LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 10, 2023 — SME, the nonprofit committed to accelerating new manufacturing technology adoption and building North America's talent, this week through its Composites Technical Community recognized two prominent composites manufacturing leaders at its 2023 Composites Manufacturing Awards.

The awards, which are international in scope, honor the contributions of those who have excelled in the manufacturing of products from advanced composite materials. That excellence can include developing innovative tooling and/or manufacturing process techniques for the manufacture of products that have helped accelerate composites’ growth through superior service, quality or cost-reduction initiatives.

“Innovations in composites manufacturing – particularly in the aerospace and defense sectors – continue to increase at an accelerated pace to advance the industry in these critical areas,” said Bob Willig, executive director and CEO of SME. “We are honoring these emerging manufacturing leaders for their scientific breakthroughs that have already made significant impacts on the future of composite part manufacturing.” 

J.H. “Jud” Hall Composites Manufacturing Award

The J.H. “Jud” Hall Composites Manufacturing Award is presented annually to an individual who has contributed to the composites manufacturing or tooling technology through leadership, technical developments, patents or educational activities. It recognizes an individual’s innovation in solving issues related to production and applications development; it acknowledges significant contributions that reduce costs and waste streams and improve quality and efficiency.

Michael “Mick” Maher, president, Maher and Associates, one of the nation’s leading experts in composites manufacturing for aerospace and defense, is the 2023 Jud Hall Composites Manufacturing Award recipient. Key elements for his selection were his advancement of the understanding of composite bonded structures and defects reduction through process control through DARPA’s Open Manufacturing Transition Reliable Unitized Structure (TRUST) project.

Composite Manufacturing Emerging Innovator Award

Established in 2023, SME’s Composite Manufacturing Emerging Innovator Award recognizes an individual who has led or actively supported and participated in advancing manufacturing technology into or near production or a significant impact on composite part manufacturing. The award focuses on emerging leaders in composites manufacturing with an interest in helping others.

This internationally eligible award spans the composites manufacturing industry, including aerospace and automotive component manufacturing, fabrication, layup, curing, automation, and inspection. Winners are selected with consideration for the scope and scale of benefits realized and the potential future impact their work will have on the industry.

Maarten Logtenberg, chief technology officer of CEAD B.V. of the Netherlands is the recipient of the inaugural 2023 Composite Manufacturing Emerging Innovator Award for creating a process that reduces the coefficient of thermal expansion in both X and Y directions in 3-dimensional thermoplastic tools using long and short fibers. The novel innovation is very disruptive and will change the tooling market permanently because it reduces cost and time to market by 70 percent.

The Composites Manufacturing Awards traditionally are presented at SME’s annual AeroDef Manufacturing event. They came into being in 1986, when the J.H. “Jud” Hall award was first given.