Manufacture of Polymer Composites

This article provides a summary of the alternative manufacturing methods available for fiber-reinforced polymer composites and the factors that influence their selection. Both thermoset and thermoplastic composites are considered, but an article of this length can only give an overview of what is a complex field of many different technologies. Postmolding operations, such as machining, joining, and repair, are beyond the scope of this article; the reader is referred to the bibliography and to other relevant materials available in this encyclopedia for more information. Keywords: manufacture; advanced composite; GRP; thermoset; thermoplastic; contact molding; wet layup; vacuum bag; prepreg; autoclave; resin infusion; compression molding; resin transfer molding; S-RIM; centrifugal molding; filament winding; pultrusion; automation; injection molding; diaphragm forming