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COMPOSITE FORMATION BY HAND-LAYUP PROCESS

Technical Report · May 2022

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Muhammad Bilal
Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences
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COMPOSITE FORMATION
BY HAND-LAYUP
PROCESS

Submitted By: Muhammad Bilal

Reg No- 12-3-1-022

Bilal Sial
Bsmme1937@pieas.edu.pk
 Composite formation by Hand-layup Process

Abstract:
This lab report is about the formation of composite materials through hand layup process. Glass
fiber-reinforced material (30–45%-by volume) and a liquid thermosetting resin are
simultaneously applied to a male or female mold using a hand lay-up. The resulting part is
subsequently cured at room temperature or with the application of heat to accelerate the process
(dry composite). Utilizing this hand layup process we prepare a composite of fiber cloth and epoxy
and reinforced it with pieces of paper card.
Theory

Composite materials can be generally defined as a heterogeneous mixture of at least two different
materials in micro-scale, possessing new properties other than that of its constituents and usually
an almost homogeneous structure in macro-scale. The opportunity to combine this mixture of
properties brings about the most distinguishing feature of a composite material, which is the
possibility to tailor its properties according to the requirements of the desired application. In the
case of mechanical properties, it can be achieved by altering the type as well as the loading of
reinforcement(s), which is the load-bearing constituent of a composite, or by modifying the matrix
formulation, the binder constituent that holds the reinforcement together. Additionally, the
interaction between these two fundamental constituents also has an important effect on the
composite properties.
Reinforcement constituent of the composites is
usually in the form of fibers/fabrics or
particles/fillers. In the latter case, the final product
is named as particulate composite, which includes
usually micron-sized particles. In case the
reinforcement is a type of nanoparticle such as
carbon nanotube (CNT) or graphene as an outcome
of the developments in nanotechnology, the end
material is then named as nanocomposite. The
material in the first having fibers/fabrics as the
reinforcement constituent is named as fiber Fig-6.1- Show typical fiber reinforced
reinforced composite which are made by hand composite.
layup process consisting of fibers which are
surrounded well by the binding matrix laminate, which are stacked in through-the-thickness
direction, at the end forming a laminated composite structure, a layered product consisting of plies
of fibers embedded within the matrix as shown in fig 6.1.

Role of Fillers in Fiber Reinforced Composite:

Fillers have been mostly used to replace some portions of the expensive constituents in order to
reduce the cost of the material and also to improve some properties of the composite. Wood flour,
saw dust, and calcium carbonate are typical examples for fillers. In the meantime, it can also be

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 Composite formation by Hand-layup Process

the most expensive constituent within a fiber reinforced composite system. In the case of
composite fuselage of commercial aircrafts for example, particles that are of high toughness are
added to brittle matrix formulation to enhance mechanical properties. Besides, brittle particles are
also added to low-cost thermoplastic resins in order to stiffen up the properties of the composite.
Additives are used to add a desired function to the matrix such as color, fire retardance, UV
radiation protection, electrical conductivity, ease of removability from mold, etc. Fillers and
additives can also affect the mechanical properties of the composite, which made them to be also
considered as reinforcement material.
Microstructure of fiber reinforced composite:
The microstructure of fiber reinforced composite materials is composed of the fiber and the matrix,
which are the fundamental constituents of the composite, and additionally the interphase regions
as shown in fig-6.2. The interphase is defined as the region where the physical, mechanical,
and chemical properties differ from those of the original fiber and the matrix as a result of
thermal, chemical, and mechanical influences. Factors occurring within the interphase region
can be listed as variable crosslink density and molecular weight, trans crystallinity, impurities,
sizing’s, voids, fiber surface chemistry, fiber topography, and morphology.

Fig-6.2- Shows fiber reinforced composite product from macro-scale to micro-

scale with a focus on the interphase region.

Hand Layup Process:

Hand lay-up: manual laying of fiber-reinforced material and application of resin to mold
to build up the thickness. Hand or roller pressure removes any trapped air. Variations on
hand lay-up are:
➢ Vacuum bag molding: uses a rubber bag clamped over the mold. A vacuum is
applied between the mold and the bag to squeeze the resin/reinforcement together,
removing any trapped air. Curing performed in an oven.
➢ Pressure bag molding: as vacuum bag molding, but pressure is applied above the
bag. Can be used for thicker section parts.

