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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.”
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.”
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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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#composites #pipes #pipelines
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Composites
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International Moon Day: are composites shaping the future of lunar exploration?
As humanity reaffirms its ambition to return to and sustainably inhabit the Moon, materials science is stepping into the spotlight. Among the enablers of this renewed lunar momentum are composite materials—lightweight, durable and versatile solutions that respond to the extreme demands of space environments. This selection of articles highlights how composites are transforming our approach to lunar missions. From European-built rovers and responsive orbital platforms to reconfigurable infrastructure and expandable habitats, composites are proving critical at every stage. Moreover, the emergence of in-situ resource utilisation, such as basalt fibres derived from lunar rock, signals a future where lunar structures could be built using local materials, drastically reducing mission costs. These developments demonstrate that the future of lunar exploration won’t be shaped solely by rockets or robotics but also by the materials that enable us to go further, stay longer and build smarter.
Composites in vehicles to explore the moon
Venturi Space presents Mona Luna, the European lunar rover
Venturi Space unveils Mona Luna, its 100% European-built lunar rover. Designed to support the ambitions of ESA and the French CNES, the vehicle will be built at Venturi Space France’s facility in Toulouse. The ultimate aim is to provide Europe with a lunar-capable rover by 2030. The European Space Agency is supporting Venturi Space’s efforts to design and develop the critical technologies required for a large lunar rover, capable of surviving multiple lunar nights. ESA’s support validates Venturi Space’s approach and highlights its expertise. The project will draw on the experience acquired from the programmes to develop the Flio and Flex rovers under a strategic partnership with US-based company Venturi Astrolab, Inc. Venturi Space is currently designing and building the hyper-deformable wheels that will be fitted to those vehicles, along with the associated electrical systems (in Switzerland) and high-performance batteries (in Monaco). The peripheral layers of the wheels include metallic materials, hyper-elastic polymers and composites. The latter are made up of proprietary thermosetting resins and a combination of hundreds of millions of reinforcing fibres.
US Defense chooses Firefly Aerospace for responsive space mission
Firefly Aerospace, leader in end-to-end responsive space services, announced it was awarded a contract to perform a responsive on-orbit mission with its Elytra spacecraft in support of the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Sinequone Project. During the mission, Elytra will serve as a space manoeuvre vehicle to perform a series of responsive on-orbit tasks, including space domain awareness operations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The mission is set to launch as early as 2027. As part of the mission, Elytra will host a suite of government payloads, including optical, visible and infrared cameras, a responsive navigation unit and a universal electrical bus with a payload interface module. Firefly’s Elytra Dawn configuration will utilise common components from the company’s launch vehicles and lunar landers, including the avionics, composite structures and propulsion systems, to enable on-demand mobility, plane changes and manoeuvres with high delta-V capabilities and reliability. Elytra’s main engine, called Spectre, was recently flight-proven on Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander as the reaction control system thrusters that successfully performed Firefly’s final descent on the Moon in March.
Composites used on or around the moon
AnalySwift receives NASA STTR contract to transform spacecraft infrastructure for secondary uses during long-duration missions
As humanity reaffirms its ambition to return to and sustainably inhabit the Moon, materials science is stepping into the spotlight. Among the enablers of this renewed lunar momentum are composite materials—lightweight, durable and versatile solutions that respond to the extreme demands of space environments. This selection of articles highlights how composites are transforming our approach to lunar missions. From European-built rovers and responsive orbital platforms to reconfigurable infrastructure and expandable habitats, composites are proving critical at every stage. Moreover, the emergence of in-situ resource utilisation, such as basalt fibres derived from lunar rock, signals a future where lunar structures could be built using local materials, drastically reducing mission costs. These developments demonstrate that the future of lunar exploration won’t be shaped solely by rockets or robotics but also by the materials that enable us to go further, stay longer and build smarter.
Composites in vehicles to explore the moon
Venturi Space presents Mona Luna, the European lunar rover
Venturi Space unveils Mona Luna, its 100% European-built lunar rover. Designed to support the ambitions of ESA and the French CNES, the vehicle will be built at Venturi Space France’s facility in Toulouse. The ultimate aim is to provide Europe with a lunar-capable rover by 2030. The European Space Agency is supporting Venturi Space’s efforts to design and develop the critical technologies required for a large lunar rover, capable of surviving multiple lunar nights. ESA’s support validates Venturi Space’s approach and highlights its expertise. The project will draw on the experience acquired from the programmes to develop the Flio and Flex rovers under a strategic partnership with US-based company Venturi Astrolab, Inc. Venturi Space is currently designing and building the hyper-deformable wheels that will be fitted to those vehicles, along with the associated electrical systems (in Switzerland) and high-performance batteries (in Monaco). The peripheral layers of the wheels include metallic materials, hyper-elastic polymers and composites. The latter are made up of proprietary thermosetting resins and a combination of hundreds of millions of reinforcing fibres.
