AIM

Composite materials inherently contain defects, which introduce variability and often restrict their mechanical properties. Among these defects, porosity is one of the most prevalent and can negatively affect both the structural integrity and aesthetics of the material. The presence and extent of porosity are largely determined by processing parameters. Previously, we presented a comprehensive list ... Read more

Defects are inherent in composite materials. They are a source of variability and often become the limiting factor of mechanical properties. Porosity is one of the most common defects found in composite materials. It can compromise the structural integrity and negatively affect aesthetics. It’s presence and extent are a direct outcome of processing parameters. In ... Read more

Pultrusion is an automated composite manufacturing process allowing the continuous production of constant cross-section beams. Pultrusion has been successfully used in the industry with thermoset polymers. The pultrusion of thermoplastic polymer composites, however, has not reached the same level of industrial penetration. This is mostly due to the high viscosity of melted thermoplastic polymers that ... Read more

High-fidelity prediction of the performance of composite structures is helpful for product development and is used increasingly more often by industry. The type of manufacturing process and process conditions will influence the material microstructure and induce defects, which will ultimately impact part performance. Liquid composite molding processes utilizing dry reinforcement fabrics and snap-cure liquid resins ... Read more

There are many approaches used to develop products. Products made from composite materials, however, are unique in that processing has a great effect on the outcome. This webinar will introduce the Knowledge in Practice Centre’s (KPC's) approach to composite product development. The development process for composites is an iterative cycle that requires careful consideration of ... Read more

Sandwich structures (aka sandwich panels) find themselves in a wide variety of applications. Properties such light weight, high stiffness and energy absorption are some of their more notable qualities. This webinar is an introduction to the materials and manufacturing processes of sandwich structures. Elements such as core, face sheets, and adhesives used to produce sandwich ... Read more

Many of our previous webinars have introduced knowledge, theories, and background information on composite materials. How do we put these into practice and use them to make engineering decisions to obtain our desired outcome? In this webinar we will take a thorough look at a case study on the optimization of a thermoset prepreg press ... Read more

When fabricating a composite structure, subcomponents need to be assembled. For conventional thermoset composites, this is done using adhesive bonding or mechanical fastening. In the case of thermoplastic composites, welding, also called fusion bonding, can be used as a joining method. Welding offers several advantages over the other joining methods as it is a fast ... Read more

Thermoplastic composites offer several advantages over the more conventional thermoset matrix composites such as better toughness and impact resistance, unlimited shelf life, good solvent resistance, potential for low processing time and recyclability. However, thermoplastic composites also present a number of challenges like higher processing costs caused by their processing conditions. This webinar serves as an ... Read more

Heat transfer during composites processing is an important mechanism to understand as it greatly influences the thermal history and in turn outcome (material properties) of a composite part. It is important to understand that the temperature setting on the equipment is not necessarily the temperature that the part sees. In this webinar we will look ... Read more

The motivation to achieve a ‘proper cure’ seems obvious/intuitive but what really happens if we don’t cure a thermoset composite properly? How does the degree of cure affect the mechanical properties of the material? How does the degree of cure affect the material’s ability to stand up to ‘hot’ conditions and/or ‘wet’ conditions? In the ... Read more

The motivation to achieve a ‘proper cure’ seems obvious or intuitive but what really happens if we don’t cure a thermoset composite properly? How does the degree of cure affect the mechanical properties of the material? How does the degree of cure affect the material’s ability to stand up to ‘hot’ conditions and/or ‘wet’ conditions? ... Read more