Head restraint system To solve material incompatibility problems with surgical head restraints used during brain surgery, Performance Plastics decided to replace titanium with a carbon-fibre-reinforced PEEK compound from RTP Company. Incompatibility problems can arise when head restraints are made from magnetic materials that can distort magnetic resonance brain scans. Although titanium is non-magnetic, it can produce undesirable heat and be cost prohibitive to manufacture. The challenge was therefore to find a viable alternative. Size limitations on the device and the high loads applied to it during surgery required a high strength-toweight ratio. In addition to meeting the mechanical criteria, sterilization necessitated a chemically resistant material able to withstand high temperatures. More information: www.rtpcompany.com New generation of hydrogen cars The Ronn Motor Company is well on its way to proving that automotive consumers can have efficiency without sacrificing performance or styling. The company is launching a new generation of “green cars” with on-demand hydrogen production. The new car – called the Scorpion – is currently in pre-production and should be available to consumers this fall. It combines a lightweight hand-built carbon fibre body with a race car chromemoly chassis. The hydrogen delivery system with dual computer processor controls produces hydrogen on demand and in real time. Hydrogen is inducted through the air intake manifold and blended with gasoline at a ratio of 30-40% hydrogen. The fuel for this system is derived from fracturing water molecules drawn from a small on-board water tank, and does not require a high-pressure, on-board hydrogen storage tank or hydrogen fuelling station. More information: www.ronnmotors.com No42 July-August 2008 / JEC Composites Magazinehttp://www.rtpcompany.com http://www.ronnmotors.com