Producing aircraft composite mouldings using spray lay-up laminating techniques

This standard identifies the competences you need to setup and produce aircraft composite mouldings (such as moulds, components, splashes, jigs) using spray lay-up laminating techniques, in accordance with approved procedures.  It covers both fixed wing and rotary winged aircraft mouldings. You will be required to use appropriate drawings, specifications and documentation to produce various mouldings using the correct spray lay-up laminating production techniques.

You will be expected to prepare a range of tooling, apply release agents and prepare composite materials.  You will be expected to setup the spray laminating equipment to produce a range of composite mouldings, incorporating a range of features.  Mouldings produced will include laminates and sandwich structures, using a range of resin, fibre and core materials.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the setup and production activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the equipment setup, production activities or materials that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people.  You will be expected to work with minimum supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.

Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying spray lay-up laminating techniques and procedures.  You will understand the setup and production techniques used, and their application, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities, correcting faults, and ensuring the work output is produced to the required specification. 

You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the spray lay-up laminating activities and when using the associated tools and equipment.  You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout, and will understand the responsibility you owe to yourself and others in the workplace.

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1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
2. determine what processing operations are to be performed and how the equipment will be prepared and set up to achieve this
3. set the equipment operating parameters required for the spray lay-up moulding operation
4. follow the correct component drawing or any other related specifications for the component to be produced
5. determine what has to be done and how this will be achieved
6. obtain and prepare the appropriate tools, equipment and materials
7. carry out the moulding activities using the correct methods and techniques
8. check that the equipment operates within the operating parameters set
9. produce mouldings to the required specification
10. check that all the required operations have been completed to specification
11. complete relevant documentation in accordance with organisational requirements
12. deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
13. leave the work area and assembly in a safe and appropriate condition on completion of the activities

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1. the health and safety precautions to be taken and procedures used when working with aircraft composite materials, consumables, tools and equipment in the specific work area
2. the hazards associated with carrying out spray lay-up moulding techniques, and with the composite materials, consumables, tools and equipment used, and how to minimise these and reduce any risks in the work area
3. the requirements and importance of understanding and applying human factors as defined by the regulatory requirements and the potential impact if these are not adhered to
4. the protective equipment (PPE) that is needed for personal protection and, where required, the protection of others
5. the application of COSHH regulations in relation to the storage, use and disposal of composite materials and consumables
6. the specific environmental conditions that must be observed when producing composite mouldings (such as temperature, humidity, styrene levels to threshold limits, fume extraction systems and equipment)
7. how to extract and use information from engineering drawings and related specifications (to include symbols and conventions to appropriate BS, ISO or BSEN standards) in relation to work undertaken
8. how to interpret drawings/lay-up manuals, imperial and metric systems of measurement, workpiece reference/datum points and system of tolerancing
9. the quality procedures used in the workplace to ensure production control (in relation to currency, issue, meeting specification) and the completion of such documents
10. the conventions and terminology used for spray lay-up techniques (such as material identification, lay-up specifications, resin viscosity, spray pressure, resin/catalyst ratios, resin and fibre weights/volumes, gel times, exotherm)
11. the safety mechanisms on the spray and dispensing equipment, and the procedure for checking that they function correctly
12. operation of the spray and dispensing equipment, and emergency stop procedures
13. the parts and functions of the spray and dispensing equipment (to include controls; pneumatic and electricity supplies; material delivery and flushing systems)
14. the various spray and dispensing equipment operating parameters that may require adjusting prior to spray lay-up moulding activities (such as pressure, flow rate, spray pattern, chopper and chute adjustment, catalyst ratios, fibre ratios), and how these are achieved
15. the effects that changes to theses settings will have on the quality of the components produced
16. the different types of resins, reinforcement, catalysts, accelerators and additives used, and their applications
17. the different types of fibre materials and applications
18. different core, insert and filler materials, and their applications
19. the visual identification of both raw and finished composite materials
20. the different types of production tooling used for producing composite mouldings, and their applications
21. the identification and rectification of defects in production tooling
22. methods of preparation for patterns, moulds and tooling (including the correct use of surface sealers and release agents)
23. methods for handling and preparing the reinforcing fibres
24. mixing ratios for gel coats, resins and catalysts, and the associated gel times
25. the spray lay-up methods used during the moulding activity to ensure consistency of deposition
26. the tools and equipment used in the spray lay-up moulding activities, and their care, preparation and control procedures
27. the problems that can occur during the spray lay-up process (including defects such as contamination, resin/fibre rich areas, inconsistent deposition)
28. how defects can be overcome during the spray lay-up activity
29. the methods and techniques used to trim mouldings prior to release (green trimming)
30. the procedures and methods used for removing mouldings from production tooling
31. the identification of defects in the composite moulding (such as dry patches, resin rich areas, voids, contaminants)
32. the care and safe handling of production tooling and composite mouldings throughout the production cycle
33. the production controls used in the work area, and actions to be taken for unaccounted items
34. how the composite moulding relates to its own quality documents and the production tooling used
35. the extent of your own responsibility and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve

