Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Woven cloth with compression mould

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic40474.aspx

By JonS - 7/1/2022 1:50:46 PM

Hi,

Just wondering if there's a reason most compression mould tutorials use chopped tow and not woven cloth. Is there a reason the cloth doesn't work in a compression mould?

Cheers,
Jon
By SleepingAwake - 7/4/2022 3:01:33 PM

I've done that quite a few times. Or a mix with fabric and chopped fibres. As the other said before me I'd use it only for parts where you don't push the drapability of the fabric too much and the draft angles are not to steep. Also I generally leave the mould open on the sides and the fabric overhangs the part, then I'll trimm it after laminating. This will give a much nicer result over trying to fit an exactly cut fabric patch into the mould without fraying.

Pro tip is to leave some registration marks in the printed mould so you can locate it in a known position on a CNC and then just cut the part out after laminating. works a treat.