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
Composites
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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.
Composites
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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
Composites
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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.
Composites
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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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Composites
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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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Otto Aerospace develops AI model for Phantom 3500 business jet aerodynamics
Tailored AI model will enable detailed aerodynamic analysis of current and future Otto aircraft configurations, streamlining design speed, precision and informing the aircraft program’s composite structures.
Otto Aerospace (formerly Otto Aviation, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.) has announced the development of a proprietary aerodynamic AI model designed to optimize and accelerate the configuration of next-generation laminar flow airfoils and ultra-efficient sustainable aircraft. The AI model is trained on extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and wind-tunnel test data. This new AI capability enables Otto to explore the aircraft design space for optimal configurations within a day, a process that previously required months or years.
The AI model will operate on Luminary Cloud’s (San Mateo, Calif., U.S.) GPU-accelerated Physics AI platform, enabling detailed aerodynamic analysis of current and future Otto aircraft configurations. Recognized for its SHIFT family of pre-trained physics AI models, including SHIFT-Wing for aerodynamic analysis of transonic wings, Luminary provides advanced tools to support fast and accurate design evaluations.
“Our Phantom 3500 program has generated extensive high-fidelity simulation and wind-tunnel test data,” says Obi K. Ndu, Ph.D., chief information and digital officer at Otto Aerospace. “At Otto, we believe that the future of aircraft design is at the intersection of AI and first principles. Luminary’s platform gives us the computational power and infrastructure to quickly train an AI model optimized for next-generation laminar flow aircraft and our design approach.”
The Phantom 3500’s laminar-flow fuselage and airfoil demand precise aerodynamic modeling for ultra-low-drag and long-range efficiency. Using Luminary’s accelerated cloud computing capabilities, Otto will significantly expedite parametric design exploration compared to traditional CFD simulation workflows, fast-tracking the current and future development of aircraft designed to burn up to 60% less fuel and achieve up to 90% lower emissions when operating on sustainable aviation fuel.
The Phantom 3500 will have a highly composites-intensive design, backed by Leonardo (Rome, Italy) and Re:Build Manufacturing (Framingham, Mass., U.S.). The AI model, to inform the evolution of the aircraft’s geometry and aerodynamics, will provide direct input into these composite structures.
The business jet is expected to begin flight testing in 2027, with entry into service targeted for 2030.
#composites #Phantom #aircraft
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Tailored AI model will enable detailed aerodynamic analysis of current and future Otto aircraft configurations, streamlining design speed, precision and informing the aircraft program’s composite structures.
Otto Aerospace (formerly Otto Aviation, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.) has announced the development of a proprietary aerodynamic AI model designed to optimize and accelerate the configuration of next-generation laminar flow airfoils and ultra-efficient sustainable aircraft. The AI model is trained on extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and wind-tunnel test data. This new AI capability enables Otto to explore the aircraft design space for optimal configurations within a day, a process that previously required months or years.
The AI model will operate on Luminary Cloud’s (San Mateo, Calif., U.S.) GPU-accelerated Physics AI platform, enabling detailed aerodynamic analysis of current and future Otto aircraft configurations. Recognized for its SHIFT family of pre-trained physics AI models, including SHIFT-Wing for aerodynamic analysis of transonic wings, Luminary provides advanced tools to support fast and accurate design evaluations.
“Our Phantom 3500 program has generated extensive high-fidelity simulation and wind-tunnel test data,” says Obi K. Ndu, Ph.D., chief information and digital officer at Otto Aerospace. “At Otto, we believe that the future of aircraft design is at the intersection of AI and first principles. Luminary’s platform gives us the computational power and infrastructure to quickly train an AI model optimized for next-generation laminar flow aircraft and our design approach.”
The Phantom 3500’s laminar-flow fuselage and airfoil demand precise aerodynamic modeling for ultra-low-drag and long-range efficiency. Using Luminary’s accelerated cloud computing capabilities, Otto will significantly expedite parametric design exploration compared to traditional CFD simulation workflows, fast-tracking the current and future development of aircraft designed to burn up to 60% less fuel and achieve up to 90% lower emissions when operating on sustainable aviation fuel.
The Phantom 3500 will have a highly composites-intensive design, backed by Leonardo (Rome, Italy) and Re:Build Manufacturing (Framingham, Mass., U.S.). The AI model, to inform the evolution of the aircraft’s geometry and aerodynamics, will provide direct input into these composite structures.
