Jimma university

Institute of technology
Department of material science and
engineering
Composite material assignment

Name Tewodros Kuma

Id no RU 0215/12
Hand Layup Process / Wet Layup Process
Hand lay-up technique is the simplest method of composite processing. The infrastructural requirement
for this method is also minimal. The processing steps are quite simple.

1) mold preparation: - A release gel (antiadhesive agent) is sprayed on the mold surface to avoid
the sticking of polymer to the surface. A thin plastic sheet is applied at the top and bottom¹ of
the mold plate to get a smooth surface of the product.
2) gel coating: - Reinforcement in the form of woven mats or chopped strand mats are cut as per
the mold size and placed at the surface of mold after.
3) lay-up: - Then thermosetting polymer in liquid form is mixed thoroughly in suitable proportion
with a prescribed hardener (curing agent) and poured onto the surface of mat already placed in
the mold. The polymer is uniformly spread with the help of brush
4) curing: - Second layer of mat is then placed on the polymer surface and a roller is moved with a
mild pressure on the mat-polymer layer to remove any air trapped as well as the excess polymer
present.

* The process is repeated for each layer of polymer and mat, till the required layers are stacked. After
curing either at room temperature or at some specific temperature, mold is opened and the developed
composite part is taken out and further processed.

* The hand lay-up is still the mostly used manufacturing technique with pre-pregs. It is based on the
superimposition of pre-impregnated laminas of thickness in the range 0.125 ÷ 0.30 mm
Advantages
Capital and infrastructural requirement is less as compared to other methods. Production rate is less
and high-volume fraction of reinforcement is difficult to achieve in the processed composites-process
The hand lay-up fabrication process is mainly used in marine and aerospace structures.

Disadvantages
There are several disadvantages of this method.

# The skills to laminate the reinforcement and matrix, such as resin mixing, laminate resin contents, and
the quality of the laminate, are crucial.

# The laminate is usually achieved with the incorporation of excessive quantities of voids.

#The lower molecular weights of the hand lay-up resins mean that they have the potential to be more
harmful than higher molecular weight products.

# The lower viscosity of the resins also implies that they have an increased tendency to penetrate
clothing.

#Resins need to be low in viscosity to be workable by hand.

# This usually compromises their mechanical/thermal properties, due to the need for high
diluent/styrene levels.

#The amount of fiber loading relies heavily on the processing method.

Spray Lay-Up technique

Spray-Up also known as chop method of creating fiberglass objects by spraying short strands of glass out
of a pneumatic gun. This method is used often when one side of the finished product is not seen, or
when large quantities of a product must be made cheaply and quickly without regards to
strength. Corvette fenders and boat dinghies are commonly manufactured this way

Similarly, to hand lay-up an operator applies the composite material into single-sided tooling and the
composite cures in atmospheric conditions, so it also has the advantage of low-cost tooling, can produce
large parts but has a long cycle time. This method differs to hand lay-up by the processor using a hand-
held gun to spray on a combination of thermoset resin and chopped fiber at the same time. The gun has
a feed of glass roving and resin. It chops the fibers, combines the fibers and resin together, and uses
compressed air to deposit the composite as a spray. This results in a high fiber deposition rate.

It is very different from the hand lay-up process. The difference comes from the application of
the fiber and resin material to the mold. Spray-up is an open-molding composites fabrication process
where resin and reinforcements are sprayed onto a reusable mold. The resin and glass may be applied
separately or simultaneously "chopped" in a combined stream from a chopper gun. Workers roll out the
spray-up to compact the laminate. Wood, foam, or other core material may then be added, and a
secondary spray-up layer embeds the core between the laminates. The part is then cured, cooled, and
removed from the mold.

The material applied using this method is formed of chopped fibers and is resin rich, so the resulting
composite has limited mechanical properties and weight saving. Caravan bodies and vehicle
aerodynamic panels are examples of the low-loading structures made using spray lay-up.

