Equipment

We are excited to announce that we have initiated procurement of a 14ft x 6ft diameter autoclave that will be delivered in late August and operational mid-September. Along with the autoclave, we have also ordered a full-size precision flat curing table and supplemental equipment to support its operation.

RWC has historically focused on low-cost curing methods, but this acquisition will position the business to service more high-performance industries. This strategic capability means we can service all of a customer’s composite manufacturing needs, allowing us to pair customers and their hardware with the right composite manufacturing process and equipment for the most cost-effective solution. We also have put the engineering horsepower in place to execute on high-performance programs.

The autoclave will be used to cure composite structures at up to 450°F and 225psi using pressurized nitrogen and integrated vacuum. The autoclave has programmable automated control over pressure, temperature, and vacuum and has a tight thermal gradient to meet aerospace-grade customer specifications. The temperature and pressure range allows for high-performance curing of epoxies, cyanate esters, and bismaleimides (BMIs). Complementing the autoclave is a large cure table at 6ft x 14ft with a 0.015”global flatness and steel cure surface. Download our data sheet.

If you have hardware under development that needs to meet exceptional performance standards, contact us now! custom@rockwestcomposites.com.*Photo courtesy of Bondtech