The business jet is expected to begin flight testing in 2027, with entry into service targeted for 2030.
#composites #Phantom #aircraft
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Dear colleagues!
A preliminary 📄 list of participants has been posted on the official website of the Composite-Expo exhibition.
As a reminder, the 2026 event will be held from April 22 to 24 in Hall 3 of Pavilion 13 at the Crocus Expo IEC in Moscow.
The following leading market players have confirmed their participation in Composite-Expo 2026:
Aviation Paints and Varnishes Technologies, AKPA Organic, BMP Technology, VitaReaktiv, Volna, Glasstex, ETS Group of Companies, Eurokhim-1 FD, DUGALAK, Vist Composite, EPITAL ENPC JSC, Carbon Studio, Composite Products, P-D Tatneft-Alabuga Fiberglass, ITEKMA, Spectra Company (S7), Elektroizolit, All-Russian Research Institute of Aviation Materials, NIAGARA, MegaPlast, Neva Technology, Tatneft-Presscomposit, Polimerprom, Polotsk-Steklovlokno, ROSATOM, Peleng, Saiwer Shelanger Chemical Plant, SIBUR, and many others.
Don't miss your chance to take part in the main event of the composites market!
🔸 Book a booth
A preliminary 📄 list of participants has been posted on the official website of the Composite-Expo exhibition.
As a reminder, the 2026 event will be held from April 22 to 24 in Hall 3 of Pavilion 13 at the Crocus Expo IEC in Moscow.
The following leading market players have confirmed their participation in Composite-Expo 2026:
Aviation Paints and Varnishes Technologies, AKPA Organic, BMP Technology, VitaReaktiv, Volna, Glasstex, ETS Group of Companies, Eurokhim-1 FD, DUGALAK, Vist Composite, EPITAL ENPC JSC, Carbon Studio, Composite Products, P-D Tatneft-Alabuga Fiberglass, ITEKMA, Spectra Company (S7), Elektroizolit, All-Russian Research Institute of Aviation Materials, NIAGARA, MegaPlast, Neva Technology, Tatneft-Presscomposit, Polimerprom, Polotsk-Steklovlokno, ROSATOM, Peleng, Saiwer Shelanger Chemical Plant, SIBUR, and many others.
Don't miss your chance to take part in the main event of the composites market!
🔸 Book a booth
Composites
Photo
Zhongfu Shenying’s carbon fibre cables sustain the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge
The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge is the river’s first crossing to carry an expressway, regular road and intercity railway, all on the same structure. China’s major carbon fiber producer Zhongfu Shenying is the only carbon fiber supplier for this project.
The highly anticipated Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, the world’s largest cable-stayed bridge, has officially opened to traffic. As a new artery connecting Changzhou and Taizhou in China’s Jiangsu province, the bridge reduces travel time between the two cities from over an hour to approximately 20 minutes, significantly improving cross-river travel efficiency in the Yangtze River Delta and accelerating regional integration.
The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge – which took six years to complete and was built using a number of world-first techniques – stretches 10.3 km (6.4 miles) with a main span of 1,208 metres (3,960 feet). It is the river’s first crossing to carry an expressway, regular road and intercity railway, all on the same structure.
One of the structure’s most distinctive features is its asymmetrical lower deck, with a 200 km/h (124 mph) railway on one side and a regular road on the other – the first time a side-by-side traffic layout has been used in a large-span bridge.
China’s carbon fiber producer Zhongfu Shenying is the only carbon fiber supplier for this major project. The core material it provides to solve the difficult TARS system is T700-grade high-performance carbon fiber SYT49S-24K, which has properties such as high elongation percentage, low discreteness, low hairiness, and high winding efficiency, ensuring the safety and service life of the bridge, according to the company.
Adaptive release of deformation
To span the Yangtze River, the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge uses 28 horizontal cables made of Zhongfu Shenying carbon fiber with a tensile strength of up to 2600 MPa and a single length of 559 meters. They constitute the world’s first “temperature-adaptive longitudinal restraint system (TARS)”, which realizes the longitudinal restraint of the main beam and the low-level transmission of longitudinal force, significantly reducing the longitudinal load effect of the tower-beam structure, setting a global record for the longest carbon fiber cable and the largest-scale engineering application, marking a breakthrough in China in the field of large-span bridge structural materials. CFRP (carbon fiber composite material) can not only effectively limit the longitudinal displacement of the main beam, but also achieve adaptive release of deformation when the temperature changes, significantly reducing structural stress and improving bridge safety and durability.