1) The mold is waxed and polished for easy removal

2) . The gelcoat (a smooth, hard polyester resin coating) is applied to the mold surface and is given
time to cure before re-applying. Usually, two coats of gelcoat are used. The barrier coat is
applied to avoid fiber print and a rough surface through the gel coat.
3) The barrier coat is cured in an oven and left to cool to room temperature. After curing, calcium
carbonate and aluminum trihydrate fillers are added using a high shear mixing unit.
4) A wax-like additive is added into the resin to reduce styrene discharge by 20% during lamination.
5) A fiberglass chopper is mounted on the spray gun.
6) The mixture of catalyst, resin and fiberglass is then sprayed evenly in a fan-like pattern to assure
even coverage.
7) A roller is used for compaction after each layer has been applied, this removes trapped air.
Where desirable, wood, foam, or honeycomb cores are embedded into the laminate to create a
sandwich structure. Corner and radius coverage is also checked. The part is cured in an oven and
left to cool to room temperature.
8) The mold is removed and is ready to be waxed and polished for the next manufacture cycle.
Finishing is done by trimming edges of excess fiberglass and drilling holes as needed. After the
part is assessed by quality control personal, it is weighed, structurally checked, and the surface
finish is inspected prior to packing and shipping.
Advantages
-It is a very economical process for making small to large parts.

-!!It utilizes low-cost tooling as well as low-cost material systems.

-It is suitable for small- to medium-volume parts

Disadvantages
It is not suitable for making parts that have high structural requirements.

It is difficult to control the fiber volume fraction as well as the thickness. These parameters highly
depend on operator skill.

Because of its open mold nature, styrene emission is a concern.

The process offers a good surface finish on one side and a rough surface finish on the other side.

The process is not suitable for parts where dimensional accuracy and process repeatability are prime
concerns. The spray-up process does not provide a good surface finish or dimensional control on both or
all the sides of the product

Filament winding
Filament winding is a fabrication technique mainly used for manufacturing open (cylinders) or closed
end structures (pressure vessels or tanks). This process involves winding filaments under tension over a
rotating mandrel.

The mandrel rotates around the spindle (Axis 1 or X: Spindle) while a delivery eye on a carriage (Axis 2 or
Y: Horizontal) traverses horizontally in line with the axis of the rotating mandrel, laying down fibers in
the desired pattern or angle to the rotational axis. The most common filaments are glass or carbon and
are impregnated with resin by passing through a bath as they are wound onto the mandrel. Once the
mandrel is completely covered to the desired thickness, the resin is cured.
often the mandrel is autoclaved or heated in an oven or rotated under radiant heaters until the part is
cured. Once the resin has cured, the mandrel is removed or extracted, leaving the hollow final product.
For some products such as gas bottles, the 'mandrel' is a permanent part of the finished product forming
a liner to prevent gas leakage or as a barrier to protect the composite from the fluid to be stored.

The process of Filament Winding;

1) Uses a continuous length of fiber strand / roving (Called Direct Single End Roving), or tape

2) Results in a shell of materials with a high strength-to-weight ratio due to the high percentage of glass
in the composite matrix (70-80%)

3) Patterns may be longitudinal, circumferential, helical or polar

4) Mostly requires thermal curing of workpieces

Filament winding processes can be either Continuous or Discontinuous type.

Continuous winding processes are used to manufacture low pressure, small to very large diameter pipes
continuously on a mandrel formed out of an endless band (commonly known as the Drostholm
Process).

Discontinuous winding process is used to manufacture high pressure parts, pipes, pressure vessels and
complex components.

The disadvantages of filament winding are styrene emission is toxic to workers, The process is limited to
convex-shaped components. Fiber cannot easily be laid exactly along the length of a component.
Mandrel costs for large components can be high. The external surface of the component is unmolded.
Advantages are the most important one is filament-winding is its low cost, which is less than the prepreg
cost for most composites. The reduced costs are possible in filament-winding because a relatively
expensive fiber can be combined with an inexpensive resin to yield a relatively inexpensive composite.

Pultrusion
Pultrusion is a continuous process for manufacture of fiber-reinforced plastics with constant cross-
section. In the standard pultrusion process the reinforcement materials like fibers or woven or braided
strands are impregnated with resin, possibly followed by a separate preforming system, and pulled
through a heated stationary die where the resin undergoes polymerization.

Diagram of the pultrusion process.

Diagram of the pultrusion process.

1.Continuous roll of reinforced fibers/woven fiber mat

2.Tension roller

3.Resin impregnator

4.Resin-soaked fiber

5.Die and heat source

6.Pull mechanism

7.Finished hardened fiber reinforced polymer

Advantages include

✓ Light-weight.

✓ Excellent corrosion and rot resistance.

✓ Non-conductive of electricity.

✓ Greater uniformity of products of the same type.

