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V O L . X X I I I N O. I V F E B R UA R Y 2 0 , 2 0 1 7 18 T E C H N O L O G Y F O C U S More recently, Custom Composite is work- ing with the Solar Vehicle Energy Team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to create molds for a car that will race in the 2017 Formula Sun Grand Prix. e team is student-run and designs, builds and races solar cars. Custom Composite makes the tooling for the vehicles designed by the team, MIT student Michelle Chao writes in a testimonial to Maureen Hassett. So far MIT has had three sets of molds made for three of its solar cars. "Each time we have been very satisfi ed with the accuracy and craftsmanship," Chao writes, adding that Steve's advice to increase the bonding area for the cars' structural panels made the attachment stronger and more reliable. "His nickname is MacGyver because he gets things done," says Maureen. She says the company also develops a lot of proto- types so customers can prepare for volume production. Competition for Custom Composite includes smaller shops still focused on boats, but mostly companies on the West Coast that do similar types of mold-making. Lightweight is the trend Steve grew up on Cousins Island and says he caught the boating bug early. He learned to build wooden boats in Eastport, but also learned about using com- posites, which for boats include carbon fi ber, Kevlar and fi berglass. Diff erent fi bers can be sandwiched to make diff erent core materials, he says. Call us today! Helping businesses stay competitive with specialized employment services • Temporary, Temp-to-Hire, and Direct-Hire • Skilled Trades • Flagging, Construction, Light Industrial, General Labor • Administrative, Finance/ Accounting, General Office • Safety/Worksite Services 1-800-639-8802 mainestaff.com Direct Personnel / Project Staffing / Project Staffing / / Project Flagging / Project Flagging / Let us go to work for you! » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E 3. Two students work on their car for the MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team. CCTI builds the fi berglass mold from the students' design and provides leadership support as the students build the actual car. The material to fabricate the car is a prepreg carbon fi ber, which is cured in an oven. 4. A fi nished car in 2014. 1. To build this mast mold, two separate sections were fi rst CNC machined, then laid up with carbon fi ber and vacuum infused with epoxy resin before being bonded together. 2. For Oracle Team USA's America's Cup yacht, Custom Composite Technologies produced a mold for the high-tech wing mast system. 1 2 3 4 P H O T O S / C O U R T E S Y C U S T O M C O M P O S I T E T E C H N O L O G I E S I N C .