Designing Composites for Producibility

A composite, created by the synthetic assembly of two or more components, can offer results which cannot be achieved with any of the components acting alone. While many design configurations provide satisfactory product performance, care should be taken to design the part so that it is manufacturable with ease.

Sandwich panel construction, comprised of fibrous skins and honeycomb core, a significant aerospace structure, is selected for focus. Autoclave processing is highlighted. The effectiveness of sandwich panels is cited and its various elements identified. Discussion relative to simplifying production by designing for producibility is shared.