The high costs associated with manufacturing and fabricating have kept carbon fiber out of reach for some industries. As a result, the composites industry has been working hard to develop new technologies and processes that could help bri ...
News and Updates
Composites Classroom
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Yes – DIY Carbon Fiber Fabrication Is Possible
Most of the customers who purchase carbon fiber materials from Rock West Composites are pros. They use what they buy from us to fabricate individual parts and finished products they intend to sell to their own customers. But believe it or ... -
Rapid Prototyping and 3D Printing: A Perfect Match
Rock West Composites has been involved in our fair share of prototyping projects over the years. Customers rely on us to help them design and build composite prototypes that either move into mass production or remain as limited run parts ... -
Carbon Fiber Tubing with Wheels Isn't Necessarily a Good Bike
There have been quite a few news articles in recent years detailing catastrophic failures of carbon fiber bikes. Such stories seem contrary to what most people know about carbon fiber as a replacement material for aluminum and steel. What ... -
Prototyping and Tooling for Small Run Projects
We frequently communicate with customers looking to price out prototyping and tooling for small run projects. We have discovered that there is a certain amount of misunderstanding about what companies like ours do in this regard. A lot of ... -
6 Things That Determine Composite Cost
Composite materials like carbon fiber and glass fiber are still more expensive than more traditional products like steel, aluminum, and wood. Industry leaders are working hard on ways to bring costs down, knowing that doing so will make u ... -
Revolutionary New UAV Relies Heavily on Carbon Fiber
Ancient steel production thousands of years ago produced variations of steel that were used to build weapons, tools, and household implements. The thought of using steel to build skyscrapers and airplanes probably never dawned on the ... -
Anisotropic vs. Isotropic: Why It Matters in Composites
On any given day we might sell a load of carbon fiber plates or sheets to a client who knows all about the strength-to-weight advantage composites have over alternative materials like steel and aluminum. That same client's end-using custo ... -
5 Reasons We Provide Rapid Carbon Fiber Prototyping
As experts in composite materials and design, we are also fortunate to be heavily involved in prototyping. We can provide a rapid carbon fiber prototype for your project based on your exact specification. Moreover, we can do it quickly. T ... -
Tools of the Trade for Vacuum Bagging
You are launching a brand-new startup with a mission to fabricate carbon fiber surfboards and skateboards. You have chosen Rock West as your supplier of carbon and fiberglass cloth and prepregs. In order to make use of them, you're going ...
