NPL launches LCM measurement capability
Image courtesy NPL
Composites are increasingly important for addressing net zero by offering significant weight reduction, contributing to challenges such as more sustainable aviation and NPL’s measurements will support the development of new innovative solutions across industry sectors.
“NPL’s new liquid composites moulding measurement capabilities will support industry to accelerate the development of new products that utilise composite materials, addressing national challenges for instance related to more sustainable aviation, and further supporting the high-quality engineering ongoing across the UK,” said Dr Jamie Williams, NPL’s Product Manager for advanced materials and composites. “This new measurement capability is just one example of the range of expertise in composites and advanced materials through which NPL supports UK industry.”
Dr Ana Yong, Senior Scientist, is technical lead for the new measurement capabilities, said “The launch of this capability to characterise the textiles used in composites manufacturing combines NPL’s renowned approach to quality and precision with state-of-the-art equipment. I’m excited to be able to deliver these measurements as we continue to step forwards and grow the UK composites sector.”
The new capabilities, representing the state-of-the-art in materials characterisation for LCM, enable measurements of in-plane permeability, out-of-plane permeability and compressibility of engineering fabric fibre reinforcements. These capabilities are located in NPL’s Mechanical Test Facility (MTF).
These fundamental property measurements will provide the accurate data inputs required to enable industry to simulate manufacture and optimise process design, with the option to verify the simulated process at NPL in a separate, bespoke measurement rig which recreates the manufacturing conditions used in industry at a laboratory scale and additionally allows for measurement of the resin cure times, gel times and arrival times for a complete view of the manufacturing process in real time.
