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

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

Fatigue of Textile Composites provides a current, state-of-art review on recent investigations on the fatigue behavior of composite materials, mainly those reinforced with textiles. As this particular group of composite materials is extremely important for a wide variety of industrial applications, including automotive, aeronautical, and marine, etc., mainly due to their peculiarities and advantages with respect to unidirectional laminated composites, the text presents comprehensive information on the huge variety of interlacement geometric architectures that are suitable for a broad range of different applications, their excellent drapability and versatility, which is highly important for complex double-curvature shape components and three-dimensional woven fabrics without plane reinforcement, and their main mechanical characteristics which are currently in high demand from industry. - Presents the current state-of-the-art investigations on fatigue behavior of composite materials, mainly those reinforced with textiles - Contains invaluable information pertaining to a wide variety of industries, including automotive, aeronautical, and marine, amongst others - Provides comprehensive information on the huge variety of interlacement geometric architectures that are suitable for a broad range of different applications

Special topic volume with invited peer reviewed papers only.

Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are used in almost every type of advanced engineering structure, with their usage ranging from aircraft, helicopters and spacecraft through to boats, ships and offshore platforms and to automobiles, sports goods, chemical processing equipment and civil infrastructure such as bridges and buildlings. The usage of FRP composites continues to grow at an impessive rate as these materials are used more in their existing markets and become established in relatively new markets such as biomedical devices and civil structures. A key factor driving the increased applications of composites over the recent years is the development of new advanced forms of FRP materials. This includes developments in high performance resin systems and new styles of reinforcement, such as carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles. This book provides an up-to-date account of the fabrication, mechanical properties, delamination resistance, impact tolerance and applications of 3D FRP composites. The book focuses on 3D composites made using the textile technologies of weaving, braiding, knitting and stiching as well as by z-pinning.

Composites are versatile engineered materials composed of two or more constituent materials which, when combined, lead to improved properties over the individual components whilst remaining separate on a macroscopic level. Due to their versatility, composite materials are used in a variety of areas ranging from healthcare and civil engineering to spacecraft technology. Composites forming technologies reviews the wealth of research in forming high-quality composite materials.The book begins with a concise explanation of the forming mechanisms and characterisation for composites, as well as covering modelling and analysis of forming techniques. Further chapters discuss the testing and simulation of composite materials forming. The book also considers forming technologies for various composite material forms including thermoset and thermoplastic prepreg, moulding compounds and composite/metal laminates.With its distinguished editor and array of international contributors, Composites forming technologies is an essential reference for engineers, researchers and academics involved with the production and use of composite materials. - Reviews the wealth of research in forming high-quality composite materials - Includes a concise explanation of the forming mechanisms and charaterisation for composites - Considers forming technologies for various composite material forms