Autoclave curing is the process of hardening a laid-up composite part inside a pressurized, heated vessel called an autoclave, which applies uniform heat and pressure to consolidate the resin-impregnated fiber layers and drive out trapped air and volatiles as the resin cross-links. The combination of heat and pressure produces a denser, more uniform laminate with fewer voids than curing at ambient pressure alone, giving the finished part the strength-to-weight properties aerospace structures require. Autoclave curing has been the standard method for producing high-performance aircraft and spacecraft composite components since fiber-reinforced plastics began replacing metal in primary airframe structures in the late twentieth century.
Facts
Partially Attested
Origin YearThe source dates the invention of the autoclave itself (as a sterilizer) to 1879; it does not date composite curing in autoclaves. Core PrincipleApplies heat and pressure in a vessel to meld multiple composite layers without voids that would decrease material strength 1 FAQs
Why does autoclave curing use a vacuum as well as pressure?
The vacuum pulls out trapped air and volatiles, and the pressure keeps remaining vapors in the resin and consolidates the plies.
The two do different jobs. In autoclave curing of composites, the vacuum removes air and volatiles trapped within the laminate, while the external pressure suppresses any remaining vapors into the resin matrix so that voids do not form. The cure pressure also helps to consolidate the plies, which yields a higher quality part.
Connections
Associated With
Carbon Fiber, Materials Aerospace carbon fiber laminates are cured under heat and pressure in an autoclave.
Sources
1. Autoclave (industrial), Wikipedia
Uses, composites
Autoclaves are also widely used to cure composites, especially for melding multiple layers without any voids that would decrease material strength
History
The autoclave was invented by Charles Chamberland in 1879
In Group: Airframe Fabrication and Joining Methods, Intro
Industrial autoclaves are used in industrial applications, especially in the manufacturing of composites.
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