Revolutionizing the revolutionary

摘要

Hopes of more affordable flights soared when the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner took to the skies. Featuring a carbon composite design, the passenger jet is lighter than rivals, resulting in substantial fuel savings.However, the composition of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) - in particular, the high heat conductivity of the carbon fibers themselves - makes processing difficult using traditional techniques. Mechanical milling and drilling have been known to cause costly heat damage, chipping, delamination, and tool wear.