How does it work?
The Quickstep Process changes the way advanced composites are manufactured by using a unique fluid-based technology for curing the composite materials.
It works by trapping the laminate between a free floating rigid (or semi-rigid) mould that floats in a Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF). The mould and laminate are separated from the circulating HTF by a flexible membrane or bladder. The HTF can then be rapidly heated and then cooled to cure the laminate.
The Benefits
Out-of-Autoclave Processing
- Lower capital costs – typically around two-thirds of the cost of an equivalent capacity autoclave
- Lower energy consumption for heating/cooling of the laminate
- Eliminates the need for compressed air or nitrogen use
- Only 1 to 4 psi operating pressures on parts
- No oven size restrictions
Liquid Heat Transfer = Faster Cycle Times
- Demonstrated reduction in cure cycle times from 50-90% compared with autoclave and oven using commercial prepregs
- Very accurate part temperature control
- Enhanced repeatability in cure cycles – evenly distributed heat-up and cool-down
- Rapid heating aids full resin flow through and between laminate layers for improved inter-laminar properties and improved surface quality
- Limited exotherm (when the material generate its own heat from the chemical reaction) even in laminates that are 2 inches thick
The “Quickstep Melding Process”
- Quickstep’s unique ability to halt and then recommence the cure reaction at any point in the cycle makes it possible to co-cure, join and bond one composite part to another
- Ability to form entire integrated components without secondary bonds or fasteners
- Reduces end product weight and part count
- Find out more about the Quickstep Melding Process
Improved Productivity in Operations
- Enables large scale manufacturing volumes using fast cycle, multiple tool processing
- Suited to integration into “Lean Cells”
- Lower tooling costs
- Fewer moulds required to meet rate
- No complex backing structure, resulting in lower costs per mould
- Full traceability of parts to cure cycles
- No need to delay the commencement of curing while waiting for other parts, as occurs with large batch autoclaves
- Lower development costs due to faster iteration of experiments
Flexible Processing
- Curing of conventional autoclave or oven-style pre-pregs, including phenolics
- Liquid Resin Infusion, such as VARTM, SCRIMP or light RTM
- Resin Film Infusion (RFI)
- Fibre-Metal Laminates
Improved Cored Structures
- Low pressure processing allows for the use of lighter weight cores
- Cured honeycomb structures have less print-through of the honeycomb cell patterns, but with improved adherence at the bond points
- Low resin viscosity improves surface wetting of foam cores
Melding
Melding is a combination of "melting" and "welding", where one semi-cured part melts into another semi-cured part to form one integrated component with no physical difference or secondary bonds. MELTING + WELDING = MELDING
Melding is possible using the Quickstep Process because our patented technology enables precise control of the temperature of the Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) during the curing process and the timing of its application to the composite part. To our knowledge, this highly accurate temperature control is not practical using traditional composites curing technologies such as autoclave.
Partially Cured and Uncured Sections
By using the Quickstep curing process, a section of the part can be fully cured while another section can be left partially cured or uncured. The partially cured or uncured sections can then be joined using the Quickstep Melding Process.
To do this, the partially cured or uncured sections are laid together and cured simultaneously, as shown in the schematic below. A layer of pre-preg fibre can then be used to cover the joint between the two sections, thereby melting and chemically bonding with the part and mechanically bridging the joint.
See a demonstration of how we construct a melded stiffened panel.