Bonding composite mouldings
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to bond composite mouldings (such as cured panels, moulds, components and jigs), in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to follow the appropriate instructions, drawings, specifications and documentation to bond composite materials, using the correct approved production techniques.
You will produce a range of bonded composite mouldings, incorporating a variety of features and using a range of techniques and processes. Bonded mouldings produced will include a range of resin, fibre and adhesive materials.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the composite bonding activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the bonding activities, equipment or materials that you cannot personally resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work to instructions, with a minimum of 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 be sufficient to provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying composite bonding techniques and procedures. You will have an understanding of the bonding techniques used, and their application, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities, recognising faults, and ensuring the work output is to the required specification.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the bonding 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 relevant bonding procedure specification and job instructions
- check that the materials to be bonded and bonding agents comply with the specification
- prepare the parent materials and bonding agents in line with the bonding specification
- carry out the bonding operations using the specified processes and techniques to position and bond the materials in their correct locations
- ensure that any equipment used to maintain surface contact during the bonding activities is set up and used correctly
- achieve bonds of the required quality and within the specified dimensional accuracy
- deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- health and safety precautions to be taken and procedures used when working with composite materials, consumables, tools and equipment in the specific work area
- the hazards associated with bonding composite materials, consumables, tools and equipment, and how to minimise these and reduce any risks in the work area
- protective equipment (PPE) that is needed for personal protection and, where required, the protection of others
- the application of COSHH regulations in relation to the storage, use and disposal of composite materials and consumables
- the specific environmental conditions that must be observed when bonding composite mouldings (such as temperature, humidity, fume/dust extraction systems, equipment)
- 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
- how to use imperial and metric systems of measurement, work piece reference points and system of tolerance
- quality procedures used in the workplace to ensure production control (such as in relation to currency, issue, meeting specification)
- conventions and terminology used for bonding (such as gel points, cure times, bond thickness, bond strength, peel strength)
- the function fibre materials, weave patterns, orientations play in the production of mouldings
- correct methods of storage and handling of bonding agents
- methods of preparation for bonding different materials
- methods of application for different bonding agents
- methods of retaining the bond during the curing process, and their merits
- tools and equipment used in bonding activities, and their care, preparation and control procedures
- the importance of following the correct mixing procedures and having the correct ratios for two-part pastes and their associated working times
- the methods used to determine if the bonded component has cured correctly
- the identification of bonding defects
- the common problems that can occur during the bonding process
- the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve
Scope/range
Scope Performance
1. Carry out all of the following during the bonding activities:
1.1. use the appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, material data sheets, specifications, planning and quality control documentation)
1.2. 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
1.3. maintain a safe working environment for the composite bonding activities
1.4. check that all tools and equipment to be used are in a safe and usable condition
1.5. follow safe practice/approved composite bonding techniques and procedures at all times
1.6. return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the bonding activities
1.7. segregate and dispose of waste materials using the correct procedure
1.8. leave the work area in a safe and appropriate condition on completion of the activities
1.9. complete relevant production documentation
2. Carry out four of the following activities when preparing for the bonding activity:
2.1. check that mouldings are correct and complete
2.2. check for any defects in the mouldings
2.3. confirm that bonding materials are within life
2.4. check availability of ancillary materials required
2.5. select the correct equipment for the activity
2.6. confirm that the equipment is suitable for use
2.7. identify and protect the moulding and bonding materials in the work area
2.8. check that bonding materials are correct and complete
3. Bond composite mouldings, using techniques for one of the following:
3.1 one-part pastes
3.2 two-part pastes
3.3 film adhesives
3.4 syntactic films
4. Prepare bonding surfaces, using two of the following methods:
4.1 peel plies
4.2 abrading
4.3 water cleaning
4.4 dry fitting
4.5 priming
4.6 templates
4.7 abrasive blasting
4.8 solvent cleaning
4.9 acid etching
4.10 surface masks
4.11 other specific method
5. Use two of the following methods when bonding the composite mouldings:
5.1 bonding sequences
5.2 shimming materials
5.3 laying film adhesives
5.4 mixing adhesives
5.5 wetting-out by brush
5.6 applicator gun
5.7 bead sizing
5.8 fillet sizing
6. Use one of the following to retain the bond during the curing process:
6.1 weighting down
6.2 pinning joins
6.3 clamping
6.4 press
6.5 vacuum bagging
6.6 bonding jigs
6.7 other specific method
7. Cure bonded joins using one of the following methods:
7.1. room temperature
7.2. oven
7.3. autoclave
7.4. heated tools/moulds
7.5. heat mats
7.6. heated press
7.7. curing lamps
7.8. infrared heating
7.9. electro-magnetic inductance
7.10. micro-wave
7.11. other (to be specified)
8. Bond composite mouldings for one of the following:
8.1. sandwich panels
8.2. butt joins
8.3. overlap joins
8.4. joggle joins
8.5. return joins
8.6. tongue and groove
8.7. strap join
9. Bond composite mouldings to include three of the following features:
9.1. internal corners
9.2. external corners
9.3. horizontal surface
9.4. vertical surface
9.5. double curvature
9.6. concave surface
9.7. convex surfaces
9.8. joggle details
9.9. return surfaces
9.10. inserts
9.11. fixtures
10. Use techniques for bonding one of the following materials to the composite moulding:
10.1. other composites
10.2. metals
10.3. ceramics
10.4. polymers
10.5. natural materials
10.6. other specific technique
11. Bond composite mouldings using adhesives suitable for one of the following resin types:
11.1. bio resin
11.2. thermoplastic
11.3. polyester
11.4. vinyl ester
11.5. epoxy
11.6. phenolic
11.7. bismaleimide
11.8. cyanate ester
11.9. other specific resin
12. Bond composite mouldings using adhesives suitable for one of the following fibre types:
12.1. natural fibre
12.2. thermo plastic
12.3. glass
12.4. aramid
12.5. carbon
12.6. hybrid
12.7. other specific type
13. Bond a range of mouldings in compliance with one of the following standards:
13.1. BS, ISO or BSEN standards and procedures
13.2. customer standards and requirements
13.3. company standards and procedures
13.4. recognised compliance agency/body standards