Connect, no.151, November/December 2007, p.2
Philippe Bastid (right) receives the Best Materials & Design Innovation award from TWI Chief Executive Bob John
A National Composites Network (NCN) poster displayed earlier in the year at the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network annual meeting in London won Best Poster 2007 in the category Best Materials & Design Innovation.
The poster, 'NCN optimises strength-to-weight performance of composite structure', was produced by TWI's NCN project team.
The winning poster described how NCN-sponsored technical support helped Kettering-based Cooney Marine optimise the fibre reinforced composite structure of its new dinghy launch system, the 'Cobra' davit.
TWI's Philippe Bastid used finite element analysis to study stresses within the Cobra and predict its strength. This allowed optimisation of the Cobra's composite structure to provide the most favourable distribution of stresses andbest strength-to-weight performance.
The winning poster showed an example of how the NCN is helping to bring innovative products to market efficiently and with minimum risk.
For more information, contact info@ncn-uk.co.uk
The Cobra davit. It's about 1.5m high, and its lifting boom is around 2.0m long. Typically, it's fitted (in pairs) to luxury motor-yachts
