Welcome to the Advanced Composites Institute – home to the Marvin B. Dow Stitched Composites Development Center, member of the FAA Joint Advanced Materials & Structures Center of Excellence, and proud partner with MSU’s historic Raspet Flight Research Laboratory.
Since delivery of the first civilian aircraft containing 50+wt% carbon fiber polymer composites by Boeing and others earlier this decade, the global composites industry has found itself less than fully prepared to meet the expected demand and diversified market growth using current technologies which have not changed significantly for several decades.
In response to this expanding need for disruptive composites technology and the research and education required to make it a reality, ACI introduces a new unifying chapter in the evolving Raspet story now merging with a famous story line from NASA and Boeing. Thanks to innovative pioneers within these organizations and their steadfast dedication to challenge the status quo and propel forward stitching technology originally invented by Marvin B. Dow at NASA and proven at Boeing, Mississippi State University and the Advanced Composites Institute is honored and uniquely poised to accept and continue this challenge, lead the charge against standard convention, and teach the world a better way.
On behalf of our expanding affiliate faculty and students from five founding academic departments, thank you for your interest as we launch this extraordinary effort. I invite you and your organization to be an ACI member and guide your specific collaborative project from a growing range of interdisciplinary research expertise at MSU and our leading partners.
Hail State!
Christopher Bounds
Director, MSU Advanced Composites Institute