Fibers and composites manufacturing facility (FCMF): composites process development, prototyping, and non-destructive evaluation

Overview

The Fibers and Composites Manufacturing Facility (FCMF) is located in the Innovation South Building at the UT Research Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. The facility drives research, development, and prototyping of advanced fiber-reinforced composites, with core expertise in process development, characterization, modeling, and non-destructive evaluation of thermoset and thermoplastic composites.

FCMF is a founding site of the NSF Center for Hybrid Materials Interfacing (CHMI) and works with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and IACMI-The Composites Institute. Each semester, 20 to 30 undergraduates and 15 or more graduate students gain hands-on experience at the FCMF, supported by CHMI's industry consortium.

Available services

• Process development for thermoset and thermoplastic composite manufacturing
• Prototyping of fiber-reinforced composite parts
• Composite characterization and non-destructive evaluation (NDE)
• Process and structural modeling using commercial simulation software
• Fiber production and sizing, including natural fibers and preceramic polymers
• Composite recycling trials
• Workforce development, bootcamps, and workshops

Equipment & instruments

Manufacturing and processing:

• High-Speed Wabash compression press
• Natural fiber spinning line and fiber sizing line
• Melt spinning line for preceramic polymers
• Automated tape placement system
• Long fiber thermoplastics extrusion-compression molding (1.5 inch and 3.5 inch plasticator)
• 350-ton injection molding system
• Twin-screw compounding and pelletizing system
• 18 inch wide SMC line
• Composite recycling shredder (250 lb/hr)
• Autoclave, vacuum diaphragm forming station, low-pressure resin transfer molding, and VARTM
• Composite fabric laser cutting system, plate winding, wet-laid processing, roll forming
• 24 mm thermoplastic blow molding screw system, seat backrest tool, additive tooling

Characterization and NDE:

• Phased-array Olympus ultrasonics (1 to 10 MHz)
• Dual-channel Bruel & Kjaer PULSE vibration analyzer
• 4-channel MISTRAS acoustic emission system
• 20 kN load frame, Izod impact tester, drop-weight impact tower, gas gun

Design and modeling software:

• CES EduPack/Granta, SAS, SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Dassault 3DS, Moldex3D, PAM-RTM, PAM-FORM, Moldflow Advisor/Insight, Optitex, Nextrud, DEFORM, FASTFORM, ANSYS, Abaqus, Genoa/MCQ, LS-DYNA

Through collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, FCMF users can also reach systems including Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) and Wolf Robotics wire-feed metal additive manufacturing.

Access & engagement

The facility supports industry problem-solving, prototyping partnerships, and workforce training. Companies interested in project work should contact the facility directly at fcmf@utk.edu.