Best content ever! Really like how you show the "problems" encountered too, such as the little nibs on the draft edge, and HOW to fix it. A lot of the time, other peoples' videos will just show everything working out perfectly, leaving out the little issues that invariably come up when doing something for the first time. Thanks for taking the time to make such high quality content.
Thanks Jonathon, appreciated. We make these as genuine ‘try this at home’ tutorials, not just entertainment content. We want people to follow the process and get the same results; that’s why we try to leave nothing out 😀.
@@easycompositestv Definitely the best how to video's I've seen on RUclips, although I figured the idea was it showed potential customers why it's worth paying the experts! :)
As always, perfect explanations and great job ! Your videos are perfect for beginners ! The cover with forged carbon looks superb ! I am preparing a kit car project and I am sure that your videos will help me to create my project. Mik (From France)
Hi Mik, thank you for the comments, it's great to hear you're enjoying our content. this process does produce some nice looking parts although they have had a coat of clear coat to get them photo-shoot ready! Look forward to hearing how you get on with you next projects, you'll know kit cars are close to our hearts here at Easy Composites from the Carbon Mods days :)
Looking forward to the rest in this series. I imagine this process is particularly good for detailed parts and also bypasses all of the effort of vacuum bagging?
Although it bypasses vacuum bagging itself, there is still a reasonable amount of force applied in the compression stage which replicates some of the forces involved in vacuum bagging. That helps with fibre consolidation and removing excess resin.
@@easycompositestv what sort of tonnage press are you looking at for the compression stage? Would a 10 tonne press be enough or would you need something beefier?
@@TheFatPandaIAm Obviously you could use a press but in the case of this part, we'll just be using G-Clamps - we'll cover this in detail in the upcoming video.
Thanks Michael, totally agree, it's something we'd really love to do. We've recently expanded with our European warehouse (hand forced by Brexit on that one) so we're getting a better understanding of what it means to open up overseas subsidiaries. In the meantime, we're going to work on ways to streamline our direct shipping from the UK to the US, we think we can make it even cheaper and easier to buy from us so watch this space.
Subbed. Hoping to develop some tooling and molds for composite parts I'm making. I use 3D printing processes for manufacturing automotive parts, and need to develop some molds and things. Hope to make it happen soon.
would it be possible to replace the generator/stat& clutch cast aluminium parts of a motorcycle ? The inner side though must be able to cope with the warm oil from the inside side of the engine.
No, not really. You need a lot of strength and a lot of accuracy in the moulds to make the process work. Although we’ve not tested it, I really wouldn’t expect that you have enough of either in a vacuum forming.
It's a very good looking casting and I was curious about how the plug was going to be released, but you made it look very easy. Looking forward to part 2
Do you plan on covering mechanical joining CFRP? If it's feasible to build the threading out of carbon fiber, how to integrate metal inserts which can be used for threading, etc...? Thank you.
Yes, we'd definitely like to make a video about composites assembly, I'm confident this won't be too far off. We would include integrating inserts. You would almost never make the thread itself out of carbon fibre.
I’ve been waiting for a video like this on forged carbon compression moulding for ages!! I love how well you explain everything and you’re such an asset to the composite industry. I’m looking forward to the next few videos and as soon as I’m ready to get started, I’ll be ordering from Easy Composites!
I purchased everything here and followed everything to a T. My bottom half of my mold came out decent. When casting the second half it some how bonded to the bottom half resulting a total loss. The only thing I may have done poorly was not allowing the wax to dry fully. Even though i waited the recommended 10 min intervals, my layer may have been too thick and not dried properly. Either way, I highly suggest you purchase from Easy Composites. the yellow filleting wax is an absolute must. I have tried everything under the sun and nothing performs as well as this stuff. The Easy Lease is also worth buying. Two coats just rubbed on and my plug from my mold released incredibly easy! Although my forged mold did not work out I will be buying more product from them. They are eager to help and are super nice people. If you are interested I plan on uploading my carbon process on my channel as I produce various parts for my hot rod truck.
Thanks Diao, yes, we will; the next video will discuss the design and printing of the 3D tools which for most people is probably how they will make the tools for this process.
YESSSsss, EU warehouse is the best news I've heard in a while, last time I ordered from the UK it took 2 months to arrive and I got slapped with a massive customs tax charge even after paying the UK VAT on my order.
The whole Brexit situation was incredibly difficult and frustrating for us. It's been a huge amount of work but we're delighted to now be set up in the Netherlands and able to support our customers throughout Europe better than ever. Thanks for staying with us and hopefully you'll never have problems buying from us again.
There isn’t really anyone doing it better than you guys . I love how every video is shown in a way for everyone to understand not to mention adding in certain things that other company’s might forget . My go too place! ❤️
I like how you explain every bits of detail 👍 it really helps us a lot to avoid making mistakes caused by that minor details that could be potentially overlooked. Great job and great content!!
Yes, they did work out rather well. In the end, the moulds just fell apart so they could be considered a bit overkill but if you were using the moulds over and over then you’d probably start to appreciate little bits of finesse like this.
Great to hear Hugo; well, I think we should have provided some good inspiration with our recent batch of tutorials featuring 3D printing applications in composites :)
Amazing, I've been thinking abut how to do this exact process for an old motorcycle part, looking forward to the actual making of the part. Thanks Guys.
Hi Miles, there are options for creating a high temperature version of the same process. We need to do a bit of testing to make sure it would work as anticipated but we think there are products in our range already which could be combined to create a high temperature version of a Tool Cast epoxy. Once we’ve done some testing, we’ll add the information to the project page for this tutorial on our website.
Thansk Leland. The next video in this series will be a bit more revelatory because we'll be demonstrating a process that there is almost *no* information available for!
I've been looking for an easy way to start doing interior parts even in twill cloth, but this almost seems easier and it's definitely more unique! It would look very good paired with Alcantara and a brushed aluminum/steel. WOW!
