Technical Paper
The Development of Epoxy Resin Composite Laminates that are Thermoformable at Temperatures Below 200 Degrees C and Using Vacuum Pressure
1995-02-01
950557
The development of a low cost, high production thermoformable fabric composite required a new approach to traditional resin systems. An epoxy resin was developed that allows the composite piece to be thermoformed. The material, supplied in cured board form, can be reshaped at temperatures less than 200C (392F) with only the application of vacuum pressure. This allows the user to design light weight, high strength composite structures without the normal processing constraints associated with traditional composite structures. The driver behind the product development was an existing commercial application where material utilization and processing times were key factors to the success of the product. By prefabricating a cured flat sheet, net size parts can then be cut out with a waterjet, and the pieces are then thermoformed into their final shape.
