Hand Lay-Up Process
What Is The Hand Lay-Up Technique?
In simple language, hand lay-up is the process of placing fiber reinforcements into a mold by hand, after which a resin is applied with an FRP roller or brush. Ideal applications of hand lay-up processes include architectural moldings, aerospace structures, storage tanks, production boats, tubs and showers, and wind-turbine blades, etc.
What Is The Hand Lay-Up Process For Composite Materials?
The hand lay-up process for forming composite parts is a multifaceted process of building up layers of composite fiber in sequence with a thermoset resin matrix.
Resins such as epoxy, polyester, or vinylester are impregnated into the fibers by hand, which take the form of knitted, stitched, woven, or non woven fabrics.
Next, a hand roller or a trowel is used to roll the wet composite, ensuring an improved interaction between the matrix and the reinforcement which facilitates better resin distribution and helps to achieve the desired laminate thickness. Finally, the laminates are left for curing under standard atmospheric conditions.