Abstract
Aerospace composites manufacturers discard anywhere from 30 to 50% of their uncured prepreg during the ply-cutting phase of manufacturing. This waste is attributed to nesting pattern inefficiencies caused by restrictive production schedules, fixed prepreg roll widths, and limited material out-life. Previous studies have explored the possibility of transforming offcuts into strand-based compression moulding compounds, but have been limited by the processing mismatch between autoclave curing and compression moulding. This article introduces a recycling framework which employs comprehensive material characterization and targeted elevated temperature staging to produce a recyclate with tailorable processing characteristics without the need for additional resins or fillers. The influence of resin viscosity on prepreg flow-compaction is presented and a software tool is introduced which generates process maps for selecting optimal staging based on desired moulding temperature, cure time and resin viscosity.
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