NIAR R&D Brief  -  Vol 7-6  -  March 2, 2010 Industry experts identified for Composites Maintenance Technology course The online Composites Maintenance Technology course, offered through the National Center for Aviation Training, announces the following subject matter experts in composite materials as guest discussion leaders. Eric Chesmar, Senior Staff Engineer, Component Technical Services – Structures, United Airlines Todd Herrington, Principal Engineer (composites) - Delta Airlines Hank Offermann, former FAA Engineer with expertise in certification of composite aircraft The course will be instructed by Charles Seaton, who has more than 30 years industry experience in composites design and manufacturing. Other experts are being identified who will have significant composites experience, such as structural engineering and/or regulatory responsibilities. Student testimonials have noted that the involvement of experienced practitioners in online discussions brings practical industry perspective to the class, enriching the learning experience in a unique way. Students participate in these discussions at their own convenience, and at a time which they individually select. Registration for the online course has been extended through Wednesday, March 10.   Registered students will have until March 10 to begin self-study of the fundamentals and nomenclature of composite materials. Successful completion of an open-book exam by March 15 qualifies students to begin the six-week online course.   This course is offered in conjunction with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research and the Wichita Area Technical College. The 8-week course will focus on critical composite materials maintenance and repair safety issues.   For full details on the online course visit the NIAR website. To enroll, visit the registration site. Contact Laura Rhoades at 316-978-3873 with questions. CAD/CAM Lab offers free HyperWorks and Optimization training sessions   The CAD/CAM Lab at Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research and Altair invite you to attend  a continuing series of HyperWorks Events at NIAR.   The training sessions, which will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. March 15-19, will  teach attendees the basic tools to produce designs with tremendous weight savings (10-50%) while reducing the time to develop those designs as much as 70%. The first three days of this training will cover FEA Pre and Post-Processing (HyperMesh, HyperView & HyperGraph), and the final two days will be devoted to the structural and composites design optimization tool, OptiStruct. March 15-16 HyperMesh® March 17 HyperView®/HyperGraph® March 18 OptiStruct® Register for training sessions online at altair.com. The National Institute for Aviation Research, an unincorporated division of Wichita State University, is a prestigious state-of-the-art aerospace research and development laboratory with global reach and expertise in research, design, testing, and certification. The Institute’s clientele includes many of the world’s aerospace manufacturers, NASA and the FAA. It is the largest aviation R&D academic institution in the United States.