Hi EC,

After doing my infusion practice for over than 2 years, I loved to hear from you about what I need to do to having my first touch on pre-preg composites manufacture. would you please make a price list about the equipment of pre-preg (autoclaved/composites oven, pre-preg, storage chamber, etc". autoclaved seems like a spooky price tag, could we subtitute the fuction with curing oven?

Hope hear from you

Leon

Hi Leon,

Thanks for your post. Actually, I'm working on a tutorial at the moment to show and explain exactly how to do out-of-autoclave pre-preg at the moment. I've written the text and taken the photos (a video will follow in the near future) so I think my guide will be a good starting point for you. Providing you follow out instructions and you use the special Easy-Preg Surfacing prepreg then an autoclave (which would be £60,000+) is not necessary and a simple oven and vacuum pump can be used to make incredible prepreg carbon fibre parts.

The list of materials and equipment you actually need is very small and hopefuly this guide will make that clear. The total list of what anyone would need to make professional quality out-of-autoclave pre-preg carbon fibre parts is:

EQUIPMENT:
Composites Vacuum Pump
Through Bag Connector + 1/4 Turn Valve + 8mm Hosetail Barb
Silicone Vacuum Hose
Curing Oven
An oven of any description that can safely maintain 100'C. The oven needs a small hole in the side/back to pass the vacuum hose through.

BAGGING CONSUMABLES:
Vacuum Bagging Film
Unperforated Release Film
Breather Cloth
Vacuum Bagging Gum Tape

MATERIALS:
Easy-Preg 240g Surfacing Prepreg
Vari-Preg 400g Backing Prepreg
Easy-Lease Chemical Release Agent

I've attached a really early draft of the tutorial to this post. Once the guide is finished (with the pictures and the text checked and formatted) I will create a new topic in the 'Advanced Tutorials' section to share it with everyone. Have a read through and if you (or anyone else) has any questions at this stage then I can address them/clarify in the guide before I publish it.

I look forward to hearing what you think.

--Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales

Matt,

Hi Matthieu,

Thanks for the feedback. I've fixed the typo and spent the day adding in all of the photographs to the guide. There are lots of detailed photos in there now so it should be much easier to follow. I've updated the link on the original post so if you download that you'll get the new full version of the guide.

Answers to your questions:

- How long does it takes to have the prepreg from freezer temp to room temperature?

For a small amount (1-2m) it would only take a few hours. For a full roll (like the master rolls we're cutting from) it can take 24hrs.

- I'm using maguire mirror glaze high temp mould release, would this be suitable for prepreg?

Personally, I wouldn't recommend it. Even wax listed as 'High Temperature' is not really that high temperature and I don't know anyone using traditional wax of any kind for prepregs. It's chemical release agents (like Easy-Lease) all the way.

Enjoy the guide!

Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales

Hi Matt,

Hi Leon,

You're welcome.

A well insulated oven that can reach and maintain 100'C will only consume a small amount of energy. Our 2m x 3m x 1m oven is heated using only 1kw of heating power and of course this is the potential power of the heating elements and not a constant draw. Insulation is the key to low power consumption. You can cook a turkey with a lightbulb in a well insulated box, as has been showed in many science lectures!

I'm afraid I can't give you any specific advice on the construction of a curing oven but if you have a budget in the region of £8,000 then I think I can direct you towards many existing suppliers who have new industrial ovens for less money than this.

As for the Easy-Lease; I'm sure we can find a solution to this.

--Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales

Hi Matt,