Producing motorsport composite mouldings using wet lay-up techniques
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to produce motorsport composite mouldings (such as moulds, wings, body panels, ductwork, fairings, jigs) using wet lay-up techniques, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to use appropriate drawings, specifications and documentation to produce various mouldings using the correct wet lay-up production techniques.
You will be expected to prepare a range of tooling, apply appropriate release agents and prepare the composite materials. You will produce a range of composite mouldings, incorporating a range of features and using a range of application methods. 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 moulding activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the moulding activities, equipment 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 minimal 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 composite moulding wet lay-up techniques and procedures. You will understand the moulding techniques used, and their application, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities, correcting faults, and ensuring that the work output is produced to the required specification.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the wet lay-up moulding 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.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
- follow the correct component drawing or any other related specifications for the component to be produced
- determine what has to be done and how this will be achieved
- obtain and prepare the appropriate tools, equipment and materials
- carry out the moulding or laying-up activities using the correct methods and techniques
- produce components to the required specification
- check that all the required operations have been completed to specification
- deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
- ensure that work records are completed, stored securely and available to others, as per organisational requirements
- leave the work area in a safe condition on completion the activities, as per organisational and legal requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the specific safety precautions to be taken whilst carrying out the activities (including any specific legislation, regulations or codes of practice relating to the activities, equipment or materials)
- the health and safety requirements of the work area and the activities, and the responsibility these requirements place on you
- the hazards associated with the activities, and how to minimise them and reduce risks
- the personal protective equipment and clothing (PPE) to be worn during the activities
- how to extract and use information from engineering drawings and related specifications (to include symbols and conventions to current industry standards and cods of practice)
- how to interpret first and third angle drawings, imperial and metric systems of measurement, workpiece reference points and system of tolerancing
- quality procedures used in the workplace to ensure production control (in relation to currency, issue, meeting specification), and the completion of such documents
- conventions and terminology used for wet lay-up techniques (resin and fibre weights/volumes, material orientation, material identification, material tailoring, mixing ratios, gel times, exotherm, bleed plies, consolidation)
- the different types of resins, reinforcement, catalysts, accelerators and additives used, and their applications
- the different types of fibre materials, weave patterns, orientations, their combinations and applications
- the visual identification of both raw and finished composite materials
- different types of tooling used for producing motorsport composite mouldings
- the identification and rectification of defects in motorsport tooling
- methods of preparation for patterns, moulds and tooling (including the correct use of surface sealers and release agents)
- methods for handling and preparing the reinforcing fibres
- calculations of resin volume/weight/ratios required to wet-out the reinforcing fibres
- mixing ratios for gel coats, resins and catalysts, and the associated working times
- the methods used in the application of the resin/fibre during the lay-up activity
- tools and equipment used in the lay-up activities; their care, preparation and control procedures
- problems that can occur during the lay-up process (including defects such as contamination, resin/fibre rich areas, distortion, poor consolidation, under-cure and exotherm)
- how defects can be overcome during the lay-up activity
- procedures and methods used for removing mouldings from production tooling
- the methods and techniques used to trim mouldings prior to release
- the identification of defects in the composite moulding (de-lamination, voids, contaminants)
- the care and safe handling of production tooling and composite mouldings throughout the production cycle
- the production controls used in the work area, and actions to be taken for unaccounted items
- how the composite moulding relates to its own quality documents and the production tooling used
- the extent of your own responsibility and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve
- how to access, use and maintain information to comply with organisational requirements and legislation
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Carry out all of the following during the motorsport moulding activities:
- obtain and use the appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, material data sheets, planning and quality control documentation, material data sheets, specifications)
- adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, hazardous substances, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
- provide and maintain a safe working environment for the wet lay-up moulding activities
- obtain the correct tools and equipment for the activity, and check that they are in a safe, tested and usable condition
- follow safe practice/approved wet lay-up moulding techniques and procedures at all times
- return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the wet lay-up moulding activities
- dispose of waste materials in accordance with approved procedures
- leave the work area in a safe and appropriate condition on completion of the activities
Prepare the tooling for moulding, to include carrying out all of the following:
- check that tooling is correct and complete
- correctly apply sealers/release agents
- clean tooling and remove resin build-ups
- clean and store tooling suitably after use
- check for surface defects
Prepare the materials for moulding, to include carrying out all of the following:
- obtain correct materials for the activity
- calculate the correct resin-to-fibre ratios
- check that materials are fit for purpose and in life
- identify and protect materials in the work area
- cut materials to correct size and shape
- check the correct measure and mix of resin/catalyst
- check that quantities of resins are available
Produce motorsport composite mouldings, using wet lay-up laminating techniques, to include eight of the following:
- floor/diffuser
- wings
- bumpers
- fairings/shrouds
- splitters
- nose cones
- brake ducts
- seats
- body panels
- floor trays
- air intakes
- trim panels
- side pods
- fuel tank housings
- radiator ducts
- moulds/jigs
- engine covers
- wing endplates
- dash panels
Produce motorsport composite mouldings, using three of the following application techniques:
- spray application of fibre/resin
- roller application of fibre/resin
- use of vacuum bagging
- application of a gel coat
- removal of voids and air pockets
- use of bleed plies
- brush application of fibre/resin
Produce motorsport composite mouldings, incorporating three of the following in the lay-up:
- feathered joins
- orientated plies
- fixtures
- overlap joins
- inserts
- butt joins
Produce motorsport composite mouldings, incorporating three of the following shape features:
- internal corner
- double curvature
- convex surface
- external corner
- concave surface
- vertical surface
Produce motorsport composite mouldings, using techniques for one type of resin from:
- polyester
- vinyl ester
- epoxy
- phenolic
Produce motorsport composite mouldings, using techniques for two types of fibre from:
- polyethylene
- aramid
- hybrid
- glass
- carbon
Produce motorsport composite mouldings, using techniques for two types of reinforcement from:
- roving
- tapes
- continuous filament
- braids
- chopped strand
- woven
Produce motorsport composite mouldings, using techniques for two type of core material from:
- wood
- foam
- honeycomb
- coremat
Check motorsport composite mouldings comply with one of the following:
- industry standards, codes of practice and procedures
- customer standards and requirements
- company standards and procedures
- recognised compliance agency/body's standards