I am manufacturing composite sandwich panels for floor and firewall panels in a Formula Student race car.

Does anybody know if Nomex can be laser cut so i can accurately cut my core to size. This will also help more more accurately position aluminium inserts for mounting.

I've never done it myself but I've heard of it being laser cut.  Unless it's very dense honeycomb, a razor knife might be better.  Honeycomb edges aren't super rugged - they paper just pushes/collapses - so it may not give you the kind of tight fit for an insert you'd get with foam.  It is also common practice to insert foam or taper back to solid laminate around a metal insert or fastener hole in honeycomb core.    

Easy on a bandsaw

Is anybody aware if Nomex is safe to laser cut, so long as i have adequate ventilation in the machine?

There is no mention in the MSDS or TDS.

What shape is your insert ?
How thicks your core ?
What grade is it ?

+x

 

f1rob - 12/22/2019 2:05:34 PM

What shape is your insert ?
How thicks your core ?
What grade is it ?

My inserts are circular (Al 2024)
I plan on using 10mm and 5mm Nomex (different pannels require different thicknesses)

I know I can cut it manually and drill out the wholes for the inserts but I was hoping Laser cutting was a feasible option that I can just chuck the Nomex in and cut it all out quickly and far more accurately. I'm wanting to achieve an accuracy of +/- 1mm.

I would just like to know if it:
a) safe to laser cut
b) possible to laser cut

Dont know what happened to my last post but let's try again. 
Would be a lot better to have hex or square inserts they have a lot less chance of turning while being drilled/tapped.
If you want the job to be 100% mark up your mould with the insert positions an drill 3mm holes through your mould,add 3mm drill bushes to the back of your mould if you want to be really pro.
Lay your 1st skins in the mould an debulk
Then your film glue an debulk
Drill through the hole and dowl it with either ptfe, nylon or carbon dowel.
Ptfe is fit and forget, the nylon an carbon needs super lube or if you do fit drill bushes to your mould,once its cured you can just drill the dowel out.
When you 1st fit the dowel leave it long,your inserts should have a 3.1mm centre hole drilled through them
Position them on the dowels on top of the core an use as a template to cut round ( be careful not cut your bottom skins).
If you dont want to drill your mould lay your bottom skins an debulk then debulk your core down. Where you need to mark your insert positions put masking tape on the core and mark out on the tape and then cut out,you can get +-1mm that way
Would use something like redux 212 core splice between your joints and around your inserts