The successful application of carbon fiber cables in this major project not only demonstrates the strength of domestic high-performance carbon fiber technology, but also marks a milestone in the field of civil engineering, says Zhongfu Shenying opening up new prospects for the widespread application of carbon fiber composite materials in bridges, buildings and other infrastructure.
Speaking to Chinese media mentioned by South China Morning Post, project leader Zhong Aixiu, from state-owned China Communications Construction Company, said the bridge’s challenges pushed engineers to invent their own tools. The team developed a satellite-guided tower crane to lift materials precisely onto the bridge towers, Zhong Aixiu said. The engineers also built the world’s largest bridge-deck crane to roll along the span and position massive segments with millimetre-level accuracy.
In recent years, carbon fiber cables have been used in the Tuhai river bridge in Shandong province and in another bridge in Jiangsu province. According to CCTV, there are around 150 bridges along the 3,000km main stretch of the Yangtze River. China aimed to increase that number to 240 by 2035 – averaging one bridge every dozen kilometres, it said.
#composites #airspace #сarbonfibre
> source
The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge is the river’s first crossing to carry an expressway, regular road and intercity railway, all on the same structure. China’s major carbon fiber producer Zhongfu Shenying is the only carbon fiber supplier for this project.
The highly anticipated Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, the world’s largest cable-stayed bridge, has officially opened to traffic. As a new artery connecting Changzhou and Taizhou in China’s Jiangsu province, the bridge reduces travel time between the two cities from over an hour to approximately 20 minutes, significantly improving cross-river travel efficiency in the Yangtze River Delta and accelerating regional integration.
The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge – which took six years to complete and was built using a number of world-first techniques – stretches 10.3 km (6.4 miles) with a main span of 1,208 metres (3,960 feet). It is the river’s first crossing to carry an expressway, regular road and intercity railway, all on the same structure.
One of the structure’s most distinctive features is its asymmetrical lower deck, with a 200 km/h (124 mph) railway on one side and a regular road on the other – the first time a side-by-side traffic layout has been used in a large-span bridge.
China’s carbon fiber producer Zhongfu Shenying is the only carbon fiber supplier for this major project. The core material it provides to solve the difficult TARS system is T700-grade high-performance carbon fiber SYT49S-24K, which has properties such as high elongation percentage, low discreteness, low hairiness, and high winding efficiency, ensuring the safety and service life of the bridge, according to the company.
Adaptive release of deformation
To span the Yangtze River, the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge uses 28 horizontal cables made of Zhongfu Shenying carbon fiber with a tensile strength of up to 2600 MPa and a single length of 559 meters. They constitute the world’s first “temperature-adaptive longitudinal restraint system (TARS)”, which realizes the longitudinal restraint of the main beam and the low-level transmission of longitudinal force, significantly reducing the longitudinal load effect of the tower-beam structure, setting a global record for the longest carbon fiber cable and the largest-scale engineering application, marking a breakthrough in China in the field of large-span bridge structural materials. CFRP (carbon fiber composite material) can not only effectively limit the longitudinal displacement of the main beam, but also achieve adaptive release of deformation when the temperature changes, significantly reducing structural stress and improving bridge safety and durability.
The successful application of carbon fiber cables in this major project not only demonstrates the strength of domestic high-performance carbon fiber technology, but also marks a milestone in the field of civil engineering, says Zhongfu Shenying opening up new prospects for the widespread application of carbon fiber composite materials in bridges, buildings and other infrastructure.
Speaking to Chinese media mentioned by South China Morning Post, project leader Zhong Aixiu, from state-owned China Communications Construction Company, said the bridge’s challenges pushed engineers to invent their own tools. The team developed a satellite-guided tower crane to lift materials precisely onto the bridge towers, Zhong Aixiu said. The engineers also built the world’s largest bridge-deck crane to roll along the span and position massive segments with millimetre-level accuracy.
In recent years, carbon fiber cables have been used in the Tuhai river bridge in Shandong province and in another bridge in Jiangsu province. According to CCTV, there are around 150 bridges along the 3,000km main stretch of the Yangtze River. China aimed to increase that number to 240 by 2035 – averaging one bridge every dozen kilometres, it said.
#composites #airspace #сarbonfibre
> source