An extensive range of facilities underpins the work of the Centre including our state-of-the-art laboratory where we undertake composites manufacturing related research. Our facilities allow us to provide tailored solutions to a variety of problems involving composite structural design and manufacture. We can provide concept design, modelling and test capabilities from preliminary to detailed (TRL1 to TRL6).
General equipment includes:
- Pilot scale composites manufacturing equipment including autoclave, RTM, infusion, press moulding;
- Various NDI capabilities;
- Aircrafts wing structure demonstrators;
- Thermal and thermo-mechanical analysis suite including DSC, DMA, TMA;
- Rheological analysis suite;
- Dielectric cure monitoring suite;
- Fibre optic monitoring systems;
- Mechanical testing lab including conditioning chambers, infrared/high speed imaging cameras, digital image correlation systems and phased array ultrasonics;
- Microscopy and surface characterisation suite;
- Robotic tufting set up;
- Ultrasonic z-pinning hammer;
- In-house codes for variability analysis;
- Standard non-linear FE packages for coupled thermo-mechanical analysis.
A selection list of manufacturing and characterisation facilities at the centre is shown below.
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Vacuum assisted oven - CALTHERM 2m x 1m x 1m oven 200°C |
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400°C press, 420mm platterns |
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Air press vacuum forming table, upper infrared heater |
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20 ton hand-operated hydraulic press |
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Isojet piston RTM machine |
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Mini RTM mould tool 2-6mm cavity |
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KSL tufting sewing head |
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7 axis robot Kawasaki |
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MP19 laboratory twin screw extruder |
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Q200 MDSC mass flow control |
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Instrumented static, dynamic, fatigue and impact mechanical testing facilities |
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Vacuum assisted oven |
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Six axis robotic arm |
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Autoclave |
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Compression mould, fontune presses machine |
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EXPERT® process system press |
