Out-of-Autoclave (OOA) Manufacturing Technologies for Composite Sandwich Structures

Abstract

This chapter gives an overview of cost effective processing techniques, employed for manufacturing of sandwich structures, primarily for high performance applications. The scope of this chapter is to review the processes which may produce the autoclave cured quality parts, without the use of autoclave. The chapter starts with an overview of autoclave processing, highlighting the different features, which depicts the capacity of technique to produce highly repeatable parts. Studies related to manufacturing of sandwich structures in autoclave, with and without adhesive film, are reviewed and discussed. Process briefs and recent developments of different out of autoclave (OOA) techniques for manufacturing of sandwich structures are then discussed which includes, OOA prepregs systems, Quickstep processing, Vacuum Infusion Process, compression molding, double belt press and filament winding. A brief overview of manufacturing processes for thermoplastic based sandwich structures is also provided at the end.