Gigahertz and nanotubes - Perspectives for innovations with novel industrial microwave processing technology

A novel industrial microwave system HEPHAISTOS-CA2 (High Electromagnetic Power Heating Automated Injected Structures Oven System) for curing of carbon fibre reinforced plastics is being developed at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (FZK). The system is based on the HEPHAISTOS-CA1 prototype system at FZK which has been evaluated for the application in composite manufacturing together with EADS Corporate Research Centre and the Institute of Aircraft Design (University of Stuttgart). The system, which is in duty since the end of 2005 integrates advantageously the basic processing steps as tooling, tempering of the resin and lay up, the impregnation of the fibres, pre-forming techniques as well as finally the process curing of the composite structures.