VISTAGY Composites Best Practices Survey Released

By DE Editors

VISTAGY, Inc., a provider of engineering software and services, announced the results of a its composites engineering benchmarking survey titled, "How Does your Composite Design Process Compare to Industry Best Practices?"

The study revealed 56% of the composite design companies surveyed considered themselves knowledgeable in composites manufacturing practices and applied that knowledge during design.

The survey report is comprised of 140 responses across multiple industries, most prominently aerospace, automotive, and wind energy.

Goals for companies designing with composites varied, with 81% looking to reduce weight, 69% seeking to improve strength-to-weight ratios, 51% attempting to combine multiple parts, 25% seeking to extend product life, and 31% striving to lower maintenance costs.

The primary goal achievement metrics provided perhaps the most important results of the survey because they speak to the reasons that engineers adopt composites. The report states that, "Achieving these goals provides insight into the maturity of the company processes, domain expertise, and overall tool implementation and use. Any company that scored high here should be considered a high performing practitioner of composites engineering."

In this context, the report results indicate that best-in-class companies:

• Average combining six or more parts into one (10% actually combine 10 or more parts, while 34% of companies lag others by treating composites as black metal and only replacing parts at a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio)
  
• Reduce maintenance costs (and likewise improve quality and extend product lifecycles) by 30% or more by taking advantage of inherent material properties
  
• Reduce weight by 30% or more with a full 34% beating their weight reduction goals.  

VISTAGY invites composite design and manufacturing companies to participate in its extended survey and receive a complimentary copy of the report by taking the survey here.

For more information, visit VISTAGY.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company's website.