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Auburn Engineers team up with Vectorply for HERC Challenge

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Every year engineering students worldwide compete in the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) to design and engineer human-powered rovers. Teams endure a series of challenges from obstacle courses and missions to judges scoring based on design and functionality. The goal of this project is to further interest in scientific exploration and for students to better understand the task requirements of roving vehicles on the moon.

For the past semester, several senior students from Auburn University’s engineering school visited Vectorply to work on their rover’s wheels. With speed and weight key deciding factors in the race, Auburn HERC team members were tasked with creating new non-pneumatic wheels for their rover. Throughout this process, they partnered with our engineering team to learn the value of mold-prep and fabricated laminates via open molding and infusion.

Composites Engineer Xavier Rachel, an Auburn University Mechanical Engineering Graduate (Class of 2020) led the team throughout this project. Over the course of four months, Xavier demonstrated and oversaw various processes of vacuum infusion and open molding, answering their questions and meeting with them after hours to ensure that everything ran smoothly. “Working with students from my alma mater was an exciting experience and this project was a fun challenge,” Xavier said. “Getting to share the benefits and versatility of our materials to the next generation of graduates was very special.”

The wheels were designed with layers of our C-LT 1800 carbon fabric and filled with polyurethane foam, while the hubs were attached using J-B Weld. Team member Ashley Eng noted, “Our wheels were the most reliable part of the rover and had no issues at all. They held up extremely well for both our runs on the obstacle course and are still in great condition.”

The competition took place April 19th-20th in Huntsville, Alabama where out of the 62 teams participating, Auburn’s HERC placed 13th in the college sector.

To learn more about the HERC project and its origin, click here: About Human Exploration Rover Challenge – NASA

 

 

 

 

 

Future Composites Solutions Discussed at Army Corps Dam Site Visit

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On February 22, Vectorply Vice President of Engineering Trevor Gundberg joined many other ACMA members on a visit to the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam site to learn more about United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Lock and Dam Gate Structures. With more than 70% of the inland waterway systems’ steel gates in the United States nearing their design life, many of these structures will need to be replaced in a timely, cost-effective manner. The Corps of Engineers’ goal throughout the replacement process is to create a solution that will last twice as long as previous water way system gates, require minimal upkeep, and can withstand the elements.  

Pictured is the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam site in Olga, Florida. This dam was built in 1965 on the Caloosahatchee River.

Trevor met with many experts in the field and discussed how composites could safely and effectively solve this problem. Although the process will be a massive undertaking, composites will provide safer, more effective infrastructures that will last for upwards of a century. The next step for the team is to draw up the certification requirements for composites to be the solution to these aging waterways. 

 When speaking of his experience, Trevor states, “It was very interesting and inspiring both to see in person the applications that could be improved by using composites and to discuss these applications with the Army Corps of Engineers representatives. As a group, we all recognized areas where composites can and will increase service life and reduce lifetime maintenance costs.” 

Thanks again to the ACMA for inviting us to experience the exciting changes that are in the works for various infrastructures throughout the United States.  

CompositesWorld Digital Demo Highlights Vectorply Reinforcements & Technical Services

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Phenix City, AL – Vectorply Corporation is an engineering-driven company with a strong focus on helping customers drive innovative ideas from concept to creation. A recent Digital Demo published by CompositesWorld highlights the unique combination of custom reinforcement fabrics and expert technical service that gives customers the ability to meet ambitious goals with confidence in their laminate and production process.

Vectorply Vice President of Composite Engineering Trevor Gundberg explains the wide variety of fabric combinations that are engineered by fiber choice, ply architecture, and added veils, backings, and cores. In addition, Vectorply’s suite of technical services including on-site technical audits, VectorLam laminate analysis and design, and in-house testing capabilities are described in detail. This combination of products and services allows customers to gain a competitive advantage in their market by creating higher quality products that are validated for performance and production efficiency before fabrication begins.

To view the Digital Demo, visit the link below:

Optimized fiber reinforcements, fabrics, NCFs

Virtual CAMX and IBEX trade shows offer new opportunities

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Phenix City, AL – Like many other things, in-person trade shows in 2020 look a lot different than usual. Due to the global pandemic, live gatherings have been replaced by virtual events to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19. Two prominent shows in the composites industry, The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) and The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), have announced their transition to a virtual format offering new opportunities for networking and education.

CAMX is the largest, most comprehensive composites and advanced materials event in North America for products, solutions, networking, and advanced industry thinking. This year the show has been re-titled, “A New CAMX for a New Time” and scheduled for Monday, September 21 – Thursday, September 24 (See CAMX Schedule HERE). As a yearly exhibitor at CAMX, Vectorply will once again participate as a virtual exhibitor at the 2020 show. Visitors who register for CAMX 2020 will be able to schedule meetings with our sales and engineering teams, view our products, and learn more about our company and capabilities. Those interested in attending CAMX are invited to register for a free exhibit hall pass as our guest via the link at the top of our home page.

The following week, IBEX will take place virtually from Tuesday, September 29 to Friday, October 2 (See IBEX Schedule HERE). IBEX is North America’s leading technical boat-building showcase which delivers a unique forum where the marine industry can do business, share ideas, and accelerate new product development. As a leading supplier to the marine market, Vectorply will also be virtually available for meetings and discussions, and will have a sample of fabric variety available for viewing.

