Composite materials offer a high strength-to-weight ratio and directional load bearing capabilities. Compression molding of composite materials yields a superior surface finish and good dimensional stability between component lots with faster processing compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This experimental compression molding capability was developed for the ME composites lab using unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg composites. A direct comparison was drawn between autoclave and compression molding methods to validate compression molding as an alternative manufacturing method in that lab. A method of manufacturing chopped fiber from existing unidirectional prepreg materials was developed and evaluated using destructive testing methods. The results from testing both the continuous and chopped fiber were incorporated into the design of a functionally graded hybrid continuous and chopped carbon fiber component, the manufacture of which resulted in zero waste prepreg material.
","abstract_html":"<p>Composite materials offer a high strength-to-weight ratio and directional load bearing capabilities. Compression molding of composite materials yields a superior surface finish and good dimensional stability between component lots with faster processing compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This experimental compression molding capability was developed for the ME composites lab using unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg composites. A direct comparison was drawn between autoclave and compression molding methods to validate compression molding as an alternative manufacturing method in that lab. A method of manufacturing chopped fiber from existing unidirectional prepreg materials was developed and evaluated using destructive testing methods. The results from testing both the continuous and chopped fiber were incorporated into the design of a functionally graded hybrid continuous and chopped carbon fiber component, the manufacture of which resulted in zero waste prepreg material.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Warnock, Corinne Marie"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MS in Mechanical Engineering","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Joseph Mello"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:31:35Z","subjects":["carbon fiber prepreg","compression molding","chopped fiber","functional grading","composites manufacturing","destructive composites testing","Manufacturing","Mechanics of Materials","Polymer and Organic Materials","Structural Materials"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["10.15368/theses.2015.167"],"render_values":[{"text":"10.15368/theses.2015.167","href":"https://doi.org/10.15368/theses.2015.167","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1518","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Joseph Mello"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Warnock, Corinne Marie"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-02-05T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MS in Mechanical Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["carbon fiber prepreg","compression molding","chopped fiber","functional grading","composites manufacturing","destructive composites testing","Manufacturing","Mechanics of Materials","Polymer and Organic Materials","Structural Materials"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1518","10.15368/theses.2015.167"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Composite materials offer a high strength-to-weight ratio and directional load bearing capabilities. Compression molding of composite materials yields a superior surface finish and good dimensional stability between component lots with faster processing compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This experimental compression molding capability was developed for the ME composites lab using unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg composites. A direct comparison was drawn between autoclave and compression molding methods to validate compression molding as an alternative manufacturing method in that lab. A method of manufacturing chopped fiber from existing unidirectional prepreg materials was developed and evaluated using destructive testing methods. The results from testing both the continuous and chopped fiber were incorporated into the design of a functionally graded hybrid continuous and chopped carbon fiber component, the manufacture of which resulted in zero waste prepreg material.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Process Development for Compression Molding of Hybrid Continuous and Chopped Carbon Fiber Prepreg for Production of Functionally Graded Composite Structures"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Joseph Mello"],"dc:creator":["Warnock, Corinne Marie"],"dc:date.available":["2016-02-05T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Composite materials offer a high strength-to-weight ratio and directional load bearing capabilities. Compression molding of composite materials yields a superior surface finish and good dimensional stability between component lots with faster processing compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This experimental compression molding capability was developed for the ME composites lab using unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg composites. A direct comparison was drawn between autoclave and compression molding methods to validate compression molding as an alternative manufacturing method in that lab. A method of manufacturing chopped fiber from existing unidirectional prepreg materials was developed and evaluated using destructive testing methods. The results from testing both the continuous and chopped fiber were incorporated into the design of a functionally graded hybrid continuous and chopped carbon fiber component, the manufacture of which resulted in zero waste prepreg material.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1518","10.15368/theses.2015.167"],"dc:subject":["carbon fiber prepreg","compression molding","chopped fiber","functional grading","composites manufacturing","destructive composites testing","Manufacturing","Mechanics of Materials","Polymer and Organic Materials","Structural Materials"],"dc:title":["Process Development for Compression Molding of Hybrid Continuous and Chopped Carbon Fiber Prepreg for Production of Functionally Graded Composite Structures"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_name":["MS in Mechanical Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:31:35Z"}