Ideal layup method?


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wozza
wozza
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Learjet45
Learjet45
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Thanks for the input everyone!

wozza, PM replied.

FLD, thanks for the information! I'll definitely look into it. Also, I'm outside of Albany, NY.

Zorongo, I hadn't even really thought about surface finish with male vs female molds until you mentioned. You're definitely right about surface finish. And we'll definitely want the best finish possible for smoothest flow.

Thanks for the input everyone! It's very much appreciated! 
Zorongo
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Using a female mould have some advantages:

Exact desired geometry.
Less weight as final surface will not need to be filled / sanded / primed / painted. (maybe only painted, lighter than gel coated)
Less working hours.

(From my point of view) a better result will be achieved by vacuuming the laminates and core bonding. Essentialy a much better contact=adhesion between plyes.

If you want to earn grams, avoid as much foam as you can. You can better make a hollow part.

Just make two surfaces (upper and lower) and bond / laminate them.

(from my point of view) I would suggest that both surfaces will be thin cored sandwich (depending on aerodinamyc forces...)

Maybe you´ll need internal beams joining both of them to avoid collapsing.

Locally reinforced on attachements.

(just thinking in loud voice). Good luck !
Edited 11 Years Ago by Zorongo
FLD
FLD
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Try looking up vacuum bag wings for model gliders.  These have been made over a male mould foam core exactly as you describe for many years. Once you get the idea of how to do it then its fairly simple.  Care needs to be taken with how much resin you use in this process though.

If you're using a straight profile (ie same profile over the whole length) then you can use male and female moulds.  You use a hotwire to cut the profile, lay up over the male part with a vac bag, put it back in the block of foam you cut it from (female part) and leave it somewhere warm to cure.

Depending on where you are I may be able to help.
wozza
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Learjet45
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Hi everyone! Forgive me if this is in the wrong place, I'm new around here Smile

I'm a member of my school's Formula SAE team, and we are making an aerodynamics package for this year's vehicle including a front and rear wing.
Last year, we attempted the same project without any real success. All layups were wet vacuumed bag layups done by hand. The finished result was questionable at best compared to our desired outcome, and this year we want to do things differently.

Our desire for the end product would be a carbon fiber wing with a foam core with a single layer of carbon fiber enclosing the foam core. The endplates for the wings will be two ply flat sheets essentially.
After doing some research over the summer, we learned about the resin infusion process and were interested in doing that. However, figuring out how it would work is proving difficult.

I'm looking for advice on what will be best suited for my purposes.

We obviously have the capability of having the male mold made since we plan on using a foam core. We also have the option of having female molds made as they did last year.

Personally, I'm concerned about the end quality of a part made from a male mold. Apparently a test layup was done with fiberglass over a male mold not using a vacuum bag, but since we're making wings for a racecar, we need the best possible surface finish and the best quality part. Also, I believe we can have the female molds machined for us vs having to more of less make a foam core for the male mold ourselves.

Any suggestions for a relative newbie?

Thanks!
Jonathan
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