- Composites

This page is the process for TRY "Composites". I heard composites is useful method. I refer to composite of Morimoto san's site, and try make composite product using vacuum forming, and using clamping Male and Female mold.

1. Making mold

Design by Fusion 360. An angle and fillet are added to make it easier to pull out.

• Male mold
• Female mold
• I output with 3D printer　(material: PLA)

2. Data file

• w15_composite v6 (f3d)
• w15_male mold (stl)
• w15_female mold (stl)

3. Plaster composite with Vacuum forming

3-1) Materials

• Fiber: Indian cotton 100%
• Yoshino Plaster Highstone N 2.2 lbs
  

Physical properties:
- Uses: Wood molds, mold making, plaster decoration production
- Amount of water mixed (for 1 kg of powder): : 420ml
- Mixing time：3min.
- coagulation time: Starting; 10 min. Finishing: within 35 min.
- Tensile strength (after 2 hours): 2.5 MPa

SDS:
I couldn't get SDS of this product, so I got similar products SDS (Japanese).
- KTS-1
- KTS-25

3-2) What I did

1. For 100 g of Plaster powder, 42 ml of water Plaster are weighed.
   
   
2. The plaster powder and water are stirred.
3. And soak mixed plaster to Indian cotton 1-ply, then Place on top of the male mold and adhere closely.
4. I put it in a vacuum bag, vacuumed the air out, and took it out after 35 minutes.
5. After curing, the released plaster composites.
   

6. After curing, I cut unnecessary parts with scissors and nipper.

   As the result, the Failure. The plaster did not soak into the Indian cotton fabric very well and did not harden properly. From Failure, I learned, the plaster need several layers. About Fiber, Fiber with gaps, such as hemp, is more suitable. When making hard composites, Soft molds is suitable.

4. FRP

4-1) Materials

• Fiber: cotton 100%
• FRP Unsaturated Polyester Resin
  • SDS: similar products (Japanese)
• Imparaffin Hardener
  • SDS: similar products (Japanese)
• Release agent, Mr. silicone barrier
  • About caution: refer to Week12 Group/Molding and Casting

NOTE: I couldn't get SDS of Polyester Resin and Hardener, so I got similar products SDS.)

4-2) What I did

Cut wes (cotton 100%) to size to fit the mold. Prepare 4-sheets.

Wear Gs mask and goggles, and glove. I paint silicone barrier as a release agent, to male and female molds.

Pour Polyester Resin.

Pour Imparaffin Hardener (1%)
Stirred.
Soak up the liquid layer by layer with a brush.　　

Set the female mold

Clamp

after 24 hours. It seems cure well. But, Adhesion is strong and Difficult to remove mold.

Sand the edges.

The female and male mold were remove
I cut unnecessary parts with scissors.


There were areas that were air-filled and not filled with Polyester Resin.

5. NOTE

I learned that It is important to consider below.

Titles	Description
hard composite	Soft mold (ex: Clay, styrofoam)
Soft composite	hard mold (ex: 3d printing)