Fabrication of advanced composites

Fabrication techniques for manufacturing advanced composite structures with continuous and short filaments in desired orientations and consolidation within the plies of the structure are described and analyzed. Attention is given to vacuum bag molding, autoclave molding, matched die consolidation of B/Al, B/epoxy, and graphite/epoxy composites, matched die molding of chopped fiber prepregs, thermal expansion molding, braiding, filament winding, sandwich fabrication, and pultrusions. Step-by-step preparation of resin-matrix composites is detailed, including automatic and semiautomatic lay-ups, and problems of quality control are discussed. The review is intended as an engineering aid for choices between competitive designs, and comprises factors other than technical features alone, such as cost effectiveness, ease of inspection, and economics of maintenance.