✓ Extremely low number of manufacturing defects in products.

The disadvantages include

▪ the process is limited to constant or near constant cross-section components,

▪ costs for heated dies can be high.

Typical applications include beams and girders used in roof structures, bridges, ladders and frameworks.

Bag molding
Bag molding is a method of fabricating thermoset plastic materials into a variety of durable reinforced
components, a process that relies mostly on manual control. involves placing a specialized bag over
a plastic workpiece while it is inside a mold cavity, applying vacuum or compressed air pressure around
the bag Rollers squeeze out air pockets as pressure is directed against the bag, and often heat is
introduced to aid in the process. The bag itself is usually an impermeable and flexible cover made of
parting film or an elastomeric material.

Process

1.Mold Preparation

In a standard bag molding process, the elastic bag covers the plastic material within the mold cavity.
However, before this can occur, the mold itself must be cleaned, pre-treated, and sealed along the
edges. The mold is usually coated with a releasing agent and a gel lubricant, although molds featuring a
single curve can sometimes be treated with a plastic film instead. A reinforcing layer of glass fiber can be
inserted to provide smoother surface quality, although the key reinforcement is usually a preform
composed of a glass thread mat. This preform is shaped to size before being placed into the mold along
with any other necessary reinforcing agents or additives.
2.Bagging and Molding

After the mold has been prepared for bagging and the glass fiber reinforcements have been positioned,
the actual fabrication process is ready to begin. In a standard bag molding procedure, the following
equipment is usually required to perform the manual stages of the operation:

• Metal rollers in both paddle and disc configurations for flattening trapped air

• Laminating rollers with long hair or short hair bristles for applying bonding resins and gel coatings

• Brush cleaners and brush replacements

• Laminating and coating brushes

A liquid catalyzed resin compound that includes pigments, dyes, and other additives is typically
dispensed over the mold reinforcement. The entire mixture is then covered with an impermeable bag,
while operators apply serrated hand-rollers to create a uniform distribution of resin under the bag’s
surface. Manual rolling also helps ensure that the reinforcement is properly bonded with the resin,
without any air pockets that may cause the molded product to degrade. This resin-reinforcement bond
is crucial for effective bag molding.

3. Inserts and Curing

Depending on the application requirements, additional materials, such as wood or foam, may be added
to the reinforcement. Likewise, metal inserts or support components may also be included, as they can
be wholly incorporated within the resin-reinforcement bond. The entire unit is then transported to a
different area for curing, which can be accelerated through the use of oven or infrared heating. Once
cured, the solidified product is then ejected from the mold or the mold is dismantled around it. The
product may then undergo further shaping or finishing treatments before being ready for use.

Bag Molding Benefits and Disadvantages

Bag molding can provide a high level of versatility in component design and lamination. Part of this is
due to the precision and close thickness tolerance achievable through bag molding. Employing different
types of resin compounds and reinforcements can also impart particular physical properties on the
molding, allowing for a wide range of component characteristics. Bag molding also relies on relatively
inexpensive material, and its tooling and machining costs tend to be low. However, the reliance on
operator skill can be one of the process’s main disadvantages. Proper training and adherence to safety
regulations are important, but even minor human errors can result in faulty moldings. Inspection and
quality control can also be challenging, as the reliance on individual laminators and hand-rolling
naturally results in small inconsistencies between production runs. Finally, the process is a relatively
slow one and may require high labor costs.

Vacuum bag molding

Vacuum bag molding is the primary composite manufacturing process for producing laminated
structures. It is common in the aerospace industry.

Process

It utilizes a flexible film to enclose the part and seal it from the outside air. The vacuum bag material is
accessible in a tube shape or a sheet of material. Then, a vacuum is drawn on the vacuum bag, and
atmospheric pressure compresses the part during the cure. When a tube-shaped bag is used, the entire
part can be enclosed within the bag. When utilizing sheet bagging materials, the edges of the vacuum
bag are sealed against the edges of the mold surface to enclose the part against an air-tight mold. When
bagged in this way, the lower mold is a rigid structure and the upper surface of the part is formed by the
flexible membrane vacuum bag. The flexible membrane can be a reusable silicone material or an
extruded polymer film. A vacuum is drawn on the part (and held) during cure after sealing the part
inside the vacuum bag. This process can be fulfilled at either ambient or elevated temperature with
ambient atmospheric pressure acting upon the vacuum bag. A vacuum pump is used usually to draw a
vacuum. A cost-effective method of drawing a vacuum is with a venturi vacuum and air compressor.