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 Composite formation by Hand-layup Process

➢ Hand lay-up using sheet mold compounding (SMC): cured by heat and clamped if
necessary to further reduce air pockets.

Fig-6.3- Shows typical depiction of hand layup process.

Materials Required
Mold: Generally, a mold must be used for making parts using the lay-up process to place the layer
in or on in order to obtain the desired shape. However, in this lab, we will not use a mold, but
instead a tabletop to hold the flat shape of the layup.
Releasing agent: Prevents resin from sticking to the mold. In this experiment the tabletop will be
covered with plastic sheeting to act as the release agent. Some other release agents used in industry
are:
➢ Waxes
➢ spray releases
➢ release films
➢ internal releases (added to gel coat or resin system)

Resins: The resin acts as the matrix of the composite to ‘bind’ the composite materials together
and transfer the component stresses that may act on the part to the fibers in the composite. The
fibers are designed and selected to handle the designed stresses imposed. In this experiment a two-
part epoxy and hardener resin system will be used. Various speed (set up time) hardeners can be
used depending on the requirements of the job. Some resins commonly used in industry are:
➢ Unsaturated polyesters

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 Composite formation by Hand-layup Process

➢ Specialty and High-performance Thermosets (vinyl esters)

➢ Epoxies
Reinforcing Fibers: There are many different fibers that can be used to make up a composite and
each material can be obtained in different formats. Both of these variables are design optional that
are available according to the design constraints of the final product and make up a significant part
of the material selection process. In this experiment we use pieces of clothes and pieces of paper
cards as reinforcement fibers. Other reinforcing fibers includes:
➢ Different materials (Fiberglass, carbon fiber, aramid etc.)
➢ Different formats and chopped mat material (randomly oriented chopped fibers or swirled
continuous fibers)
➢ Woven fabric material – many different weaves and weave patterns can be used to yield
different desired finished properties.
➢ Different orientations and organization of the fibers on the woven fabric (Plain weave, satin
finish, twill etc.)
Experimental Procedure
1. Workstation preparation:
An initial preparation of all the materials and tools that are going to be used is a fundamental
standard procedure when working with composites. This is mainly because once the resin and the
hardener are mixed, the working time (prior to the resin mix gelling) is limited by the speed of the
hardener chemically reacting with the epoxy producing an exothermic reaction. Also, as part of
the initial preparation, the woven cloth must be cut according to the shape of the part.
2. Mold Preparation:
Before starting with the lay-up process an adequate mold preparation must be done. Mainly, this
preparation consists of cleaning the mold and applying a release agent in the surface of it to avoid
the resin to stick. In this experiment the mold preparation is simply taping the plastic sheeting to
the tabletop. Otherwise following steps are taken to clean the mold;
➢ Clean the mold with a clean cloth
➢ Apply and spread release agent in the surface of the mold
➢ Wait certain to set up the release agent
➢ Buff with clean cloth

3. Lay-up process:
The first step is to mix the resin and the hardener. The proportions are usually given by the supplier
and can be found on the containers of the hardener or resin. The mixing is performed in the mixing
containers with the mixing stick and should be done slowly so as to not entrain any excess air
bubbles in the resin. Be careful to mix completely and deliberately for a full two minutes before
applying. It is best to use a “flat” stick- such as tongue depressor; a round stick does not work well

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 Composite formation by Hand-layup Process

