Boeing Dreamliner Drives Carbon Fiber Composites

April 30, 2007

One of outcomes of the drive to reduce fuel consumption will be a major drive to composites. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner will improve fuel efficiency 20 percent through use of composites in half of its structure. All of the material is coming, at least for now, from Toray Industries, the world’s largest supplier of PAN-based carbon fiber. Toray says demand for the material is growing at a 15 per cent annual rate, with much of the immediate push coming from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. But Toray says a major demand developing from auto producers, which are already experimenting with high-tech thermoplastic composites. The carbon fiber matrices will also be used more in CNG tanks. Prices of the materials are soaring, and there have been reports of supply constraints. Toray is spending close to $1 billion now to boost capacity.

Posted by Doug Smock on April 30, 2007 | Comments (2)

Industries: Boeing 787 Dreamliner

November 20, 2007

In response to: Boeing Dreamliner Drives Carbon Fiber Composites
SPENCER commented:

Tie the knot

August 10, 2007

In response to: Boeing Dreamliner Drives Carbon Fiber Composites
Glenn Grafton commented:

The news of Boeing using carbon fiber in their latest jets is very interesting to me as it relates to a product we carry. Our company Grafton Piano & Organ carries Kawai Pianos.

A few years ago Kawai introduced their Millenium III actions www.kawaius.com/main_links/abs/absc_main.html. Pianos have traditionally used wood action parts. Wood is susceptible to dimensional changes based on humidity. Just about all of the advantages that Boeing mentions apply to a piano action

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