Carbon Fiber Compression Molding

Typical reinforcements are carbon and glass chopped fiber.

Carbon fiber compression molding. Prepreg preforms for compression molding high volume prepreg preform manufacture has begun with hexcel leading the way. Twill weave carbon fiber fabric. Another common woven carbon fiber is a 1x1 also known as a plain weave pictured. Carbon fiber gear stealth 2 0 pen with plain weave carbon fiber.

Wet compression molding however does not use prefabricated sheets of resin thermoplastic polymer combined with discontinuous fibers but instead begins with dry continuous reinforcements and liquid resin. Compression molding offers an alternative to machining and hand lay up for complex geometry components. Wet molding s resurgence began with its use by bmw to produce multiple carbon fiber reinforced plastic cfrp. According to the astm d3039 test standard 25 each tensile test sample was prepared into a.

Prepreg preform manufacture used to be considered a labor intensive manual and time consuming process. This type of molding process is an appropriate fabrication system for producing uniform quantities of complex high strength composite structures of carbon fiber aramid fiber or fiberglass. Compression molding is used for high volume production is capable of detailed complex shapes and eliminates the need to use secondary parts in. Compression molding allows for the manufacturing of intricate components with features such as holes that would otherwise have to be machined post mold.

For these reasons general dynamics and parkway investigated compression molding a process specialty for parkway for more than five decades using lytex 4149 engineered structural composite a carbon fiber reinforced structural grade epoxy sheet molding compound smc previously developed by quantum composites inc. Compression molding uses sheet molding compound smc bulk molding compound bmc or carbon fiber in a thermoset process to produce a greater strength to weight ratio over steel and aluminum parts. The carbon fiber broad after compression molding. Compression molding offers both cost and weight savings by allowing complex composite parts to be fabricated in high volumes with short cycle times.

Ms 4h is a 25 4 mm 1 carbon fiber epoxy resin compression molding system using high strength standard modulus hs carbon fiber. Characterization and testing.