US Defense chooses Firefly Aerospace for responsive space mission
Firefly Aerospace, leader in end-to-end responsive space services, announced it was awarded a contract to perform a responsive on-orbit mission with its Elytra spacecraft in support of the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Sinequone Project. During the mission, Elytra will serve as a space manoeuvre vehicle to perform a series of responsive on-orbit tasks, including space domain awareness operations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The mission is set to launch as early as 2027. As part of the mission, Elytra will host a suite of government payloads, including optical, visible and infrared cameras, a responsive navigation unit and a universal electrical bus with a payload interface module. Firefly’s Elytra Dawn configuration will utilise common components from the company’s launch vehicles and lunar landers, including the avionics, composite structures and propulsion systems, to enable on-demand mobility, plane changes and manoeuvres with high delta-V capabilities and reliability. Elytra’s main engine, called Spectre, was recently flight-proven on Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander as the reaction control system thrusters that successfully performed Firefly’s final descent on the Moon in March.
Composites used on or around the moon
AnalySwift receives NASA STTR contract to transform spacecraft infrastructure for secondary uses during long-duration missions
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AnalySwift LLC, a Purdue University-affiliated company, has received a Phase I STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) contract from NASA worth $156,424. Allan Wood, AnalySwift president and CEO, said the contract will fund two advancements: processes and hardware to disassemble spacecraft components and reassemble them for a secondary use, and software for multiphysics simulation and analysis of the involved thermoplastics. Kawai Kwok, associate professor in Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is the principal investigator. Wood said long-duration crewed missions to the moon, Mars and beyond require infrastructure, such as trusses, to be constructed sustainably on these surfaces. But there are immense logistical challenges in transporting heavy and large payloads to space. “The AnalySwift project proposes a novel method of disassembling and reassembling thermoplastic composite joints in space,” he said. “Our proposed method enables reconfiguration of truss structures in space, transitioning away from the current one-time use model to a scalable and sustainable approach.” Kwok said spacecraft components could be quickly and easily repurposed into vastly different geometries. “For example, a lunar lander support truss could become a vertical solar array support truss,” he said. “There are other applications, depending on mission needs using the same set of structural elements and innovative multiphysics modelling.”
Max Space utilises Aluula material for space habitat construction
Private space company Max Space premiered their expandable space habitat at the 39th Space Symposium on 9 April 9 2024, citing its use of material from Aluula Composites to reinforce the structure. The habitat is slated to launch with Space X in 2026 and, according to Max Space, is currently able to orbit the moon and ultimately Mars. Max Space plans to create a family of scalable habitats in varying sizes by 2030, potentially creating stadium-sized expandable structures. “Unless we make usable space in space a lot less expensive and much larger, humanity’s future in space will remain limited,” said Max Space co-founder Aaron Kemmer. Aluula’s lightweight material is used as part of a custom laminate that adds strength and durability to the structural elements of the habitat, making it possible to create a large living and working area at a fraction of the weight and transport costs of traditional crew modules. “The laminate used in the habitat has an incredible strength-to-weight ratio with a combination of high resistance polymers, which is ideal for use in applications where weight and safety is critical, like space travel,” said Aluula’s Chief Innovation Officer Richard Myerscough.
Composites made with lunar material
Basalt material could be used to build China’s lunar research base
Sometimes described as “the green industrial material of the 21st century”, basalt fibre sees its potential applications growing in composite materials. Research is still needed to achieve mass production, and China is showing its determination in this direction.
As a sign of China’s presence on the far side of the moon, the Chang’e-6 lunar probe unfurled a Chinese national flag on June 2024 during its sampling mission. The flag was woven from basalt fibre. “We crushed and melted the rocks in order to pull them into thin threads with a diameter about 1/3 that of a hair,” said Professor Zhou Changyi of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The material could also be used to build China’s lunar research base in the future, Zhou Changyi said to the Chinese media, as the moon has an abundance of this type of rock. “Basalt fibre is lightweight, strong, corrosion-resistant and environmentally friendly with a low carbon footprint. It can withstand temperatures ranging from -269 to 700°C, which further highlights its unique value,” said Liu Jiaqi, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and former director of the CAS Institute of Geology and Geophysics. According to Liu, basalt rocks are abundant in China.
