Something brand new from SAMPE Europe: SEMAT 2010
SAMPE Europe was very proud to present a completely new event recently - the first SAMPE Symposium on Automation in Composites Technology. It took place 9 - 10 June, at Munich's huge modern trade fair center, in parallel with Automatica, the 4th International Messe for Automation and Mechatronics. This recently created exposition itself occupied four large halls, including several composites exhibits, and draws ca 32,000 visitors every two years.
One might in fact term SEMAT 2010 an “innovation applied to conferences”, since automation of composites production is currently a hot and demanding topic. SAMPE Europe utilized this opportunity to stage a highly relevant new event comprising seven sessions and twenty-five papers, with themes such as: needs and technologies from different markets, textile preforming, applications and lessons learned, specific technologies for automation, thermoplastics, fiber placement techniques, and the automation process chain.
SAMPE Europe President Bruno Beral kicked off the conference with a welcome and wish for a highly productive two days, organizer Mark Erath added pertinent announcements, and Prof. Klaus Drechsler, SEMAT organizing committee, noted that the intent was to bring composites to automation – and vice versa.
The Keynote address by NASA's Mark Shuart focused on space applications, addressing “Advanced composite structures and materials technologies for launch vehicles”. Using shrouds and fairings on the Ares V launch vehicle as examples, the talk focused on weight and risk reduction, damage tolorance, materials downselection and the building block approach. Huge 10 meter diameter carbon barrels have been built (payload bay fairings) using CAPRI technology (Controlled Atmospheric Pressure Resin Infusion) with special resins selected for their long outlife, due to the size of the structures. The intent was to avoid autoclave use, due again to parts size. Various TRL's (Technology Readiness Levels) were also presented in connection with this substantial NASA effort. Mr. Shuart's point in closing: composites manufacturing automation is no longer optional; it has become a requirement.
As part of full conference registration, tasty lunch choices were offered – along with a memorable evening reception and dinner at Munich's sprawling “Residenz”, a large historic castle directly in the city center, dating from the 1300s and home of Bavarian kings and governments since the the late 1500s. Following a welcome by Bavaria's deputiy minister for economics and infrastructure, along with SAMPE's Bruno Beral, the dinner began. The elegant ambiance (with guitar duo) and meal were outstanding; a perfect venue to encourage relaxed and effective networking.
As conference organizer Mark Erath observed in closing, SAMPE Europe was quite pleased with the results of this first effort. Since the Automatica trade fair iteslf is biennial, the second SAMPE SEMAT conference is tentatively planned for June 2012. But we hope to see you at various SAMPE events - in Europe and elsewhere - many times before that.
SAMPE International Report - Publication SAMPE Journal Jan-Feb 2010 issue
Editor's note: featured here is a review of SAMPE Europe's recent Fall technical conference, SETEC 04/-09, held in Bristol, UK. There have been three such events since 2006 – in Toulouse, Madrid and Augsburg. SAMPE Europe and UK teamed up to organize this one, which surprised many, with a lovely venue, superb keynote, interesting technical tours, and excellent attendance.
SETEC 09 FILTON
...took place September 17-18, 2009, in the gently rolling countryside north of Bristol and the famous Filton aerodrome, long a center for the British aerospace industry. The elegant venue was the restored Victorian mansion Tortworth Court, with a maze of 190 rooms plus conference facilities set on a magnificent 30 acre estate boasting an arboretum of over 300 rare and protected trees; quite something to see and experience.
Themed as “High Performance Composites for a Changing World“, this SAMPE Europe technical conference – together with a large roomfull of accompanying exhibits – informed on the latest achievements in aerospace and other industries, regarding advanced materials and processes, design, applications, testing, simulation and more. A total of 22 papers from industry, R&D centers, universities and institutes were presented in five sessions. Speakers enjoyed free registration and for the first time SAMPE Europe offered a highly inclusive full board package, along with the plant tour to the Airbus Filton works.
SAMPE Europe President Luigi “Gino” Torre welcomed attendees, complimenting the organizing committee on arranging a great program, plus the choice of a uniquilly appealing venue. He noted it has been a trying economic year, and overcoming such challenges will require high technology, competitiveness, creation of new markets, and that conferences like SETEC will help by showing the most recent advances in advanced M&P. Moreover, the friendly environment SAMPE creates will assist in building new relationships and business. He also pointedly thanked the several sponsors (listed later).
