ROOM-TEMPERATURE FILAMENT WINDING OF THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES

A new technique for fabrication of components of thermoplastic fibre composites by filament winding has been developed and investigated. Basically, the technique consists of winding the materials (fibres and matrix) on to the mandrel at room temperature and then consolidating the laminate by a heat, pressure and vacuum treatment in an autoclave. This technique has demonstrated that carbon-fibre/PEEK laminates of high quality can be fabricated. These have high fibre content (58 vol.%), low porosity content (0.2 vol.%), and controlled and well aligned fibre orientations. The technique is limited to fabricating relatively thin-walled structures. A special vacuum bagging technique which avoids folds in the laminate is also described.