18.05.12

The equipment included:

a large autoclave weighing 90 tonnes – including 30 000 litre water cooling system; a nitrogen generating plant; a small autoclave (17 tonnes); a hydraulic hot-press (10 tonnes); a double diaphragm hot drape former (15 tonnes); and two curing ovens.

The equipment was moved from Airbus’ facility in Filton. It took four months to re-install the large autoclave which operates at 400°C and a pressure of 200 psi (13.8 bar), the hot press, water cooling system and nitrogen pressurising plant, comprising a 30 tonne receiver, three compressors and a nitrogen generator.

The hot-drape former presented unique challenges removing it from its previous location not least because it uses 2500 light bulbs as its curing heat source.

The water cooling system – previously used for cooling the large autoclave and comprising a 30,000 litre tank, a hot well and hundreds of metres of pipe work – now serves both autoclaves and a hydraulic hot press. This installation was further complicated by the need to locate a system previously housed internally to a location outside the building.

Source: Reinforced Plastics