Fraunhofer pioneers new CFRP production process

Current CFRP production often involves large, expensive tooling and complicated, time-consuming heat cycles. Fraunhofer’s approach, however, uses infrared radiation to apply heat directly to the material in a vacuum.

For the mould wall, the researchers have found a material that transmits infrared radiation in the desired wavelength range, without experiencing any significant thermal expansion. As a result, they claim, a part that could take several hours to cure with a conventional vacuum-based variotherm process can now be done in less than 60 seconds.

“Our method is faster, more economical and more energy efficient than the current state of the art,” said Sebastian Baumgärtner, mechanical engineer at Fraunhofer. “Processing in a vacuum protects the material. The plastic does not oxidise, as it does in open procedures. Trapped air and any gases are sucked out. The process is very stable and easy to use.”

All forms of electromagnetic radiation are suitable for heating CFRP in this approach, Baumgärtner explained, including microwaves.