Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Engine Pulley Cover

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic21889.aspx

By Shane1985 - 8/29/2016 11:24:53 AM

Hi guys,

Planning to make a pulley cover then it dawned on me that I have to take temperature in to consideration.

I am planning to make the part using the Epoxy resin infusion process at about 3-4mm thickness finished with a couple of coats of clear coat.

I know cambelt covers can get quite hot, so am I okay using this process to make the part? 

I don't have an oven yet and don't plan to until I am more experienced.

Cheers guys

Shane 
By Hanaldo - 9/4/2016 6:29:55 AM

The only real 'limit' is in terms of exotherm, which then depends on your resin. That's also very thick solid laminate. 

In this case there is no real limit, it's just unnecessary. Of course if you have a part that absolutely needs to be 4mm for fitment reasons then you need to make the part 4mm. But the advantage of composite parts is you can be selective. If you have a mating surface that needs to be 4mm, you can make that section 4mm but the rest of the part can still be 1mm.

Really it just takes a lot of material to make a 3-4mm part. If it doesn't need to be that thickness for fitment reasons, and it is only a cosmetic part, then it's just a waste to make it so thick.