IACMI at 10: Discussing Next Week’s Members Meeting with IACMI CEO Chad Duty
Jun 20, 2025
IACMI CEO Chad Duty joins the podcast to discuss their big event next week in Dayton, OH.
The IACMI Members Meeting will celebrate a decade of innovation and a future of impact as it brings together top leaders in composites, manufacturing, and workforce development. Attendees will dive into groundbreaking research, discover the latest DOE-funded technical projects, and see how IACMI workforce programs are scaling up to meet industry needs.
This event provided a unique setting for members of our industry to meet with Members of Congress and agency leadership and educate them on the capabilities of composite materials.
How Hexcel and JetZero Are Revolutionizing Aircraft Design With an “All Wing” Body Demonstrator
Jun 04, 2025
On this episode, Justin Hamilton of Hexcel will share some of the latest news regarding their partnership with JetZero to qualify composite materials for a new “all-wing” design aircraft demonstrator. They are advancing this partnership through the FAA’s Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition (FAST) program, qualifying composite materials for JetZero’s all-wing design aircraft development program.
The Z4 is the world’s first all-wing design commercial airplane. This design produces greater lift and reduces drag, resulting in up to 50% better fuel efficiency than comparably sized tube & wing aircraft.
In the last 25 years, Mark has consulted, trained and/or coached hundreds of companies, including Cisco, Procter and Gamble, Grimes Aerospace, Splunk, and Crowdstrike. Today, he works regularly with PE firms, helping their portfolio companies increase profits and drive valuation by learning how to price, package, communicate, and sell value.
Mark’s passion is teaching the power of pricing. He evangelizes pricing at major conferences and has conducted over 400 days of corporate training around the globe. Mark’s Price class maintains a net promoter score (NPS) of 81, higher than Apple’s. His podcast, Impact Pricing, maintains a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts.
Building Tomorrow’s Workforce: SpaceTEC’s New Center and the Role of CCT Certification
May 22, 2025
On this episode, Kyle Jordan and Steve Kane join the podcast to discuss some updates on SpaceTEC® Partners‘ new Florida training facility and its role in preparing the next generation of composite technicians. Kyle is the director of certifications for the ACMA, and Steve is the executive director of SpaceTEC® Partners.
Steve Kane, executive director at SpaceTEC
SpaceTEC® Partners offers Aerospace, Aviation, and Advanced Manufacturing skills validation for the U.S. defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing sectors, certifying technicians employed in civil, defense, and commercial organizations worldwide.
Discussing a New 3D-Printing Method That Enables Color-Changing Stress-Responsive Materials
May 16, 2025
On this episode, Professor Shu Yang and Alicia Ng of the University of Pennsylvania join me on the podcast to discuss their latest research work. Their team has successfully developed a cutting-edge method to 3D print cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs), opening the door to dynamic, color-changing materials that can respond to mechanical stress.
This work paves the way for groundbreaking applications in smart sensing, displays, and robotics. At the heart of this advancement are CLCEs – soft, rubbery materials capable of changing color when subjected to mechanical stress.
Shu Yang is a materials scientist and Professor of Engineering and Applied Science and Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Alicia Ng is a Ph.D. student in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and is the lead author of this study.
Wichita State Research Team Advances Composites with Helical CNTs – Interview with Dr. Davood Askari
Apr 30, 2025
On this episode, Dr. Davood Askari joins the podcast to discuss their latest research work. Davood, an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Wichita State University, leads a research team that has created a breakthrough nanocomposite material.
Engineered to significantly enhance the strength, durability, multifunctionality, and performance of lightweight structures, this innovation has broad applications across industries. Their patent-pending technology offers a scalable solution to one of the most persistent challenges in composite design: strengthening weak interlaminar bonds.
Discussing 3D Printed Drone Technology with UAV Expert Patrick Egan
Apr 24, 2025
On this episode, Patrick Egan joins me on the podcast. Patrick is a drone expert with over 25 years of experience in unmanned aircraft and systems, including data collection, safety, RDT&E operations, and systems training course development.
We’ll be discussing some recent news of Cummings Aerospace’s new 3D printed, Hellhound S3 turbojet-powered kamikaze drone, which is said to fly faster than 375 mph.
Recruiting with Precision for Specialized Industries – Interview with John Kehoe of Boaz Partners
Apr 21, 2025
On this episode, John Kehoe of Boaz Partners joins the podcast to talk about their specialized approach to finding qualified candidates for their clients.
Boaz Partners is an executive recruitment firm providing companies in the composites and advanced materials industry with custom recruiting solutions.
Their partners and consultants have extensive experience working in a broad array of functional areas and have also developed unique expertise in recruiting for these types of firms and roles. You can learn more about them by visiting www.boazpartners.com.
Unlocking the Potential of Natural Fibers – Interview with Vinit Chaudhary of Elemental Composites
Apr 15, 2025
On this episode, Vinit Chaudhary, founder of Elemental Composites, joins the podcast. Elemental Composites specializes in fabricating non-woven intermediates for composite industries. Their innovative process consists of two distinct stages:
(1) Unique Mixing: This process involves the deagglomeration of fiber bundles and the uniform mixing of various types of fibers.
(2) Dry-laid Technique: The mixing stage material is utilized as feedstock material to transform into nonwoven preforms.
Vinit earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He brings five years of experience in designing and manufacturing advanced composites to his role, where he focuses on product development and expanding technology applications.
This technology company is creating lightweight structural solutions that fuse the sustainability of wood with the performance and productivity of advanced composites. They were a Startup Booster Award winner for Sustainability this year at JEC World.
Their new Woodflow technology is disrupting lightweight construction and helping diverse industries move towards a more sustainable future.
In nature, trees are high-performance structures. They withstand amazing wind and snow stresses just by having the right form, density, and fiber orientation.
The team at Strong by Form has developed a design-to-manufacturing technology that brings this natural intelligence back to engineered structures.
Where 3d Printing Meets Pultrusion – Interview with Dan Lee of Perseus Materials
Mar 26, 2025
On this episode, Dan Lee of Perseus Materials joins the show. They were a Startup Booster Award winner this year at JEC World. They’ve developed a new class of continuous molding with the speed of pultrusion and the adaptability of 3D printing, enabled by proprietary resins and their unique curing behavior.
Their patent-pending process allows mold-less fabrication, making them the “fastest composite manufacturer” in the world.
Their synthetic resins make manufacturing easier, offering capabilities that can be used for making large structures.
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