Composite Technology: Prepregs and Monolithic Part Fabrication Technologies

Prepreg materials are pre-impregnated fibers for the manufacture of composite components, and are widely applied in the wind energy and aerospace industries. The properties of these semi-finished products, the type of processing, and the component design collectively play an important role in the quality and suitability for mass production of a fiber composite component. This book provides a holistic approach, showing the influence and mutual interaction of the parameters involved in the production of fiber composite components. "Composite Technology" gives an overview of the current state of prepreg technology, generation, and development as well as their variations and trends. It covers the fundamentals of prepreg preparation and starting materials; processing technology and automation; interactions between construction/design and material and between tooling material and composite components/design; testing of prepreg semi-finished products and components; and typical error patterns. New in this second edition is an extension of the coverage to include thermoplastic prepregs (TPPs) and their production, processing, and testing. Further updates on prepreg production and processing are also included.

Dr.-Ing. Hauke Lengsfeld is General Manager for the Epoxy Products unit at Schill+Seilacher "Struktol" GmbH, Hamburg, Germany. He also gives lectures at the University of Applied Sciences, Wedel, and the Hochschule 21 University of Applied Sciences on the production and processing of fiber composites.

Dr.-Ing. Felipe Wolff-Fabris is, since 2012, head of the European Center of Dispersion Technology at the SKZ - Das Kunststoff-Zentrum, Germany.

Dipl.-Phys. Johannes Krämer is, since 2012, a researcher at BASF SE, Germany.

Dr.-Ing. Javier Lacalle is, since 2014, a project manager and technical advisor at M. Torres Deutschland GmbH.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Altstädt has been, since 1995, professor for Plastics in Mechanical Engineering and head of the Department of Polymers and Plastics Composites at the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg, and, since 2000, professor in the Department of Plastics Engineering at the University of Bayreuth, Germany.