Description
We specialize in manufacturing advanced prepregs suitable for all production rates. We use a variety of fabrics and resin formulations to meet different customer and application needs, with projects and solutions spanning aerospace, automotive, construction & energy, sports & leisure and electronics. In addition, we produce a wide range of impregnated products using thermoset and thermoplastic resin systems. Over the years, we have been developing various resin formulations for prepreg systems to improve lightweighting, fire resistance and durability.
Uni-Directional Carbon Fiber Prepreg
Unidirectional or Uni prepreg offers the greatest flexibility in fiber orientation. Because the fibers are aligned in the direction of the roller, longer parts can be made using continuous fibers. By cutting and orienting fibers along the 0/90 degree axis or off axis (for example, +/- 45 degrees), you can create identical laminates of the appropriate size as needed. Uni carbon fiber prepreg offers the highest stiffness-to-weight ratio and the ability to tailor stiffness along different axes by placing a greater percentage of fiber along one axis rather than an orthogonal axis. Our unidirectional prepreg is typically sold in 50-yard rolls in widths ranging from 6 inches to 20 inches. Fiber weight and resin content can be easily customized to suit your needs, with the heaviest unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg being 600gsm, which can quickly add up to reduce labor costs when manufacturing thick carbon fiber sheets and tubes.
APCM unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg is an ideal material for X-ray imaging applications because it is 100% fiber and resin with no other binder materials. Kumair has successfully used this material in a variety of X-ray imaging components with excellent results. Uni carbon fiber prepreg generally has the lowest X-ray attenuation and eliminates the visibility of image weaves, especially with thicker laminates.
Woven Carbon Fiber Prepreg
Woven carbon fiber prepreg for aesthetics and durability. Unidirectional prepregs offer a higher stiffness-to-weight ratio, while woven prepregs are generally more resistant to damage. Typically, the best option is to combine unidirectional composite material in the laminate core with a woven prepreg facing (or skin). This gives the finished part the carbon fiber look that many desire, while also reducing changes that occur during processing or when the part is subjected to localized stress (for example, during an impact) due to splitting or fiber strand pullout. For higher impact resistance, or when there are many holes or other small features, a full-weave prepreg layup plan may be the best choice.
Woven carbon fiber prepregs are available in a variety of weights, aesthetic weaves and resin contents. Fabric weights range from lightweight 1k and 3k weaves to heavyweight 12K twill, laid in 0.025″ layers. We offer many standard options in woven prepregs, but Kumair also works with customers to develop custom solutions. One of the advantages of working with Kumair and APCM is that minimum order quantities for prototyping purposes are low and many materials are available in rolls as small as 10 yards.
