The F-22 Raptor, a stealth fighter aircraft from Lockheed Martin, first flown in 1997. Titanium alloy (principally grade 5, Ti 6-4) makes up around one-third of the aircraft. Hot isostatic pressing was utilised on large cast parts, such as the canopy deck and wing side-of-body, to minimise porosity and so enhance strength to weight and reliability. Around 350 parts, one-quarter of the aircraft by weight, is made up of resin transfer moulded (RTM) carbon fibre reinforced epoxy composite. High performance carbon fibres are used, such as T700 for lower cost parts, T800 for higher strength parts and T1000 for ultrahigh strength applications. Examples include the fuselage frame, doors, wing spars and honeycomb sandwich panels. Advanced RTM resin systems for these type of applications include epoxy and bismaleimide. The canopy consists of two sheets of polycarbonate (PC), sandwiched between two layers of glass, fusion bonded in an autoclave and drape formed. Indium-tin-oxide is vacuum deposited onto the canopy to reflect radar waves (scatters radio waves in various directions so as not to be detected by radar), which gives it a golden colour tint. Image Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

Light Light Chair, designed by Alberto Meda for Alias, 1987, is manufactured with Nomex honeycomb core sandwiched between layers of unidirectional carbon fibre reinforced epoxy. Weight is c. 1 kg. Image Alberto Meda.

The Lotus x Hope HB.T 2020 Team GB Tokyo Olympic carbon fibre composite track bike. A range of carbon fibres are used, from standard to ultra high modulus, depending on the requirements of each specific part of the frame and assembly. Epoxy provides the strongest matrix. The headset and handlebars, as well as other components, are 3D printed titanium (Ti-6Al-4V). In collaboration with Lotus Engineering, Renishaw 3D printed the parts throughout the development process using aluminium alloy (AlSi10Mg), enabling the quick turnaround of design changes. Using carbon fibre for these parts is significantly slower and more restricted, because new moulds are required each time a change is made. With 3D printing, the components can be outputted directly from the updated CAD file.

Reusable silicone membrane for low-pressure moulding onto a single-sided carbon fibre epoxy mould, manufactured by Krempel Group