Integrated Surface Veil Prepreg for Class A Composite Finishes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fiber reinforced composite materials often have rough and pinholed surface properties, which fail to meet the requirements for Class A surfaces needed in industrial applications such as automotive and aerospace. Existing methods for achieving Class A surfaces are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and result in uneven thickness and weight increase.
Innovation Solution
A ready-to-use surface veil and surface film integrated prepreg layer is developed, comprising a curable bottom base resin formulation and an outer resin formulation with specific additives and processing steps to create a prepreg layer suitable for producing lightweight structural parts with Class A surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If gel-coat is applied to achieve Class A surface, then surface appearance is improved, but weight increases and thickness becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the veil layer and film layer into a single integrated structure where the veil is embedded within the film matrix. This merging eliminates the need for separate application steps and reduces overall material usage while maintaining Class A surface appearance, thereby reducing weight and preventing uneven thickness accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure consisting of a veil layer (made of fibers such as glass, carbon, or aramid) embedded in a film matrix (thermoplastic or thermosetting resin). This composite approach provides both the structural integrity needed for Class A surface finish and the weight reduction by optimizing material distribution and eliminating redundant layers.
2Shape
If gel-coat is applied to achieve Class A surface, then surface appearance is improved, but processing time and labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The veil and film are pre-combined into an integrated structure before being applied to the composite part. This preliminary integration means that during the molding process, both layers are deposited simultaneously in a single operation, eliminating the need for separate application, curing, and consolidation steps that would otherwise increase processing time and labor requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If temperature is increased to improve tackiness of surfacing film, then ease of manufacture is improved, but resin viscosity decreases causing filler accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition and physical properties of the film matrix resin to achieve optimal tackiness at lower temperatures. By adjusting resin parameters such as molecular weight, functional groups, and crosslinking density, the film maintains sufficient adhesion without requiring high temperature heating, thereby preventing resin viscosity reduction and filler accumulation on the mold surface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated prepreg layer effectively enhances the appearance of structural parts, masks reinforcing fiber imperfections, and provides a better resin transportation medium, while also offering a cost and time-saving method for producing Class A surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a curable bottom base resin formulation comprising curable bottom base resin, at least one first toughening agent, at least one accelerator, at least one curing agent and at least one hardener
Data Source
AI summary
A ready to use surface veil and surface film integrated prepreg layer suitable to use in a production of lightweight structural parts/panels with class A surfaces includes a curable bottom base resin formulation including a curable bottom base resin, at least one first toughening agent, at least one accelerator, at least one curing agent and at least one hardener. The prepreg layer further includes a release paper coated with the curable bottom base resin formulation to obtained curable bottom base resin formulation coated release paper as a first resin film; a reinforcement fabric; an outer resin formulation including an outer resin, wherein the outer resin is the curable bottom base resin being 10% more viscous than a resin, at least one thermoplastic toughening agent, at least one accelerator, at least one curing agent and at least one hardener agent.