Two carbon fiber parts can look identical in a photo and behave completely differently on the road. The difference is rarely the fabric you can see — it is the manufacturing process you cannot.
At JC AUTOCARBON, we run five different carbon fiber processes in-house, because no single method fits every part. Here is what each one is, in plain words, and when to use it.
1. Prepreg + Autoclave (Dry Carbon)
The fabric arrives pre-impregnated with a machine-measured amount of resin and is stored frozen. It is laid into a mold, vacuum-bagged, and cured in an autoclave at 120–180 °C under 6–7 bar of pressure.
Result: the highest quality available — 60–70% fiber content, void content below 1%, and a perfect weave surface straight from the mold.
Best for: structural parts, aero parts under load, premium visible parts, and any project where every piece in a batch must be identical.
Trade-off: the highest material and equipment cost.
2. Oven Curing (Out-of-Autoclave Prepreg)
Same prepreg material, but cured in an oven under vacuum instead of a pressurized autoclave.
Result: close to autoclave quality at lower cost, with slightly less consolidation pressure.
Best for: medium-size parts where full autoclave pressure is not required.
3. Vacuum Infusion
Dry fabric is laid into the mold and sealed under a vacuum bag. Liquid resin is then drawn through the fabric by vacuum pressure. The part cures at room temperature or with mild heat.
Result: good quality at moderate cost — typically 45–55% fiber content. Quality depends heavily on operator skill and process discipline.
Best for: larger parts, medium volumes, and projects that need better consistency than hand layup without autoclave cost.
4. Compression Molding
Pre-cut material (prepreg or sheet molding compound) is placed into a heated, closed steel mold and pressed into shape. Cycle time can be just minutes per part.
Result: excellent repeatability and the fastest cycle times of any process — but it requires significant mold investment and suitable part geometry.
Best for: high-volume production where unit cost and consistency matter most.
5. Wet Layup and Forged Carbon
Wet layup is the simplest method: resin is applied to dry fabric by hand. Low tooling cost, flexible, ideal for cosmetic parts and low volumes.
Forged carbon uses chopped fibers pressed into a mold, creating a marbled, stone-like pattern. It is an appearance choice, not a quality tier — and it handles complex 3D shapes that woven fabric cannot drape into.
Best for: interior trim, decorative covers, custom-styled parts, and design-driven projects.
All Five Processes, Compared
Process | Fiber Content | Consistency | Cycle Speed | Tooling Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prepreg + autoclave | 60–70% | Excellent | Slow | High | Structural, premium, aero parts |
Oven curing (OoA) | 55–65% | Very good | Slow | Medium | Medium parts, near-autoclave quality |
Vacuum infusion | 45–55% | Good | Medium | Low–medium | Larger parts, medium volumes |
Compression molding | 50–60% | Excellent | Fast | Very high | High-volume production |
Wet layup / forged | 40–55% | Medium | Medium | Low | Cosmetic, custom-styled parts |
How Do You Choose the Right Process?
Ask four questions about your part:
- Does it carry load? Structural parts point to prepreg.
- How many will you make? High volumes justify compression molding’s mold cost.
- How good must the surface look? Premium visible parts favor prepreg; trim pieces can use wet layup.
- What is the budget? The best process is the cheapest one that safely meets your requirements — not the most advanced one.
FAQ
Tell us about your part
size, quantity, and how it will be used — and our engineers will recommend the most cost-effective process.
