Composite Manufacturing

Advance Structures

The majority of today's complex composite structures require post cure machining of features and hole locations. We have developed a unique system for molding in simple and complex features into the product at the time of lay-up. Some products feature over 200 integrated features that require no secondary operations. These net cured composites can feature molded-in holes, slots, hardware, SLS components, antennas, and electronics. The elimination of secondary operations improves manufacturing consistency and reduces unit costs.

Composite Tooling

Invar tools, such as these massive wingskin tools shown here, exemplify the most durable of metal tools — a category sometimes called hard tooling. Although relatively heavy and expensive, metal molds are able to withstand many thousands of production cycles. Made of high-performance steel-and-nickel alloys, Invar and other metal molds are durable tool materials but also expensive and, because few composites manufacturers have the equipment necessary to machine and polish such materials, they often require the services of a toolmaking specialist. 

Composite parts are formed in molds, also known as tools. Tools can be made from virtually any material. For parts that will be produced in low quantities and can be cured at ambient or low temperature, or for prototype parts, where tight control of dimensional accuracy isn’t of prime importance, materials such as fiberglass, high-density foams, machinable epoxy boards or even clay or wood/plaster models often are suitable. Additively manufactured or 3D-printed tools, using polymers, are also becoming more common for both prototype and production parts. Tooling costs and complexity, however, increase as the requirements for part performance and/or finished surface aesthetics become more exacting and the number of parts to be produced increase. High-rate production tools, for example, are generally made of robust metals that can stand up to repeated cycles and maintain good surface finish and dimensional accuracy. The molds in which high-performance composite parts are formed can be made from carbon fiber/epoxy, monolithic graphite, castable graphite, ceramics or metals (typically aluminum, steel and alloys of the same). In all cases, each material offers unique capabilities and drawbacks.

Sometimes called hard tooling, metal tools, although relatively heavy and expensive, are able to withstand many thousands of production cycles. The most durable, but also most costly, are made of high-performance steel-and-nickel alloys, such as Invar. Because few composites manufacturers have the equipment necessary to machine and polish metal tools — particularly Invar — they often require the services of a toolmaking specialist.

Infusion VARTM

Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) or Vacuum Injected Molding (VIM) is a closed mold, out of autoclave (OOA) . Composite manufacturing process. VARTM is a variation of Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) with its distinguishing characteristic being the replacement of the top portion of a mold tool with a vacuum bag and the use of a vacuum to assist in resin flow.[ The process involves the use of a vacuum to facilitate resin flow into a fiber layup contained within a mold tool covered by a vacuum bag. After the impregnation occurs the composite part is allowed to cure at room temperature with an optional post cure sometimes carried out.

This process offers the benefit of not requiring an expensive autoclave while also being capable of producing large, complex aerospace-grade parts.

Defence Structures

Our wealth of experience with composites and polymers makes us perfect for supplying lightweight components for defence, increasing efficiency and protection. You get a complete manufacturing service, from tooling through to final assembly and paint finishing. Whether it is a vehicle hood, submarine mast or lightweight armour protection panels, we can provide a manufacturing solution.

With us, you get the best design and manufacturing support available plus rapid prototyping and series manufacture. With our climate-controlled clean rooms, autoclaves and injection mold machines, we have a manufacturing process to suit your needs.

We supply first class CNC machined aluminum and composite parts. With our range of CNC milling machines comprising the latest 3 & 5 axis technologies, and with our largest 3-axis machine up to 3m x 2m x 1m operating 24/7, we provide fast and comprehensive machining solutions to our defence customers.

Our facilities operate around the clock with quality control supervision and performance monitoring to ensure dependable and fast delivery of prototypes and series production while maintaining the highest quality.

Machining Capabilities

Composite Machining. Your partner in composite. contact us for a tailored solution. We strive to assist our customers with their needs in the composite manufacturing industry.

Infrastructure - Tool Room Machine Facilities

Cingularity offers a full-service manufacturing process for parts and components. In addition to this, there are various general tool room services on offer, including grinding, polishing, heat treatments, spot-welding and welding, soldering, drilling and reaming. All of which are part of the many manufacturing solutions and processes that we provide.

We utilize hand folding or dedicated hard tool forms to form components using the photo etching process. We also offer a service for component stamping. This is completed by using bespoke press tools or progression tooling, depending on the volume of components required.

We offer a wide variety of photo etching processes to suit your needs, and can easily produce components to your specifications, thanks to the flexibility of the processes we use. For more information on the rest of the services we offer

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Trapped Molding

The trapped silicone method uses a specially blended silicone elastomer which at a select temperature expands to a known value. This process provides consolidation pressures in excess of what is achievable from an autoclave. The high internal molding pressures generated are sometimes combined with bladders which are inflated at different times during the cure cycle to specifically consolidate certain sections of the laminate. This process can be used in most structures and is uniquely suited to produce internal ribs and bulkheads.

Advance Processes

A significant section of todays truly complex composite structures relies on traditional composite geometry mated with high precision features which would commonly be more suited to plastic mold injection operations. We have developed techniques which specifically address theses challenges and are capable of generating high fidelity, void free, precision composite interfaces.

Our unique processing of UAV composite structures utilizes an out of autoclave technique which is capable of delivering selective pressures between 50 and 200 psi.

3D Printing

Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is becoming more common in the aerospace tooling realm. Production tooling can be made quickly and on-demand, which helps the tooling industry keep pace with accelerating composite part design cycles and demand for faster overall part processing speeds.

Process DFM

Our organization is often initially selected as a second source on existing programs to offer an alternative approach which is nimble, cost effective and explicitly reliant on unconventional and unique manufacturing techniques to succeed where others have failed.   These programs often involve manufacturing advanced composite structures within programs which are currently operating outside the expected cost structure.  More often than not our role as second source is quickly transitioned to primary source vendor once the benefits of our manufacturing principals have been applied to the program.  We have successfully applied the Design to Unit Production Cost method to Naval Systems, Unmanned Aircraft and extremely complex composite laminates.