Different composite manufacturing processes have different levels of styrene emissions. Open molding and hand layup, where parts are manufactured in an exposed mold, have high emissions. While a closed mold application, where the part being manufactured is contained within a two-sided mold or a vacuum bag, has much lower emissions.

I was recently reading a publication by Cook Composites & Polymers. It compared the emissions of composite manufacturing processes where the resin contains 35% styrene and only 30% fiberglass. An open molding or hand-layup manufacturing process will create 37 tons of composites per ton of emission, while, a closed molding or compression molding application will create 135-1,630 tons of composites per ton of emissions.

That is a big difference. With the EPA cracking down on styrene emissions, the adaption of closed molding processes will be more important and necessary.

Sir Richard Branson has announced pans to continue his adventuring and exploration through the use of a new carbon fiber submarine. Awesome... The Hindu reports that this new carbon fiber sub and its launch boat cost Branson $17 million.

The crew will be exploring the 5 deepest trenches in world with this carbon fiber submarine. Although is sounds like a noble cause, it also sounds like a really expensive toy. Regardless, it sounds awesome, and I would love to take it for a spin.

With fuel prices rising, it seems like a no brainier to have a lighter-weight vehicle. This is especially true for heavy freight. FleetOwner.com reports on a new composite trailer from Great Dane saving over 1,700 lbs! Here is what I find as the most interesting part:

"We got so involved in this redesign primary for our beverage hauler customers," Mullininx pointed out. "Beverage haulers tend to 'weigh out' before they 'cube out' so we wanted to provide them with a lighter trailer so they could haul more product, yet one with a stronger floor to withstand heavier loads and forklift operations."

This should be no surprise, and really, this should be obvious. Even if a composite semi trailer costs more, how many years will it take for the savings to pay back?

This brings up the uphill battle us in the composites industry face all the time. Yes, the upfront cost might be a little higher, but, it will never corrode, it will save fuel, and have less lifetime maintenance.

We are talking a 1,700 lbs savings per truck! Does anyone know how much fuel is saved here, because I would really like to know...

Habib Dagher, director of the Advanced Wood Composites Center, picked up the prestigious Pankow Award from the American Society for Civil Engineering, according to Bangor Daily News.

This is an extremely neat technology worth checking out. Essentially, the bridge-in-a-backpack is a way of inflating carbon fiber beams in the field, impregnating them, then filling them with concrete. Construction time of bridges can be rapidly reduced...

What other structures could benefit from this technology?