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Composite production rates will need to increase markedly to meet future demand, especially in the case of mainstream automotive. Coupled with that is need to keep quality levels high and costs down. Scrap represents a large portion of this cost and should be minimised. Due to the complexities of composite manufacture there are numerous sources of variation. These variations mean that a composite part cannot be considered to be “flawless”. Instead acceptable levels of variation are established. These requirements govern whether or not a part is scrapped based on a set of measurements. These measurements are carried out assuming that there are no flaws arising from the design of the part. This paper details the attempt to manufacture a flat panel followed by some more complex features in order to determine if the acceptance criteria can be rigidly adhered to.

Composite materials have seen, and will continue to see, increased usage, particularly in the realms of automotive and aerospace where increasingly tight emissions standards call for lighter weight structures. These structures will also have to be made at a lower cost than previous iterations, particularly for mainstream automotive concerns. The production of composite panels is a complex, multi-step process consisting of a number of interactions. Variability is present within the raw materials and throughout the production process. Quality is intrinsically linked to both production rate and cost. Fewer defective parts means fewer concessions and less scrap, thus presenting a cost saving. Present defect rates are relatively high for composites when compared to metallic structures. Quality in composites also does not assume defect-free conditions, but rather acceptable levels of features and variations which occur during production.