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1. Carry out all of the following during the moulding activities:

   1. obtain and use the appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, material data sheets, specifications, equipment setting-up documentation, planning and quality control documentation
   2. adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
   3. provide and maintain a safe working environment for the setting and moulding activities
   4. obtain and check that all tools and equipment to be used are correct for the operation to be carried out and are in a safe, tested and usable condition
   5. follow safe practice/approved setting and moulding techniques at all times
   6. clean/flush resin dispensing and spray equipment after use
   7. return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the moulding activities
   8. segregate and dispose of waste materials using the correct procedure

2. Prepare the spray and dispensing equipment for use, to include carrying out all of the following:

   1. ensure all machine services are connected and operational (such as electrical, pneumatic, feed pipes)
   2. ensure there are sufficient raw materials available and that they meet the component specification (such as fibre, resin, catalyst and flushing solvent)
   3. set up the machine operating conditions to suit the moulding being produced (such as dispensing pressure/rate, catalyst percentage and alarm conditions)
   4. check the spray gun and cleaning cycles function correctly
   5. check the chopper unit functions correctly

3. Carry out all of the following activities when preparing production tooling:

   1. check that tooling is correct and complete
   2. clean tooling and remove resin build-ups
   3. check for surface defects
   4. correctly apply sealers/release agents
   5. fit containment flanges/tooling where required
   6. clean and store tooling suitably after use

4. Carry out all of the following activities to prepare materials for production:

   1. obtain correct materials for the activity
   2. check that materials are fit for purpose and in life
   3. check correct quantity of resin is available
   4. identify and protect materials in the work area
   5. check correct measure and mix of resin/catalyst

5. Carry out all of the following activities to prepare the work area for spray laminating:

   1. mask the work area/over spay areas where required
   2. ensure adequate ventilation and position fans/extraction where required
   3. ensure correct operation of extraction equipment where required
   4. check temperature and humidity in the work area are within spray application specifications

6. Setup the spray/chopper gun for use, to include carrying out all of the following:

   1. selection of correct spray head size to suit the size and complexity of the moulding
   2. adjustment of the spray pressure to obtain a fully developed spray pattern
   3. adjustment of the roving feed rate and cutter to meet the required specification
   4. adjustment of the chopper chute to ensure to ensure even distribution in the resin stream

7. Produce a range of mouldings using four of the following types of production tool:

   1. pattern
   2. mandrel
   3. metal
   4. tooling block
   5. wet/spray lay-up
   6. infused mould
   7. glass pre-preg
   8. carbon pre-preg
   9. female tooling
   10. male tooling
   11. multi-part tools
   12. matched tooling
   13. closed tooling

8. Produce a range of mouldings using three of the following application techniques:

   1. spray application of a gel coat
   2. brush application of a gel coat
   3. spray application of fibre/resin
   4. removal of voids and air pockets
   5. brush/roller consolidation

9. Produce a range of mouldings incorporating seven of the following shape features:

   1. internal corner
   2. external corner
   3. horizontal surface
   4. vertical surface
   5. double curvature
   6. concave surface
   7. convex surface
   8. return surfaces
   9. joggle details
   10. nett edges
   11. other (to be specified)

10. Produce a range of mouldings using two types of resin from:

    1. bio resin
    2. acrylic
    3. polyester
    4. vinyl ester
    5. epoxy
    6. phenolic
    7. other (to be specified)

11. Produce a range of mouldings using techniques for two types of fibre from:

    1. natural fibre
    2. thermoplastic
    3. glass
    4. aramid
    5. carbon
    6. other (to be specified)

12. Produce a range of mouldings using techniques for two types of core material from:

    1. solid timber
    2. end grain balsa
    3. coremat
    4. rigid foam
    5. skinned honeycomb
    6. other (to be specified)

13. Use four of the following methods/processes when using core materials:

    1. core templates
    2. pre-shaping core
    3. core chamfers
    4. core splicing
    5. peel plies
    6. bonding paste
    7. edge filling
    8. adhesive/resin films
    9. single stage curing
    10. multi stage curing

14. Produce mouldings which comply with one of the following standards:

    1. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)/European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
    2. Ministry of Defence (MoD)
    3. Military Aviation Authority (MAA)
    4. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA)
    5. Aerospace Quality Management Standards (AS)
    6. BS, ISO or BSEN standards and procedures
    7. customer standards and requirements
    8. company standards and procedures
    9. manufacturers standards and procedures

15. Complete the relevant paperwork, to include one from the following and pass it to the appropriate people:

    1. build records                 
    2. job cards             
    3. log cards       
    4. aircraft log
    5. other specific recording method

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You will be able to apply the appropriate behaviours required in the workplace to meet the job profile and overall company objectives, such as:

• strong work ethic
• positive attitude
• team player
• dependability
• responsibility
• honesty
• integrity
• motivation
• commitment

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2

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2024

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Current

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Original

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Enginuity

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SEMAE3226

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Engineer, Engineering, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Engineering Technicians

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5234

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Engineering; aeronautical; produce; composite; mouldings; components; laminating; resin; fibre; spray lay-up

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