PRACTICE 1: HAND LAY-UP MOLDING METHOD

Juan Arturo García Moreno (1791641), Dilan Israel Gonzalez Camacho (1664576), Ana Paola Cerda
Treviño (1798043) Rodrigo Rivera García (1658076), Ricardo David Duarte Acosta (1889197)
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Ingeniería en Aeronáutica, Materiales
Compuestos y Laboratorio I.
Dr. Ulises Matías García Pérez, Martes, 201, N1.

OBJECTIVE type of manufacturing, and it is said that the

The objective of this practice is to know the process
of manufacturing a composite material, in this case
when using carbon fiber as the reinforcement, and a
polymeric matrix, with the hand lay-up molding
method.
ABSTRACT
By using the method of hand lay-up a composite
material with a carbon fiber and a polymeric matrix
was manufactured. In the theoretical framework
important concepts of the used method, advantages
and disadvantages are presented. The methodology
followed to manufacture the composite material by
the hand lay-up method is explained.
I. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Hand lay-up is known to be the simplest and oldest
open molding method for fabricating composites [1].
At first, dry fibers that have been woven are manually
placed in the mold, and using a brush the resin matrix
is applied on the reinforcing material.
Generally speaking, this process can be divided into
four steps: mold preparation, gel coating, lay-up, and
curing.
Figure 1. Hand lay-up method.
Advantages:
2.1. Materials and equipment
● It can produce large and complex products. The materials used for the manufacturing of the
● It is a relatively simple process. composite material were:
● The investment in equipment as well as the
manufacturing cost can be quite affordable
sometimes, yet this depends directly in the
hand-lay up is one of the most affordable in
the current market.
● A wide range of different reinforcements can
be used, as well as many different methods.
● The start-up wait time and cost are not high.
● Design changes are easily executed.
● In-mold grafts and structural reinforcements
are possible.
● Sandwich constructions are possible with this
system.
● The required workers are semi-skilled and
training is minimal.
● Products with higher fiber content and longer
fibers than with the spray molding method.
Disadvantages:
● Quality depends largely on the skills of the
molder (fiber content, uniform thickness
throughout the part, etc., which determines the
final properties of the part).
● The pieces have a single smooth face that
reproduce the surface of the mold.
● The proportion of fibers that can be
incorporated is limited.
● Excessively long cycles.
● Even when having a thorough application,
sometimes the finished piece can have
irregularities that could cause it to
malfunction.
II. EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT
As the manufacturing process begins, the first step
was cleaning the workspace with the use of ethyl
alcohol. This first step was very important in order
to ensure that the environment where we worked
was free of dust particles, which compromise the
structure of the composite material.
● Resin and Hardener EPOLAM 2500
● Bidirectional Carbon fiber
● Release agent (teflon), also as an alternative
 option is used “Liquid Wax Mold Release”
● Ethyl alcohol
● Scissors and rule
● Dispensable glasses
● Plastic spatula
● Mold prepared with the release agent.
● Degasser
● Mixer
2.1.0. Protection equipment
As for protection equipment that was a must for this
practice we had both security glasses and latex gloves,
these to protect the direct contact of the Resin and
Hardener to the skin and to the eyes, because it could
be abrasive to them. Also it was necessary to wear a
lab coat to protect our clothes from contact to the
substances to be used.
2.2. Calculations
First, we obtained the Fiber Weight Fraction:
W f = W eight of f iber/Composite W eight
W f = 48.71 gr/98.38 gr
W f = 0.495
Then, by knowing that the total composite weight
fraction represents 1, we could obtain the Matrix
Weight Fraction:
W c = W f + W m , therefore
Wm = Wc − Wf
W m = 1 − 0.495
W c = 0.505
And just as a final calculation, we could determine the
quantity of Matrix in grams that we used on the
composite material:
W eight of M atrix = (0.505)(98.38 grams)
W eight of the M atrix = 49.681 grams
2.3. Quantities of reagents
Matrix (Resin): 49.681 grams
Reinforcement (Carbon Fiber, bidirectional plane
wave): 48.71 grams in 4 layers.
Composite Material (Total weight) = 98.38 grams
2.4. Experimental conditions
● Mixing of the resin and hardener carried out at
room temperature.
● Degassing the matrix mixture on a vacuum
catalyst
● Molding and curing of the composite material
