Composite Materials

|| A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties that, when combined, produce a material with characteristics different from the individual components. The individual components remain separate and distinct within the finished structure, differentiating composites from mixtures and solid solutions.

The new material may be preferred for many reasons. Common examples include materials which are stronger, lighter, or less expensive when compared to traditional materials.

More recently, researchers have also begun to actively include sensing, actuation, computation and communication into composites,[3] which are known as Robotic Materials.

Typical engineered composite materials include:

  • Reinforced concrete and masonry

  • Composite wood such as plywood

  • Reinforced plastics, such as fibre-reinforced polymer or fiberglass

  • Ceramic matrix composites (composite ceramic and metal matrices)

  • Metal matrix composites

  • and other advanced composite materials

Composite materials are generally used for buildings, bridges, and structures such as boat hulls, swimming pool panels, racing car bodies, shower stalls, bathtubs, storage tanks, imitation granite and cultured marble sinks and countertops.

The most advanced examples perform routinely on spacecraft and aircraft in demanding environments. || -- taken from Wikipedia on 8/24/2020

Composite materials can be an excellent way to make items perfect for nearly any application. The processes can often look very different, but the main goal remains the same: making materials with upgraded properties. One of the interesting possibilities of composites is that their shape can be determined at the time of manufacture, instead of needing extensive post-processing.

Unit 14.1 =====

Composite Materials

Resin & fibers, Concrete & Rebar, structured earth, Epoxy and Carbon Fiber, two-part epoxy in general...

  • Basics & high-level overviews

  • Processes for composite materials in projects

    • choosing your tension & compression components for composite

    • methods for mixing the tension & compression members

      1. brush epoxy onto fabric & layering soaked fabric

        • epoxy & burlap

        • epoxy & finer fabrics

      2. build tension mesh & pour-in compression material

        • rebar & concrete

        • wire/metal mesh & plaster (or other)

        • fiberglass mesh & concrete (or other)

        • NOTE: Plasticizing additives can make materials flow more easily (as opposed to adding more water to concrete, which works but actually weakens the concrete overall)

      3. premix tension & compression, then fit to tooling

        • fiberglass

    • making any needed tooling (form to shape the composite)

      1. soft-molds: basic silicone, urethane, food-safe [smooth-on]

      2. semi-rigid/ one time molds: hand cut foam or foam cut by CNC

      3. multi-use rigid: wood or other hard material coated in hard-to-stick material

    • applying compression while composite sets in the tooling

      1. mold-release agents and/or layers

      2. open tooling, pressurized by air at standard temperature & pressure in a vacuum bag *shape will match tooling, so you may need the tooling to be the negative of what you ultimately want...

      3. multi-part tooling, pressurized by external press or weights

Assignment [Unit 14.1]

Guided composite material experience (other options as bonus) probably burlap and resin in a pre-built mold.


Fab Academy:

These are in-depth discussions of topics related to this unit, borrowed with love from the Fab Academy archives. The videos linked here (and on the rest of the webpage) are intended to deepen your knowledge on the topics. They are not required for the Foundations of Fabrication course, but they are often good to watch for more perspectives on the same ideas. We love 🎧 listening to videos while doing the repetitive tasks of making; 👀peeking over whenever they've got something good on screen.

  • Fab Academy 2020:

  • Fab Academy 2019:

  • Fab Academy 2017: