The Advanced Composite Research Unit Composites Laboratory houses a hot press, which is used for manufacturing thermoplastic composite parts and specimens.
The hot press, incorporating the Enerpac PES3202 F 30,000 Series electric pump and hydraulic ram and the PCD-33A program controller, is used to fabricate thermoplastic parts and polymer matrix composites. The PCD-33A controller allows for nine programmable patterns with nine programmable steps, stores up to nine programs and has a temperature range of 50°C to 400°C, with the temperature increments in 1°C. The Enerpac PES3202 electric pump and hydraulic ram have the following features: 980cm cubed per minute at 60 to 200 bars.
The hot press is used for undergraduate thesis work, and postgraduate and academic research.