"Out of Autoclave" A new direction for composites

With a drive to reduce composite production costs, the aerospace and materials industries have jointly developed composite materials and processes to allow autoclaved parts to be cured in lower-cost ovens. In hundreds of companies, efforts are underway to transition parts toward "out of autoclave" processing. As a major autoclave provider, ASC sees this trend continuing and, rather than buck the trend, we are embracing it.

We bring autoclave technology to  composite curing ovens

ASC autoclaves cure billions of dollars worth of aerospace parts each year. Each one of these parts is required to be cured to an exacting process specification, and our customers demand that the autoclave control system collect, analyze, and report on the data for every part.
As autoclaved parts transition to composite curing ovens, our customers are now looking for the same level of quality, control, and data collection as they have become reliant upon in their autoclave operations. Unfortunately, the "old-school" oven industry has never kept up with the technological advances that have driven the autoclave industry. The result is antiquated process control that cannot meet future composite needs.
Fortunately, ASC has the processing knowledge, the know-how, and the technology required to bring autoclave quality, control, and data collection to oven processing.

We can help you transition from autoclave to composite curing oven

For customers who are looking at transitioning from autoclave to "out of autoclave" processing, ASC can provide consulting, engineering, and design analysis to ensure that your parts and tooling will cure properly in an oven. By using state-of-the-art CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) software, our engineers can simulate how your tooling will heat in specific oven configurations. With the results of that data, we can then recommend specific oven configurations and capabilities to ensure problem-free processing.

Large structure curing in conventional composite curing ovens

Although "out-of-autoclave" processes for small, secondary structures have been very successful, only recently have aerospace customers tried to bring "out of autoclave" processing to large primary structures.

These large composite structures have historically been cured in autoclaves. The curing of these structures involves massive Invar or aluminum tooling, and as some tools can weigh 100,000 lbs (45,000 kg) or more, the autoclave is able to heat the load at the prescribed rates due to the increased heat transfer effect of pressurized nitrogen media.

Unfortunately, customers who want to transition these primary structures to an oven are left with a very big problem. Because the oven operates at atmospheric pressure, it is far less capable than an autoclave at transferring thermal energy into tools and parts. Actually, due to air density changes, an autoclave at 100 psi (6.9 bar) provides 7-times the thermal transfer coefficient as a conventional oven.  As a result of the low thermal transfer, the large primary structures will, in most cases, fail to meet minimum heat rates.

*Images above are courtesy of composite world magazine. 

Composite Curing Ovens

Large Composite Curing Ovens by ASC. 

We design, engineer, & manufacture carbon fiber composite curing ovens.

Although there are a number of companies that build ovens, ASC Process Systems is the only company that can design, manufacture, and ship a factory-complete composite curing oven system with state-of-the-art features, capabilities, and reliability of an autoclave.  We build medium to large-scale composite curing ovens that the aerospace composite industry demands. 

In-house CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) Analysis

Our Engineers take full advantage of today’s advanced technologies when designing our ovens. With our in-house CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) engineering capabilities, our Engineers are able to develop the most advanced and capable composite curing oven systems available worldwide.

Often, we are hired by major aerospace companies to validate large aerospace tooling and demonstrate how those tools will heat in different oven configurations. This capability gives us an advantage in the oven design and provides the customer with an assurance that the oven we deliver will heat, cool, and cure their parts as specified.

Structurally Sound Composite Ovens

Large Composites Ovens

Our primary focus is on designing and building walk-in composite curing ovens for the aerospace composites industry. However, smaller composite oven projects will be considered for bid.

Large Oven Assembly

Depending on the size of the oven, ASC can erect the oven at our shop and ship an integrated, or we can ship larger ovens in sections for field assembly.

High Airflow equals
Quicker cure cycles

An ASC composite oven will usually have much more airflow than a competitive oven. Because we are composite experts, we know that high flow is the only real way to improve the heating of your parts and tools. By directing more air to your parts, the overall cycle time is reduced.

Adherence to specification & built to code

We design and manufacture our ovens to your processing and operational specifications and requirements. Designed and Engineered in accordance with all applicable codes and standards worldwide, you can be assured that ASC ovens will not only meet but also exceed all of your specific requirements.

Standard Composite Curing Oven Models

Our standard composite curing oven models are state-of-the-art in out of autoclave composite curing technology and provide more advanced features like our world-renowned CPC Controls system and the same vacuum systems we install in our Econoclave systems that provide higher performance than any other composite curing oven product on the market. 

If you do not see a standard model in the list below that fits your composite curing oven requirements, please click the "Request form"  tab above and let us know what you are looking for. We manufacture composite curing ovens of all sizes and capabilities.