Vacuum bag it is built of strong rubber-coated fabric or a polymer film used to compress the part during
cure or hardening. In some purposes, the bag encloses the entire material, or in other purposes,
a mold is used to form one face of the laminate with the bag being a single layer to seal to the outer
edge of the mold face. When using a tube-shaped bag, the ends of the bag are sealed and the air is
drawn out of the bag through a nipple using a vacuum pump. Consequently, uniform pressure
approaching one atmosphere is applied to the surfaces of the object inside the bag, holding parts
together while the adhesive cures. The whole bag may be put in a temperature-controlled oven, oil bath
or water bath and gently heated to accelerate curing.

Vacuum bagging is used broadly in the composites industry as well. Carbon fiber fabric and fiberglass,
along with epoxies and resins are popular materials laminated together with a vacuum bag operation.

Advantage
Vacuum bag molding improves the mechanical properties of open-mold laminates. This process can
produce laminates with a uniform degree of consolidation, while at the same time removing entrapped
air, thus reducing the finished void content.

Disadvantage
Applied vacuum pressure then removes excess resin; however, the amount removed will depend on
multiple different and critical variables that may be hard to control. Removing excess resin, which was
first brought in, is a clear waste of money and resources.

Compression molding
Compression molding is a method of molding in which the molding material, generally preheated, is first
placed in an open, heated mold cavity. The mold is closed with a top force or plug member, pressure is
applied to force the material into contact with all mold areas, while heat and pressure are maintained
until the molding material has cured; this process is known as compression molding method and in case
of rubber it is also known as Vulcanisation. The process employs thermosetting resins in a partially cured
stage, either in the form of granules, putty-like masses, or preforms.
In compression molding there are six important considerations that an engineer should bear in mind:

❖ Determining the proper amount of material.

❖ Determining the minimum amount of energy required to heat the material.

❖ Determining the minimum time required to heat the material.

❖ Determining the appropriate heating technique.

❖ Predicting the required force, to ensure that shot attains the proper shape.

❖ Designing the mold for rapid cooling after the material has been compressed into the mold.

Compression molding is a forming process in which a plastic material is placed directly into a heated
metal mold then is softened by the heat and therefore forced to conform to the shape of the mold, as
the mold closes. Once molding is completed excess Flash may be removed. Typically, compression
molding machines open along a vertical axis

Advantages of Compression Molding

It is a simpler process. ...It is great for producing large items and thicker parts. ...It can be a good choice
for insert molding and multi color molding. ...It is cost-effective for short production runs. ...It has slower
processing times. ...It is not suitable for all complex designs.

Disadvantage of compression molding

It has slower processing times. Compared to injection molding, compression molding requires more time
to bring materials to cured state. These slower processing times can affect production rates and costs in
higher volume projects

Resin transfer molding

Resin transfer molding is a process for producing high performance composite components. It is a
process using a rigid two-sided mold set those forms both surfaces of the panel. Usually, the mold is
formed from aluminum or steel, but sometimes composite molds are used. The two sides fit together to
make a mold cavity. The distinctive feature of resin transfer molding is that the reinforcement materials
are placed into this cavity, and before the introduction of the matrix material, the mold set is closed.
Resin transfer molding involves numerous varieties which differ in the mechanics of how the resin is
introduced to the reinforcement in the mold cavity. These variations include everything from the RTM
methods used in out of autoclave composite manufacturing for high-tech aerospace components to
vacuum infusion (for resin infusion see also boat building) to vacuum assisted resin transfer molding
(VARTM). This method can be done at either ambient or elevated temperature and is suitable for
manufacturing high-performance composite components in medium volumes (1,000s to 10,000s of
parts).

Advantages of the resin transfer molding process include:

I. As a closed mold process,

II. emissions are lower than open mold processes such as spray up or hand layup.

III. The mold surface can produce a high-quality finish (like those on an automobile).

disadvantages

1. High production volumes required to offset high tooling costs compared to the open molding
techniques.

2. Reinforcement materials are limited due to the flow and resin saturation of the fibers

Reference
I. Wikipedia

II. www.Sciencedirect.com

III. www.Researchgate.com

IV. www.Tandfonline.com

V. www.Thomasnet.com

VI. www.Unicomposites.com