THE USE OF THERMAL EXPANSION CORES FOR NON-AUTOCLAVE PROCESSING OF PRE-PREG MATERIALS

Presented by Mark Crouchen Rockwood Composites Ltd Tel 01626 240026

What is a Pre-preg?
Pre-preg is a the name used where high performance fibres are pre-

impregnated with a suitable resin system prior to the moulding process.

Pre-preg materials have a range of quality attributes which allows the

moulding process to produce quality composite structures

To turn a pre-preg into a component requires the correct application of heat

and pressure for the appropriate time.

The heat allows the resin system to cure The pressure consolidates the plies of pre-preg removing excess resin and

entrapped air to achieve the desired thickness and volume fraction.

Manufacture methods using pre-pregs include: Vacuum bag moulding,

Autoclave Moulding, and Press moulding (bladder and compression).

Principles of the using thermal expanding cores to consolidate pre-preg materials.

Consolidation pressure on the pre-preg is achieved through

the differential expansion of materials.

Tools usually hard tooling of steel or aluminium, heated in

platen press or with integral heating

Pressurising core material may be made of silicon rubber

(200E-6), aluminium (23E-6), nylon (80E-6), PTFE (135E-6) or any other materials that have a large thermal expansion coefficient to the parent tool.
As the tool heats up and expands so does the core but at a

greater rate, this generates a pressure within the closed tool which consolidates the pre-preg material.
During cooling, the core shrinks away from the moulded part

The process.
Hard tooling is required Platen press processing, or stand alone tools. The process is closely associated to pressure bag

moulding, where only one tooled surface is required.

Can be used within a compression moulded part (however

care must be taken when softer core materials are being used)
Generally the cores are small in section, due to the high

forces that can be generated. Larger tools often require means of restricting the thermal expansion of the core.
Multiple cores can be used to good advantage in parts with

complex internal cavities.

Advantages of thermal expansion processing

Can generate high pressure (over 100psi)

Can be used with complex components.

Can produce a good non tooled surface. Can be a very cheap production method. Usually a very robust and consistent production method.

Due to its solid nature an expanding core can be used to lay-up on. (This is

difficult on a soft pressure bag) Elastomeric cores can be removed through opening much smaller than the core in its relaxed state.

Silicon rubber core manufacture

A silicon rubber core can be moulded in the

production mould tool after off setting the tool surface to compensate for the unconsolidated composite thickness, installation clearance and the intended moulding pressure often achieved by laying wax sheet in the tool to the correct thickness.
Mixing of the 2 part RTV silicon material Degassing the mixed silicon (entrapped air bubbles

change the bulk modulus and expansion coefficient)

Pour into mould cavity and allow to cure.

Typical component manufacture using silicon rubber cores in a compression moulded pre-preg component

Component has a central compression moulding foam core (shown white), hard extractable mandrel to form close tolerance slide-ways and silicon rubber core to form internal cavities along the length of the part

PTFE cores
PTFE cores can provide a tooled surface to the

core cavity
PTFE cores do not have the inherent flexibility of a

silicon cores and therefore impose restrictions on the cavity form

PTFE cores may require internal heating

(oil or electrical heating) to achieve fast thermal expansion

Can be machined with conventional engineering

processes

Typical Applications
Missile structures Aircraft interior parts Aerospace & Defence Engine components

Industrial
Sorting goods Medical Where ever composites are being applied

Conclusion - thermal expansion cores in non-autoclave processing

High quality parts can be made (i.e. low voids, good Volume

Fraction (Vf), good fibre orientation, low crimp etc)

Low capital investment for tooling and processing equipment Process is suitable for many component shapes, Suitable for rapid manufacture in small to medium volume. Diverse composite resin systems can be used (Phenolic, Epoxy,

BMI, Cyanate Ester and VTM resins )

Time from tool design to finished tool is very quick using CAD

CAM and standard engineering processes.

Can be used in stand alone dedicated tooling with integral

heating systems or platen press processing.

Any Questions ?