drone

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BrainDrip scales up composite technology to meet current, future energy infrastructure needs

Next-generation composite pipe development with embedded, AI-enhanced health monitoring will modernize new and aging pipelines globally.

On June 30, BrainDrip LLC’s (Jacksonville, Fla., U.S.) BD Composites division kicked off a Series A funding drive to scale up production of its patent-pending composite pipe system and on-site mobile factory. The financing will enable BD Composites to produce new mobile factories, finalize development and regulatory testing, and expand operations, both nationally and internationally.

Aging steel pipeline infrastructure, increased demand and evolving service requirements underscore the limitations of traditional networks. More than 50% of U.S. natural gas pipelines are at least 30 years old, and a majority of these need to be renewed or replaced. Energy providers around the world are increasing gas production or transition to hydrogen, but currently steel and other composite pipelines cannot meet the design requirements of hydrogen transport and offer no real-time insight into operational data or structural health.

Conventional reinforced thermoplastic pipes (RTPs) resist corrosion, but they are typically constrained to diameters under 12 inches, pressure ratings under 150 bar and off-site fabrication. They must also be transported to the site in segments or spools, which notably increases transportation costs and emissions, creating a much larger environmental footprint. These are just some of the challenges driving energy suppliers to seek a new and better option.

BD Composites’ novel system addresses supplier needs by offering diameters from 6 inches up to 36 inches and pressure ratings exceeding 350 bar with continuous field-manufactured lengths of up to 10 miles. Each composite pipeline also contains an integrated fiber optic network for health and risk monitoring that leverages AI to assess and report pressure, flow, temperature, strain, seismic disturbance and other integrity metrics to the control room every few seconds.

Complementing this innovation is the mobile factory that creates the composite pipelines. It is contained inside a customized 53-foot ISO container that can be transported to the site by trailer via road, rail, sea or air and is operational in less than 8 hours after offloading. This compact, self-contained and fully automated manufacturing plant enables real-time quality assurance and quality control. It also features installation rates nine times faster and 70% less costly compared with steel pipes.

An independent study by Gemserv confirms that BD Composites pipeline solution produces over three times larger diameters and roughly two-and-a-half times higher pressure capacities than other composite pipes. The study also determined that its composite pipe reduces carbon emissions from material production alone by 75%. Its on-site based manufacturing minimizes right of way disturbance, site footprint and logistical complexity, enabling operators to expedite project schedules and comply with environmental regulations.

“By combining our novel and highly advanced composite materials with embedded AI enhanced monitoring networks, our team is redefining pipeline safety, risk and design life in pipeline renewal, conversion and greenfield installations,” explains Kent Weisenberg, founder/CEO of BrainDrip. “BD Composites offers a true disruptor with a composite system future-proofed for energies such as H2 and CO2 and intrinsically validated for natural gas and other media. Our compact, mobile factory lets us manufacture this innovation directly in the field, allowing for ‘no dig’ installations, notably reduced emissions and on-site customization. By eliminating welded or coupled joints, our customers will receive miles of uninterrupted pipeline installation and unspoiled environment.”

Field validation underscores the promise of this approach. BD Composites completed a 1.3-mile demonstration on a buried pipeline asset in late 2023 for its anchor investor and customer, a Fortune 200 energy company. The company transitioned this directly into a future 30-plus mile pipeline renewal project. Continued interest in BD Composites’ systems from government agencies as well as other major players in the oil, gas and low-carbon fuel industries demonstrates market confidence in this future-proofed solution.

#composites #pipes #pipelines

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