Prepreg honeycomb sandwich surface defect


Author
Message
Rosta Spicl
Rosta Spicl
Supreme Being (572 reputation)Supreme Being (572 reputation)Supreme Being (572 reputation)Supreme Being (572 reputation)Supreme Being (572 reputation)Supreme Being (572 reputation)Supreme Being (572 reputation)Supreme Being (572 reputation)Supreme Being (572 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 54, Visits: 250
Dear all
Just working on the project based on carbon prepreg honeycomb structure. The procedure below is OK, the final rigidity is excelent, but there is a problem on visible surface goes to be non flat after vacuum bagging. See the procedure:
1. Hit the first  layer, carbon prepreg 210gsm, 1 layer, vacuum bagging, autoclave 100°C@-0.98bar/+8bar. Perfect results, excelent flat visible surface, no pinholes, final thickness cca 0,25-0.28mm.
2. Apply the epoxy glue RG (5min.) for better adhesive properties, put on the nomex honeycomb OX4.8, thickness 3mm.
3. Apply the outer layers on honeycomb side, 3x carbon prepreg 210gsm.
4. Vacuum bagging, autoclave 100°C@-0.98bar, no overpressure.
Final structure is fine, but on the mold side - the visible side of structure, there are after vacuuming around all the surface where the honeycomb was applied..how to say that..hollows? The surface is not absolutely flat like in step 1, but deffected by inner honeycomb core. See the picture. Any ideas what's wrong?
I'm convinced, the problem is vacuuming. If I hit the outer and inner side of prepregs separately in autoclave and glue the sandwich together in vacuum, the defect is quite same, if the thickness of outer visible side is 0.7mm instead 0.25mm, the defect is quite same.
Many thanks for support.
Rosta




Reply
Chris Rogers
C
Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 120, Visits: 933
Sorry, I misread f1rob's vented autoclave cure for vented cell core - with little holes between the cells to allow cell pressure to equalize and leave out the edges.  This isn't an option with Nomex but aluminum cores can be got this way.

You don't have to vent the autoclave right at 15psi - you could wait until the pressure gets higher so the differential is greater... I'm not convinced you have to vent it at all, but I am not experienced with it and have only ever worked in places and had my own autoclaves where we left the pump on - mainly just for volatiles and moisture control.  Worth a try though!




GO

Merge Selected

Merge into selected topic...



Merge into merge target...



Merge into a specific topic ID...




Threaded View
Threaded View
Rosta Spicl - 5 Years Ago
Hanaldo - 5 Years Ago
Rosta Spicl - 5 Years Ago
f1rob - 5 Years Ago
Rosta Spicl - 5 Years Ago
SleepingAwake - 5 Years Ago
explorecomposites - 5 Years Ago
f1rob - 5 Years Ago
Rosta Spicl - 5 Years Ago
explorecomposites - 5 Years Ago
f1rob - 5 Years Ago

Similar Topics

Reading This Topic

Explore
Messages
Mentions
Search