Source | The Center for Civil Aviation Composites at Donghua University

The Center for Civil Aviation Composites at Donghua University (Shanghai, China) has achieved in situ consolidation of a 7-millimeter-thick thermoplastic composite (TPC) laminates made using laser-assisted automated fiber placement (AFP) and carbon fiber-reinforced prepreg with a low-melt PAEK polymer.

Even with cold tooling during in situ consolidation, the team achieved:

• Ultra-low void content.
• Low warpage/optimal dimensional stability.
• Robust consolidation for thick sections.

“These results highlight the potential for laser-assisted, in situ consolidation for scalable, out-of-autoclave production,” says associate professor Cheng Chen, “especially where thickness, quality and shape accuracy are critical.”