Expert Lecture Spotlight | Prof. Steven Nutt
Imparting Robustness to Out-of-Autoclave (OoA) Prepregs
Autoclaves have long been the gold standard for producing high-quality composite parts—but at the cost of high capital investment, long cycle times, and limited throughput. To address this, Out-of-Autoclave (OoA) prepregs were developed as a more scalable, cost-effective alternative.
In this compelling lecture, Prof. Steven Nutt shares how his team at USC’s Composites Center has spent the last decade working to restore the robustness that autoclave curing provides—without the autoclave.
Challenges with OoA Prepregs:
- Traditional OoA relies on “edge breathing” to remove volatiles and gases during cure
- In practice, this strategy often leads to inconsistent porosity and part quality
USC’s Approach:
Prof. Nutt outlines efforts to redesign OoA prepreg formats and optimize processability—rethinking material architecture and cure strategies to improve reliability and reduce variability.
The lecture dives into:
- Core processing concepts behind OoA robustness
- Lessons learned from material format redesign
- Real-world challenges in scaling and transitioning these innovations to industry practice
As the demand grows for scalable, affordable composite solutions, these innovations could help unlock OoA’s full potential in aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors.
Available now on the cdmHUB YouTube channel as part of the Global Composites Expert Webinar Series.