at room temperature.
2.5. Methodology
a. To start, we used the ethyl alcohol to clean the
workspace and eliminate all the possible
contaminants for our composite material. It’s
important to remember from the beginning
that gloves, coat and security glasses are
mandatory.
b. Continuing, we started to measure the carbon
fiber the dimensions we were looking for were
20*30 cm per layer, after it was measured and
marked we cut the layers until we had 4, then
we put it on the weighing machine(48.71 gr).
c. As for the next step, we put the dispensable
glass on the weighing machine just to be clear
of the net quantity of resin and hardener we
were going to pour on it, based on the
calculations.
d. Once we had the resin and the hardener, they
were mixed for a total of 5 minutes, with a
mixer stick or a tongue depressor.
e. As the mix process finished we used the
degasser to extract the gas of the mixture,
which took 10 minutes. After this time passed
we took out the epoxy resin and cleaned the
mold with ethyl alcohol, in order to start the
Hand Lay-Up process.
f. Using the aluminum mold, we added a teflon
layer, the initial step of the hand layup was to
put a first dose of the epoxy resin to place our
first layer of the Reinforcer helping us with the
plastic spatula to disperse the resin.
g. After we dispersed the first portion of the resin
we put a quantity equivalent to one quarter of
the material we had placed and repeated the
process with the plastic spatula. It is very
important to remember that the motion of the
spatula must be moved completely on the axis
of “Y” and “X”, not in an inclined motion.
This part was repeated until we were certain
that the Reinforcer was completely
impregnated with the resin.
h. Once the first layer was fully impregnated
with resin we placed the second layup of
Reinforcer and added another portion of
Matrix and repeated the process with the
spatula. We had to be careful because in this
procedure some fibers of the reinforcer could
start separating, we needed to remove them
very carefully.
i. When we finished impregnating the 4 layers of
 resin, we had to retrieve the excess matrix by
concentrating it on the center and using the
spatula to remove it and pour it on to the
dispensable glass.
j. The curing time was almost the final step, and
it depended on the manufacturer’s
specifications. In our case we had to let the
composite material cure for 24 hours at room
temperature.
k. After the 24 hours concluded, came the
Figure 3. Composite material (top view).
moment of removal from the mold.
The easiness of this part depended on us
having placed the release agent correctly and if The composite material was obtained by following the
methodology step by step, the final structure was built
we maintained the clean parameters. To end
the process we weighted the composite in the used mold, resin was applied on it and then the
material (98.38 gr). first layer, then resin and another layer, these steps
were repeated until the four layers of carbon fiber
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION were placed.
By using the hand lay-up method to manufacture the
It is essential to measure the sheets of carbon fiber so
composite material with four carbon fiber layers and epoxy that they are all the same size and obtain a uniform
resin, a bidirectional 0/90 laminate was obtained. In the final product, but in this method it can be noted that
next table are presented the results from the calculation some fibers can be detached when applying the resin.
process to determine the mass fractions corresponding to With the quantities used of epoxy resin is important to
each component of the composite material. effectuate the required calculations, since since
absence or excess of the matrix in the composite
Weight Weight Percentage material influences the final properties, the excess or
Fraction of material absence would mean that the resin would not interact
adequately or in the desired way with the
Epoxy resin 49.681 g 0.505 50.5 % reinforcement fibers, and the composite material
would not consolidate properly, that is the reason to
Carbon fiber 48.71 g 0.495 49.5 % distribute the epoxy resin between each layer in the
Composite 98.38 g 1 100 %
best possible manner. In this case, an excess was
removed at the end, also the edges of the material
were cutted in order to avoid detachment of fibers and
The mixture of both components results in the so that the material has a better finish.
composite material, for this case the percentage of
epoxy resin is higher than carbon fibers in the
material, however is a very small difference. IV. CONCLUSION
In this practice it was possible to manufacture a
