What is a Composite Roll and What is it Used for?

Composite roll is one of the products that add the finishing touches to a composite material as it is being formed. It is a small hand tool made of aluminum used to shape composite material and to prevent the material from breathing.

Using a composite hand roll to shape the material is extremely advantageous. Because it is both light and easy to use. Especially for the hand lay-up molding method, these rolls are a practical product that is often used. So, what is hand lay-up in composite molding?

Hand lay-up is one of the simplest and oldest open molding methods for composite production. When applying this method, dry fibers in the form of woven, knitted, stitched or bonded fabrics are first manually placed into the mold by hand. A brush is then used to apply the resin matrix onto the reinforcement material.

It is then necessary to roll the wet composite to improve the interaction between the reinforcement and the matrix, facilitate a uniform resin distribution and achieve the desired thickness.

Composite rolls are used in this stage of composite production. These rolls are extremely useful products to give the material the desired shape. Finally, the laminates are left to cure under standard atmospheric conditions. In general, this process consists of four stages:

Mold preparation
Gel coating
Placement
Hardening

The hand laying method, also called the wet laying method, is one of the most traditional methods used in the sector.

It is a very simple process in which each layer is worked only by hand and stacked layer by layer to the desired thickness. As the processing is done by hand, it can be a bit difficult to shape it in a manual way. For this reason, a composite hand roll is used in the shaping stage to facilitate the process.

This method is reliable but labor intensive and more time consuming than advanced manufacturing methods. The quality of the resulting product depends on the skill of the worker and the quality of the hand roll used for forming.

Any material is suitable for this method, e.g. carbon or glass fibers, and it can be used for components in any form (continuous fibers, chopped fibers, woven fibers, etc.).

In this method it is extremely difficult to apply the resin, reduce air bubbles and shape the material. The composite hand roll therefore plays an active role in hand tilting.

This product, which shapes the material laid layer by layer with the help of a rough hand and removes air bubbles, is a product that looks small but has a very big function.

How to Use Composite Roll?

Composite materials are extremely durable and lightweight materials that we encounter in every sector today. These materials are preferred in many sectors as they support industrial developments and provide solutions.

Composite materials, which go through many stages to be obtained, are formed as a result of the processes of combining two or more components together, combining them in the right dimensions and mixing them homogeneously. Of course, there are many more processes to go through before it is finalized.

The role of auxiliary equipment used in the production of composite material is also very important. This equipment ensures that the material is produced correctly. If the equipment is faulty, the material cannot be produced correctly and underperforms. There may even be no performance at all.

One of the equipment that plays an active role in the finalization of the composite material is the composite roll. Especially in the production of composite materials obtained by hand spreading, this equipment is frequently used.

Since composite components are spread by hand in this method, they are likely to be misshapen and airy. This problem can be solved by using composite rolls on each floor.

We can list the criteria to be considered when using composite hand rolls as follows:

Safety When producing composite materials, it is also necessary to come into contact with chemical components. It is therefore essential to take safety precautions. It is useful to use protective products such as gloves and goggles when using composite hand rolls.
Roll selection: These rolls come in a variety of types. The right product is determined by the process. Roll selection should be based on the type, thickness and shape of the composite material. The size, surface characteristics and material properties of the roll should be selected to suit the application.
Roll heating: Some composite materials are not as easy to shape as one might think. In such cases, heat may be needed. The condition of the composite material should therefore be monitored and the roll heated if necessary.
Cooling and fixing: After shaping a composite material with this roll, much attention must be paid to the cooling process in order for the material to take the desired shape. The material should be held stationary and no further intervention should be made until the material takes the desired shape. After cooling, it should be verified whether the material has taken the desired shape. After these processes, the material is ready for use.