as it does not ‘paddle’ the mixture to blend it properly. Note: Plastic mixing containers may melt
during the exothermic reaction, so it is best to use containers that are specifically made for the
purpose of mixing epoxy resin. Next an adequate quantity of mixed resin & hardener is deposited
in the mold and a brush or roller is used to spread it around all surface along with pieces of paper
cards as reinforcement. It is important not to add too much resin, which will cause too thick of a
layer, nor to add less than the necessary amount, which will cause holes in the surface of the part
when it is cured. The first layer of fiber reinforcement is then laid. This layer must be wetted with
resin and then softly pressing using a brush or a roller make the resin that was added in the previous
step wick up through the fiberglass cloth. If the fiber is not completely wet, more resin can be
added over the top and spread around. At this stage a second layer of glass fiber (pieces of cloths
in our case) is added and special care must be taken to eliminate all air bubbles possible. This can
be accomplished by either rolling any air bubbles out with a small hand rolling tool or brushing
out the air bubbles with a paintbrush. This step is repeated until the desired thickness is obtained.
As the glass fiber layers are added to build laminates and total part thickness the individual layers
may be oriented at varying angles to accomplish specific strength in the direction of the
reinforcement weave- this is called ‘clocking’. Sometimes during the buildup of successive layers
of reinforcement a cover sheet of plastic can be temporarily put over the layup and rolled together
with the layers underneath to reduce the mess and squeeze out excess resin. It is important when
the proper amount of resin has been used for the layup that any excess resin in the cup is placed
on and in an area that does not have any flammable material, such as a concrete sink or slab.
4. Curing:
The part can be cured at elevated temperatures using an oven or at room temperature. Generally,
the proper curing time of each type of resin-hardener, as well as the working time, is given by the
supplier on the back of the containers. For the purposes of this experiment and using an epoxy
resin system, room temperature curing is adequate.
5. Cleaning:
Once that part is ready to be cured, it must be moved to appropriate place for curing. In this case
it can be moved to a curing oven or simply left to cure in place until the next day. Then a cleanup
must be done. All the materials used (brushes, rollers, mixing tools, scissor), including the table,
must be cleaned using acetone and cloth.
Discussion
The opportunity to select from a variety of reinforcement and matrix types allows the possibility
of tailoring the properties of produced composite materials yet in the design phase according to
the requirements of the desired application. Composite properties are estimated by the “fiber
volume fraction” (vf) definition, which is the ratio of the volume of fibers to the volume of matrix.
This is also named as “fiber loading level” and is also realized as weight fraction in practice.
Density, coefficient of thermal expansion, modulus of elasticity, shear modulus, Poisson’s ratio,
and tensile strength are the composite material properties that can be estimated by knowing the
fiber volume fraction and the same properties of each constituent. It is to be noted that although it
seems an easy method for making polymer composites a lot of parameters are needed to be

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 Composite formation by Hand-layup Process

checked. The amount and type of resin needed for the polymer layers to stick together is very
important. If resin is not strong enough the layers might separate after hardening process. It is also
necessary to eliminate any sort of air bubble in between the layers as it can lead to several defects.
If the coating is too thin, initiator and promoter dosage is inadequate and gel coat is uneven then
it can lead to corrugation of gel coat a wrinkle can be formed. If gel coat is too thick, too much
initiator and promoter are used and curing temperature is too high then chafing crack of gel
coat can happen. Uneven gel coat, local thickness of the product being too great, separating gel
coat from the mold when stripping is difficult and curvature radius too small around the corner can
lead to shrinkage defects. Defects like warpage and deformation can also happen due to thickness
of product being too thin, heat treatment being non uniform, premature release and incomplete
cure, excessive amount of initiator and promoter and thickness of product being uneven or
asymmetrical. So, it is necessary to set the parameters accordingly to get the good results.

Pieces of paper card as

reinforcement

Pieces of cloth as
laminate or sheet

Fig-6.4- Shows the final product of composite after hand layup process.

Applications:
Composites occur in nature. Plant and bone structures well-known examples. Wood is formed of
cellulose fibers bound by lignin while the bone has hydroxyapatite and collagen as its
constituents. On the other hand, man-made composites date back to early houses made of mud
and straw. Concrete, a mixture of aggregate, cement, and sand, is another example, which today
also has steel reinforcing bars as a constituent. Modern composites depict the usage of fiberglass,
which has glass fibers and polyester matrix as its constituents. This composite material has been
widely used in the production of boats, water tanks, early cars, etc. Today composites are used in
numerous fields such as energy, marine applications, sports, automotive, aerospace and
aeronautics, biomedical applications, civil engineering, military, and even music industry.
Examples in aeronautical applications can be the Airbus A380, which has 25% by weight of its
parts made of composites, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which has 50% composites by weight.
Conclusion
We successfully made the composite materials using simple layup process by utilizing fiber
cloth, paper card and epoxy. By utilizing the optimum process and its parameters we made a
composite which is assumed to be much harder, stiffer, stable, and denser.

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