Well, we do and whether we agree with the terminology being used with regards to Composites, the problem is that it is now known throughout the industry as 'Forged Carbon Fibre'. Believe us, we know what forge work is and this type of composite work could really do with a different name but unfortunately, its too ingrained in the industry for us to be able to change it now.
Very informative and professional video, as always! Thank you so much, you really helped me get my project perfect. It's a fibreglass RC speed boat that wouldn't have happened without your videos. Here's a video of her running: ruclips.net/video/0gl9eTI4yyQ/видео.html Edit: Wrong link, sorry! Fixed it.
@@easycompositestv Oh my... Im so sorry, I had copied the wrong link... That was supposed to go to my friends group. Fixed it now! My apologies! ruclips.net/video/0gl9eTI4yyQ/видео.html There is also a link to the full build log in the description if you are interested :)
I didn't get a good look, but the original part has a mark on it saying something like "PA66 GF35". This means Poly Amide 6,6 (chemist speak for nylon) Glass Fiber 35%. Similar markings exist for for other polymers. My point is that these markings should be scrubbed off when being used to make a mold so as not to confuse customers , future owners or your future self.
For a product you intend to sell, yes it would be a good idea. For a personal project or one off, such confusion is unlikely to occur - especially for a part that appears to obviously be carbon fibre of some kind.
Hi, it entirely depends on what facilities you have available to you and if you are happy with the original part. Designing in 3D CAD allows you to make adjustments and changes or create something entirely new, whilst a cast mould required an original part with a good surface finish which can then be replicated.
Thanks for the comment and yes, the term 'forged' carbon fibre is not the clearest but it's been around for a while now (Lamborghini have been using it for several years) and is quite widely used with an established meaning. To avoid using the term would mean that many viewers interested in understanding 'forged carbon' might never find this content, get to see what the term refers to (for some at least) in the context of carbon fibre composites, and learn how - for the right components - this process can be used to produce strong, lightweight parts with minimal equipment. For what it's worth, before making the video we did discuss whether to use the term 'forged' a lot because we really weren't sure ourselves. After lots of deliberation (checking dictionaries and researching the history of the term) we decided to go with it but we did expect others might come to a different view, and that's fine too. If you'd like a much more lengthy explanation of we came to *our* decision please get in touch, we're happy to have more healthy debate on the subject :)
You can touch up with the TC80 Itself and for most small repairs, would not need to thicken the resin system. If you really needed to thicken, you could use fumed silica to thicken it.
whoever came up with the idea to use the word "forged" for molded chopped-fiber composites was a marketing genius. Dishonest, but clever. Meanwhile, metallurgists continue to cringe.
Haha, yes, we knew this would come up. Here's where we got to our thinking with it... For what it's worth, it was pretty-much Lamborghini who coined the phrase, if they didn't coin it, they definitely popularised it and you can't question their marketing skills! On the etymology of the word 'forged', both in an established engineering context, and in its suitability and applicability in a composites context (regardless of whether Lamborghini and others were using it) we don't think it's too far from the mark. Whilst 'forged' means something specific in a context of forming metal, the word forged also means "formed by pressing or hammering with or without heat" (Merriam Webster dictionary) or "to make or produce something, especially with some difficulty" (Cambridge dictionary). Given that the process - in this context - refers to compression moulding under pressure, this description does seems pretty apt. Whilst you could certainly call a 'forged' carbon fibre part 'compression moulded carbon', you could actually call most carbon fibre parts 'compression moulded' because many processes - vacuum bagging, prepreg, SMC etc, are all forms of compression moulding. Forged carbon is a way of differentiating compression moulding short strand carbon from traditional woven or long strand reinforcement. The short strands being key to the process in allowing the reinforcement to 'flow' more easily to conform to the mould contours under pressure in a rigid tool, something that doesn't happen with woven or long strand reinforcement (leading to voiding).
I really like that you give detailed instructions, so that a erage joe can go into this craft, not like somebody woth two masters degrees and 30 yrs of experience. Am really looking into 2nd part. Sadly not yet can say i have been your customer, but i really want to, not yet found a suitable application for your products in my field
Thanks for the feedback JunckMAn, no worries that you're not a customer yet, we still appreciate the support and feedback and, naturally, look forward to an opportunity in the future when we can supply you for a project.
@@easycompositestv Will finish my CNC, might try doing some knife making, may be carbon fibre handles would be good option, then this would be near perfect solution
Hands down the best in the world in regards to instructionals and product. Too bad you’re not in the USA! You should have in house training. My favorite car detaining machinery Rupes has a great product instruction class/course you can pay for. I love the concept and would pay to have instruction.
Outwith of COVID, we normally run a regular training course on Advanced Composites. We hope to restart the courses sometime in 2022 when it is safe to do so.
...Could you bond the backing plates in one go - just putting them on the top of poured epoxy? In case of wood blocks, They would simply float,; incaseof metal plates, some additional shennanigans wouldbe needed to suspend them at given position and sto them from sinking all the way and resting on the part. Is it a viable option (and saving one step per side)?
Thank you so much for starting this series of videos, I always find your videos so straight forward to watch and they always seem to answer any questions I may of had. I can think of so many things that I would like to try this on
Looking forward to hearing how you get on Adrian. We’re really excited about getting this next video out there - we believe a lot in this process and there’s almost zero information out there about it already. Can’t wait to share it with you.
Really appreciate the videos and the new EU warehouse. I'm sure that your large quantity of EU customers are thankfull for that! Lucky for me: it is in the Netherlands so shipping costs will be very low.
Hi, thanks for the feedback. Yes, it’s fantastic that we now have the EU subsidiary, and yes, if you’re actually based in the Netherlands then shipping is cheapest and fastest of all - or you can even collect if you wanted to!
Do you guys have a resin which could be used to bolt onto a rather hot surface like a cylinder head? i would like to build an adapter for an intake system and looking for a nice resin to cast it :) Very nice content by the way.