Although we won’t be able to visit in-person this year, we invite you to join us virtually at these two important composites industry trade shows!

General Motors Co.

Carbon Corvette bumper beam featured on CW Magazine cover

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Phenix City, AL – Vectorply carbon fabrics earned a prominent feature in the May 2020 edition of CompositesWorld Magazine.

The carbon, which is highlighted in the form of Shape Corp’s 2020 Corvette Stingray bumper beam, was also chosen for the cover photo on the leading composites industry publication.
In 2014, Vectorply joined forces with Shape Corp. to begin developing specialized carbon fabrics and laminate schedules for the automotive world’s first curved pultruded carbon fiber bumper beam. General Motors Co. made waves in the auto industry in July 2019 with the release of the highly anticipated Corvette Stingray and Shape’s innovative bumper beam has been notably featured in the composites industry since the release.

Along with the four-page story on the carbon fiber beam, CompositesWorld also created a sidebar detailing Vectorply’s involvement in the material development and selection. The sidebar can be viewed at the following link: Material choices for the Corvette rear bumper beam

Vectorply receives IBBI Supplier of the Year, John Sisson Innovation Awards

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St. Charles, MO. – On Tuesday, March 5th Vectorply Corporation received a pair of prestigious awards at the Independent Boat Builders, Inc. (IBBI) Conference in St. Charles, MO. The composite reinforcement supplier was awarded the John “Walkabout” Sisson Memorial Innovation Award, followed by a selection as an IBBI Supplier of the Year.

The John “Walkabout” Sisson Innovation Award is an honor chosen by the 19 members of the IBBI for a creative or unconventional new product to the marine industry. The namesake for the award, John Sisson, spent 20 years at Malibu Boats where he developed close friendships with several members of Vectorply’s team, including Vice President of Sales Tamir Levy.

“I am ecstatic for the entire Vectorply family to receive the 2019 John “Walkabout” Sisson Memorial Innovation Award from the IBBI,” said Levy. “The IBBI members are some of the most innovative boat builders in the industry and for them to bestow this award on Vectorply means so much. John “Walkabout” Sisson was a dear friend of mine who holds a very special place in my heart.  Vectorply is honored to receive this award in his memory.”

Members of Vectorply’s sales, engineering and marketing team receive the John “Walkabout” Sisson Memorial Innovation Award and Supplier of the Year Award from IBBI President Tom Broy.

Tom Broy, President of the IBBI said that Sisson was continuously innovating and was a key decision maker in the IBBI’s decision to move to Vectorply as the group’s primary knit supplier.

“IBBI feels like our fifteen-year relationship with Vectorply is the model for a successful partnership.  John Sisson was a founding member of the IBBI Technical Committee during his time at Malibu Boats. He did a lot of testing for the group and was very influential in our group’s decision to partner with Vectorply based on product performance,” Broy said.

“This would have meant a lot to John to see Vectorply win this Innovation Award.  We are glad to honor his memory by awarding Vectorply as the 2019 John “Walkabout” Sisson Memorial Innovation Award winner.”

Vectorply’s award-winning submission highlighted a new line of consumable solutions known as VectorFusion Consumables. The VectorFusion Consumable line currently consists of three labor and cost-saving products: VectorVac PS58-6, VectorFeed PS58, and VectorFeed PE4. These vacuum and feed lines are each unique, but all have the common goal of making a simpler, easily repeatable process to increase infusion efficiency. The incorporation of VectorFusion Consumable products allows companies to enjoy all the benefits of vacuum infusion processing while reducing known challenges.

“Our motto at Vectorply when it comes to innovation is to not create a product in hopes that someone will buy it, but rather, engineer a product based on a need,” according to Levy. “Whether the goal is stiffness, strength, weight or cost, working cohesively with our customers is what breads innovation.”

In addition to the innovation award, Vectorply was also selected as an IBBI Supplier of the Year. Winners of the Supplier of the Year were selected based on survey results highlighting several key categories including product quality, on-time delivery, and technical service.

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Vectorply to demonstrate at “Road2Composites: Scaling Up Innovation” automotive workshop

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Phenix City, Ala. – On April 17-18, Vectorply Corporation will participate in the “Road2Composites: Scaling Up Innovation” automotive and transportation workshop at the IACMI Scale-up Research Facility (SURF) in Detroit Michigan. “Road2Composites: Scaling Up Innovation” is an automotive and transportation workshop hosted by Composites One, the Closed Mold Alliance, and Magnum Venus Products (MVP), in partnership
with IACMI-the Composites Institute. Live demonstrations will focus on scale-up, light-weighting, and high-volume composites products and processes.

Vectorply Field Engineer Mike Ditzler will present in the Carbon/Epoxy Light Resin Transfer Molding (LRTM) Demonstration on Tuesday, April 17th at 1:15 p.m. The demo will show the steps of LRTM, including reinforcement
loading, drawing vacuum, leak checking the mold, injecting resin, and proper de-mold in a heated LRTM tool. Ditzler will discuss reinforcements in detail, including VectorUltra carbon fabrics C-BX 0600, C-LTi 1105, and C-WVs 0600 that will be used in the demo.

The IACMI Scale-up Research Facility (SURF) is located at 1400 Rosa Parks Blvd., Detroit, MI 48216. This is a free event, and you can register at the following link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/road2composites-scaling-up-innovation-tickets-42645018398