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August 28, 2014 - Boeing and Russell Brands LLC
announced on Wednesday that they are working
together to incorporate excess carbon fiber from
787 Dreamliner production in Russell Athletic
protective athletic gear.
The companies will expand an initial
collaboration that puts 787 carbon fiber into
Russell Athletic's new CarbonTek football
shoulder pad system. Boeing and Russell Athletic
see significant benefits in using
aerospace-grade carbon fiber because the carbon
filaments provide a high strength-to-weight
ratio and greater durability.
Boeing, which markets surplus factory materials
to meet the company's environmental and business
goals, sees more opportunities to repurpose
carbon fiber as it increases the use of
composites in its commercial airplanes.
Composite materials make up 50 percent of the
primary structure of the 787, including the
fuselage and wing, helping to make the
Dreamliner 20 percent more fuel efficient than
the airplane it replaces.
In addition, Boeing's new 777X will be the
largest and most-efficient twin-engine jet in
the world due in part to the industry's largest
composite wing.
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