We have a new version of this resin coming out soon, called TC160, it's essentially the same product but with a service temperature of 160'C. If you need a higher service temperature than about 180'C then there aren't many conventional casting resins that would be suitable. It also depends whether you need thermal conductivity in the cast product or not, and also whether weight (or density, to be more specific) is important. If weight isn't critical then something like TC160 might be suitable, if weight is important then the aluminium filler in these 'tool cast' systems would probably rule them out in the basis of density (i.e. the part would be heavier than it needs to be, if it doesn't need the thermal conductivity). If you'd like to work through your options in more detail, please contact our tech sales team through our website.
Question I'm making a compression mold having a hard time finding casting resin in the u.s and shipping is a bugger can I get away with using vynle ester? Or is the shrinkage a issue? I was thinking if treated it like a normal mold did a layer of chopped then mixing in some thickener and making a chunky milky mix to fill and build it up like the block on the video. Or would a deep pour epoxy be a safer and better bet?
As long as the material has low shrinkage and reasonable compressive strength it should be ok. You could even 3D print the mould. It does need a flat reverse so it can be evenly clamped during the process.
Is it possible to sand and use a chemical sealer/release on the casting,to give it a glossier finish from the outset? And therefore less prep on the finished part? Thanks
Thinking about making phone cases, but the wrap around lip on finished case is giving me a headache , I was thinking to make a 3 part mould with first split running vertically separating left and right And 3rd part pressing in to form where phone will sit, do you think that setup would work? Making draft angle on the top side of phone but leaving wrap around edges on case, Separating left and right first then flexing finished part off the internal foam part? Forged carbon tow btw
If you can make the mould so you do not have mechanical locking then that would be best. Say a middle section that lifts out giving the sides room to slide out.
I'm about to use this mold casting meterial can I use pva with the tc80? Also before spraying the rw wax can I use pva then or after? This parts a bit complex and I want to make sure this part separates from the mold
You wouldn't normally use both. A good application of PVA will work well in most cases. The RW4 is easier to use and with several layers offers good reliability.
Hi Robert, it compares very well but - as you might expect - it’s quite a complicated subject. So much so that we’ve decided to do a third video, after the next one, properly comparing the mechanical properties of forged carbon vs aluminium vs some other materials and production processes. Make sure you’re subscribed - we should have it done in the next month.
No problem at all, appreciate the feedback. We really do our best to make quite complicated subjects as follow-able as possible. It’s great to hear we’re getting it right.
Hi, yes, absolutely! Earlier this year we opened our EU subsidiary, based in the a Netherlands and shipping to all of mainland EU. Please visit www.easycomposites.eu
Yes, you could do. It sounds like your project is more creative/decorative than structural or mechanical (in the way these casting are intended to be used) but certainly there are ways and means for including separate colours and shapes into resin castings. You'd have to reach out to us with a bit more information about your project if you want specific advice or material recommendations.
What is the tensile strength of the chopped compressed chopped carbon? I'd imagine it's a lot stronger than nylon or other plastic, how does it copare with aluminium or a conventional carbon layup?
Question, how what would I use to glue or stick two pieces of forged carbon fiber together. For example if I made two of these carbon fiber pieces and wanted to stick them both together instead of screwing then together, how was I go about that?
Your two best options for bonding carbon fibre components together are epoxy adhesives, or methyl methacrylate (MMA) adhesives. With some simple surface prep (keying with abrasive paper) both of these types of adhesive are capable of achieving a very strong bond. From our range, adhesives such as our VM100 or Permabond ET538 perform very well.
What about air bubbles in the casting resin? Wouldn't they be an issue at high temperature curing? Can they be avoided or taken out like in case of concrete by vibrating the mould?
As long as the resin has been mixed carefully and poured carefully, there are not usually any issues with bubbles in this resin. You certainly could degas or use a vibrating table to remove any bubbles you still have.
Hi John, that video is still up, just look for the XCR skinning video on our channel. If you need direct technical support, please contact us though our website; happy to help.
Entirely depends on the thickness of the part but generally a forged component would be considerably stronger than a typical injection moulded plastic part. We intend to cover comparison of strengths in a future video which will answer your question in further depth. We hope to release this in the next few weeks.
There's no reason why you couldn't use TC80 to cast yourself a mould for wet layup. It already contains fillers to control shrinkage and control temperature when curing so there is no need to and anything more.
You ideally choose a part that has an inherent draught angle to it to avoid mechanical locking. The stiffer the part, the more careful you have to be demoulding to ensure you prise the part out evenly vertically so it does not jam in the mould. In extreme cases you may need a multi-part mould to get a good release.
Hi Paul, this is an incredible useful and informative video, as you guys always do. Thank you very very much I have a (silly) question, which maybe will be important in the next future: do you think resin and composites technologies are going to became more eco-sustainable? I mean, the epoxy and other chemical stuff you show are crazily wonderful and, in my opinion, they have the great value of not using or using very a little thermal processes (which mean massive electricy consuption). But still, they are chemicals. While in spite of for instance resin 3d printers, VOC and nano-particles should be low or absent (as you often explain in your vids), still this chemicals are toxic in the liquid state and not biodegradable when cured. It shoud really beautiful if we could use stuff fully compostable... I think of hemp fiber and vegetal resins from my limited undertanding... Can you explain and maybe show some of this kind (if it does exist)... I like gardening (especially the brit way like Charles Dowding no-dig method) and I think about a possible "inspiration" for manufacturing and prototyping industries: do, create "waste", get new resources from it (i.e. compost), continue to create... What do you think? Thanks again, you guys are number one Cheers from Italy
Hi Carl, Not a silly question by any means and something that we are certainly conscious of. Unfortunately the pure nature of thermoset polymers do make the recycling process of the end product difficult. You almost need to consider a holistic view that if a component can be manufactured lighter from a composite structure for say a transport application, how much fuel (energy) is that saving over the life of the product over something made from a metal which, may or may not be recycled at its end of life. Not only this, but the capabilities that composites allow, some applications simply wouldn't be possible with other materials or manufacturing methods. There is certainly some progress in the area of more sustainable sourcing of the raw materials, our Bio Resins for example contain about 38% plant derived content. We do also stock a range of flax fibre reinforcements but as always, you do need to consider the absolute performance vs the eco credentials of the material and what is the most suitable for the relevant project.
