You can learn about composites in a lot of different ways. This list is mostly focused on training to build with composites or work in composites related industry.
My experience is limited to North America, but I’d love to be educated about resources world-wide and to be able to include them here. Please let me know – send me an email: [email protected]. Thanks!
Trade Schools
These schools offer programs up to one year that result in a thorough exposure to composites processes and industry practice. Most offer a certificate or degree program and prepare graduates for jobs in the composites industry. The down side is that they are expensive, especially considering the opportunity cost of not working during time spend at school. The up side is you come out credentialed and ready to work (often with career services as part of the program) and have a real qualification. I know people who have been through several of these programs and got a lot out of them!
- Landing School – Composite Boat Building Program (Let’s start with Boat Building!)
- IYRS School of Technology and Trades – Composites Technology Program
- Skagit Valley College – Composites Technology
- Great Bay Community College – Advanced Composites Manufacturing Certificate
- Everett Community College – Composites
- Cerritos College – Composites Technology Training
- Clover Park Technical College – Advanced Composites
- Wichita State University – Composites Training
Books
These is an incomplete list of books I have read and think are worth your time if you’re learning about building with composites. There are many books published on composites engineering but that is somewhat beyond the scope of EC! right now.
- Essentials of Advanced Composite Fabrication & Damage Repair, by Dorworth, Gardiner and Mellema (best current textbook I’ve found)
- EPOXY BASICS, Working with Epoxy Cleanly & Efficiently, by Russell Brown (e-book and printed available)
- The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction, by Meade Gougeon (free PDF download!)
- Polynt “Cookbook”
- more to come…
These are more practical texts that I am aware of… but I need help finding about more good ones that should be listed here!
Publications
Many of these magazines can be read online (including back issues!) and received free in paper form. They are awesome resources! I am including some tooling and machining-related magazines as well that often cover composites-related topics.
- Composites World Magazine
- Professional Boatbuilder Magazine
- Composites Manufacturing Magazine
- JEC Composites Magazine
- Reinforced Plastics Magazine
- NetComposites
- Modern Machine Shop Magazine
- Moldmaking Technology Magazine
Trade Shows
There’s nothing like walking the halls of a trade-show (remember that?!) to really get you excited about learning new stuff! While COVID has put a stop to trade shows as we remember, there are lots of efforts to bring the contents online and this may help make the experience more affordable and available year-round.
- JEC World – Composites Industry Trade Show (June 2021 – Paris… maybe?)
- CAMX – Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (October 2021, Dallas, TX, USA)
- SAMPE America (May 2022 – Charlotte, NC, USA)
Online Forums
People have suggested I make and EC! forum, but it’s a lot of work and there are already excellent options. There are Facebook groups too, but… Facebook.
Certification
Certification can be a ticket to a job in the composites industry, especially in a field like aircraft or wind-blade repair where knowledge of protocols and training in specific techniques is essential. I haven’t got any certifications and it has never been a problem, but the boatbuilding world is a relative free-for-all in terms of qualification, so my experience is somewhat unique.
Commercial Training Organizations
There are many businesses worldwide that offer training in all facets of the composites industry. These are good options for several-day to several-week sessions on a specific technique or aspect of a process. You can get a huge amount of information very quickly, often from people who will be willing to tailor their lessons to your specific needs.
- Abaris Training
- Tooling U-SME – Composites Training
- Advanced Composite Training
- Dark Matter Composites – Training
- JHM Technologies – RTM / VM Training
Academic / Research
Talk about not complete! This list is a joke, but it’s a start. So many universities worldwide are doing exciting composites research and I will work to expand this list. Let me know what I’m missing!
- University of Maine (US) – Advanced Structures and Composites Center
- Wichita State University (US) – National Institute for Aviation Research
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (US) – Advanced Composite Materials and Textile Research Laboratory
- National Composites Centre (UK)
Industry Associations
Industry associations are a great way to participate and meet people from parts of the industry you aren’t working in. Most have student memberships which are inexpensive and offer benefits including cheaper publications, networking and admission to events.
- American Composites Manufacturing Association (ACMA)
- Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI)
- SAMPE North America
Regional Composites Organizations
Just ones I know about, but there are many more. If you know one that should be here please let me know!
- Maine Composites Alliance (ME, USA)
- Composites Alliance of Rhode Island (RI, USA)
Online Resources (Work In Progress!)
Now, the rest of the stuff! This is a rambling list of useful online resources from trade organizations and business that are worth looking at. I will include a short description… but it will be minimal. When in doubt – new tab!
General
Tooling
Open Molding / Bagged Wet Layup
Infusion
Vacmobiles Vacman’s Notes (Excellent posts with details about infusion and vacuum systems)