Textile composites encompass a rather narrow range of materials, based on three-dimensional reinforcements produced using specialist equipment. This book describes the design, manufacture and applications of textile composites. The intention is to describe the broad range of polymer composite materials with textile reinforcements, from woven and non-crimp commodity fabrics to 3-D textiles and their applications. The book gives particular attention to the modelling of textile structures, composites manufacturing methods, and subsequent component performance. This practical book is an invaluable guide for manufacturers of polymer composite components, end-users and designers, structural materials researchers, and textile manufacturers involved in the development of new products with textile composites.

The manufacturing processes of composite materials are numerous and often complex. Continuous research into the subject area has made it hugely relevant with new advances enriching our understanding and helping us overcome design and manufacturing challenges. Advances in Composites Manufacturing and Process Design provides comprehensive coverage of all processing techniques in the field with a strong emphasis on recent advances, modeling and simulation of the design process. Part One reviews the advances in composite manufacturing processes and includes detailed coverage of braiding, knitting, weaving, fibre placement, draping, machining and drilling, and 3D composite processes. There are also highly informative chapters on thermoplastic and ceramic composite manufacturing processes, and repairing composites. The mechanical behaviour of reinforcements and the numerical simulation of composite manufacturing processes are examined in Part Two. Chapters examine the properties and behaviour of textile reinforcements and resins. The final chapters of the book investigate finite element analysis of composite forming, numerical simulation of flow processes, pultrusion processes and modeling of chemical vapour infiltration processes. - Outlines the advances in the different methods of composite manufacturing processes - Provides extensive information on the thermo-mechanical behavior of reinforcements and composite prepregs - Reviews numerical simulations of forming and flow processes, as well as pultrusion processes and modeling chemical vapor infiltration

This book presents an introduction to the design and manufacture of fibre-reinforced composites. The mechanical properties of unidirectional composites are considered in a structural design context. The use of woven and random fibres is also addressed. The accuracy of design estimates for unidirectional composites is benchmarked against test data, and the relevance of a factor of safety (FoS) is established. The importance of prototype testing is emphasised. This book illustrates how to make a fibre-reinforced composite. Wet layup, vacuum bagging and prepreg moulding are covered in detail. Some guidance on mould design and construction is also provided. Finally, an introduction to the manufacture of composite tubes is presented. Wherever possible, design and make examples are used to illustrate the content. Tutorial questions and problems are included at the end of each chapter. The reader is encouraged to use these questions and problems to assess their own level of understanding of the content.

Advanced Structural Textile Composites Forming: Characterization, Modeling, and Simulation comprehensively describes the influence of fiber/fabric architectures and properties on composites forming, along with their deformability and structural optimization, covering the latest advances in the composites forming field. Part one reviews textile reinforcement architectures and discusses the forming behaviors of important 2D and 3D fabrics. Part two discusses numerical models to conduct simulation analysis of different structural composites forming at mesoscopic and macroscopic scales, in particular, 3D preforms with through-the-thickness yarns. Part three looks at the latest developments in the relationship between forming and other steps in composite manufacturing, such as resin injection, and automated fiber placement (AFP) and the effects on certain mechanical properties, such as structural damage and impact resistance. The book will be an essential reference for academic researchers, industrial engineers and materials scientists working with the manufacture and design of fiber-reinforced composite materials. - Describes the influence of the fiber/fabric architectures and properties on composites forming, along with their deformability and structural optimization - Provides numerical modeling and simulation of different fiber-reinforced composites forming at mesoscopic and macroscopic scales, in particular, reinforcements with discontinue fibers, and 3D preforms with through-the-thickness yarns - Discusses cutting edge topics such as resin injection, and automated fiber placement (AFP) and the effects of forming results on mechanical properties such as structural damage and impact resistances

Non-crimp fabric (NCF) composites are reinforced with mats of straight (non-crimped) fibres, giving them such advantages as strength, ease of handling and low manufacturing costs. Non-crimp fabric composites provides a comprehensive review of the use of NCF composites, their manufacture and applications in engineering.Part one covers the manufacture of non-crimp fabrics, including also topics such as structural stitching and automated defect analysis. Part two goes on to discuss the manufacture of non-crimp fabric composites, with chapters covering such topics as deformability and permeability of NCF. Part three focuses on the properties of NCF composites, with chapters on stiffness and strength, damage progression and fatigue. Finally, part four covers the applications of NCF composites, including chapters on the aerospace and automotive industries as well as wind turbines and helicopter applications. The book concludes with a discussion of cost analysis of NCF composites in engineering applications.With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, Non-crimp fabric composites is an essential reference for composite manufacturers and structural and mechanical engineers in industries using NCF composites, as well as academics with a research interest in the field. - Provides a comprehensive review of the use of NCF composites, their manufacture and applications in engineering - Reviews the manufacture of non-crimp fabrics, including also topics such as structural stitching and automated defect analysis - Examines the properties of NCF composites considering stiffness and strength, damage progression and fatigue

Natural Fiber Textile Composite Engineering sheds light on the area of the natural fiber textile composites with new research on their applications, the material used, the methods of preparation, the different types of polymers, the selection of raw materials, the elements of design the natural fiber textile polymer composites for a particular end use, their manufacturing techniques, and finally their life cycle assessments (LCA). The volume also addresses the important issue in the materials science of how to utilize natural fibers as an enhancement to composite materials. Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites have been proven to provide a combination of superior mechanical property, dielectric property, and environmental advantages such as renewability and biodegradability. Natural fibers, some from agricultural waste products, can replace existing metallic and plastic parts and help to alleviate the environmental problem of increasing amounts of agriculture residual. The book is divided into four sections, covering: applications of natural fiber polymer composites design of natural fiber polymer composites composite manufacturing techniques and agriculture waste manufacturing composite material testing methods The first section of the book deals with the application of textile composites in the industry and the properties of the natural fibers, providing an understanding of the history of natural fiber composites as well as an analysis of the different properties of different natural fibers. The second section goes on to explain the textile composites, their classification, different composite manufacturing techniques, and the different pretreatment methods for the natural fibers to be used in composite formation. It also analyzes the composite material design under different types of loading and the mechanism of failure of the natural fiber composite. The effect of the fiber volume fraction of different textile structures is explained. The third section of the book, on composite manufacturing techniques and agriculture waste manufacturing, concerns the natural fiber composite manufacturing techniques, agricultural waste, and the methods of their preparation to be used successfully in the composite, either in the form of fibers particles or nanoparticles. The book then considers the testing methods of the different composite components as well as the final composite materials, giving the principle of the testing standards, either distractive or nondestructive. This book attempts to fill the gap between the role of the textile engineer and the role of the designer of composites from natural fibers. It provides important information on the application of textile composites for textile engineers, materials engineers, and researchers in the area of composite materials.

The broad range of applications for textile structural composites can be attributed to the unique combination of formability, damage tolerance, and affordability of TSCs. This text provides a technical introduction to the design, manufacture, and testing of textile reinforced composite materials for structural applications and beyond. The prose is written in an accessible, straightforward, and practical way suitable for instructional use. Written by experts in both textiles and composite materials science, the book covers the formation of near-net-shape composites from 2-D and 3-D textiles made from natural and synthetic fibers, including carbon and glass. There is a special stress on preforms produced with textile operations such as weaving, knitting and braiding. This is followed by a description of how textile composites are made with polymer, metal, and ceramic matrices. Design calculations are provided, starting with micromechanical features and moving toward finished components. The experiments and tests unique to textile composites are outlined and differentiated from tests for monolithic and laminated materials.