Composite & Syntactic Glossary
Find the definitions of all the widely-used industry terminology and jargon surrounding composite materials, syntactic materials and the industries in which we operate.
The ability of a tooling board to withstand repeated rubbing, friction or scraping without degradation of the material.
Specific type of glue that is designed for use with tooling boards, to bond two or more boards together as part of a layup or blocking up process. Adhesives can be matched in density and colour to the tooling board.
Ancillary products
Add-on products that complement a core product or service, enhancing its value and improving customer experience.
The ancillary products we offer include compatibility-tested adhesives, repair pastes, sealers and release agents. These help prepare, protect, join or seal the surface of tooling board materials.
Autonomous underwater vehicle. A type of robotic underwater submersible vehicle, designed to operate autonomously without human control, typically pre-programmed to complete a set function or job. See also ROV.
Materials formulated, either wholly or partially, from renewable biological sources (such as palm kernel oil, castor oil, sucrose and vegetable glycerine.)
Find out more about our bio-based tooling board materials on our page here.
The process of layering multiple tooling boards together and bonding with adhesive to create a desired thickness or block size, ready for CNC machining to create a mould or pattern.
The identifiable line of adhesive between two or more tooling boards when bonded together to create a large block ready for CNC machining.
Buoyancy, or upthrust, is an upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of a partially or fully immersed object.
Subsea buoyancy modules are attached to underwater equipment or structures to control their positioning and stability. They are designed to reduce the weight of submerged objects, making them neutrally buoyant or positively buoyant.
The creation of accurate, stable mould tools for laying up carbon fibre to achieve high‑temperature dimensional stability and premium surface finish.
Carbon fibre moulds are often produced by using epoxy tooling boards for prepreg or autoclave processing.
A type of casting approach where a tooling board is cast close to its final dimensions to minimise material waste, reduce the amount of downstream machining required, and expedite the manufacturing process.
The ability of two or more substances or materials to co-exist without a harmful reaction, such as degradation or corrosion.
Selecting materials that safely interact ensures safety and prevents equipment failure.
The ability of a tooling board to withstand exposure to various chemicals or solvents without degradation of the material.
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining is a process used to create precise and complex shapes in tooling boards by controlling the movement of cutting tools with a computer.
A measure of how a tooling board's dimensions change in size with temperature variations, typically expressed in degrees Celsius -1 or degrees Kelvin -1 (°C -1 or OK -1). The lower the CTE, the more consistent and reliable the performance of the tooling board.
A pattern or mould used in composite manufacturing to create composite parts with specific shapes and structures.
The construction of composite patterns and moulds for manufacturing composite parts, often used in aerospace, automotive, and marine industries.
The maximum compressive (crushing) stress a material can withstand.
This is commonly shown on our selector charts, and tested to standards such as ASTM D695 for rigid plastics/composites.
Core boxes typically used in foundries are moulds used to create the internal cavities of a cast.
Core boxes may be split or shell‑type for manual or automated production.
The process of allowing the composite materials to harden and solidify within the pattern, typically by controlling temperature and time.
The process of removing the final composite part from the pattern or mould.
The mass of a tooling board material per unit volume, typically measured in kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³).
The ability of a tooling board to maintain its shape and size under different temperature and humidity conditions to provide consistent performance.
The process where a part can be manufactured directly from a mould or tool without the need for a costly carbon fibre prepreg to be manufactured.
This process is also known as direct-to-part tooling.
A type of tooling board made from epoxy material, known for its use in high-temperature applications where dimensional stability is key, and great for the replication of fine detail designs.
A feasibility cube is used in the Automotive design process to give a representation of the vehicle. Exterior feasibility cubes give a representation of the fully engineered exterior of the vehicle surfaces. Typically created using polyurethane tooling boards.
An interior feasibility cube is used to test the fit of the vehicle interior from the seat position to the dashboard in terms of aesthetics and ergonomics.
Used in the Automotive design process, to the untrained eye, a function cube looks exactly like a real car. This is the final design model incorporating all of the changes and adjustments made throughout the design process. It combines both the external and internal design aspects and styling.
A tooling board assembly used to securely hold a workpiece or part in place during machining, inspection, or assembly processes.
Precision plates that carry mounted patterns for automated foundry moulding machines, and manual moulding, for a repeatable casting process.
A protective, outer layer applied to the composite pattern to provide a smooth and glossy surface finish to the final composite part.
The temperature at which a tooling board undergoes a transition from a hard, rigid board to a softer, more rubbery state losing its dimensional stability and deforming easily. Typically expressed in degree Celsius (°C).
A thin outer layer of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) to add impact/abrasion protection and durability.
A technique where a thin sheet of metal is clamped over a male/female form such as a tooling board mould, and progressively worked with hammers or mallets until it moulds to the form.
