Composite Manufacturing

Ir. Mohammad Rais Alfiansyah Taufiq, S.T., M.Sc.

Composites

• Made of two or more materials

• Differ to alloys, still can differentiate each materials
• Generally consist of reinforcement and matrix
• Combining excellent property of each materials to produce
new materials
Composite Manufacturing Processes
 Thermoset composites
Short fiber reinforced
Continuous fiber reinforced
 Prepreg
 resin transfer

 Thermoplastic composites
Commingle
Impregnated
Composite Manufacturing
Processes
 Processes:

 Hand Lay-up
 Pre-preg forming
 Pressure molding
 Vacuum bagging
 Filament winding
Composite Manufacturing
Processes
 Processes:

 Pultrusion

Spray method
 Sheet molding
Bulk molding
Resintransfer
molding
Hand lay-
up
Hand lay-up

 Advantages:

low cost tools

 versatile: wide range of products
 Disadvantages:

 time consuming
easy to form air bubbles and disorientation of fibers
 inconsistency
Prepreg
forming
 Advantages:

 orientation of fibers can be changed

 consistent

 high productivity
 Disadvantages:

 continuous process needs more customers

 limited shelf life
 delamination
Pressure molding
 Advantages:
wide range of shapes
integrate parts
consistency
stability
 structural

relatively simple

 Disadvantages:
high cost of machine
time consuming to heat up, cool down and curing
expensive molds (strong materials required)
no intricate parts
large volume of products
Vacuum
bagging
 Process
Vacuum bagging
 Advantages:
simple design
any fiber/matrix combination
ok with cheap mold material
better quality for the cost

 Disadvantages:
cannot be heated up too much
breeder clothe has to be replaced frequently
low pressure (760 mm Hg the most)
slowest speed
inconsistency
Filament winding
Filament winding products
 Compressed air tanks
 High-pressure CO2 tanks and bottles
 Water softener systems
 Rescue air tanks
Sail boat masts
 Compressed Natural Gas tanks
 Defense/Aerospace systems
 Lightpoles
Filament winding
 Advantages:
 using existing textile processes.
 quick, easy to handle package.

 parts can have huge size.

 Disadvantages:
 spinning speed is limited due to resin penetration
and splashing, traveler speed and yarn breakage.
 curing by heat is not easy to apply.
 shape of the products limited (only cylindrical
possible).
Pultrusion
Pultrusion
 Advantages:
 Automated processes.
 High speed.
 Versatile cross-sectional shape.
 Continuous reinforcement.
 Disadvantages:
Die can be easily messed up.
Expensive die.
Mainly thermoset matrix.
Spray
method
Spray method
 Advantages:
 Continuous process
Any materials can be used as mold.

 Error can be corrected by re-spraying.

 Disadvantages:
Slow.

 inconsistency.

 No control of fiber orientation.

 Only one side finished.

 Environmental unfriendly.
Sheet
molding
Sheet molding

 Advantages
 Highproductivity thus
inexpensive
 consistency

 Disadvantages
low volume fraction.
 Only board can be made.
Bulk
molding
 Bulk molding

 Advantages
 Highest volume fraction for short fiber reinforced composites
(50%)
 Good mechanical properties

 Finish can be applied

 Inserts and attachments possible

 Disadvantages
 Hightemperature and high pressure
 Random fiber orientation

 Cannot be used for intricate parts

Resin transfer
molding

http://www.plastech.co.uk/Mtrtm.html
Resin transfer molding
 Advantages
 Components will have good surface finish on both sides
 Selective reinforcement and accurate fiber management is achievable
 Ability to build-in fiber volume fraction loadings up to 65%
 Uniformity of thickness and fiber loading, uniform shrinkage
 Inserts may be incorporated into moldings
 Tooling costs comparatively low
 Uses only low pressure injection
 Low volatile emission during processing
 Ability to produce near net shape moldings
 Process can be automated, resulting in higher production rates
 Ability to mould complex structural and hollow shapes
 Low resultant voids
 Ability to achieve from 0.5mm to 90mm laminate thickness
 Disadvantages
 waste some material (spill)
 curing time long
 hard for intricate parts