Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Pre Preg Oven

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic36866.aspx

By Castle Works Motorsports - 5/27/2020 1:41:33 PM

Hi,
I am new to  carbon fiber parts, but want to give it a try and start with some small parts.
I am comfortable creating 3D parts in CAD, I have CNC mills and able to create molds.

I would like to try some prepreg  parts but unsure about  what to use when it comes to an oven.  Can you simple use a conventional kitchen oven (assuming vacuum could be plumbed into it). What problems would I encounter?

If  a conventional oven cannot be used, what do most use starting out?  I would prefer not to invest in the cost of an oven specifically designed for curing CF parts until I know this is sometime I would like to do more of.

Thanks,
Kevin
By Steve Broad - 5/30/2020 5:29:43 PM

 
Hanaldo - 5/29/2020 10:22:38 AM
Yeh, night shift brain. Mine works the same. No idea what I was thinking when I wrote that haha.

Although what I said is true if you are using On/Off mode rather than Program mode. So sometimes, like when I'm doing roll wrapped tube, I don't need a ramp and just go straight to final cure temp. And in this case, the element gets full power with no ramp. So it is still important that the area around the element can handle radiant temps of 300°+, in case you mess up and forget to put it in Prog, etc.

Glad that it isn't just me with one of those brains :-)

Haven't tried On/Off mode yet.
I have surrounded the rear and sides of the heating element with and old car exhaust shield designed to survive 900 deg C plus so it should be OK.