A new, lightweight reinforcement material is poised to transform the civil engineering and construction industries by offering a superior alternative to traditional steel rebar. Researchers at the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) are pioneering the development of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer (FRTP) rebar, a composite material designed to overcome steel’s critical limitations,…

James Haller, a recent mechanical engineering master’s graduate, is helping streamline the complex process of large-scale 3D printing. Once seen as a tool strictly for prototyping and aesthetic modeling, 3D printing has come a long way, now building houses, boats, and even bridges. As revolutionary as additive manufacturing (AM) has become, it’s far from a…

The Specialized Materials & Manufacturing Alliance for Resilient Technologies (SM²ART), a partnership between UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), will be featured at the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX). CAMX is the largest composites and advanced materials event in North America, and is the premier event…