non-crimp fabrics

[kepEZ]

does anyone use stitched non-crimp fabrics instead of woven fabrics the plans call for? I am told they display better mechanical properties since they are crimp free but not easy to work with under wet lay-up conditions. I am also told when used with vacuum bagging it is possible to attain high fiber/resin ratios which results in lighter stronger structures. They are available in various fiber orientations as well. any comments?

[argoldman]

does anyone use stitched non-crimp fabrics instead of woven fabrics the plans call for? I am told they display better mechanical properties since they are crimp free but not easy to work with under wet lay-up conditions. I am also told when used with vacuum bagging it is possible to attain high fiber/resin ratios which results in lighter stronger structures. They are available in various fiber orientations as well. any comments?

The aerocanard kit fuselage parts are made of bi-axial cloth(knitted), not woven. It is relatively easy to handle and has better strength characteristics for equal weight fabric. The triaxial, however although having the better increased qualities is difficult to handle as it is easy to displace the fibers. It also has a much wavier surface than uni on top since the fibers are coarser. Bagging will probably decrease this, however.