Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Fabrication of templates

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic3038.aspx

By svedberg - 10/9/2012 1:17:02 PM

Hi all!

I'm curious to know your best tips on the subject of making templates for the different pieces/panels of fabric used in a complicated (i.e. heavily double curved) mould?

I am in the process right now, using newspaper pages as the starting material, then proceeding with heavier florr protection paper as I' getting closerto the correct shape of each "panel" piece.

The actual GF/CF/Kevlar fabrics to be used when the real layup begins have of course very different draping properties than paper; is there a nice easy way to account for this in the making of templates? (the paper needs  more cuts in it to properly accept the shape of the mould).

Would using cheap  (similar weight) GF fabric for final try out of the shape of the templates in the mould be a good idea? I'd hate to find my CF/Kevlar cut into less than ideal shapes when layup time comes.

Thanks a lot!

/Lasse
By baja_patient - 10/9/2012 8:32:11 PM

Ahh... I see, I read this post after your other reply. If it is such a complex mould, and you wish to use honeycomb straight away, I think you are looking at a VERY difficult and messy process. I would suggest using soric core and vacuum infusion technology. 

Matt and others should chime in by tomorrow.