We will be exhibiting once again at the premier Composites Expo at SAMPE 2019 – Long Beach, CA. We will be there for you to discuss your Oven Control, Autoclave Control, or Hydraulic Press Control needs. Come by and say hello to Tom, Eric, and Allen at Booth # F29.

For more information contact us or visit sampeamerica.org.

Celebrating SAMPE’s 75th Anniversary, SAMPE 2019 will be held in Charlotte, NC for the first time, allowing SAMPE to showcase the rich offerings of textile and reinforcement technology available in Charlotte and the entire southeastern region of the US. Much of this legacy technology is reinventing itself to become a key contributor to today’s advanced materials marketplace.  The technical program content will range from introductory level technology overviews for early career attendees as well as those new to the advanced materials & processes industry to in-depth presentations and panel discussions for the most seasoned technologists.

The conference will include some regional programming that highlights some of the southeastern core businesses. The region is the longtime home of NASCAR and automotive racing, embracing advanced materials and processes in their sport. Boeing is growing and expanding in the Carolinas where advanced materials and processes are used daily to build the 787 Dreamliner in Charleston, SC as Boeing’s Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Greg Hyslop, will highlight during his keynote presentation

NEW! This year, the SAMPE Carolinas Chapter is hosting their annual Golf Tournament and Reception 1:00 PM on Thursday, May 23 at the Ballantyne Resort Golf Course coinciding with SAMPE 2019.

Highlights from SAMPE 2018 Long Beach, CA

We will be exhibiting once again at the premier Composites Expo at SAMPE 2018 – Long Beach, CA. We will be there for you to discuss your Oven Control, Autoclave Control, or Hydraulic Press Control needs. Come by and say hello to Tom, Eric, and Allen.

For more information contact us or visit sampeamerica.org.

SAMPE’s spring technical Conference and Exhibition is the only event exclusively dedicated to advanced materials and processes. Over 250 exhibiting companies showcase their products and solutions during this event. Furthermore, the technical conference features the latest technologies and research advancements in the industry.

Professionals from throughout the advanced materials and processes industry attend SAMPE 2018 to find new solutions, learn about the technology that will shape future projects, and engage in meaningful face-to-face networking opportunities. Plan to attend SAMPE 2018 and get inspired by new ideas, technologies, and products.

Highlights from SAMPE 2017 Seattle

We will be exhibiting once again at the premier Composites Expo at SAMPE Seattle 2017. We will be there for you to discuss your Oven Control, Autoclave Control, or Hydraulic Press Control needs.

We will be exhibiting in Booth F28 on May 23 and 24.

Please come by and say hello to Tom, Eric, and Allen.

Oven, Autoclave, and Press control systems by CompuDAS now include tuning the batch as a function of the load being processed.

The benefits include reduced time required to process a batch and tighter tracking of the batch to the desired recipe.

The new feature is available for upgrade to all existing CompuDAS systems.

We specialize in retrofitting existing Ovens, Autoclaves, and Presses.

And CompuDAS delivers

Oven and Autoclave control systems by CompuDAS now deliver the capability to apply either variable vacuum or variable pressure to the part bags.  This allows the pressure difference between the Autoclave and the part bag to be precisely controlled during the batch process.  For Autoclave processing, the bags can now be pressurized to track the Autoclave pressure during a process. Autoclave bag pressure seamlessly transitions from vacuum to pressure to maintain desired differential.  For ovens, bag variable vacuum can be controlled by the recipe.

This new feature is available for upgrade to all existing CompuDAS systems.

If you are planning a retrofit, consider our new variable vacuum and variable pressure as a way to extend the range of capability for your Autoclave or oven.  Retrofitting Autoclaves, Ovens and Presses is one of our specialties.

Ask us about Variable Bag Pressure for your system today!

Excerpt reproduced from in High Performance Composites magazine and later at www.compositesworld.com.

Improvements in materials, tooling and process control bring RTM and VARTM into the realm of aerospace components.

… the spec must be followed and run in the same way every time. To ensure uniformity, VSC controls its process with the Sentinel system from CompuDAS (Shelton, Wash., U.S.A.), a general-purpose industrial controller commonly used in the composites industry to control autoclaves (see HPC March 2003, p. 27). In fact, the same hardware can control any thermal system, including autoclave, RTM, VARTM and other industrial processes. The difference lies in the software user interface. For VSC’s RTM system, CompuDAS designed an interface that enables the operator to control processing variables, such as vacuum, pressure and temperature. Although the system has the capability to turn injection ports on and off, and thus fully automate the process, the system is designed to pause the process at key operator decision points, such as for leak checks and resin temperature verification.

Read the full article at www.compositesworld.com

This article by Barry Berenberg was originally published in High Performance Composites magazine and later appeared at www.compositesworld.com.

Autoclave processing is the most common method used for curing thermoset prepregs. The curing of thermoset composites involves both mechanical and chemical processes. Mechanically, pressure is applied to remove trapped air and volatiles, and to consolidate the individual plies and fibers. Chemically, a crosslinking reaction must be initiated and taken to completion to form a rigid matrix. Crosslinking is most commonly initiated through the application of heat, though it also may be initiated by exposure to ultraviolet light, microwaves, or high-energy electrons (e-beam curing). In the autoclave process, high pressure and heat are applied to the part through the autoclave atmosphere, with a vacuum bag used to apply additional pressure and protect the laminate from the autoclave gases. The cure cycle for a specific application is usually determined empirically and, as a result, several cure cycles may be developed for a single material system, to account for differences in laminate thickness or to optimize particular properties in the cured part.

The typical autoclave cure cycle is a two-step process. First, vacuum and pressure are applied while the temperature is ramped up to an intermediate level and held there for a short period of time. The heat reduces the resin viscosity, allowing it to flow and making it easier for trapped air and volatiles to escape. The resin also begins wetting the fibers at this stage. In the second ramp up, the temperature is raised to the final cure temperature and held for a sufficient length of time to complete the Continue Reading