Composite Materials Engineering 12-Part Webinar Series

The first session is an introduction to what composite materials are. It gives an overview of common applications, and discusses challenges and success stories. The latter half of the session provides an overview of the remainder of webinar series. 

Composites are made up of two separate and distinct materials referred to as constituent materials. In this session we focus on commonly used fiber reinforcement materials such as carbon fiber, glass fiber and aramid (Kevlar) fiber. Examples of typical applications are presented along with information on selecting the right fiber for a specific application.  

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.  

Thermal management involves heat transfer into and out of the composite material during the curing/forming process. In this session we look at factors affecting heat transfer, how to control them, and how to simulate the thermal management of a process.

This session provides an introduction and overview of common manufacturing processes. Examples of when and where these processes are applicable are given with an emphasis on how to select the right process for your application. 

This session provides an introduction and overview of 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 goes into more detail on prepreg materials and the processes used to manufacture parts with them.     

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 lays out the fundamental differences in the aforementioned processes, and when and where each process is applicable. We then introduce resin flow theory based on Darcy’s law and a procedure for process design.     

In this session we introduce the basics of calculating the mechanical properties of a composite material. We introduce and define a lamina, a single ply of composite material. Then we go into micro-mechanics, which is used to predict basic mechanical properties. With that groundwork set, we introduce Hooke’s law for orthotropic materials and how a lamina reacts to loading from different directions/fiber orientations.    

In this session we build on what was introduced at the lamina level in the last session and build it up to a full lamina. We introduce laminated beams and plates, including laminate plate theory and the [ABD] matrix.

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.

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 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.

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.