"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. 

Available Oven Options

 

PW - Power, voltage, frequency selection

Although the standard oven is designed for 480 volt / 3phase service and 24-volt control power, we can design it to accommodate any international voltage and frequency requirement.

Please select one of the options below, or if your specific power requirement is not shown, select PW4 and explain your exact power requirements.

• PW1 480 volt / 3 phase / 60hz primary power and 24vdc control power.
• PW2 380 volt / 3 phase / 50hz primary power and 24vdc control power.
• PW3 400 volt / 3 phase / 50hz primary power and 24vdc control power.
• PW4 415 volt / 3 phase / 50hz primary power and 24vdc control power.
• PW5 575 volt / 3 phase / 60hz primary power and 24vdc control power.
• PW6 Custom power - please describe.

If you are unsure about your exact requirements, please see the following document for international voltage and frequencies. Note: ASC's manufacturing plant is in the US and therefore utilizes 480V/3PH power. For this reason, when PW2-PW6 is selected, ASC will be required utilize rental diesel generator power to test the oven during in-house tests. This generator rental cost as well as a slight increase in motor costs will be priced into the project, so one should expect a slight increase in autoclave price when PW2-PW6 is selected.

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VP - Vacuum pumps

While some customers prefer to use in-house vacuum systems to supply vacuum to the oven, most prefer that a dedicated pump or pumps be provided on the oven.

• VP1 One vacuum pump, fully integrated to autoclave, with PC controls.
• VP2 Two vacuum pumps, fully integrated to autoclave, with PC auto-switching and redundancy logic/controls.

ASC standardizes on an Airtech L-series, rotary-vane, oil-seal vacuum pump for our aerospace vacuum applications. The Airtech pump includes an exhaust filter, vibration isolators, and anti-suckback valve. The pump achieves a vacuum level of 29.8 "Hg (2 mmhg) at 60hz operation and sea-level.

For the VP2 option, ASC will provide two (2) pumps with PC-control logic that allows manual selection of a single pump, dual pump operation, and auto-switching for balance duty, and redundancy.

Pump Ratings

For composite applications, ASC has developed a simple rule of thumb for sizing vacuum pumps. We generally offer a pump that delivers a capacity that will provide approximately 2 cfm to each of the autoclave's source lines. For example, for a 10 source line application, we would select an L25 pump, which delivers 20 cfm.

Series	Cfm	(60hz)	M3/hr	(50hz)HpKw
L12	7	6.6	.75	.5
L21	15	14.1	1	.75
L25	21	19.8	1.5	1.1
L40	31	29.2	2	1.5
L63	45	42.4	3	2.25
L100	70	66	5	3.75
L160C	117	110	7.5	5.6
L230B	155	146	7.5	5.6
L250D	180	169	10	7.5
L400C	330	311	15	11
L630C	460	434	25	18.7

 

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VT - VacTrap ™ chilled resin traps

For composite curing applications with high volatile content (ie. high-temperature polyimides), we recommend chilled VacTrap ™ assemblies instead of the conventional ambient temperature filter traps. The VacTrap will be much more effective in condensing volatiles and solvents during high-temperature curing operations.

The VacTrap is an ASC designed modular vacuum system that utilizes conventional stainless-steel ball valves, a proprietary custom aluminum trap blocks, and a chiller.

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VR - Controlled vacuum receiver system

Many composite applications require full vacuum during and or at the beginning of the cure cycle. In these cases, there is little need to control the level of the vacuum to the parts. However, for high-temperature polyimides and honeycomb reinforced parts, there is often the need to provide partial vacuum (ie. -10"Hg) to the parts. In these cases, you will need to have a controlled vacuum receiver.

The VR option provides an integrated receiver tank, transducer connected to PC system, and two PC-controlled valves. Once configured, the system will provide Recipe-based programming and control of the system vacuum to +/- 1" hg (24 mm Hg) accuracy. The VR option includes solenoid operating valves for ovens with minimal vacuum source ports, and proportional valves for larger oven systems.

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Standard Oven Models

Our standard industrial ovens from our batch ovens, walk-in ovens, and CFRP ovens, to our composite curing ovens, are state-of-the-art and provide more advanced features and higher performance than any other industrial 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 industrial curing ovens of all sizes, types, and capabilities.

Composite Curing Ovens

Large Composite Curing Ovens by ASC. 

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

ASC Process Systems offers a wide array of small to large-scale composite curing oven configurations for the aerospace industries. Unlike typical composite curing ovens on the market, the ASC composite ovens are built specifically to me the demanding aerospace grade out-of-autoclave compositing curing requirements with advanced CPC controls, autoclave grade vacuum systems, and much more. At ASC, we engineer, fabricate, ship, install, and train you and your team so nothing is left overlooked. You will have peace of mind in owning the most efficient, reliable, and highest-performing composite curing oven available.

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.