IBEX will feature ‘Future Materials’ exhibit
Boat builders can see innovative materials, processes and technologies in the Future Materials exhibit at the International Boatbuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) in October. IBEX will be October 4–6, 2016, at the Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Fla.
Curated by editors from “Professional BoatBuilder” and “CompositesWorld” magazines, this collection has been gathered from a variety of sources, including marine, aerospace and automotive industries, plus some applied academic research and development.
A goal of “CompositesWorld” this year is to show IBEX attendees materials and process technologies in several key areas, including nanotechnology, recycling and sustainability, and improved form and function, which could range from visually stunning fibers and laminates to added functionality like electrical conductivity. “Manufacturers need to keep ahead of these trends in order to appeal to today’s educated customers. We want to stimulate ideas of how to incorporate new technology into products that help the environment and offer improved performance and value,” said Ginger Gardiner, senior editor of “CompositesWorld.”
“At last year’s Future Materials exhibit we saw hundreds of really curious people—chiefly boat builders, designers and technicians—who were fascinated by the potentials offered by the emerging composites technologies we’d selected for them,” said Aaron Porter, editor of “Professional BoatBuilder” magazine. “They got to know those materials and processes first hand in a casual environment where they could hold new unprocessed laminates, touch and visually inspect samples of finished composites, and experience live demonstrations of more subtle qualities like vibration dampening.”