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Abstract:

Carbon Fibre Sheet Moulding Compounds (CF-SMCs) are carbon tow based composites; SMC components are obtained by compression moulding of thin prepreg sheets. Automotive industries use these materials mainly for thin panels; manufacturing of SMC thick-walled parts remains challenging and unconventional, although it could contribute to significant weight reduction. To expand the possible applications of CF-SMC, a 15 mm thick automotive part washere manufactured and tested in bending. The charge placement inside the mould proved to be a key factor for the component mechanical performance. Effects of moulding temperature, pressure and cooling rate were hidden by the high material variability.