An autoclave is doing two things, it's providing pressure and heat. If you're using 'prepreg' carbon fibre to make your parts then this means that the resin is already combined with the carbon fibre and it's already been mixed with its hardener (that's why they're stored in a freezer) but to cure the resin you *need* heat, this means that prepregs must be cured in an oven or autoclave. The additional pressure of an autoclave help to consolidate the reinforcement, increasing the fibre ratio and reducing the void content. This is also what happens with compression moulding where - if done right - the pressure could be equal to or higher than the pressure in an autoclave. If you're using a resin system designed for ambient temperature cure and you're applying pressure equivalent to an autoclave then the mechanical properties of the resulting component would be very similar. Ultimately, the use of an autoclave is often more of a practical consideration (i.e. what's the best way to make this particular part/shape?) than it is a matter of it outright being a superior manufacturing process in terms of the performance of the component.
No as there are no vent holes or injection ports to get the resin in. If you designed it with those features, for lower temperature castings then it should work.
The cost will depend on the quantities involved. However you can see all the materials listed on our website video page so you can adjust quantity to suit and hence see the cost. You can watch the video here: www.easycomposites.co.uk/learning/casting-a-two-part-compression-mould
Whilst you could produce bot ha pattern or a mould by 3D printing, this would generally be for low-quantity production and may not be suited in the event of higher temp applications or when curing under pressure/vacuum. The tooling here would be much better suited to longevity and series/batch production without distortion.
"smaller male tool".. somehow i feel insulted.
😂😂
Best content ever! Really like how you show the "problems" encountered too, such as the little nibs on the draft edge, and HOW to fix it. A lot of the time, other peoples' videos will just show everything working out perfectly, leaving out the little issues that invariably come up when doing something for the first time. Thanks for taking the time to make such high quality content.
Thanks Jonathon, appreciated. We make these as genuine ‘try this at home’ tutorials, not just entertainment content. We want people to follow the process and get the same results; that’s why we try to leave nothing out 😀.
@@easycompositestv Definitely the best how to video's I've seen on RUclips, although I figured the idea was it showed potential customers why it's worth paying the experts! :)
@@easycompositestv You are definitely achieving that goal and I couldn't ask for more. Thanks again.
Ytt ty t
You guys honestly produce simply amazing content! Absolutely love your work and can't wait for the next few episodes!!
Really appreciate the awesome feedback, comments like this are why we keep producing content!
Yaaaas! I've been waiting for this tutorial for ages!! Fuckin brilliant
Thank you very much for all your teachings.
You're welcome Victor, glad you're enjoying the content :)
This man is an obsessive perfectionist and I love it 🙂
As always, perfect explanations and great job ! Your videos are perfect for beginners ! The cover with forged carbon looks superb ! I am preparing a kit car project and I am sure that your videos will help me to create my project. Mik (From France)
Hi Mik, thank you for the comments, it's great to hear you're enjoying our content. this process does produce some nice looking parts although they have had a coat of clear coat to get them photo-shoot ready! Look forward to hearing how you get on with you next projects, you'll know kit cars are close to our hearts here at Easy Composites from the Carbon Mods days :)
Paul for President? Or since he's in the UK... Prime minister!
Looking forward to the rest in this series. I imagine this process is particularly good for detailed parts and also bypasses all of the effort of vacuum bagging?
Although it bypasses vacuum bagging itself, there is still a reasonable amount of force applied in the compression stage which replicates some of the forces involved in vacuum bagging. That helps with fibre consolidation and removing excess resin.
@@easycompositestv what sort of tonnage press are you looking at for the compression stage? Would a 10 tonne press be enough or would you need something beefier?
@@TheFatPandaIAm Obviously you could use a press but in the case of this part, we'll just be using G-Clamps - we'll cover this in detail in the upcoming video.
Great Job once again, can't wait for the next video.
Cheers Bryon, we're filming it this week so should have it edited an online in about 2 weeks. That's how much work goes into these things!
As a subscriber and customer for over 10 years, it never gets old watching this channel. I think the WEST is ready for a US dist hub!!!!
Thanks Michael, totally agree, it's something we'd really love to do. We've recently expanded with our European warehouse (hand forced by Brexit on that one) so we're getting a better understanding of what it means to open up overseas subsidiaries. In the meantime, we're going to work on ways to streamline our direct shipping from the UK to the US, we think we can make it even cheaper and easier to buy from us so watch this space.
Oh man! I'm incredibly excited for this series!
Subbed. Hoping to develop some tooling and molds for composite parts I'm making. I use 3D printing processes for manufacturing automotive parts, and need to develop some molds and things. Hope to make it happen soon.
Thanks for subscribing, keep an eye out as we have a lot of upcoming tutorials either in production or in planning.
would it be possible to replace the generator/stat& clutch cast aluminium parts of a motorcycle ? The inner side though must be able to cope with the warm oil from the inside side of the engine.
You may need a high temperature resin system to do that depending how hot the oil gets.
One more Amazing educational videos... Congrats on increasing subscribers. 👍👍👍
Appreciate your comment, we'll have more videos out soon :)
YES, YOU'RE BACK, it's always exciting for more content from you guys!!
Hello, how about Vaccum Forming, it is useful for forming molds?
No, not really. You need a lot of strength and a lot of accuracy in the moulds to make the process work. Although we’ve not tested it, I really wouldn’t expect that you have enough of either in a vacuum forming.