Max Space utilises Aluula material for space habitat construction
Private space company Max Space premiered their expandable space habitat at the 39th Space Symposium on 9 April 9 2024, citing its use of material from Aluula Composites to reinforce the structure. The habitat is slated to launch with Space X in 2026 and, according to Max Space, is currently able to orbit the moon and ultimately Mars. Max Space plans to create a family of scalable habitats in varying sizes by 2030, potentially creating stadium-sized expandable structures. “Unless we make usable space in space a lot less expensive and much larger, humanity’s future in space will remain limited,” said Max Space co-founder Aaron Kemmer. Aluula’s lightweight material is used as part of a custom laminate that adds strength and durability to the structural elements of the habitat, making it possible to create a large living and working area at a fraction of the weight and transport costs of traditional crew modules. “The laminate used in the habitat has an incredible strength-to-weight ratio with a combination of high resistance polymers, which is ideal for use in applications where weight and safety is critical, like space travel,” said Aluula’s Chief Innovation Officer Richard Myerscough.
Composites made with lunar material
Basalt material could be used to build China’s lunar research base
Sometimes described as “the green industrial material of the 21st century”, basalt fibre sees its potential applications growing in composite materials. Research is still needed to achieve mass production, and China is showing its determination in this direction.
As a sign of China’s presence on the far side of the moon, the Chang’e-6 lunar probe unfurled a Chinese national flag on June 2024 during its sampling mission. The flag was woven from basalt fibre. “We crushed and melted the rocks in order to pull them into thin threads with a diameter about 1/3 that of a hair,” said Professor Zhou Changyi of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The material could also be used to build China’s lunar research base in the future, Zhou Changyi said to the Chinese media, as the moon has an abundance of this type of rock. “Basalt fibre is lightweight, strong, corrosion-resistant and environmentally friendly with a low carbon footprint. It can withstand temperatures ranging from -269 to 700°C, which further highlights its unique value,” said Liu Jiaqi, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and former director of the CAS Institute of Geology and Geophysics. According to Liu, basalt rocks are abundant in China.
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Designing lighter and less expensive composite structures
Aerospace engineers face constant trade-offs between weight and manufacturability. With HyperX® and HyperXpert® from Collier Aerospace, they can optimise lighter, more cost-effective composite structures while meeting strict certification requirements. From NASA’s X-59 supersonic jet to Radia’s WindRunner™ cargo aircraft, these tools are helping shape the next generation of aerospace design.
Aerospace engineers need to compare potential designs for composite structures in terms of total weight and Design For Manufacturability (DFM). There are trade-offs. For example, composite structures with more panel-to-panel size variations weigh less but are more difficult – and therefore more expensive – to manufacture. Conversely, composite structures with fewer panel-to-panel size variations weigh more but are easier and less expensive to produce.
Today, Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) software, such as HyperX® from Collier Aerospace, can optimise the lightest weight combination of material systems and panel cross-sectional dimensions. What aerospace engineers also need, however, is a way to see all the possible designs with a positive margin of safety, and an interface that lets them compare these options effectively. The company’s HyperXpert® tool was developed for this purpose.
Traditional CAE applications do not allow for design space exploration as they provide just a single data point that does not facilitate robust design comparisons. There are other limitations as well. For example, CAE software that is not aerospace-specific may not be able to generate a stress report for a preliminary and critical design review. Yet engineers are required to provide regulators with margin-of-safety calculations for airframe certifications.
HyperX® and HyperXpert® from Collier Aerospace
Collier Aerospace, based in Newport News, Virginia, is solving these and many other challenges. Its HyperX® software uses Finite Element Analysis (FEA) results to perform sizing optimisation and, in turn, determine the lightest weight combination of materials and panel cross-sectional dimensions, including layup ply angles and stacking sequences. This allows engineers to quickly analyse design alternatives and consider trade-offs.
The HyperX® software optimises composite structure designs without requiring engineers to replace their existing tools. The software’s database establishes a digital thread and works with popular FEA and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software such as Nastran, Abaqus, Optistruct, HyperMesh, Catia, 3DX and NX CAD. With the HyperX software, engineers can see the lightest weight design for all panels, load cases and failure criteria and without having to resubmit the FEA.
