Composites curriculum unit descriptions
The proposed curriculum, constructed by experts from a variety of UK institutions, is intended to be both industrially relevant and academically rigorous. The intention is that the developed curriculum could be delivered in academia or deployed through a train-the-trainer programme in industry; organisations can choose the units most relevant to their business and deliver them as new recruit training or Continuous Professional Development. There may also be an option for individuals to build up credits towards an academic qualification.
Unit Portfolio
There are 5 core units which serve as an introduction to advanced composites. The 54 specialised units, directly relevant to design and manufacture of composite products in industry, are split into 9 blocks of 6, by topic. Each unit involves 2 days of teaching and an optional assignment, worth 2 credit points at Masters level.
An organisation can choose either a full course structure or individual units to fit their requirements.
Core (5 units)
- Introduction (PDF, 17kB)
- Composite Constituents (PDF, 47kB)
- Manufacturing of compose products (PDF, 72kB)
- Product design (PDF, 47kB)
- Properties of Composites (PDF, 72kB)
Materials (6 units)
- Polymeric matrices (PDF, 17kB)
- Polymer melt viscosity and chemorheology, cure and degradation (PDF, 53kB)
- Fibres and moulding compounds
- Characterisation techniques
- Dry fabrics and prepregs (PDF, 16kB)
- Characteristics of fabric reinforcements- drape, conformability, permeability et (PDF, 63kB)
Product Design A (6 units)
- The design cycle and requirements capture (PDF, 46kB)
- Costing in a design environment (PDF, 47kB)
- Drawing practices and lay-up rules (PDF, 67kB)
- Design for manufacture (PDF, 16kB)
- Acceptance criteria, rework, concessions- designing out defects (PDF, 45kB)
- Standards and Certification (PDF, 43kB)
Product Design B (6 units)
- Micromechanics (PDF, 43kB)
- Laminate design and analysis (PDF, 70kB)
- Stress analysis - classical (PDF, 54kB)
- Stress analysis - Finite Element Analysis (PDF, 53kB)
- Joints - bonded, bolted, 3D structures (PDF, 17kB)
- Damage tolerance (PDF, 34kB)
Manufacturing Processes A (6 units)
- Reinforcement manipulation and preforming (PDF, 16kB)
- Contact moulding: hand lamination and spray (PDF, 63kB)
- Prepreg process: vacuum bag (PDF, 16kB)
- Prepreg and SMC processes/ compression moulding (PDF, 67kB)
- Resin transfer moulding
- Resin infusion processes (PDF, 64kB)
Manufacturing Processes B (6 units)
- AFP and ATL (PDF, 17kB)
- Rapid prototyping and additive manufacture
- Filament winding and pultrusion (PDF, 17kB)
- Thermosplastic matrix processes (PDF, 45kB)
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- Processes for Ceramic Matrix Composites and Metal Matrix Composites (PDF, 45kB)
Manufacturing Operations A (6 units)
- Production costing (PDF, 16kB)
- Process design (PDF, 16kB)
- Process modelling (PDF, 53kB)
- Process monitoring, Quality Assurance and Quality Control (PDF, 67kB)
- Process planning
- Tooling design and manufacture (PDF, 35kB)
Manufacturing Operations B (6 units)
- Joining and Assembly (PDF, 53kB)
- Factory design and layout
- Lean, Six Sigma and similar methods (PDF, 74kB)
- Tolerancing, variability and defects (PDF, 46kB)
- Machining composites
- Surface finishing and painting (PDF, 45kB)
Performance A (6 units)
- Mechanical properties and testing - anisotropic elasticity (PDF, 45kB)
- Mechanical properties and testing - static strength, failure modes and failure criteria PDF (PDF, 42kB)
- Mechanical properties and testing - dynamic and fatigue (PDF, 73kB)
- Durability (PDF, 62kB)
- Non-structural properties - erosion, wear, electrical and thermal properties (PDF, 44kB)
- Fire and crash performance of composites (PDF, 53kB)
Performance B (6 units)
- NDE, condition monitoring, structural health monitoring and in-service inspection
- Multifunctional composites (PDF, 44kB)
- In service damage and repair (PDF, 53kB)
- Recycling and reuse (PDF, 60kB)
- Sustainable composites (PDF, 46kB)
- Natural composites, cord-reinforced rubber, CMC and MMC.