It's a very good looking casting and I was curious about how the plug was going to be released, but you made it look very easy. Looking forward to part 2
Part 2 is currently in production, hopefully it won't be too long till Paul's finished in the studio!
Do you plan on covering mechanical joining CFRP? If it's feasible to build the threading out of carbon fiber, how to integrate metal inserts which can be used for threading, etc...? Thank you.
Yes, we'd definitely like to make a video about composites assembly, I'm confident this won't be too far off. We would include integrating inserts. You would almost never make the thread itself out of carbon fibre.
Among the clearest and most comprehensive training video series I've come across on RUclips. Thanks.
Thank you Julian, that’s high praise and makes us know it’s worth the extra effort.
I’ve been waiting for a video like this on forged carbon compression moulding for ages!! I love how well you explain everything and you’re such an asset to the composite industry. I’m looking forward to the next few videos and as soon as I’m ready to get started, I’ll be ordering from Easy Composites!
Appreciate the really kind comment, if you need any getting started please us know :)
I purchased everything here and followed everything to a T. My bottom half of my mold came out decent. When casting the second half it some how bonded to the bottom half resulting a total loss. The only thing I may have done poorly was not allowing the wax to dry fully. Even though i waited the recommended 10 min intervals, my layer may have been too thick and not dried properly.
Either way, I highly suggest you purchase from Easy Composites. the yellow filleting wax is an absolute must. I have tried everything under the sun and nothing performs as well as this stuff. The Easy Lease is also worth buying. Two coats just rubbed on and my plug from my mold released incredibly easy!
Although my forged mold did not work out I will be buying more product from them. They are eager to help and are super nice people.
If you are interested I plan on uploading my carbon process on my channel as I produce various parts for my hot rod truck.
I want to add, I do not think this is fault of the product but rather my inexperience
Welakam beak 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊
yessss thank you, cant wait for the next video please show more of the 3d printing techniques. cheers
Thanks Diao, yes, we will; the next video will discuss the design and printing of the 3D tools which for most people is probably how they will make the tools for this process.
YESSSsss, EU warehouse is the best news I've heard in a while, last time I ordered from the UK it took 2 months to arrive and I got slapped with a massive customs tax charge even after paying the UK VAT on my order.
The whole Brexit situation was incredibly difficult and frustrating for us. It's been a huge amount of work but we're delighted to now be set up in the Netherlands and able to support our customers throughout Europe better than ever. Thanks for staying with us and hopefully you'll never have problems buying from us again.
Really is such a nice job, and the explanation r very clear !
1:53 - The hovering "tool-tip" with the equipment details is amazingly done!
Ahh, that’s our video guy Kyle’s work; he’ll appreciate the props!
Amazing!!!!
Thanks for sharing
Hello from Russia) I look forward to the continuation of this video! when is the second part ??????
Hello Vasily, the second part is just being filmed now, so it shouldn't be too long before it's uploaded
There isn’t really anyone doing it better than you guys . I love how every video is shown in a way for everyone to understand not to mention adding in certain things that other company’s might forget . My go too place! ❤️
Appreciate the great feedback, we'll have more videos out soon too!
I love paul😍😍😘
I like how you explain every bits of detail 👍 it really helps us a lot to avoid making mistakes caused by that minor details that could be potentially overlooked. Great job and great content!!
Neat tip with the wedge inserts on the sides 🤟
Yes, they did work out rather well. In the end, the moulds just fell apart so they could be considered a bit overkill but if you were using the moulds over and over then you’d probably start to appreciate little bits of finesse like this.
Always like your composite project, thinking about a small project on my own for my snowmobile, involving my 3D printer and some carbon fiber!!!
Great to hear Hugo; well, I think we should have provided some good inspiration with our recent batch of tutorials featuring 3D printing applications in composites :)
Amazing, I've been thinking abut how to do this exact process for an old motorcycle part, looking forward to the actual making of the part. Thanks Guys.
Glad you like the video. Look out for the second part showing the Compression moulding process.
What a shame this is not suitable for high temperatures, would like to use this for prepreg tooling, or even replacement for aluminium tooling
Hi Miles, there are options for creating a high temperature version of the same process. We need to do a bit of testing to make sure it would work as anticipated but we think there are products in our range already which could be combined to create a high temperature version of a Tool Cast epoxy. Once we’ve done some testing, we’ll add the information to the project page for this tutorial on our website.
@@easycompositestv im I'm the market for 200°c capable tooling if you are able to test that 😉😄
@@easycompositestv yes please! we need this for prepreg
@Easy Composites Ltd Plasticene, now you're talking my language!
Thank you sir for good teaching
This is absolutely insanely AWESOME! Granted you’re not revealing any secrets but this is still impressive.
Thansk Leland. The next video in this series will be a bit more revelatory because we'll be demonstrating a process that there is almost *no* information available for!
BRB... carbon fibreing (verb word?) every plastic engine cover on my car's engine.
Your explanation of this process is nothing short of amazing. Now I have better ideas on how to make some parts for my 65 MGB.
Glad we could help!
Grazie mille!!!!
If these products are produced this way, they will be very expensive.
Love your videos! Do you have/plan to make any videos on honeycomb cores? Nomex vs aluminium, how and when to use it.
Hi Elvind, yes, we will definitely do a video on this, it’s on our video ideas board - we’re working our way through!
I've been looking for an easy way to start doing interior parts even in twill cloth, but this almost seems easier and it's definitely more unique! It would look very good paired with Alcantara and a brushed aluminum/steel. WOW!
If you do try this out, we'd love to see what you make!
great stuff, I use all your products, they're great! :D When can we expect more 3d printing moulds to come? :D
Hi Kamil, very soon! The next video in this series shows how a 3D printed mould can be used as an alternative to this cast compression mould.