HyperXpert, a tool that extends the HyperX workflow, can perform a full factorial Design of Experiments (DOE) and displays the best options for the design space in a weight-versus-size variation plot. Unlike other approaches to experimental design, the full factorial DOE tool analyses every combination of variables and determines the individual impact of each. This enables an engineer to decide which variables to link and determine how variables affect each other.
Because the DOE tool organises data in a plot, engineers can quickly compare results, review trends and select the best design to manufacture. By quantifying objective manufacturability considerations during the earliest conceptual design phases, users can also avoid unnecessary costs and accelerate project timetables. Importantly, they can increase their confidence in making design choices by seeing all their options.
Here are 2 case studies that explain how innovative companies are using these advanced software solutions to design light and cost-effective composite structures.
Swift engineering and the X-59 nose cone
Aerospace engineers face constant trade-offs between weight and manufacturability. With HyperX® and HyperXpert® from Collier Aerospace, they can optimise lighter, more cost-effective composite structures while meeting strict certification requirements. From NASA’s X-59 supersonic jet to Radia’s WindRunner™ cargo aircraft, these tools are helping shape the next generation of aerospace design.
Aerospace engineers need to compare potential designs for composite structures in terms of total weight and Design For Manufacturability (DFM). There are trade-offs. For example, composite structures with more panel-to-panel size variations weigh less but are more difficult – and therefore more expensive – to manufacture. Conversely, composite structures with fewer panel-to-panel size variations weigh more but are easier and less expensive to produce.
Today, Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) software, such as HyperX® from Collier Aerospace, can optimise the lightest weight combination of material systems and panel cross-sectional dimensions. What aerospace engineers also need, however, is a way to see all the possible designs with a positive margin of safety, and an interface that lets them compare these options effectively. The company’s HyperXpert® tool was developed for this purpose.
Traditional CAE applications do not allow for design space exploration as they provide just a single data point that does not facilitate robust design comparisons. There are other limitations as well. For example, CAE software that is not aerospace-specific may not be able to generate a stress report for a preliminary and critical design review. Yet engineers are required to provide regulators with margin-of-safety calculations for airframe certifications.
HyperX® and HyperXpert® from Collier Aerospace
Collier Aerospace, based in Newport News, Virginia, is solving these and many other challenges. Its HyperX® software uses Finite Element Analysis (FEA) results to perform sizing optimisation and, in turn, determine the lightest weight combination of materials and panel cross-sectional dimensions, including layup ply angles and stacking sequences. This allows engineers to quickly analyse design alternatives and consider trade-offs.
The HyperX® software optimises composite structure designs without requiring engineers to replace their existing tools. The software’s database establishes a digital thread and works with popular FEA and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software such as Nastran, Abaqus, Optistruct, HyperMesh, Catia, 3DX and NX CAD. With the HyperX software, engineers can see the lightest weight design for all panels, load cases and failure criteria and without having to resubmit the FEA.
HyperXpert, a tool that extends the HyperX workflow, can perform a full factorial Design of Experiments (DOE) and displays the best options for the design space in a weight-versus-size variation plot. Unlike other approaches to experimental design, the full factorial DOE tool analyses every combination of variables and determines the individual impact of each. This enables an engineer to decide which variables to link and determine how variables affect each other.
Because the DOE tool organises data in a plot, engineers can quickly compare results, review trends and select the best design to manufacture. By quantifying objective manufacturability considerations during the earliest conceptual design phases, users can also avoid unnecessary costs and accelerate project timetables. Importantly, they can increase their confidence in making design choices by seeing all their options.
Here are 2 case studies that explain how innovative companies are using these advanced software solutions to design light and cost-effective composite structures.
Swift engineering and the X-59 nose cone
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Swift Engineering of San Clemente, California, designs and builds high-performance aerospace vehicles. Recent projects include the extended nose cone for the X-59, an experimental aircraft from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®, part of the Quiet Supersonic Technology (Quesst) mission within the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The goal of Quesst’s mission is to establish an acceptable noise standard for commercial supersonic flights over land.
For decades, regulators have banned these flights because they produce sonic booms, a sound associated with shock waves that are created when an object travels through air faster than the speed of sound. These intense noises can reach up to approximately 194 decibels (dB) and damage physical structures. Aircraft weight is a factor in sonic boom generation and intensity, but the X-59’s nose cone must also divert air flow and provide controlled aerodynamic pressure distribution to mitigate shock waves.