In figures 2 and 3, the final product of the elaborated carbon fiber laminate as a composite material,
composite material with bidirectional carbon fibers as
using the hand lay-up molding method with carbon
reinforcement and epoxy resin as polymeric matrix, is fiber layers as reinforcement and an epoxy resin
shown. matrix, it can be said that the objective of the
practice was achieved. When using this method,
even if it is the simplest, it is necessary to calculate
the exact quantities of each component so the
composite has the desired properties.
In short, the reinforcing material is manually placed
in the open mold after a quantity of resin has been
poured, and manually, with a spatula or roller, the
resin is spread throughout the mold, soaking the
fibers, and finally the step hardening follows before
Figure 2. Composite material (bottom view). mold release.
As a general way, we can conclude that for this %mm = [(46.67)(100)]/98.38
lamination process, as expected, we were able to %mm = 50.48%
know by means of the formulas both those of grams
of polymer, those of hardener and those of resin the
exact grams that were needed to be able to use it in pm= 1.21 g/cm^3
our fiber reinforcement. carbon with this manual pf = 1.79 g/cm^3
technique, this is how the data was expected to
behave throughout the calculations considering as Vm= mm / pm= 49.7 g/ 1.21 g/cm^3 = 41 cm^3
mentioned before the difference between the vf= mf/pf=48.71 g/ 1.79 g/cm^3 = 27.21 cm^3
theoretical grams and the practical grams given that
it is impossible to contemplate the small loss of
grams of resin that are left over because the Vc= Vf+Vm
process, being manual, is not 100% perfect when it Vc= (41+27.21) cm^3 = 68.21 cm^3
comes to extending it along the fibers, also
considering the loss of resin that is inside the plastic %vf= 27.21 cm^3(100)/68.21 cm^3 = 39.89%
bottle, which is a waste of our polymeric matrix as %vm= 41 cm^3 (100) / 68.21 cm^3 = 60.10 %
well. As it could be observed throughout the
practice, the lower part of the plate does not cover
perfectly nor is the fiber covered by human error on 4. Based on the epoxy matrix used in practice, state
the 4 edges of the laminate. the monomer: hardener ratio that should have been
used to prepare the polymer.
V. QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Describe the basic characteristics of the carbon Mixing ratio by weight:
fiber used as a reinforcing agent in the 100:22
manufacture of the laminate by the manual method.
Mixing ratio by volume
Sandwich constructions are possible with this 100: 29
method, products with higher fiber content and
longer fibers can be used than with the spray
molding method. 5. Based on the epoxy matrix used in practice,
present and describe the polymerization reaction of
2. Mention the basic characteristics of the epoxy
resin used as a matrix in the manufacture of the the matrix.
laminate by the manual method. Primary amines undergo an additional reaction with
It influences the tensile and flexural mechanical the epoxide group to form a hydroxyl group and a
properties, but is very important for the shear secondary amine. The secondary amine can further
react with an epoxide to form a tertiary amine and an
mechanical properties, and the compression
mechanical properties. On the other hand, it also additional hydroxyl group.
influences the manufacturing conditions (viscosity,
melting point, curing temperature).
3. From the experimental data describe the
methodology to calculate the mass and volume
fraction of a composite material.
mc=mf+mm
mc= 98.38 g
mf = 48.71 g
mm= (98.38 - 48.71) g
mm= 49.67 g

%mf = [(48.71)(100)]/98.38
%mf = 49.51 %
6. Write down the nomenclature of the laminate
manufactured by the manual method.

Laminate Nomenclature Number Description

of layers

Four 0°/90°
(0/90) 4 bidirectional
layers.
0°/90°, 0°/90°,
0°/90°, 0°/90° or 4 or

Symmetry of
two 0°/90°
(0/90) 2S bidirectional
layers.

VI. REFERENCES
1. M. Jawaid, M. Thariq. “Sustainable
Composites for Aerospace
Applications”a volume in the
Woodhead Publishing Series in
Composites Science and Engineering.
Elsevier Ltd., 2018.
2. Anónimo. (2011). Moldeo manual de
materiales compuestos (hand lay-up).
28 de Febrero del 2021, de Tecnologías
de los plásticos Blog dedicado a los
materiales plásticos, características,
usos, fabricación, procesos de
transformación y reciclado
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moldeo%20o%20laminaci%C3%B3n%
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3. https://compositesuk.co.uk/composite-mater
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4. http://compositeslab.com/composites-manuf
acturing-processes/open-molding/hand-lay-
up/ (Consulted: 28/02/2021)