3K vs 12K Carbon Tow: It Is Not a Grade Ladder
K counts filaments, not quality. Why 3K and 12K tow give different ply thickness, drape and throughput, and how to write a spec that fits.
EU Weighs Plastics Quotas, Glass-Fibre Split Widens, UK Thermoplastic Aerospace Project Starts: Composites Digest, 4 Nov 2026
Plastics emerge as the likely next EU safeguard target, electronic-grade glass fibre hits record prices while roving stays weak, the UK starts a thermoplastic aerospace manufacturing project, CF/PA12 pipe heads to 2,200 m water depth, and the 18 November export-control deadline moves closer.
Thermoplastic Composite Pipe: Four Specs That Decide
A 2,200 m gas tieback put carbon fibre PA12 pipe into producing service. Four line items decide the order: liner, tape, end fitting, jacket.
Thermoplastic Composite Welding Is Not Plastic Welding
Welding a thermoplastic composite is not welding plastic. The joint is won or lost in the resin-rich layer just beneath the surface.
EU Signals Possible Quotas Ahead of China Talks; New Export Control Rules Take Effect 18 November
EU trade ministers met in Dublin as the European Commission suggested quotas or tariffs could be added before the next round of talks with China; separately, four Chinese dual-use export-control announcements (Nos. 49-52) take effect on 18 November, including new UAV-related items and a 15+15 working-day query procedure.
Beijing Hydrogen Plan Targets CNY 40bn Industry by 2030; Composites Storage Equipment Prioritised
Beijing’s 2026-2030 hydrogen industry plan targets a CNY 40bn supply chain, 10,000+ fuel-cell vehicles and 40+ refuelling stations by 2030, with storage and transport equipment singled out for industrialisation – a direct demand signal for carbon-fibre winding and thermoplastic composite liner applications.
Carbon Fiber Stiffness vs Strength: Which One Do You Need
Stiffness and strength answer different questions. Specify the wrong one and the part ends up too flexible or too brittle.
Carbon Fiber for eVTOL: What the Airframe Really Asks
Order books for eVTOL aircraft are filling. The airframe is a stiffness and damage-tolerance problem, which changes what you specify.
Carbon Fiber Prepreg: Where the Margin Actually Sits
Six Chinese carbon fibre producers sold more and earned less in Q3. The margin now sits in prepreg, and specification is the lever.
EU Safeguard Measures on Glass Fibre: Procurement Impact
EU safeguard measures on glass fibre shift sourcing risk from price to quota: what buyers should fix in the next two quarters.