FORMABILITY OF WEFT KNITTED PREFORMS

Abstract

This paper investigates the formability of weft-knitted glass fiber preforms through a laboratory simulation of the deep drawing process for composite fabrication using resin transfer molding (RTM) together with a composite case study. The laboratory testing of the dry preform revealed that suitable formability parameters using a modified CBR test method could be predicted using KESF tensile properties provided that they are taken at approximately equal levels of extension. The results of the composite case study showed that there is interdependence between the mechanical properties of the dry preform, the composite shape and subsequent deformation patterns of the preform in the composite.