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The Northwest Composites Centre is a member of the National Composites Network.

The Northwest Composite Centre provides extensive facilities which can be used for a variety of applications. These include:-

Quickstep Technology Processing
A recently developed technique for rapid processing of composites using a heat transfer fluid rather than a metal mould. For further details click here.

Microwave Processing
Heat transfer is often an issue limiting heat up using a heat up rates. This can be overcome by microwave heating heating since the energy does not rely on conduction.

Robotic Tow Placement
A facility for robotic tow placement is being developed. Using our expertise in textile structures we will research methods for thorough thickness placement of reinforcement.

C-scan and X-Ray Imaging Facility
We have a large characterisatio

n apparatus including C-scan and X-ray tomography.

Impact Testing
With our partners we have access to a range of impact testing facilities, including drop-weight and ballistic testing.

Textile Structures
We have facilities to design and manufacture a wide range of textile structures including 3D woven, braided and knitted structures and to manufacture prepregs or composites from them.

Textile

Braiding,

Weaving

Knitting

 

Composite Manfacture

Quickstep QS5

RTM (x3)

Pre preging facilities

Microwave and RF processing facilities

 

General polymer processing facilities

Twin screw extruder with volumetric and gravimetric feeders

Single screw extruder withcaterpillar haul off/sheet haul off/take up with water heaters/vacuum sizing bath

Compression moulder x3)

Davenport melt flow index

Davenport high shear viscometer

Rosand RH-2000 advanced rheometer system

Rheometrics RMS800 mechanical spectrometer

Negri Bossi NB60 injection moulder

Bridge 2-roll mill (water cooled)

Lees Disc apparatus

Vacuum oven (2x)

Techne fluidised bath

Vacuum former

Balance (2x)

Air convection oven (2x)

Bridge Banbury internal mixer with oil heater

Tumble mixer

Routing machine

Granulator

 

Characterisation

Temperature and humidity controlled room (23°C/50% RH) with mechanical testing facilities

Modulated DSC (x3)

Perkin Elmer TMA

TA instruments Q800 DMA with dual cantilever and 3 point bend

TA instruments DSC 2920 modulated DSC with -150°C to 450 range. also

photocalorimeter for monitoring uv curing reactions.

TA Instruments TGA 2950 Hi-res option (upper limit 1000°C)

Perkin Elmer FTIR with heated cell

Nicolet 5700 FTIR with diamond ATR

Perkin Elmer Gas chromatograph

GPC facilities

UV-vis facilities

Micro DSC

X ray tomography

C scan

Coordinate measurement machine

Impact testing

 

 

Collaborating Partners