The conference began with a lively keynote address delivered by Iain Gray, head of the UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB). Speaking on “The Business of Shaping the Future: the High Performance Composites Industry” he described the government – industry interface as seen mainly in the UK. The TSB's aim and purpose is to drive innovation. Emphasizing the country's environmental concerns, the fast moving overview included numerous composites-oriented technology programs with imaginative, often amusing acronyms, e.g. OASIS (Out of Autoclave Simulation of Induced Stress), IpsoFACTo (re engines and their environmental impact), ACLAIM, HIRECAR etc, and of course the UK's own Next Generation Composite Wing. The idea is to “connect and catalyze” in order to inspire innovation. Notably, he stressed that composites are one of four key technology areas the UK has identified as absolutely necessary to develop further and faster.
Session 1 then addressed Advances in Manufacturing Processes, with papers on waterjet machining, carbon composites for low cost UAVs, novel one-shot aircraft manufacturing concepts, and opportunities for automation of future commercial aircraft structures.
The standup buffet lunches and coffee breaks enabled participants to browse the surprising number of exhibits. Many were substantially more than tabletops. Standing rather than being seated at tables also made it easy to move about and network. During these periods the exhibits area was a beehive of activity. Session 2, on Lightweight Material Developments, followed lunch and included talks on next generation carbon fiber, simulation of thermoplastic forming, damage tolerant composites via in-situ polymerized thermoplastics, plus experimental (and exotic) foldcores – sometimes considered “high-tech origami”
Highlight of the first afternoon was a very substantive visit to the AIRBUS Filton plant. Attendees were bussed to the historic Filton aerodrome (home of the Concorde, among other famous aircraft) where we were privileged to inspect not one but three specific present day composites-related Airbus activities: the A400M wing assembly facility (several wings in production), the Assembly Development Center (Europe's ALCAS program wing assembly ongoing) along with the Composites Development Center, where various innovative manufacturing methods are being explored.
Following return from the Filton visit was a reception that preceded the tasty conference dinner, with its ample networking opportunities. SAMPE Europe conference organizer Mark Erath arose to interject a serious note on the challenges of conferencing in the current trying business climate. He also extended a specific welcome several Russian and Ukrainian attendees, expressing the hope that Eastern and Western Europe would continue to expand their cooperative ties. SAMPE Europe President Gino Torre then took the floor to say how pleased he was with the conference in general, the good turnout in particular - and then sprang a surprise, announcing that our next Fall technical conference, SETEC 2010, would take place in the coastal city of Brindisi Italy, with it's Mediterranean flair and Italian charm, as he ably pointed out. (Gino is Italian, of course). Many are already looking forward to this experience.
The second day began with Session 3, on Sandwich Structures. Papers included approaches to automating complex sandwich panel production, plus the potential for high performance PEEK foldcores. Session 4 dealt with Novel Applications, with composites and modeling tools for lighter AFVs, the technical and political problems of making structural composites for the automotive industry, a revolution in hybrid manufacture, and composite wing spar development for the A350 XWB.
Following lunch, the second keynote address was given by Bob Johns, of the TWI Composites Network. His topic was A Perspective on the Future of Non-Aerospace High Performance Composites. He compared UK, European composites shipments, and signposted UK composites R&D capabilities. Conclusion: aerospace will continue to lead but other sectors – especially renewable energy – need to follow that lead. Vertical integration of the supply chain will also expand, while skills and innovation are becoming the differentiator on the world stage.
The final Session 5 addressed Out of Autoclave Processing. Papers were presented on automated liquid resin molding, “No Pressure!”, manufacturing process simulation tools for faster industrialization of composite parts, and automatic application of liquid mould agents in an aerospace environment.
In closing, SAMPE UK President Andrew Long acclaimed SETEC 08 a highly successful event with a great Airbus plant tour,140 attendees (including exhibitors) and specifically thanked Roy McCarthy and Mark Erath.
He also expressed gratitude to the organizing committee, the attendees themeselves, and of course the sponsers: Airbus, HITCO/SGL, Toho Tenax, GKN Aerospace and Xperion.
It might be noted in hindsight, the continued economic turmoil makes it challenging to attract significant attendance. But in this case at Bristol, it was “mission accomplished”.
