What's covered
This article aims to provide
How thermoplastic AFP differentiates from the thermoset AFP
The promise of the thermoplastic materials
Specific details of how to improve thermoplastic placement quality
Learning principles and theories of in-situ consolidation
How to avoid thermal degradations while doing the thermoplastic placement
Introduction
An overview of in-situ consolidation (ISC) is provided in this article. As the ISC manufacturing process evolves, it is additive in nature, limited by the orthotropic nature of composite materials, and thermoplastic matrix behavior. Key topics covered are as follows
Introduction to ISC and recent innovations
Adhesion mechanisms and their influence on the process
Crystallinity is the most influential parameter in determining mechanical properties.
Degradation refers to the potentially irreversible changes in the polymer structure caused by the high temperatures required for the process.
The article is intended to help readers understand the key process parameters and enable them to achieve high product quality with a high deposition rate. This is achieved through an industrial process that is competitive with the current thermoset composite manufacturing process.
Jump directly to the right information
Why do thermoplastic composites cost more than thermoset composites?
Why thermoplastic composites are preferred over thermoset composites?
What is the in-situ consolidation of thermoplastic composites?
The effects of different layup conditions on porosity, layer joining, and processing speed
Why do thermoplastic composites cost more than thermoset composites?
The development of thermoplastic polymeric matrix materials has not yet reached the same level as thermosets. This may be because of high process temperatures and lower productivity with thermoplastics. As opposed to thermoset composite materials, thermoplastic composite materials have no tackiness at room temperature and are solid at room temperature. Despite the fact that the matrix has already been polymerized, the viscosity values remain very high, making the process more complex and expensive than thermosets.