Composites

Assignments

To design and make a 3D mold.

To produce a fibre composite part of it.

During session and in my google search I got to know about the strength a fibre composite material has and it doesn't break so I decided to make unbreakable Flower pot

Designing and 3D printing flower pot

For this I decided to use solidwork.

I designed the outer body of the flower pot I wish to designed in sketch with proper dimensions

Later using resolve function created the flower pot. Used Shell function to make it hollow and fillet to make edges smooth.

3 D printed it to practically verify and for making a mold for composite.

I realised the edges at top and bottom are very sharp so the composite wire will slip and will not hold on it. Also I have to make provision for the mold to be hold in the wire composite machine.

So I was edited my solid work drawing.

Change 1 : Using Fillet function edges were made smooth.

Change 2 : Holding provision was added to the mold

As the height of the mold increased had to 3D print it horizontally.

As the model was printed horizontally had to file the supports remains to make it smooth.

Final 3D printed mold was now ready to be used.

Make composite object using the mold

For making composite we are using a 4 axis filament winding machine. Below image shows details about the machine

Job has to be fitted onto the nozzle provided on the machine

Software screenshots

When we tired to make composite using 4 axis filament winding machine as the job was 3 D printed supports were not strong and got broken.

Preparing composite object using Vacuum press technique

I decided to make a simple plate for exploring vacuum press technique. Below steps were followed :

First I designed the plate using solidwork.

Later using milling machine I milled it on hard foam.

I first applied wax on the job for easy removal of composite.

Then I cut fabric sheet of size of my job. I have decided to use 4 layer of this sheet..

Next step is to apply the resin, it comes in 2 tubes as seen below and needs to be applied in appropriate proportions. We applied it layer by layer so avoid it from getting fast solidified.

Then it was covered by release fabric.

Atlast I put breathing material on top of it.

Final step is to put the material into vacuum bag and vacuum it.

I kept for drying for a day. Then opened it and final can be seen in below images.

Inputs from material safety data sheet (MSDS) and technical data sheet (TDS) for the resins which I had used.

Material which we are using for preparing the composite is carbon fibre 1200 text. It is revolved aroung the mold which I had designed Upon completion of one complete set solution is applied.

The solution applied here is a combination of a Resin(L12) and a hardener(K6)

The resin used for this application is L12, please find details of same in below link.

L12 Resin

The hardener used is K6 and details are available on below link

K6 Hardener

Note: These 2 component have to be mixed in the ratio 100:10 by weight & also very importantly in the required quantities. The reason being that this solution after mixing, ther is an exothermic reaction taking palce. If this mixture is not used within the stipulated time then it gets hardened and will be of no use at all.

Output files

Job solid work file

Job STL file

Vaccum pump job solid work file

Vaccum pump job STL file