By StickyFingers - 7/3/2020 11:35:42 AM
Hello Everyone!
Great to see this forum. There are lots of good posts and helpful people, encouraging to see!
I'm new to the forum but have 20 years with composites.
I'm about to build a vacuum table for curing pre-preg parts.Usually cured around 90 degrees.
The table will be about 9m x 4m. Steel frame with composite top
I was planning on a 8/10mm solid carbon top. I'm starting to think a cored panel would be better, stiffer and flatter. My concern is thermal insulation.
Does anyone have experience building a vac table of this size and use?
Any thoughts and help would really be appreciated.
Have a great weekend.
Thanks
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By explorecomposites - 7/4/2020 11:48:57 PM
Glad you like the EC! project - still baby steps but its been fun so far and I'm learning tons!
The balsa is strange because you'd think it would behave badly - and it is tough to control moisture in infusions compared to foam - but once laminated it seems to be pretty stable. It won't take 200C but for the under 100-110C range is seems pretty good. Plenty of people who know more than me choose it! Using a high Tg resin like the Gurit T-prime or similar is a good idea - and giving it a good post-cure on the mold to at least to 50 or 60C. The skins need to be thick enough to handle use - at least 2 or 3 mm. And you want the densest balsa you can get.
I did have issues with unsupported post-cure and warping with one table but it was more of an uneven heating issue - ended up crowned by 1-2mm which was a bummer! I'd also recommend making the flanges around the edge as deep as possible - I learned that 50mm is not enough! 100 would be better. You're in bigger table territory then I ever got - I hope it goes well. Would be interested to learn what you decide to do core-wise and how it comes out!
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