Forged? I don't think you know what that word means
Well, we do and whether we agree with the terminology being used with regards to Composites, the problem is that it is now known throughout the industry as 'Forged Carbon Fibre'. Believe us, we know what forge work is and this type of composite work could really do with a different name but unfortunately, its too ingrained in the industry for us to be able to change it now.
Brilliant!
hi can i know how much resin you used and i wanted to know also the grams i.e. how many grams of resin and how many of catalyst
Beautiful work, those levers especially are horn :-D
Screw the alu-minimum next time you should update to the better alu-maximum!
Very professional video, very careful production！
The best channel Around the World Thank You so much.
We appreciate the kind comment!
Fantastic video as always, thank you for your advice, first parts should be made this week.
Wow, that's great to hear Matthew, look forward to hearing how you get on.
Very informative and professional video, as always! Thank you so much, you really helped me get my project perfect. It's a fibreglass RC speed boat that wouldn't have happened without your videos. Here's a video of her running: ruclips.net/video/0gl9eTI4yyQ/видео.html
Edit: Wrong link, sorry! Fixed it.
Thanks Jan but not sure if that link is right, I clicked it but got a meme, not the vid of a composite speed boat I was hoping for!
@@easycompositestv Oh my... Im so sorry, I had copied the wrong link... That was supposed to go to my friends group. Fixed it now! My apologies! ruclips.net/video/0gl9eTI4yyQ/видео.html
There is also a link to the full build log in the description if you are interested :)
This channel is absolutely marvelous, thank you so much for sharing this with us! It's so much appreciated
I didn't get a good look, but the original part has a mark on it saying something like "PA66 GF35". This means Poly Amide 6,6 (chemist speak for nylon) Glass Fiber 35%. Similar markings exist for for other polymers.
My point is that these markings should be scrubbed off when being used to make a mold so as not to confuse customers , future owners or your future self.
For a product you intend to sell, yes it would be a good idea. For a personal project or one off, such confusion is unlikely to occur - especially for a part that appears to obviously be carbon fibre of some kind.
Would this be a good choice for a brake lever or would the 3d printed moulding be the better option like in the video
Hi, it entirely depends on what facilities you have available to you and if you are happy with the original part. Designing in 3D CAD allows you to make adjustments and changes or create something entirely new, whilst a cast mould required an original part with a good surface finish which can then be replicated.
The process described is called CASTING not forging. Forging is when you change the form of a workpiece via force.
Thanks for the comment and yes, the term 'forged' carbon fibre is not the clearest but it's been around for a while now (Lamborghini have been using it for several years) and is quite widely used with an established meaning. To avoid using the term would mean that many viewers interested in understanding 'forged carbon' might never find this content, get to see what the term refers to (for some at least) in the context of carbon fibre composites, and learn how - for the right components - this process can be used to produce strong, lightweight parts with minimal equipment.
For what it's worth, before making the video we did discuss whether to use the term 'forged' a lot because we really weren't sure ourselves. After lots of deliberation (checking dictionaries and researching the history of the term) we decided to go with it but we did expect others might come to a different view, and that's fine too. If you'd like a much more lengthy explanation of we came to *our* decision please get in touch, we're happy to have more healthy debate on the subject :)
I bet lost pla casting would be a great way to make the press parts on the cheap
What do you guys use to fill any imperfections in the mold? Can you thicken this stuff for filling? If so what would you recommend?
You can touch up with the TC80 Itself and for most small repairs, would not need to thicken the resin system. If you really needed to thicken, you could use fumed silica to thicken it.
whoever came up with the idea to use the word "forged" for molded chopped-fiber composites was a marketing genius. Dishonest, but clever. Meanwhile, metallurgists continue to cringe.
Haha, yes, we knew this would come up. Here's where we got to our thinking with it...
For what it's worth, it was pretty-much Lamborghini who coined the phrase, if they didn't coin it, they definitely popularised it and you can't question their marketing skills!
On the etymology of the word 'forged', both in an established engineering context, and in its suitability and applicability in a composites context (regardless of whether Lamborghini and others were using it) we don't think it's too far from the mark. Whilst 'forged' means something specific in a context of forming metal, the word forged also means "formed by pressing or hammering with or without heat" (Merriam Webster dictionary) or "to make or produce something, especially with some difficulty" (Cambridge dictionary). Given that the process - in this context - refers to compression moulding under pressure, this description does seems pretty apt.
Whilst you could certainly call a 'forged' carbon fibre part 'compression moulded carbon', you could actually call most carbon fibre parts 'compression moulded' because many processes - vacuum bagging, prepreg, SMC etc, are all forms of compression moulding. Forged carbon is a way of differentiating compression moulding short strand carbon from traditional woven or long strand reinforcement. The short strands being key to the process in allowing the reinforcement to 'flow' more easily to conform to the mould contours under pressure in a rigid tool, something that doesn't happen with woven or long strand reinforcement (leading to voiding).
I really like that you give detailed instructions, so that a erage joe can go into this craft, not like somebody woth two masters degrees and 30 yrs of experience.
Am really looking into 2nd part.
Sadly not yet can say i have been your customer, but i really want to, not yet found a suitable application for your products in my field
Thanks for the feedback JunckMAn, no worries that you're not a customer yet, we still appreciate the support and feedback and, naturally, look forward to an opportunity in the future when we can supply you for a project.
@@easycompositestv Will finish my CNC, might try doing some knife making, may be carbon fibre handles would be good option, then this would be near perfect solution
Great video! Is it possible to use this mold for Synterm? Thermocompression molding.
The resin system has a HDT of 80C so anything hotter would not be recommended.
Hands down the best in the world in regards to instructionals and product. Too bad you’re not in the USA!
You should have in house training. My favorite car detaining machinery Rupes has a great product instruction class/course you can pay for. I love the concept and would pay to have instruction.
Outwith of COVID, we normally run a regular training course on Advanced Composites. We hope to restart the courses sometime in 2022 when it is safe to do so.
