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Wilson College of Textiles

Composites Facility

The Composite Facility encompasses a suite of equipment to provide capability in formation of fiber based 3D and 2D preforms, manufacturing of composites using resin infusion, testing, evaluation, and characterization of fiber reinforced composites and high-performance fibrous structures (fibers, yarns and fabrics). 

The composite facility services education and research as well as the composite and high-performance fiber industry.

List of Unique Capabilities

  • 3D orthogonal weaving technology capable of producing fairly thick preforms from virtually any type of fibers. Dedicated CAD system allow the control of x-yarn density and weave pattern of the z-yarns. The y-yarns are supplied from individual packages. Hybrid preforms can be manufactured by strategically placing the preform constituents at desired locations in x-, y-, and/or z-direction.
  • 2D sample weaving machine capable of producing innovative 2D and 3D of 20-inch wide fabric samples from a small amount of any type of raw materials. Equipped with a dedicated CAD system for weave design development.
  • Testing, evaluation, and characterization of composite structures for their tensile, shear, flexural, impact, and thermal behavior.
  • Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) for characterizing strain distribution of composite structures with embedded optic sensors.
  • Filament winding technology for formation of uni-directional and multi-directional, multi-ply fiber preforms for fiber-reinforced composite fabrication.

List of Equipment

  • 3TEX INC 3D orthogonal weaving machine
    • This technology can produce preforms up to 16 inches wide, 1 inch thick, and of any desired length using virtually any type of fiber. A dedicated CAD system allows precise control over the x-yarn density and the weave pattern of the z-yarns. The x-yarns, y-yarns, z-yarns are supplied from individual packages allowing formation of hybrid structures.
  • CCI sample fabric formation
    • Single-end sizing winder can be used to encapsulate the yarn with desired size material, preparing it for rigor weaving process and/or resin infusion.
    • Mini warper is capable of forming warp beam from as minimum as one yarn package. Warp from different materials can be formed with desired arrangement via dedicated CAD system.
    • Sample weaving machine is equipped with 24-harness double shedding system and able to produce innovative 2D and 3D fabric samples up to 20 inches wide using small amounts of any type of raw material. It is equipped with a dedicated CAD system for developing weave designs.
  • X-winder lab-scale filament winding machine
    • Can create high-quality filament-wound preforms. It is equipped with resin treatment of tow to produce composite structures. It is ideal for research and small-scale production, capable of winding fibers such as carbon, glass, or aramid onto a rotating mandrel with precision. The machine supports custom winding patterns and angles and allows for precise adjustments in tension, speed, and winding parameters, making it suitable for prototyping and testing in composite material applications.
  • Resin Infusion capability include Hand-Lay and Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Mold (VARTM)
    • Hand-lay allows for manual application of resin over fibers, while VARTM uses vacuum pressure to draw resin into the fiber preform, ensuring even distribution and reducing air pockets. These methods are ideal for producing high-quality, composite parts with strong, lightweight 2D or 3D preform structures. Multiple vacuum pumps and infusion inlets are available for large preform resin treatment. 
  • 50 Ton Hydraulic Press
    • Features 24” x 24” platens and is designed for molding, forming, and compressing materials with up to 50 tons of force and 550 °F of temperature. It is ideal for composite manufacturing processes such as laminating, bonding, and pressing, providing consistent pressure for high-quality, durable components. 
  • Servo Hydraulic Load Frame: Load Capacity: 55 Kip (250 kN Dynamic, and 75 Kip (333 kN) Static. Equipped with fixtures to perform various tensile, compression, shear, flexure and fatigue tests. Also equipped with a Laser Extensometer and Strain Gauge Conditioner (supports inputs such as strain gauges, stain-based transducers, high-level voltage signals and thermocouples).
    • Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials – ASTM D3039
    • Fatigue Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials – ASTM D3479
    • Shear Properties of Composite Materials by the V-Notched Beam Method – ASTM D5379
    • Open-Hole Tensile Strength of Polymer Matrix Composite Laminates – ASTM D5766
    • Open-Hole compressive Strength of Polymer Matrix Composite Laminates – ASTM D6484
    • Filled-Hole Tension and Compression Testing of Polymer Matrix Composite Laminates – ASTM D6742
    • Short-Beam Strength of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials and their Laminates – ASTM D2344
    • 3-Point and 4-Point Flexural Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating Materials – ASTM D790, ASTM D6272
    • 3-Point and 4-Point Flexural Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials – ASTM D7264
    • Compressive Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials using a Combined Loading Compression (CLC) Test Fixture – ASTM D6641
    • Compressive Residual Strength Properties of Damaged Polymer Matrix Composite Plates – ASTM D7137
    • Compressive Properties of Rigid Plastics (using Compression Subpress Fixture) – ASTM D695
    • Flatwise Tensile Strength of Sandwich Constructions – ASTM C297
    • Floating Roller Peel Resistance of Adhesives – ASTM D3167
  • High energy drop tower impact tester with temperature controlled chamber. (-70°C to 100°C) Energy Range 0.59 – 1800 J (0.44 -1330 ft-lb) Impact Speed 2.53 – 78.7 ft/s (0.77 – 24 m/s) ), Drop Height 1.18 – 1160 inch (0.03 – 29.4 m).
  • Low energy drop tower impact tester. Energy Range 0.25 – 20.4 J (0.18 – 15.1 ft-lb), Impact Speed 2.53 – 12.2 ft/s (0.77 – 3.71 m/s), Drop Height Range 1.18 – 27.6 in (0.03 – 0.70 m).
    • High Speed Puncture Properties of Plastics Using Load and Displacement Sensors – ASTM D3763
    • Damage Resistance of a Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composite to a Drop-Weight Impact Event – ASTM D7136
    • High Speed Puncture Properties of Plastic Films Using Load and Displacement Sensors – ASTM D7192
    • Impact Resistance of Plastic Film by the Free-Falling Dart Method – ASTM D1709
    • Puncture Impact Behavior of Rigid Plastics – ISO 6603
    • Tensile-Impact Strength of Plastics – ISO 8256
    • Impact Resistance of Thermoplastic Pipe and Fittings by Means of a Tup (Falling Weight) – ASTM D2444
    • Impact Resistance of Flat, Rigid Plastic Specimens by Means of a Falling Dart (Tup or Falling Mass) – ASTM D5628
  • Pendulum Impact Tester for Izod and Charpy tests: Energy range 0.5 to 50 J (0.37 to 36.8 ft-lb), impact speed range 9.5 to 12.5 ft/ s (2.9 to 3.8 m/s).
  • Pendulum impact Tester for Izod and Charpy tests: Energy Range 33.8 – 406.7 J (25 – 300 ft-lb), impact velocity range 11 – 17 ft/s (3.35 – 5.18 m/s).
    • Izod Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastics – ASTM D256
    • Determining the Charpy Impact Resistance of Notched Specimens of Plastics – ASTM D6110
    • Notched Bar Impact Testing of Metallic Materials (Izod and Charpy) – ASTM E23
  • Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR): Detects and locates events like breaks, bends and load, wavelengths 650 – 850 nm, minimum spatial resolution 2.5 cm, Dynamic range > 20 dB.

Contact

Abdel-Fattah Seyam, Charles A. Cannon Professor of Textiles | aseyam@ncsu.edu