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ASC 2017 Conference – 32nd Annual Technical Conference at Purdue University

By Navid Zobeiry, Communications Editor, American Society for Composites, Last updated: April 18, 2025

The 32nd Annual Technical Conference of the American Society for Composites (ASC) was held from October 23–25, 2017, at Purdue University’s Stewart Center in West Lafayette, Indiana. The conference was chaired by Dr. R. Byron Pipes (Purdue University), Dr. Wenbin Yu, and Dr. Johnathan Goodsell, all from the Composites Manufacturing and Simulation Center (CMSC) at Purdue University. The event brought together leading researchers, industry experts, and students to discuss the latest advances in composite materials and structures.

The conference featured a diverse range of topics across composite research and applications, including crack propagation and delamination, additive manufacturing of composites, progressive failure modeling, multiscale simulation, impact and ballistic performance, nanocomposites, fatigue life prediction, advanced manufacturing processes like high-pressure resin transfer molding and VARTM, multifunctional materials and sensors, damage detection techniques, and machine learning approaches for material behavior characterization. Advances in micromechanics, environmental durability, hybrid and recycled composites, and the integration of simulation-driven design tools were also prominently featured.

For more details, you can access the full conference program below:

Plenary and Invited Highlights

  • Professor J.N. Reddy (Texas A&M University) – “On Non-local and Non-classical Continuum Mechanics Theories and Applications”
  • Professor R. Byron Pipes (Purdue University) – Luncheon Talk on advancing composites manufacturing and simulation through the cdmHUB initiative
  • Dr. Bruce Engelmann (CTO, Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA) – “Advances in Multiphysics Simulation and Materials-Driven Design”
  • Professor Kara Peters (National Science Foundation) – Luncheon Talk: “Overview of the Mechanics of Materials and Structures (MoMS) Program”
  • Professor Jan-Anders E. Mansson (Purdue University) – Banquet Keynote: “Chasing the Limits with Composites”
  • Professor Wing Kam Liu (Northwestern University) – “Simulation-Driven Multiscale Engineering for Materials and Additive Manufacturing”

Special Activities

In addition to technical sessions, the conference included a student simulation code competition and 20 student travel awards, a conference banquet celebrating achievements in composites research, and facility tours of Purdue’s Composites Manufacturing and Simulation Center (CMSC). A notable highlight was the Granta Design Workshop held during the conference, offering attendees practical training on material data management and simulation-driven design for composites.

By the Numbers

  • Over 200 technical presentations
  • 5 plenary and keynote lectures
  • Multiple technical sessions across major composite themes
  • 1 conference banquet and awards ceremony
  • Facility tours and Granta Design Workshop

Sponsors and Support

  • Purdue University
  • Composites Manufacturing and Simulation Center (CMSC)
  • Composites Design and Manufacturing HUB (cdmHUB)
  • Granta Design
  • NAFEMS
  • Teledyne Scientific & Imaging
  • AnalySwift
  • Moldex3D
  • ROCCOR
  • DEStech Publications
  • Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA
  • Convergent Manufacturing Technologies (COMPRO)
  • e-Xstream Engineering (Digimat)
  • Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI)
  • Illinois Rocstar

Organizing Committee

  • Conference Chairs: Dr. R. Byron Pipes, Dr. Wenbin Yu, Dr. Johnathan Goodsell, CMSC, Purdue University