The KPC provides the manufacturing industry with access to cutting-edge resource. It presents composites manufacturing practices in an easy-to-navigate manner, including case studies, practical advice, and systems-level and foundational knowledge. Built off the same platform as Wikipedia, the KPC uses a factory representation of material, shape, tooling, and equipment to explain how composites processes work and how manufacturing quality, rate, and cost trade off in practice. 

The Building Blocks of the KPC

The Knowledge in Practice Centre will house resources for all levels of the composites industry – from people learning about composites to experienced manufacturers looking to update their processes and methods.

Introduction

This area provides an introduction to composites including the background of composites and understanding the link between designing and manufacturing with composites. 

Open Literature

Sources are provided for academic journals and theses, textbooks, standards, trade magazines and technical manuals about composite materials. 

Foundational Knowledge

This area has information about the fundamentals and underlying science of manufacturing and designing with composites.

Systems Knowledge and Catalogue

Practically looking at the systems required for manufacturing with composites, this area has a systems-level description of equipment, tools, parts and materials, how these interact to achieve desired outcomes and how to manage, optimize and control the system.

Practice

Putting the knowledge into practice, this area houses science-based recommendations and guidance to support decision-making processes for new product development, building up composite factory capabilities and optimizing or troubleshooting existing composite factories.

Case Studies, Perspectives and Industrial Documents

This section has real-life case studies, historical perspectives on composites research and manufacturing and CKN proprietary documents, such as process specifications and work procedures.