EB curing of maritime composite structures

Electron beam (EB) curing can be used to manufacture composite material com ponents at higher speeds and with greater production flexibility than conve ntional techniques. Because curing is not initiated until irradiation, timi ng restrictions associate with lay up and resin infusion can be relaxed, le ading to reduced scrap and rework. Furthermore EB curing systems are genera lly "solventless", with fewer VOCs, and therefore more environmentally frie ndly. This work demonstrates the feasibility of the practical application o f this technology in the boat building industry. Specifically, it is shown that electron beams can successfully penetrate complex boat structures fabr icated with off-the-shelf marine resins. In this way, the practical use of low-cost tooling with EB curing systems is reinforced. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sc ience Ltd. All rights reserved.