Manufacturing Complex Curves/Parts

Definition of complex part: Aerobody panels that are curved and that have core; any panel that has close to neutral and/or negative draft angles.

Foam Core:

• Thermoform foam core to make the core the fit within the mold to fit perfectly

• Vacuum-form foam core to make the core the fit within the mold to fit perfectly

Wet layups:

A wet layup is a manufacturing process that involves “wetting out the reinforcement material and laying it onto a prepared surface by hand”

Resin Infusion:

Resin Infusion is a process by which vacuum draws resin into a dry fiber laminate in a mold.

Clean Sky 2’s FUll Scale INnovative are aiming to validate a new advanced process that they have had some recent success with: https://www.compositesworld.com/news/clean-sky-2-fusinbul-project-develops-full-scale-carbon-fiber-pressure-bulkheads-

• most probably not something we can do, however, it is worth considering

The youtube channel Street Bandito has some great videos with many different topics regarding cars (if anyone else wants to check them out for their topic/area). Below are two videos where they made a circular carbon fiber part using Vaccum Resin Infusion:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h99NEclYjeA

  • TLDW: They made a system where the resin would travel to all sides and slowly go down to center of the mold where the vacuum would do its work.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MPu-epBMME

  • TLDW: Only the first bit of the video is relevant where they took out the part from the mold and had some additional suggestions/improvements for what they did in the previous video