ACP Composites

ACP Composites is a composite manufacturer in Livermore, California, that designs and builds custom sandwich panels, laminates, tubes, rods and formed structures for aerospace and other demanding industries. The company began in 1985 as Aerospace Composite Products, founded by George and Barbara Sparr in a Connecticut basement, and later moved to California.

Products and manufacturing

• Custom sandwich panels, laminates, tubes and rods, plus formed structures and assemblies
• Build to print work, prototyping, tooling, mold and part fabrication
• Autoclave, oven and press curing, from small runs to larger-scale production
• In-stock composite materials sold online, including prepregs, fabrics, core materials and vacuum bagging supplies

Aerospace work

• UAV and drone parts: bodies and frames, panel covers, payload housings and mounting systems
• Launch vehicle parts such as nose cones, raceway covers and chute components
• Satellite bus panels, payload structures and experiment enclosures

Value-added services

• CNC and 5-axis machining before and after production
• Ply cutting, finishing, assembly and kitting
• Material sourcing and prepreg freezer storage
• Design consultation and analysis with engineer-to-engineer collaboration

Facilities

• 33,000 sq ft production facility plus a retail warehouse that ships materials worldwide
• Autoclaves up to 5 ft diameter by 25 ft, rated to 100 PSI and 350 degrees F
• Walk-in oven, heated laminating press and temperature-controlled layup rooms
• Computerized ply cutter, CMS Ares 5-axis machining centre and CNC routers
• ROMER arm, coordinate measuring machine and X-ray inspection cabinet

Quality and approvals

• AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certified, and ITAR registered
• First article inspection reports, CMM reports and certificates of conformance
• Process traceability, documented inspection plans and NIST certified calibration

Company facts

• Founded in 1985 as Aerospace Composite Products and now trading as ACP Composites, Inc.
• Family owned and run, with two locations in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Also serves recreational, medical, industrial and education customers