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Advanced Automated Thermoplastics
Manufacturing Laboratory
Fiber Reinforced Structural Thermoplastic Composites Manufacturing Pilot Line
The University of Maine’s Advanced Structures
and Composites Center is an interdisciplinary
research center dedicated to the development
of novel advanced composite materials and
technologies. Advanced materials are applied in
each of our six, world-renowned program areas:
defense composites, nanocomposites, industrial
testing, offshore wind, wood composites, and civil
infrastructure.
Our latest expansion will consist of a Advanced
Automated
Thermoplastics
Manufacturing
Laboratory.
The primary goal of this laboratory is to address
the following technical challenges currently facing
industry:
• Realizing faster manufacturing cycle times
• Developing reliable and fast thermoplastic
joining methods
• Transforming manufacturing methods
to substitute high VOC thermosets with
thermoplastics
• Characterize thermoplastic composites
for desired performance and economical
manufacturing
Pilot Line For Thermoplastic
Composite Manufacturing
Step 1: Rapid layup of thermoplastic
prepreg tapes using an ATL system.
Step 2: Additive manufacturing 3D printer
to manufacture molds.
Step 3: Automatic transport system of
stacked composite laminates to fast reaction
presses, where the laminate is consolidated
and press-formed to the shape and size of
required part.
Step 4: Trimming and shaping the part
formed in previous step to give the part the
final shape and size.
Step 5: Automated welding, using robotic
arms that utilize ultrasonic welding, forming
parts of a larger integral structure.
Pilot Manufacturing Line
Construction is underway;
photo taken on 4/14/2015.
Contact: David Erb, Senior R&D Program Manager
UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center
(207) 951-3515 • [email protected]
composites.umaine.edu
Project Team
Dr. Habib Dagher, P.E., PhD.
Habib is the Director of Advanced
Structures and Composites Center
at University of Maine. He is also the
Bath Iron Works Professor of Structural
Engineering at the University.
As the founding Director Advanced
Structures and Composites Center,
Habib is a world-leading advocate for
high-performance and cost-effective
composite materials in advanced
structural applications.
[email protected] | (207) 581-2138
Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido, P.E., PhD.
Roberto is Malcolm G. Long ’32 Professor
of Civil Engineering. He is the technical
lead for Automated Thermoplastic
Composite Manufacturing Lab. He
has over 15 years of experience
in the areas of mechanics of fiberreinforced polymer (FRP) composites
for construction, advanced engineered
wood composites, experimental multiscale mechanics, durability analysis
of composite materials, and structural
health monitoring.
With 59 refereed publications and 6
patents, he serves in the Editorial Board
of the Journal of Materials in Civil
Engineering of ASCE, and the Journal
of ASTM International on Materials.
[email protected] | (207) 581-2119
David Erb, Jr., MBA
David is Senior R&D Program Manager
at the UMaine Advanced Structures
and Composites Center. He heads the
Automated Thermoplastic Composite
Manufacturing Lab project.
With years of experience at managing
R&D projects in the field of composites,
David’s expertise in research techniques
and problem solving approaches guide
the overall progress of research projects
at the Center.
[email protected] | (207) 951-3515
Sunil Bhandari
Sunil is a graduate student at University
of Maine and works as a Graduate
Research Assistant at Advanced
Structures and Composites Center.
[email protected]
Opportunities for Graduate
Students and Visiting Scholars
The Advanced Structures and Composites
Center at the University of Maine has
numerous opportunities for graduate students
and visiting scholars.
Graduate education is one of the UMaine
Composites Center educational highlights.
Nearly 125 graduate students have been
affiliated with the UMaine Composites Center
since its opening in 2000. While most graduate
students have been in civil engineering, forest
resources or wood science, most recently,
several have majored in a variety of programs
such as economics, international trade and
commerce, and business.
Graduate students gain hands-on experience
and professional training in research ethics,
industrial safety, supervision and leadership,
equipment operation, and ISO 17025 quality
management. Graduate students are expected
to become full research partners and are
encouraged to develop professionally not only
in the classroom but also through writing,
conference presentations, networking with
academic and industrial colleagues, and
production of intellectual property.
In addition to project specific graduate
appointments, the UMaine Composites
Center offers a graduate certificate in
Advanced Engineered Wood Composites
in collaboration with the School of Forest
Resources, College of Natural Sciences,
Forestry and Agriculture and the Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
College of Engineering.