...Could you bond the backing plates in one go - just putting them on the top of poured epoxy? In case of wood blocks, They would simply float,; incaseof metal plates, some additional shennanigans wouldbe needed to suspend them at given position and sto them from sinking all the way and resting on the part.
Is it a viable option (and saving one step per side)?
In theory yes but generally a heavy metal plate would try and sink into the resin which would be undesirable.
Thank you so much for starting this series of videos, I always find your videos so straight forward to watch and they always seem to answer any questions I may of had. I can think of so many things that I would like to try this on
Looking forward to hearing how you get on Adrian. We’re really excited about getting this next video out there - we believe a lot in this process and there’s almost zero information out there about it already. Can’t wait to share it with you.
@@easycompositestv Really looking forward to it
Really appreciate the videos and the new EU warehouse. I'm sure that your large quantity of EU customers are thankfull for that!
Lucky for me: it is in the Netherlands so shipping costs will be very low.
Hi, thanks for the feedback. Yes, it’s fantastic that we now have the EU subsidiary, and yes, if you’re actually based in the Netherlands then shipping is cheapest and fastest of all - or you can even collect if you wanted to!
@@easycompositestv I'll keep that in mind, thanks!
Do you guys have a resin which could be used to bolt onto a rather hot surface like a cylinder head? i would like to build an adapter for an intake system and looking for a nice resin to cast it :) Very nice content by the way.
We have a new version of this resin coming out soon, called TC160, it's essentially the same product but with a service temperature of 160'C. If you need a higher service temperature than about 180'C then there aren't many conventional casting resins that would be suitable. It also depends whether you need thermal conductivity in the cast product or not, and also whether weight (or density, to be more specific) is important. If weight isn't critical then something like TC160 might be suitable, if weight is important then the aluminium filler in these 'tool cast' systems would probably rule them out in the basis of density (i.e. the part would be heavier than it needs to be, if it doesn't need the thermal conductivity). If you'd like to work through your options in more detail, please contact our tech sales team through our website.
Question I'm making a compression mold having a hard time finding casting resin in the u.s and shipping is a bugger can I get away with using vynle ester? Or is the shrinkage a issue? I was thinking if treated it like a normal mold did a layer of chopped then mixing in some thickener and making a chunky milky mix to fill and build it up like the block on the video. Or would a deep pour epoxy be a safer and better bet?
As long as the material has low shrinkage and reasonable compressive strength it should be ok. You could even 3D print the mould. It does need a flat reverse so it can be evenly clamped during the process.
Is it possible to sand and use a chemical sealer/release on the casting,to give it a glossier finish from the outset? And therefore less prep on the finished part? Thanks
Yes, the higher the quality finish on the part you are moulding from, the less work needed on the mould itself.
Thinking about making phone cases, but the wrap around lip on finished case is giving me a headache ,
I was thinking to make a 3 part mould with first split running vertically separating left and right
And 3rd part pressing in to form where phone will sit, do you think that setup would work? Making draft angle on the top side of phone but leaving wrap around edges on case,
Separating left and right first then flexing finished part off the internal foam part? Forged carbon tow btw
If you can make the mould so you do not have mechanical locking then that would be best. Say a middle section that lifts out giving the sides room to slide out.
Such videos explain, why such parts are so expensive. The work before, takes very very much time. I wonder how many times you can use this?
The moulds could be used hundreds or possibly thousands of times, really the only limit is how carefully you handle the moulds (to avoid scratches).
I'm about to use this mold casting meterial can I use pva with the tc80? Also before spraying the rw wax can I use pva then or after? This parts a bit complex and I want to make sure this part separates from the mold
You wouldn't normally use both. A good application of PVA will work well in most cases. The RW4 is easier to use and with several layers offers good reliability.
How does the strength of these carbon forged parts compare with the original aluminium parts? And how does the strength compare with woven carbon?
Hi Robert, it compares very well but - as you might expect - it’s quite a complicated subject. So much so that we’ve decided to do a third video, after the next one, properly comparing the mechanical properties of forged carbon vs aluminium vs some other materials and production processes. Make sure you’re subscribed - we should have it done in the next month.
My God...
I could make so much stuff...
Awesome content, would love to see more! You make your tutorials so they are easy to follow, thank you for this.
No problem at all, appreciate the feedback. We really do our best to make quite complicated subjects as follow-able as possible. It’s great to hear we’re getting it right.
Good morning I am a follower of all your tutorials and a fan of composite, I would like to know if you make shipments to Spain, Thank you very much.
Hi, yes, absolutely! Earlier this year we opened our EU subsidiary, based in the a Netherlands and shipping to all of mainland EU. Please visit www.easycomposites.eu
Brilliant video, so cleverly made and very well explained too.
Glad you enjoyed the video David!
That’s the information I needed
Is it possible to cast thicker materials with multiple colors inside like a smiley ?
Yes, you could do. It sounds like your project is more creative/decorative than structural or mechanical (in the way these casting are intended to be used) but certainly there are ways and means for including separate colours and shapes into resin castings. You'd have to reach out to us with a bit more information about your project if you want specific advice or material recommendations.
What is the tensile strength of the chopped compressed chopped carbon?
I'd imagine it's a lot stronger than nylon or other plastic, how does it copare with aluminium or a conventional carbon layup?
We are doing some comparative testing for the next video so show the difference.
Question, how what would I use to glue or stick two pieces of forged carbon fiber together. For example if I made two of these carbon fiber pieces and wanted to stick them both together instead of screwing then together, how was I go about that?
Your two best options for bonding carbon fibre components together are epoxy adhesives, or methyl methacrylate (MMA) adhesives. With some simple surface prep (keying with abrasive paper) both of these types of adhesive are capable of achieving a very strong bond. From our range, adhesives such as our VM100 or Permabond ET538 perform very well.
What about air bubbles in the casting resin? Wouldn't they be an issue at high temperature curing? Can they be avoided or taken out like in case of concrete by vibrating the mould?
