Chapter 2

Manufacturing of Composites

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 Manufacturing Processes
Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites
Pressure
Hand layup molding
vacuum bagging (compression
molding)

Resin infusion
Prepreg
VARTM

Automated tape
Autoclave
laying

Filament
Pultrusion
winding
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 Building Composite Parts
• Composite parts are built by laying up multiple plies (layers) using
molds (or tools) then cured under heat and pressure

• There are numerous methods

for fabricating composite
components. Some methods
have been borrowed (injection
molding, for example), but
many were developed to meet
specific design or
manufacturing challenges.

• Selection of a method for a

particular part, therefore, will
depend on the materials, the
part design and end-use or
application.
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 Composite manufacturing methods
1. Hand layup (wet layup)- with or without vacuum (vacuum
bagging)
2. Resin infusion (Resin Transfer Molding RTM)
3. Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer molding (VARTM)
4. Autoclave
5. Prepreg forming
6. Filament winding
7. Heated press (pressure molding)
8. Pultrusion
9. Spray method
10. Sheet molding and bulk molding
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 1. Hand Layup (Wet Layup)
• Manual layup: A process wherein the application of resin and reinforcement is
done by hand onto a suitable mold surface. The resulting laminate is allowed
to cure in place without further treatment
• We can arrange the fibers, usually as a fabric, in the mold ( or on a flat plate)
and then pour on the resin.
• Typically the resin is a two part formulation (resin+curing agent) that, once
mixed reacts in a fixed time.
• In order to make the lightest part with the necessary strength, we must
control the amount of resin we use on the part (using certain weight percent
or volume percent).

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 1. Hand Layup (Wet Layup)
The process includes:
1) Laying the fabric in the mold
2) Saturating the fabric with mixed liquid resin
3) Working the resin into the fabric so that it conforms to the mold (
spreading the resin by a roller or a squeegee)
4) Adding another ply of fabric
5) Repeat the application of resin and working as above
6) Continue until all the plies are in place, excess resin has been worked to
the edges, and the composite conforms to the mold
7) Other setup components such as the peel ply, porous release, breather,
vacuum bag film, vacuum port and sealant tape are used.
8) If the process include vacuum bagging, a vacuum pump will be used
9) The curing process of the resin mixture in the fibers depends on many
factors such as time, pressure and temperature. The curing information
will be provided by the manufacturer

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Manufacturing Processes- Hand Layup (Wet
layup) with Vacuum Bagging

Vacuum pump with

vacuum regulator
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 Molds can be in different shapes and sizes!

https://www.pcminnovation.com/en/industr
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
ial-molds-for-composite/
 1. Hand Layup (Wet Layup)Vacuum Bagging
Advantages
1. Simple setup
2. Low cost method (good quality for
the cost)
3. Any fiber/matrix combination
4. The ability of fabricating different
shapes and wide range of products

Disadvantages
1. can’t be heated up to much
2. Time consuming and slow speed
process
3. Sometimes, inconsistency may
occur in the final product
4. Low pressure ( 1 bar =760 mm-Hg
the most)
5. Air bubbles might emerge in the
final product
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
Wet layup
from
Joramco

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 Automated Lay Up
The layup process can be done automatically to speed up the process, to
increase the productivity, and to manufacture very large parts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl2xVPVif0w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK4gMDduHg
A
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 Automated Lay Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QefahsmfH8Q&fbclid=IwAR2QztxFdr7JyWjnT0lrTJsR6XwDVCCFGa3mBPYr5S7Yg1W8icmks8kuOdY

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 2. Resin Infusion (Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer
Molding VARTM)
• Vacuum resin infusion is similar to wet lay up except that the fabric is laid
out in the mold, the part is vacuum bagged, and resin is pulled into the
bag and through the fabric by a vacuum pump.
• No hands will be used to apply the resin.
• The resin will flow under the effect of the vacuum like sucking through a
straw.
• Similar setup to the wet layup will be used except using two ports, one for
the vacuum and the other to supply the resin (feeder)

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

VARTM

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 Release agent

https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=yTsXKGUdtCE

https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=mbrq2fDN8bA

Watch the video

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 Vacuum Resin Infusion (Resin Transfer Molding RTM)
 Advantages
• Components will have good surface finish on both sides
• Uniformity of thickness and fiber loading, uniform shrinkage
• Inserts may be incorporated into moldings
• Negligible air bubbles-Low resultant voids
• Ability to produce near net shape moldings
• Process can be automated, resulting in higher production rates
• Ability to mould complex structural and hollow shapes
• Ability to achieve from 0.5mm to 90mm laminate thickness
(uniform thickness)
• Accurate fiber management is achievable

 Disadvantages
• waste some material (spill)
• curing time long
• hard for intricate parts
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 3. Prepreg
• Prepreg is the name given to composite reinforcement materials, such as carbon
fiber, that have been preimpregnated with activated resin. The resin system used is
almost exclusively epoxy resin, which has already been mixed with its hardener at
the manufacturing stage, before being impregnated into the dry reinforcement
fabric to make the ‘prepreg’ reinforcement.