The 400-lb preliminary design specified a graphite/epoxy composite and a honeycomb-core sandwich structure. Swift Engineering used HyperX® software to remove unnecessary piles while optimising the design for stress and stability. Ultimately, the company reduced the nose cone’s weight by more than 25% to 300 lbs. With its unique geometry, the X-59 is expected to generate a barely audible thump instead of a sonic boom, and the elongated nose cone design is an important part of the solution.
In addition to designing and building this composite structure, Swift Engineering was tasked with performing structural analysis and certification testing. The company was also responsible for evaluating a wide range of load cases and providing detailed stress reporting for part release and fabrication. By using the full capabilities of Collier Aerospace’s software, Swift Engineering completed the project’s requirements and delivered the X-59’s nose cone ahead of schedule and under budget.
Radia and the WindRunner™ cargo aircraft
Radia is an aerospace manufacturing company based in Boulder, Colorado, that is building the world’s largest aircraft, the WindRunner™, to deliver wind turbines with blades up to 100 m (330 ft) in length to onshore wind farms, avoiding the limits of ground transportation. To develop this unique aerial transportation solution, Radia sought assistance from Collier Aerospace at an early stage as both a software provider and engineering consultant.
Radia used Collier Aerospace’s methodology for structural sizing and analysis and conducted configuration assessments of the wings, fuselage, ribs, spars, stringers and many other parts, which will be made of both composite material and metal. The aerospace company also leveraged the automated sizing capabilities in the HyperX® software to account for unusual variables such as the huge size and capacity of the unpressurised fuselage. This enabled Radia to make significant progress quickly.
In accelerating the engineering cycle and shortening the certification processes from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Radia is also concurrently removing weight and costs from composite structures. The company also plans to use software from Collier Aerospace to validate work performed by suppliers that will handle structuring sizing in the detailed design phase.
New heights and the right tools
Like Swift Engineering, Radia is reaching new heights with the right tools. HyperX® software from Collier Aerospace identifies the lightest material and panel configurations, including ply angles and stacking sequences, so that aerospace engineers can evaluate design trade-offs efficiently. HyperXpert® enhances the design process by evaluating all variable combinations, enabling engineers to understand and visualise the impact of each factor on the design of composite structures.
For decades, regulators have banned these flights because they produce sonic booms, a sound associated with shock waves that are created when an object travels through air faster than the speed of sound. These intense noises can reach up to approximately 194 decibels (dB) and damage physical structures. Aircraft weight is a factor in sonic boom generation and intensity, but the X-59’s nose cone must also divert air flow and provide controlled aerodynamic pressure distribution to mitigate shock waves.
The 400-lb preliminary design specified a graphite/epoxy composite and a honeycomb-core sandwich structure. Swift Engineering used HyperX® software to remove unnecessary piles while optimising the design for stress and stability. Ultimately, the company reduced the nose cone’s weight by more than 25% to 300 lbs. With its unique geometry, the X-59 is expected to generate a barely audible thump instead of a sonic boom, and the elongated nose cone design is an important part of the solution.
In addition to designing and building this composite structure, Swift Engineering was tasked with performing structural analysis and certification testing. The company was also responsible for evaluating a wide range of load cases and providing detailed stress reporting for part release and fabrication. By using the full capabilities of Collier Aerospace’s software, Swift Engineering completed the project’s requirements and delivered the X-59’s nose cone ahead of schedule and under budget.
Radia and the WindRunner™ cargo aircraft
Radia is an aerospace manufacturing company based in Boulder, Colorado, that is building the world’s largest aircraft, the WindRunner™, to deliver wind turbines with blades up to 100 m (330 ft) in length to onshore wind farms, avoiding the limits of ground transportation. To develop this unique aerial transportation solution, Radia sought assistance from Collier Aerospace at an early stage as both a software provider and engineering consultant.
Radia used Collier Aerospace’s methodology for structural sizing and analysis and conducted configuration assessments of the wings, fuselage, ribs, spars, stringers and many other parts, which will be made of both composite material and metal. The aerospace company also leveraged the automated sizing capabilities in the HyperX® software to account for unusual variables such as the huge size and capacity of the unpressurised fuselage. This enabled Radia to make significant progress quickly.
In accelerating the engineering cycle and shortening the certification processes from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Radia is also concurrently removing weight and costs from composite structures. The company also plans to use software from Collier Aerospace to validate work performed by suppliers that will handle structuring sizing in the detailed design phase.
