Raw material
Mold Cavity
Mold top/base showing guide pins.
Complete Mold
Trial and error. First several pressings did not have vacuum pulled. Further tests and fine tuning of ramp settings resulted in good parts.
Very high quality forged composite part, small features were preserved and no noticeable surface defects. Internal examination of composite parts generally requires ultrasound or x-rays (for non-destructive testing). Common procedure in the aerospace industry.
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Forged Composite Experiment
Gained access to raw material of forged composite, a new type of moldable carbon fiber. Copied an existing part in an existing tooling setup and recreated it in this material. Nitrogen purged vacuum chamber ensured that there were no air bubbles present in the finished part. Very interesting material with many possible applications.