Used in manufacturing as a filler for lightweighting, hollow glass microspheres are tiny spherical glass balloons or bubbles with diameters ranging from c. 10 to 300 micrometres. Often abbreviated to HGMS, they are typically made from a borosilicate and soda-lime glass formulation.
Human-operated vehicle. An underwater submersible that is directly operated by a human pilot or operator, located either onboard the vehicle or connected to it. See also ROV.
Purpose‑built aids that locate and securely hold components to ensure accuracy and repeatability during operations such as bonding, trimming, drilling, gluing and assembly.
Jigs may guide tools, while fixtures hold the workpiece during machining or adhesive cure.
The process of layering or arranging multiple tooling boards together to create a desired thickness or block size.
See also blocking up.
The ease with which a tooling board can be machined or shaped using various cutting tools, such as a CNC machine.
A service that casts a single‑piece, near‑net‑shape tool directly from a negative mould - removing bond lines, reducing machining and waste, and accelerating delivery for large or complex tools.
Highly accurate “master” patterns machined from tooling board used to make production moulds or to produce parts directly from the pattern in short‑run direct‑to‑part manufacturing.
A manufacturing process that shapes metal by applying force - for example, bending, stamping, hammer/hand forming, press‑forming and more - over a mould made from tooling board to create the desired shape.
Also see: Hammer forming.
Tooling produced close to the final geometry requiring only minimal finishing.
Near net shape tooling is ideal for reducing material waste, machining time and total lead time.
The border line between two halves of a mould made from a tooling board that is used to create multipart moulds.
A type of tooling board made from polyurethane (PU) materials, often chosen for its cost-effectiveness and versatility.
Composite material consisting of carbon fibres that have been pre-impregnated with a controlled amount of resin, such as epoxy.
Pre-preg carbon can be laid up over a master pattern made from epoxy tooling board, and cured either in or out of autoclave to create a high-quality pre-preg mould to create a part.
A process that mixes two reactive liquid components and injects them into a closed mould, where they rapidly polymerise to form the part. This process is ideal for large or complex mouldings with a good surface finish.
The mould tool can be made from epoxy or PU tooling materials, depending on the project, for rapid prototyping and low-volume runs.
A substance applied to the tooling board surface to prevent the moulded material from sticking to it, aiding in the demoulding process.
The stiffness or inflexibility of a tooling board, which affects its ability to hold complex shapes without deformation.
Remotely operated vehicle. A type of robotic underwater submersible vehicle, used in a wide range of subsea applications including offshore oil and gas, marine research, oceanographic exploration and defence related operations. ROVs are controlled by operators typically located on a surface vessel or onshore.
Provides an enhanced finish to the mould or pattern created from the tooling board, improves the durability of the mould, and prevents the absorption of other materials during the layup or blocking up process.
Buoyancy materials created specifically for the purpose of providing buoyancy to objects in underwater environments such as ROV, AUV and HOVs.
The quality and smoothness of the surface of the tooling board after machining, often measured in terms of roughness average (Ra) or root mean square (RMS). Surface finish is important for achieving precise and smooth moulds or patterns.
A composite material that is made from two or more constituent materials with different physical properties to create a unique material. See also composite material.
The time it takes for the surface of epoxy tooling boards to cure and become tack-free, allowing for further processing or demoulding.
The ability of a tooling board to conduct and transfer heat, often important in applications where temperature control is critical. Typically expressed in Watts per metre Kelvin (W/mK).
The acceptable range of deviation from the desired dimensions or specifications, often expressed as a percentage or a specific measurement.
An epoxy or polyurethane material used to create moulds, patterns, models, and fixtures.
A ureol tooling board (also known as a ureol modelling board) is a type of tooling board made from polyurethane, primarily used for the creation of models and jigs and fixtures.
A process used to remove air and excess resin from composite patterns, improving the quality of the final composite part. A vacuum bag is placed over the composite layup and a vacuum pump draws air out of the bag creating a vacuum.
A manufacturing process that involves heating a plastic sheet and forming it over a mould or tooling board using a vacuum.
These are materials or processes that meet the UK’s REACH regulation requirements for the safe use of chemicals, including:
- Managing substances of very high concern (SVHCs.)
- Communicating risk controls down the supply chain.
Pastes engineered to repair damage, fill voids and restore edges on tooling boards and similar substrates prior to sealing/finishing. These are supplied with SDS and application guidance.
Heating a thermoplastic sheet until pliable, then shaping it over/into a mould with vacuum and/or pressure and cooling to set - this process is widely used for manufacturing durable, lightweight components and packaging.
Moulds, also known as plugs, can be made from epoxy and PU tooling boards.
A material that is chemically stable and non‑reactive to significant physical, chemical or biological changes in specified conditions - i.e., it does not readily undergo chemical change when exposed to other substances during normal use.
Unlikely to cause harm or pollution, and does not degrade or pose a threat to water or soil.