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Boeing-UD Connections Continue to Benefit All Involved  

by Diane Kukich

The UD group apparently took the tour seriously as well and came away with the experiences and lessons that Entrekin tries to impart each time he hosts a group of high school or college students.

“This tour was like the Discovery Channel show How It's Made times 100,” Lim says.  “Boeing has to manufacture and install a tremendous number of parts on each line, and the time periods within which they have to do it are phenomenal—for example, installing over 1,000 tubes and wires in 24 hours.  I never realized how complex it is to manufacture and assemble a helicopter.”

“Being able to provide a tour of our facility clearly benefits Boeing as well as the students,” says John Lyons, Chief Engineer, H-47 US Military Programs, and also a UD alum.  “We view it as an opportunity for students to see first-hand how Boeing integrates and tests multiple aircraft systems using ‘Lean’ initiatives.”  Lean refers to the company’s effort to design, manufacture, deliver, and support products more efficiently and at lower costs throughout the product life cycle.

Lyons also points out that by visiting the production site, students gain an understanding of the Boeing culture and vision.  “It’s a unique opportunity that they don’t necessarily get at job fairs,” he says.  “As a result, a number of students have expressed an interest in working for Boeing after seeing our facility and meeting some of our employees.”

“Clearly the relationship that Boeing has with the University and CCM has gained momentum over the past few years,” he continues.  “This is largely attributable to the increase in composite materials used in Boeing’s aerospace products.  For example, our newest aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner, uses as much as 50 percent composites in its primary structure, which includes the fuselage and wing.  With this increase in usage, it’s a great benefit for us to have CCM as a resource for expertise in composites.”

Entrekin also points out that Boeing can use the tours as a gauge for new-hires’ expectations and take suggestions made by the students from their viewpoint as “outsiders.”

Michael Chajes, Interim Dean of the UD College of Engineering, sums it up this way: “This kind of connection with industry is exactly the type of educational enhancement that we view as critical to our success.  Our college is committed to establishing and maintaining meaningful and sustainable relationships with industry that inform not only student instruction and hiring but also research and development exchange.”

“I feel that we are making great strides in building on our past relationship with Boeing in order to identify new ways in which we can partner in the future,” Chajes adds.  “Clearly, Boeing is a respected international leader in a broad range of aviation technologies, and we value the opportunity to work with them for mutual benefit.”    

Both Lyons and Entrekin play an active role in fostering the ongoing relationship between Boeing and the University of Delaware. Lyons is the Company’s Executive Focal for UD.  In this role, he coordinates major events and scholarships, while Entrekin focuses on recruitment and career fairs, classes, and tours; he also matches UD research capabilities with Boeing’s research goals.

“These focal positions are not our full-time jobs,” Entrekin says, “but we enjoy doing them on the side to give back to the University and make sure Boeing benefits from the research and advancements at UD.”

“Boeing’s continuing membership in CCM’s Industry-University Consortium is a significant catalyst for creating these successful interactions,” says CCM Director Jack Gillespie. “We’re very pleased that the relationship has had a positive impact not only on our research and technology transfer programs but also on the education of our students.”

“To demonstrate the effectiveness of this method,” he continues, “3TEX manufactured orthogonal 3-D woven preforms with pitch carbon tows and with copper tows in the through-thickness direction. The preforms were infused and evaluated at CCM and one of the specimens demonstrated a ten-fold increase over the thermal conductivity achievable with conventional laminated composites with the potential to reach values close to those of metals.”

Potential applications for the technology include high-performance enclosures for computing equipment, leading edges for airplanes to facilitate deicing, and heat exchangers.

Each of the papers selected for this honor will appear in the 2007 transactions complete set, which covers a broad range of advancements in mobility engineering, as well as in one of seven journals according to the topic addressed by the paper.  The work reported by Heider, Schuster, and Sharp will be published in the Journal of Aerospace.
 
SAE has referred to the seven-volume transaction set as “the best of the best technical papers of 2007” and the annual collection judged “worthy of preserving in the permanent technical literature for its long-term reference value” by engineering experts.

Center to Recognize Award Winners on Honors Day Nine undergraduate students, six Ph.D. candidates, and three research professionals affiliated with CCM will receive awards at the Center’s Honors Day ceremony on May 9.  The event will be held at 11 am in Room 106.  Seven different awards will be made, some with multiple recipients, as noted in the list below.

R. L. MCCULLOUGH SCHOLARS AWARD
The Scholars Award recognizes original contributions to the literature on composite materials.  The tribute, consisting of a monetary award, is bestowed on the student author of a paper accepted for publication in a refereed journal.  Selection of the recipient for this award is based on the quality of the paper.

