How

To Apply Fiberglass Cloth

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Aerospace 204H: Vehicle Flight Design and Fabrication! As
discussed in lecture, the use of composite materials continues to grow
rapidly in the Aerospace Industry. New Aircraft such as the Boeing 787
Dreamliner and Airbus A350 are effectively incorporating composite
materials in their construction. Composites allow engineers in the
aerospace industry to build stronger and more durable products that are
also lighter, which are all critical factors when designing aerospace
structures. It is valuable to familiarize yourself with these materials and
the fabrication techniques used in composites processing early on in your
career so you can make yourself a competitive candidate in the aerospace
industry.

One of the most useful fabrics in construction of composite materials is
Fiberglass. Fiberglass is a fiber reinforced plastic where the reinforced
fiber is specifically composed of glass. The glass fiber may be randomly
arranged, flattened into a sheet, or woven into a fabric. The instructions
in this guide will show step-by-step instructions of how to apply
fiberglass woven fabric, which can also be called fiberglass cloth. This
composite material is used in various parts of an aircraft because of the
ease in which it can be used to manufacture complex curved shapes.

SAFETY

Safety is our number one priority when working in the lab. We want to
maintain a safe environment for everyone so that we can continue to
keep the lab open and gain hands-on experience. Please remember to put
on the following safety equipment before continuing with this instruction
set:

Safety Glasses
Latex Gloves
Respirator

Fumes and dust particles are a serious concern when working with
fiberglass. You do not want to touch the materials used in this process
with your bare hands and it is always important to wear safety glasses
when building with any composite materials.

STOP: Did you remember your safety equipment?

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Composed of 50%
Composite Material

Fiberglass Cloth


PREPARATION

Before diving into the application of the fiberglass cloth, you must first do
some preparation steps. Begin by gathering the materials you will need
for the process. Then, if you need to make a mold before application of the
fiberglass read how to make a mold below, other wise skip to the
procedures.


Materials
You should already be somewhat familiar with where to find materials in
the lab. If there is something you cannot find ask the lab TA for assistance.
You will need the following materials:

Fiberglass cloth
Poly (polyester) Resin
Hardener
Scissors
Small Cup
Spoon or popsicle stick
Digital Weight Scale
Playing Cards or disposable brush
Painters Plastic
Release Agent
Patience

Making a Mold
If you are creating a shape in mid-air, you need to make a mold or a
plug to make sure the fiberglass adheres to the right shape. This plug
should be an exact representation of the object to be made. There are
variety of different methods and materials to make the plug.

The first option is to use foam or some other pliable material. Blocks of
styrofoam or polystyrene foam work best for objects that have curves and
other nonlinear shapes. Simply cut or shave he foam into your desired
shape. Cover the material with wax paper, and use wax to seal and attach
all joints, as well as for smoothing rough seams.

Another option is to use cardboard, plywood other stiff materials for
molds with linear or geometric shapes. The stiffer materials are best for
large shapes and forms like the fuselage for our HPA.

After the mold (aka plug) has been formed, spray it with mold release
agent. The release agent will allow the mold to be separated from the plug

Styrofoam

once it is finished. Wax and wax paper or packaging tape are an alternate
for a release agent.

PROCEDURE

1. Measure and cut the fiberglass cloth to the size needed in order to
cover the desired surface.
It is better to cut a little bit bigger than the size you need.
You can trim the excess off at the end.

2. Mix together the poly resin and the hardener in the small cup
using a spoon or a popsicle stick.
Stir the mixture thoroughly and slowly until it has the
consistency of pancake syrup
One of the containers for the resin and hardener will refer
to the ratio of hardener to resin. Use the scale to measure
and ensure that you are achieving this ratio.
Caution: Mixed resin generates heat when it sets, try to
continuously stir the liquid and handle with extreme care

3. Lay fiberglass on a clean sheet of plastic and spread the resin
mixture over it with the playing cards.
A disposable paintbrush can also be used in place of the
playing cards.

4. Spread the resin mixture until the fiberglass is covered uniformly.
It is important not to use excess of the resin mixture, as the
more that is applied the heavier the fiberglass will be.

5. Spread resin over the surface that you are applying to

6. Apply the wet fiberglass to the structure of your choice.
Use the playing cards to help remove any air bubbles that
form to spread the resin evenly. Air bubbles are bad: they
weaken the composite.
If there are two sides to your structure be sure to use two
separate piece of fiberglass.

7. Finally let your fiberglassed structure sit and dry until it is no
longer sticky to the touch.
Curing will take from two to four hours depending on the
resin. Check the manufacturers label.

8. If you are planning to add additional layers, repeat the steps
above.

Mixing the epoxy

Example of fiberglass
application

9. After all of your desired layers are applied allow 24 hours for the
structure to dry
Sand any excess fiberglass or uneven surfaces.


Be sure to clean up all your materials and spills or messes that may have
been created.

Image Sources
Note: I was unable to find adequate image sources that were copyright
approved

Figure 1 -
http://documents.specialchem.com/documentsom/indexables/editorial
/editorial/23811/boeing-787.jpg

Figure 2 - http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0689/1441/products/6-oz-
surfboard-fiberglass-roll-BGF-7533_grande.jpg?v=1420742731

Figure 3 -
http://www.safetygirl.com/media/catalog/product/cache/2/thumbnail/
9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/f/sfteysg1000021196_-
00_maroon-frame_clear_safety-girl-navigator-safety-glasses_1.jpg

Figure 4 -
http://us.cdn4.123rf.com/168nwm/allison14/allison141203/allison141
20300039/12649914-doctor-wearing-blue-latex-glove-giving-thumbs-
up-sign.jpg

Figure 5 -
http://www.acesurgical.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/8
00x800/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/7/8/7899109_01_10.jp
g

Figure 6 - http://www.createforless.com/p-
images/3/2006/1117/114061-3-1.jpg

Figure 7 - http://davezak.com/artresin/wp-
content/uploads/2009/10/artresin-epoxy-resin-dave-david-zak-mixing-
resin-cups.jpg

Figure 8 - http://www.cafematty.com/wp-
content/uploads/2010/12/tailpiece-fiberglass-mold.jpg