As long as the resin has been mixed carefully and poured carefully, there are not usually any issues with bubbles in this resin. You certainly could degas or use a vibrating table to remove any bubbles you still have.
Hey Paul. Could you DM me? I have a question about the gun stock video you use to have up. Thank you!
Hi John, that video is still up, just look for the XCR skinning video on our channel. If you need direct technical support, please contact us though our website; happy to help.
Awesome :) How strong are these forged carbon parts?
Entirely depends on the thickness of the part but generally a forged component would be considerably stronger than a typical injection moulded plastic part. We intend to cover comparison of strengths in a future video which will answer your question in further depth. We hope to release this in the next few weeks.
@@easycompositestv I will watch that for sure :)
What's the plate that you have everything on? Is that also polypropylene?
The White sheet on the table is indeed Polypropylene.
I love mold making. I was lucky to have a cousin working as a dental technician. So he would give my a lot of high end silicone for free!!!
Nice this clay , it is rock hard and i can not even smear it as you do , only thing it does is crumbles and leaves a complete mess.
Warm it very slightly. When cold, plasticines are brittle and behave that way. They soften rapidly at temps around 20C and above.
Awesome videos. I just found your channel and it’s so great.
Can I use tooling gel to make a one sided wet layup mold like this ? If I add talc powder would that work?
There's no reason why you couldn't use TC80 to cast yourself a mould for wet layup. It already contains fillers to control shrinkage and control temperature when curing so there is no need to and anything more.
What if the part is made from a stiff material? Like for example this clutch cover from aluminum, how would I get the part out of the mold?
You ideally choose a part that has an inherent draught angle to it to avoid mechanical locking. The stiffer the part, the more careful you have to be demoulding to ensure you prise the part out evenly vertically so it does not jam in the mould. In extreme cases you may need a multi-part mould to get a good release.
Sorry sir,,may i know what kind of material you use for make the moulding
The mould is made with our TC80 tool cast resin. www.easycomposites.co.uk/tool-cast-epoxy-casting-resin-for-vac-forming-tools
Hi Paul,
this is an incredible useful and informative video, as you guys always do.
Thank you very very much
I have a (silly) question, which maybe will be important in the next future: do you think resin and composites technologies are going to became more eco-sustainable?
I mean, the epoxy and other chemical stuff you show are crazily wonderful and, in my opinion, they have the great value of not using or using very a little thermal processes (which mean massive electricy consuption).
But still, they are chemicals.
While in spite of for instance resin 3d printers, VOC and nano-particles should be low or absent (as you often explain in your vids), still this chemicals are toxic in the liquid state and not biodegradable when cured.
It shoud really beautiful if we could use stuff fully compostable... I think of hemp fiber and vegetal resins from my limited undertanding...
Can you explain and maybe show some of this kind (if it does exist)...
I like gardening (especially the brit way like Charles Dowding no-dig method) and I think about a possible "inspiration" for manufacturing and prototyping industries: do, create "waste", get new resources from it (i.e. compost), continue to create...
What do you think?
Thanks again, you guys are number one
Cheers from Italy
Hi Carl,
Not a silly question by any means and something that we are certainly conscious of. Unfortunately the pure nature of thermoset polymers do make the recycling process of the end product difficult. You almost need to consider a holistic view that if a component can be manufactured lighter from a composite structure for say a transport application, how much fuel (energy) is that saving over the life of the product over something made from a metal which, may or may not be recycled at its end of life. Not only this, but the capabilities that composites allow, some applications simply wouldn't be possible with other materials or manufacturing methods.
There is certainly some progress in the area of more sustainable sourcing of the raw materials, our Bio Resins for example contain about 38% plant derived content.
We do also stock a range of flax fibre reinforcements but as always, you do need to consider the absolute performance vs the eco credentials of the material and what is the most suitable for the relevant project.
@@easycompositestv very reasonable observations.
Thanks for replying, congratulations for you video
Tell me why they use an autoclave for carbon? If you can do without it. Is the part better and stronger in the autoclave or without it?
An autoclave is doing two things, it's providing pressure and heat. If you're using 'prepreg' carbon fibre to make your parts then this means that the resin is already combined with the carbon fibre and it's already been mixed with its hardener (that's why they're stored in a freezer) but to cure the resin you *need* heat, this means that prepregs must be cured in an oven or autoclave. The additional pressure of an autoclave help to consolidate the reinforcement, increasing the fibre ratio and reducing the void content. This is also what happens with compression moulding where - if done right - the pressure could be equal to or higher than the pressure in an autoclave. If you're using a resin system designed for ambient temperature cure and you're applying pressure equivalent to an autoclave then the mechanical properties of the resulting component would be very similar. Ultimately, the use of an autoclave is often more of a practical consideration (i.e. what's the best way to make this particular part/shape?) than it is a matter of it outright being a superior manufacturing process in terms of the performance of the component.
awesome :)
When is the second part?
in order to know when I will order your stuff ;)
Hopefully we'll be publishing it today or tomorrow. Just putting the finishing touches to it now!
Can we uses these molds for Vacuum casting and Injection molding ?
No as there are no vent holes or injection ports to get the resin in. If you designed it with those features, for lower temperature castings then it should work.
If this item entered Indonesia 😌
How much do the equipment cost (for both carbon fiber and forged carbon fiber)
The cost will depend on the quantities involved. However you can see all the materials listed on our website video page so you can adjust quantity to suit and hence see the cost. You can watch the video here: www.easycomposites.co.uk/learning/casting-a-two-part-compression-mould
Is there anything that you don't know about resins?
Well done!
Good info and content!
Is there a reason you couldn't scan the part and machine the halves? Or if I had the 3D model?
Whilst you could produce bot ha pattern or a mould by 3D printing, this would generally be for low-quantity production and may not be suited in the event of higher temp applications or when curing under pressure/vacuum. The tooling here would be much better suited to longevity and series/batch production without distortion.