New heights and the right tools
Like Swift Engineering, Radia is reaching new heights with the right tools. HyperX® software from Collier Aerospace identifies the lightest material and panel configurations, including ply angles and stacking sequences, so that aerospace engineers can evaluate design trade-offs efficiently. HyperXpert® enhances the design process by evaluating all variable combinations, enabling engineers to understand and visualise the impact of each factor on the design of composite structures.
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By supporting faster and more informed decision-making, these software solutions are also advancing regulatory compliance and Design For Manufacturability (DFM). As companies like Swift Engineering and Radia use Collier Aerospace’s software to optimise their designs without replacing their existing tools and without having to resubmit the FEA, aerospace engineers can design lighter and less expensive composite structures more efficiently.
#composites #airspace
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#composites #airspace
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Teijin Automotive Technologies rebrands to CSP
A new logo, tagline and continued North American operations reflects Teijin Automotive’s transition to a standalone, privately held company focused on innovative composite solutions.
As of July 2025, Teijin Automotive Technologies (Auburn Hills, Mich., U.S.) has rebranded to CSP. The new name marks the company’s transition to a standalone, privately held business and reflects its legacy in lightweight composite solutions.
As part of this transformation, the company has unveiled a new logo (shown above) and is retiring the historical “Continental Structural Plastics” name. The new tagline, “The Composites Solution Partner,” more accurately conveys CSP’s commitment to delivering innovative, high-performance composite solutions to its customers.
The redesigned logo features a sleek, modern aesthetic with thin lines and a forward-leaning stance — symbolizing motion, mobility and progress. Its lighter design reflects the advanced lightweight materials that define CSP’s product portfolio.
“This transition gave us an opportunity to return to a brand that is well recognized in the industry, while also giving it a fresh, contemporary update,” says Kim Zitny, director of corporate communications. “We’re excited to roll out our new brand identity across advertising, social media and upcoming industry events. A new website will also launch later this year.”
Now operating independently, CSP remains focused on building strong partnerships with leading OEMs and delivering solutions for the transportation industry. CSP will continue its North American operations at the following locations:
• Ohio: Carey, Conneaut, North Baltimore, Van Wert
• North Carolina: Lenoir, Salisbury
• Louisiana: Sarepta
• Indiana: Grabill, Huntington
• Texas: Seguin
• Michigan: Auburn Hills (two locations), Manchester
• Mexico: Saltillo, Tijuana.
Note that CSP’s operations are limited to North America. The European operations previously under Teijin Automotive Technologies are not part of this transition and remain separate.
#composites #TeijinAutomotiveTechnologies #TheCompositesSolutionPartner
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A new logo, tagline and continued North American operations reflects Teijin Automotive’s transition to a standalone, privately held company focused on innovative composite solutions.
As of July 2025, Teijin Automotive Technologies (Auburn Hills, Mich., U.S.) has rebranded to CSP. The new name marks the company’s transition to a standalone, privately held business and reflects its legacy in lightweight composite solutions.
As part of this transformation, the company has unveiled a new logo (shown above) and is retiring the historical “Continental Structural Plastics” name. The new tagline, “The Composites Solution Partner,” more accurately conveys CSP’s commitment to delivering innovative, high-performance composite solutions to its customers.
The redesigned logo features a sleek, modern aesthetic with thin lines and a forward-leaning stance — symbolizing motion, mobility and progress. Its lighter design reflects the advanced lightweight materials that define CSP’s product portfolio.
“This transition gave us an opportunity to return to a brand that is well recognized in the industry, while also giving it a fresh, contemporary update,” says Kim Zitny, director of corporate communications. “We’re excited to roll out our new brand identity across advertising, social media and upcoming industry events. A new website will also launch later this year.”
Now operating independently, CSP remains focused on building strong partnerships with leading OEMs and delivering solutions for the transportation industry. CSP will continue its North American operations at the following locations:
• Ohio: Carey, Conneaut, North Baltimore, Van Wert
• North Carolina: Lenoir, Salisbury
• Louisiana: Sarepta
• Indiana: Grabill, Huntington
• Texas: Seguin
• Michigan: Auburn Hills (two locations), Manchester
• Mexico: Saltillo, Tijuana.
Note that CSP’s operations are limited to North America. The European operations previously under Teijin Automotive Technologies are not part of this transition and remain separate.
#composites #TeijinAutomotiveTechnologies #TheCompositesSolutionPartner
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