Reigniting the Canadian Composites Manufacturing Industry Will You Be Prepared?
In a time of uncertainty for the Canadian Composites Manufacturing industry, one thing is certain: knowledgeable and experienced engineers will be needed to facilitate regrowth of the industry. To support this, the CKN, in partnership with SAMPE Canada, is hosting a 12-part webinar series on composite materials engineering.
This series is intended for junior to senior engineers that are looking to obtain a solid background in the fundamentals of composites to help make both engineering and business decisions. After completing this series, participants will have the skills to identity suitable applications for composites, select materials and processes, estimate composite mechanical properties, and identify appropriate testing procedures.
This series is taught by Casey Keulen, PhD, PEng, Instructor of Materials Engineering at the University of British Columbia.
This series is complimentary and is funded by the CKN.
WEBINAR REGISTRATION
Session 1: Introduction (May 6, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/102205062092
The first session will be an introduction to what composite materials are. It will give an overview of common applications, and discuss challenges and success stories. The latter half of the session will provide an overview of the remainder of webinar series.
Session 2: Constituent Materials: Fiber (May 20, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103007219366
Composites are made up of two separate and distinct materials referred to as constituent materials. In this session we will focus on commonly used fiber reinforcement materials such as carbon fiber, glass fiber and aramid (Kevlar) fiber. Examples of typical applications will be presented along with information on selecting the right fiber for a specific application.
Session 3: Constituent Materials: Resin (June 3, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103007590476
Composites are made up of two separate and distinct materials referred to as constituent materials. In this session we will focus on commonly used polymer matrix materials such as epoxy, polyester, and PEEK. Both thermoset and thermoplastic materials will be discussed. Examples of typical applications will be presented along with information on selecting the right resin for your application.
Session 4: Thermal Management and Resin Cure (June 17, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103007785058
Thermal management involves heat transfer into and out of the composite material during the curing/forming process. In this session we will look at factors affecting heat transfer, how to control them, and how to simulate the thermal management of a process.
Session 5: Manufacturing Processes: Introduction (July 8, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103007935508
This session will provide an introduction and overview of common manufacturing processes. Examples of when and where these processes are applicable will be given with an emphasis on how to select the right process for your application.
Session 6: Manufacturing Processes: Prepreg Processing (July 22, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103010338696
Prepreg materials are composed of fiber and partially cured resin that is combined at a specific, tightly controlled ratio. It is the most common form of material used in aerospace. This session will go into more detail on prepreg materials and the processes used to manufacture parts with them.
Session 7: Manufacturing Processes: Liquid Composite Moulding (August 5, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103010515224
Liquid composite moulding is a family of processes that involve saturating dry fiber reinforcement with a pressure differential in the mould. Common processes include vacuum infusion (vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM)), resin transfer moulding (RTM), and light resin transfer moulding (LRTM). This session will layout the fundamental differences in the aforementioned processes, and when and where each process is applicable. We will then introduce resin flow theory based on Darcy’s law and a procedure for process design.
Session 8: Mechanics of Composites Part 1: Lamina Level (September 2, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103010633578
In this session we will introduce the basics of calculating the mechanical properties of a composite material. We will introduce and define a lamina, a single ply of composite material. Then we will go into micro-mechanics, which is used to predict basic mechanical properties. With that groundwork set, we will introduce Hooke’s law for orthotropic materials and how a lamina reacts to loading from different directions/fiber orientations.
Session 9: Mechanics of Composites Part 2: Laminate Level (September 16, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103013235360
In this session we will build on what was introduced at the lamina level in the last session and build it up to a full lamina. We will introduce laminated beams and plates, including laminate plate theory and the [ABD] matrix.
Session 10: Failure of Composites (September 30, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103013337666
Building on Sessions 8 and 9, this session will go into both the analytical and practical aspects of failure. Stress analysis and failure theories will be introduced. Failure modes will be discussed and demonstrated with micro and macroscopic images of actual failure on a laminate level.
Session 11: Defects (October 14, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103013349702
Defects in composite materials are a major concern. They typically occur during processing and often become the limiting factor of a part’s performance. In this session we will introduce and classify various types of defects, then go into more detail on common defects such as thermal issues during cure, dimensional control, porosity, and fiber misalignment.
Session 12: Testing (October 28, 2020 @ 9:00 am PST)
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/103013365750
Given the wide variety of constituent materials, processing methods, and configurations, testing composites is critical. This session introduces the common methods of destructive and non-destructive testing and how to navigate through the myriad options.
Hosted in partnership with:
