Composites since 1962
Cost-effective overseas manufacturing with local expertise and service
The right process for your composite product
We will assist you in selecting the most appropriate manufacturing technique for your composite product. We will collaborate with your engineers and designers to guarantee that your product meets your objectives in terms of cost, quality, and productivity.
Closed Cavity Bag Moulding
The closed method of composite manufacturing, also known as Vacuum Infusion, guarantees consistent wall thickness and optimal structural integrity. The process utilizes vacuum to draw resin through the reinforcement fibres and removes air from the laminate, resulting in a tightly consolidated composite.
Most engineers are designing their products for closed moulding due to its quality control, production processing speed and use of engineered reinforcement fabrics. Instead of pushing resin through a closed mould like in RTM, Closed Cavity Bag Moulding pulls the resin through the reinforcement using vacuum. The "B" side tooling requirements can be lightweight (thin fibreglass or silicone). Through many years of experience, Bolwell has perfected its closed moulding to ensure perfect parts every time.
Open Moulding Hand Lamination
This is a suitable technique for products that have intricate shapes but require thickness control. It is a labour-intensive method of composite production, which employs sheet reinforcement fibres to achieve consistent thickness. This method is widely used in the creation of composite tools, jigs, and fixtures.
Open Moulding Gun Lamination
Often referred to as Chopper-Gun Lamination, an operator uses a gun to spray both reinforcement fibres and resin onto a mould surface. The composite is then consolidated, by a team of operators, using hand rollers and brushes.
This process is ideal for large composite products with sizeable return flanges.
Vacuum Thermoforming
Plastic Thermoforming offers a flexible application appropriate for small detailed components through to large complex parts. Bolwell concentrates on sheet forming using such processes as vacuum forming, drape forming, compression forming and bending.
We use a wide range of materials from ABS to clear Polycarbonate and we have a great selection of finishes from Haircell leather-look to full chrome.