• In wet layup it is very hard to control the amount of resin. This problem may be
addressed by impregnating fabric with a pre-mixed resin. This “prepreg” material is
held at low temperatures to retard the curing process.

• The prepreg sheets or tape are laid into the mold, and heated to cure.
• The most common way to make a composite part from prepreg reinforcement is to
layer the uncured prepreg reinforcement into a mould, vacuum bag the mould and
laminate and then cure it in an autoclave or an oven.

• Although autoclaves are beyond the budget of individuals and most small
businesses, curing prepregs in an oven, known as ‘out-of-autoclave’ or ‘oven-only’
curing, is a very effective and accessible way to use prepreg technology that almost
anyone can use.
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 3. Prepreg
Shelf-Life and Out-Life
Special formulation of the epoxy ensures that at ambient
temperature the curing process is incredibly slow (often
several weeks) and that at freezing temperatures (typically -
20°C) the process is halted almost completely. The amount
of time the resin system can spend at room temperature
before noticeable partial curing of the resin takes place is
known as the material’s ‘out life’ whilst the time that the
prepreg can be stored in the freezer and remain useable
when thawed-out is known as its ‘freezer life’ or ‘shelf-life'.

Handling Prepreg
At room temperature, prepreg resin systems have such a https://www.youtube.com/wa
high viscosity that, even though they are made of uncured tch?v=Vay1Rb_80Cc
resin, they can easily be handled. Such is the firmness of
prepreg resin systems when they are handled that prepreg
carbon fibre is sometimes referred to as ‘dry carbon’;
although as descriptions go, this one is particularly https://pcbboardassembly.co
confusing. m/all-about-pcb-prepreg/

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 PrePreg Lay Up
• Advantages:
1. orientation of fibers can
be changed
2. consistent
3. high productivity

Disadvantages:
1. limited shelf life
2. Special storage
environmental conditions
are required
3. delamination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ1
YvKxgb4M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9
YM3sA0PQ0
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 4. Autoclaves cure
 Uses elevated pressure and temperature to
consolidate plastic and fibers into a solid structure
 Various range of sizes
 Small Laboratory Prototype models
 Aircraft and Large Application models

 Used for high-performance parts with the highest

strength-to-weight ratios
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfLefsJR_QQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wy8L6PHAkU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAclREh1Ofg

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 Prepreg in autoclave

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmxGyALQQF4

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 5. Filament Winding
Filament winding is a fabrication technique for manufacturing composite
material, usually in the form of cylindrical structures

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 5. Filament Winders
• Is a fabrication technique for manufacturing cylindrical composite
structures.
• The process involves winding filaments under varying amounts of
tension over a male mould or mandrel.
• The mandrel rotates while a carriage moves horizontally, laying down
fibers in the desired pattern.
• The most common filaments are carbon or glass fiber and are coated
with synthetic resin as they are wound (the fibers are impregnated in
resin before being wound) .
• Once the mandrel is completely covered to the desired thickness, the
mandrel is placed in an oven to solidify (set) the resin.
• Once the resin has cured, the mandrel is removed, leaving the hollow
final product.
• Sometimes inflatable mandrel are used to ease releasing the final
product Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 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
• Light poles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ign6W5ENJAA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sET6cQcciM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A3vaJaNDLY&t=211s
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZwvRRoR1xw
Filament winding products

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 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).
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 6. Pressure molding

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j8kB9FsFhA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o97q-2oDPfQ
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 Pressure molding
• Advantages:
– wide range of shapes
– integrate parts
– consistency
– structural stability
– 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

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

7. Pultrusion

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

 7. Pultrusion

(Pultrusion die)

Fiber feed

Resin impregnation (b)

Pulling mechanism
Examples of parts made by
pultrusion. The major components
of fiberglass ladders (used
https://youtu.be/LKe8g9oyhl0 especially by electricians) are made
by this process. Unlike aluminum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnH_VoekyDY ladders, they are available in
different colors but are heavier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MoHNZB5b_Y because of the presence of glass
fibers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxWtzlitq1A
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 Pultrusion
• Advantages:
– Automated processes.
– High speed.
– Versatile cross-sectional shape.
– Continuous reinforcement.

• Disadvantages:
– Die can be easily messed up.
– Expensive die.
– Mainly thermoset matrix.

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

Composite lab at RJ

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Consumables

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Production Characteristics of Molding Methods

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
 Useful links
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM4ubbGWWGU

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsMM3Z3GeX0

• http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/Miscellaneous/How_T
o_Resources/Fiberglass_Mold_Making_an_Intr/fiberglas
s_mold_making_an_introduction_to_plugs.html

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWUxhC6-q0c
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo3mp7wlZ9g
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd1dkrX8JFU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM4CT-T2y3k
Dr. Nisrin Abdelal
End of Chapter 2

Dr. Nisrin Abdelal