Recipient: Justin Alms, PhDME
Advisors: Suresh Advani and James Glancey

PROGRESS AWARD
The Progress Award recognizes research contributions of students to the research goals of the Composites Center.  The tribute, consisting of a monetary award, is bestowed on the student author of a CCM Research Report, thesis, or dissertation.  Selection of the recipient of this award is based on the quality of the report, thesis, or dissertation.

Recipient: Matthew Helgeson, PhDCHE
Advisor: Norm Wagner

Recipient: Gaurav Nilakantan, PhDMSC
Advisor: John W. Gillespie Jr.

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Achievement Award recognizes outstanding personal growth demonstrated by a Center-affiliated student.  The tribute, which consists of a monetary award, is bestowed on a student who has demonstrated superior achievement.

Recipient: Justin Federici, PhDCHE
Advisor: Dion Vlachos

Recipient: Michael Teitelbaum, PhDEG
Advisor: Keith Goossen

OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARD
The Outstanding Senior Award recognizes the contributions of students participating in the Undergraduate Research Program of the Composites Center.  The tribute, consisting of a monetary award, is bestowed on an outstanding senior for cumulative contributions (service as well as research) to Center activities.

Recipient: Laura Elliott, BME
Advisor: Michael Santare

Recipient: Jeffrey Knopf, BCHE
Advisor: Joseph Deitzel

Recipient: Douglas Charles, BCE
Advisor: Jennifer Righman McConnell

Recipient: Jeffrey Spak, BEE
Advisor: Dan Weile

Recipient: Jeffrey Lefler, Jeffrey BEE
Advisor: Dan Weile

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AWARD
The Undergraduate Research Award is bestowed on a student in his or her junior year whose proposal to perform research on composite materials under the guidance of a UD-CCM affiliated faculty member is selected. The student is expected to enroll in UNIV 401 and UNIV 402 and write a senior thesis. Selection of the recipient for this award is based on the research objective and plan submitted by the student in a one-page abstract.

Recipient: John Gangloff, BME
Advisors: Tsu-Wei Chou and Erik Thostenson

Recipient: Thomas Mintel, BME
Advisors: Tsu-Wei Chou and Erik Thostenson

Recipient: Jeffrey Rockwell, BCE
Advisor: Jennifer Righman McConnell

Recipient: Scott Zero, BCHE
Advisor: Richard Wool

CCM SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The CCM Scholarship Award recognizes research contributions of Postdoctoral Fellows or Research Professionals affiliated with CCM. Selection of the recipient for this award is based on publication of papers in high-quality referred journals and their impact on the research community of composite materials.

Recipient: Ahmad Abu Obaid, Research Associate III
Advisor: John W. Gillespie Jr.

DIRECTORS’ AWARD
The Directors’ Award recognizes outstanding personal growth demonstrated by a Center-affiliated employee or student.  The tribute, which consists of a monetary award, is bestowed on an employee or student who has demonstrated superior progress.

Recipients: Stephen Andersen, Assistant Director for Military Programs and Associate Scientist

Recipient: Anis Gawandi, Research Associate

Recipient: Amanda Lim, PhDMSC

CCM Displays Technology and Software at International Composites Show

On April 1-3, 2008, Paris was “the world’s capital for composite materials,” and CCM took advantage of the opportunity to join the 1,000-plus exhibitors at the JEC Composites Show.  Focusing on “Manufacturing Advances,” the show drew some 27,000 professionals from 96 different countries. Assistant Director Dirk Heider and Scientist John Tierney represented CCM with a booth featuring the Center’s updated Composite Design and Simulation (CDS) software as well as its infusion technology.  More than 200 visitors stopped by to view a live demonstration of the CDS software and an infusion experiment demonstrating the use of time domain reflectometry to measure flow behavior.  Samples of 3D thermally conductive composites were also on display. “JEC is a great venue for us to explore new opportunities as well as reconnect with our existing customer base,” Heider says.  “We get exposure to an international audience, providing us with the chance to not only generate new interest in our industrial consortium but also catch up with current consortium members and CCM alumni.”

“A number of companies expressed significant interest in our software,” adds Tierney, “including both CDS and LIMS.”  CDS, which has been consolidated into a single application with new functionality, will soon be made available to existing and new industrial consortium members.

Markets represented at the exposition included aeronautical, marine, automotive, construction, infrastructure, energy, and sports and leisure applications of advanced composites.

