SAMPE Journal - July/August 2012 - (Page 14)

Europe News & Views Gary Turner European Section Editor SEICO 12 Held in Paris Graced with ideal weather, SAMPE Europe conducted another successful spring event in Paris, within walking distance of the JEC Composites Show (to which the SAMPE registration badge granted free access. For convenience, a free shuttle bus also linked both events on their one common day). The 33rd SAMPE Europe International Technical Conference & Forum (SEICO 12) took place at the Hotel Mercure, March 26th and 27th. With the theme of “Strong Features to Support the Lift-off ” (a reference to the keynote topic), its format followed that of the previous year, i.e. parallel sessions over two days, led by a keynote address on the first morning. However the event actually began the evening prior, with a reception. The conference itself comprised six parallel sessions containing 52 informative technical presentations. Moreover, a very interesting collection of posters from the student conference were available for inspection. New SAMPE Europe President Prof. Paolo Ermanni's welcome remarks noted there were some 242 attendees and extending wishes for a successful conference. He also thanked organizer Mark Erath and his crew for their efforts and acknowledged the students' conference, traditionally held on the weekend preceding the main event. In closing, he noted that improved networking and knowledge were major payoffs. The very substantive and wide-ranging keynote lecture immediately followed, delivered by José Manuel Luna Diaz, Senior Expert, Head of Production & Development Engineering, CBC and R&T, Airbus Military. Entitled 30 Years of Continued R&D as the Driving Force Behind Aerostructures Progress, it began with a thorough overview of Airbus composites, tracing development and evolution while illuminating highlights. Global aspects included comparisons of varying Boeing and Airbus approaches, especially the 787 versus the A350. Key global composite R&D programs like ACT, ACEE, ALCAS, SACMA were referenced, noting Spanish contributions. Seldom-mentioned programs such as PRELENA, NAMPRA, YLOW, CARO, DEPLA, GRA (the Green Regional Aircraft) also came to the fore. The keynote was extremely well received. Following coffee, the plenary session began. In some ways an extension of the keynote, it focused on composite structures in the new Airbus A400M 4-engined military transport. Four separate papers were given by Spanish colleagues of the keynoter (Spain has major responsibility for the new aircraft, with final assembly taking place at a new state of the art facility in Seville). Topics included certification criteria, industrialization, final assembly and new test control equipment techniques. Remaining sessions addressed such relevant composite subjects as nanomaterials, textiles, manufacturing, analysis, repair, design, materials, iREMO (resin infusion project), IMAC-PRO, and thermoplastics. Eye-catching titles or topics (abridged here) included low-cost multilayer nano-based nonwovens, economic preform mass production via braiding, thermal effects of laser machining, benefits of modeling accurate moisture diffusion, repairs in liquid resin parts, rapid repair automated processes, imbedded instrumentation, aircraft design ontology, the UK's latest composite armored vehicle, improved damage tolerance, and much more. The busy first day's final highlight was the reception and gala dinner at the conference hotel. During the dinner Paolo Ermanni thanked the conference organizers and working teams, including the Science Committee. Following this, four categories of awards were moderated by Mark Erath: • SAMPE Europe Award went to the keynoter Josè Manuel Luna; • the SEICO Sponsor Award went to JEC Paris. 14 SAMPE Journal, Volume 48, No. 4, July/August 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SAMPE Journal - July/August 2012

SAMPE Journal - July/August 2012
Table of Contents
President’s Message
Technical Director’s Corner
Development of New Lightweight Hybrid Sandwich Cores using FDM Technology
Corporate Partners
Europe News & Views
SAMPE Europe’s SETEC 2012, Lucerne
SAMPE Journal Editorial Calender
Welcome SAMPE’s Newest Members
Materials & Products
Perspectives
Perspectives–The Art of a Well-Crafted BHAG
Out-of-Autoclave Sandwich Structure: Processing Study
SAMPE LinkedIn Communities
SAMPE Proceedings
SAMPE 2013|Long Beach Call for Papers
SAMPE Tech 2012|Charleston, SC
Industry News
Composite Payload Fairing Structural Architecture Assessment and Selection
SAMPE 2012|Baltimore-A Review
SAMPE 2012|Baltimore Photo Gallery
The SAMPE Foundation
Advertiser’s Index
Resource Center
SAMPE Membership Application
SAMPE Books & CD’s Order Form
Industry Events Calendar
Chapter Meetings Dates and Contacts

SAMPE Journal - July/August 2012