Dry process

Dry process is the name given to the various manufacturing processes for composite components in which the part is made by depositing and shaping pre-impregnated semi-finished products.

There are many manufacturing methods based on the dry process principle; e.g.:

• manual or automatic draping of prepreg layers followed by curing in an oven or autoclave;
• the manufacture of parts using SMC, TMC, BMC, ZMC, XMC, etc. referring to various types of moulding compound (MC): Sheet, Thick, Bulk, Zanella, Directionally reinforced etc. ;
• winding and wrapping filaments in a dry process.

The reinforcements (fabric, unidirectional web, mat or short fibres) are impregnated with a thermosetting resin by the supplier the polymerisation of which has been blocked at stage B.

The manufacturing processes based on the dry process principle are industrialised (mechanised or automated).

Polymerisation is triggered by a rise in temperature.