CONSORTIUM NEWS

CCM would like to thank Lancer Systems, Allentown, PA, and VISTAGY Inc., Waltham, MA, for becoming our newest consortium members. We also wish to thank our many other members for continuing to participate in consortium activities.

To learn more about the benefits of becoming a member, please visit us on the web at

www.ccm.udel.edu/Consortium/benefits.html

PUBLICATIONS

Conference Proceedings

Senoz, E. and R. P. Wool, “Hydrogen Storage on Carbonized Chicken Feather Fibers,” The 11th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference, Washington, D.C., June 26-29, 2007.

Wool, R. P., “Advanced Bio-Based Polymers and Composites,” Plenary Address, Proceedings of Fibre Reinforced Composites Conference, Port Elizabeth, SA, December 9-12, 2007.

Wool, R. P., “The Importance of Interfaces in Thermoplastic Matrix Composites and Their Tailoring During Manufacture,” Proceedings of the 28th International Symposium on Materials Science, Riscoe, Denmark, Sept. 3-6, 2007.

Wool, R. P., “Triglyceride-Based Polymers and Composites, Proceedings of Bioresins Conference, Pira International, Atlanta, GA, Nov. 29-30, 2007.

Zhan, M. and R. P. Wool, “A New Bio-Based Dielectric Material,” Annual American Physical Society Meeting, Denver, CO, March 5-9, 2007.

Zhan, M. and R. P. Wool, “Composites From Natural Fibers and Soybean Oil,” Pan-American Advanced Studies Institute on Sustainability and Green Chemistry, Mexico City, Mexico, May 29-June 10, 2007.

Zhan, M. and R. P. Wool, “New Copper-Clad Laminate from Chicken Feathers,” The 11thAnnual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference, Washington, D.C., June 26-29, 2007.

Journals

Bonnaillie, L. M. and R. P. Wool, “Thermosetting Foam with a High Bio-Based Content from Acrylated Epoxidized Soybean Oil and Carbon Dioxide,” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 105 (3), pp. 1042-1052, 2007.

Esen, H., S. Kusefoglu, and R. P. Wool, “Photolytic and Free-Radical Polymerization of Monomethyl Maleate Esters of Epoxidized Plant Oil Triglycerides,” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 103 (1), pp. 626-633, 2007.

Gao, X., R. E. Jensen, W. Li, J. Deitzel, S. H. McKnight, and J. W. Gillespie, Jr., “Effect of Fiber Surface Texture Created From Silane Blends on the Strength and Energy Absorption of the Glass Fiber/Epoxy Interphase,” Journal of Composite Materials, 42,  pp. 485-511, 2008.

Gilhooley, D. R., J. R. Xiao, R. C. Batra, M. A. McCarthy, and J. W. Gillespie, Jr., “Two-Dimensional Stress Analysis of Functionally Graded Solids using the MLPG Method with Radial Basis Functions,”  Computational Materials Science, 41, pp. 467-481, 2008.

Li, C. Y., E. T. Thostenson, and T-W. Chou, "Sensors and Actuators Based on Carbon Nanotubes and their Composites: A Review," Composites Science and Technology, 68 (6) pp. 1227-1249, 2008.

Li, C. Y., E. T. Thostenson, and T-W. Chou, "Effect of Nanotube Waviness on the Electrical Conductivity of Carbon Nanotube-Based Composites," Composites Science and Technology, 68 (6) pp. 1445-1452, 2008.

Lu, J. and R. P. Wool, “Additive Toughening Effects on New Bio-Based thermosetting Resins from Plant Oils,” Composites Science and Technology, 68 (3-4), pp. 1025-1033, 2008.

Lu, J. and R. P. Wool, “Sheet Molding Compound Resins from Soybean Oil: Thickening Behavior and Mechanical Properties,” Polymer Engineering and Science, 47 (9), pp. 1469-1479, 2007.

Xiao, J-R., D. F. Gilhooley, R. C. Batra, and J. W. Gillespie, Jr., “Analysis of Thick Composite Laminates using a Higher-Order Shear and Normal Deformable Plate Theory (HOSNDPT) and a Meshless Method,” Composites Part B: Engineering, 39, pp. 414-427, 2008.

Wool, R. P and S. P. Bunker, “Polymer-Solid Interface Connectivity and Adhesion; Design of a Bio-Based Pressure Sensitive Adhesive,” Journal of Adhesion, 83 (10, pp. 907-926, 2007.

Wool, R. P., “Self-Healing Materials: A Review,” Journal of Soft Matter, 4, pp. 400-418, 2008.

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