Events and Webinars

CKN offers a variety of event and webinars, including in partnership with others in the composites community. Our Application + Impact (AIM) and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) events allow SMEs and industry members to network with and learn from the foremost experts in the composites field.

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis of Composite Structures

Online

Finite element analysis (FEA) is a powerful tool to help design composite structures, optimize performance, and improve the quality and efficiency of manufacturing processes.  FEA results can provide important insights but can also lead to false conclusions if appropriate methods are not employed. This AIM Event webinar will provide an introduction to FEA of composite ... Read more

Virtual Coffee Break Series on Diversity and Inclusion, featuring Noah Irvine

Online

Coffee Break hosted by SAMPE Canada, CKN, CACMSA and CREPEC. In this session, Noah Irvine, Author (Learning to Live: From the Loss of My Parents to Mental Health Advocate) discusses mental health through lived experience. Biography: Noah Irvine's life has been anything but “normal.” When he was five, his mother died by suicide. When he ... Read more

Introduction to Machining of Composite Materials

Online

Virtually every composite part goes through some sort of post processing step such as machining before it is put into service. Machining composites can be much more challenging than metals and is a potential source of defects. Some of the challenges include poor heat conduction, dissimilar and abrasive materials, and a laminated structure. This AIM ... Read more

Recycling Composite Technologies – Resins, Processes and New Developments

Online

Thermoset composites are challenging materials to recycle. This field has been researched for over half a century. This webinar will cover recent developments in emerging technologies, advancements in certain areas of the composite material value chain, and the ongoing challenges associated with the physical processing of recycling composites. In addition, Nick Bigeau, Chief Technology Officer ... Read more

Virtual Coffee Break Series on Diversity and Inclusion, featuring Katherine Deane

Online

Coffee Break hosted by SAMPE Canada, CKN, CACMSA and CREPEC In this session, Dr. Katherine Deane, Associate Professor, University of East Anglia, Norwich discusses Disability Adjustments – a Research Quality Improvement Tool.   Biography: Dr Katherine Deane is an Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich on the eastern ... Read more

Cure and Thermal Management Considerations of Thermoset Composites

Online

Effective thermal management to control cure during manufacturing of thermoset composite parts is one of the critical activities to achieve the required outcomes in terms of part quality, mechanical properties and dimensional conformity. Although the fundamental heat transfer mechanisms remain the same, different manufacturing processes and equipment have specific considerations that must be taken into ... Read more

Introduction to Quality Assurance and Quality Control in Composites

Online

Quality control in composites manufacturing is more than just defect detection—it is a strategic approach to ensuring consistency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Unlike metals, composite properties are manufactured with the structure, making robust quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) practices even more critical to maintain consistency. This session will explore aspects of QA/QC in composites, ... Read more

The Current State of Composite Materials in the Bicycle Industry

Online

This presentation will start with a review of typical composite bicycle design, as is common in the bicycle industry now. This includes general frame manufacturing processes, key design criteria and parameters and materials used (matrix and reinforcement). Further, a high level review of the bicycle industry supply chain will be done, using this to highlight ... Read more

Virtual Coffee Break Series on Diversity and Inclusion, featuring James Richards

Online

Our upcoming D&I Coffee Break session features James Richards, Professor of Employment Relations from the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. Join us for “Making employment and science careers inclusive for neurodivergent employees.” In this session, James Richards considers what makes for inclusive employment for the science careers of neurodivergent employees. James broadly covers the ... Read more

Advanced x-ray imaging of carbon fiber microstructure

Online

Manufacturing defects are a complex and often expensive problem in carbon fiber composites. Understanding the underlying causes of various defects requires accurate characterization and, ideally, quantification. Characterizing fiber-level defects can be very difficult, as they cannot typically be resolved by conventional x-ray or ultrasonic imaging. While 2D sectioning methods can be used to study such ... Read more

Implementation of Bolted Joints in Composite Materials

Online

The majority of parts composed of composite materials are joined with other parts before becoming the final product. In addition to adhesive bonding, bolted joints are a common method of joining composites. They can be strong, and reliable, while allowing for disassembly if required. In a previous AIM Event webinar, “Introduction to Bolted Joints in ... Read more

Filament Winding – A traditional manufacturing method reinvented

Online

This webinar describes filament winding processes and technologies to produce fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Historically, filament winding is known as a composite fabrication process by which resin-wet fibers are deposited on a rotating mandrel following specific geometric paths creating structures of revolution. The webinar first explores the basics of the filament winding process, with focus on ... Read more