MATS347 module handbook:
Composites Design and Manufacture

Module Summary: [from the Definitive Module Record]

The module provides an integrated approach to design, materials and processing selection for engineering composite materials.

Module Aims [from the Definitive Module Record]:

  1. To develop a broad understanding of the diverse range of constituent materials,
    and to appreciate the principles which guide their selection for engineering applications.
  2. To appreciate the criteria for materials selection, materials characterisation
    and the manufacturing processes for a range of composite materials.
  3. To understand the interactions between manufacture, quality and performance.

Assessed Learning Outcomes [from the Definitive Module Record]:

  1. Justify the reasons for materials selection in typical engineering composites applications.
  2. Calculate mechanical properties of typical monolithic composites.
  3. Discuss the selection, specification and process control required for common composites manufacturing processes,
    and their effect on product quality.
  4. Demonstrate appropriate levels of competency in written communication;
    teamwork; numeracy; IT; independent learning; and practical skills.
Schedule of Teaching Activities:

Teaching Week 01: 28 September - 02 October 2026
Lecture A01Mon 28-Sep-26 09:00-10:00 Rolle 018PowerpointSome basic equations and definitions.
Lecture C01Mon 28-Sep-26 10:00-11:00SMB212 PowerpointReinforcement fibres.
Lecture C02Mon 28-Sep-26 12:00-13:00 PSQ Stonehouse PowerpointReinforcement fabrics.

Teaching Week 02: 05-09 October 2026
Lecture A02Mon 05-Oct-26 09:00-10:00 Rolle 018 PowerpointElastic moduli and Poisson's ratios.
Lecture A04Mon 05-Oct-26 10:00-11:00 SMB212 PowerpointStrength.  Failure mechanisms.  Fractography.
Lecture C04 Mon 05-Oct-26 12:00-13:00 PSQ Stonehouse Powerpoint Health & Safety.  Attendance at this session is mandatory!
DemonstrationMon 05-Oct-26 14:00-16:00BGB111 Groups A-F[Yeovil cohort] Resin infusion under flexible tooling with a flow medium (RIFT II)
DemonstrationWed 07-Oct-26 11:00-13:00BGB111 Groups G-L[Plymouth cohort] Resin infusion under flexible tooling with a flow medium (RIFT II)

Teaching Week 03: 12-16 October 2026
Lecture C03Mon 12-Oct-26 09:00-10:00 Rolle 018 PowerpointMould tools.
Lecture C05Mon 12-Oct-26 10:00-11:00 SMB212 PowerpointContact moulding: hand- and spray-techniques.
Lecture A06Mon 12-Oct-26 12:00-13:00 PSQ Stonehouse PowerpointHybrid Composites.
Practical 1Mon 12-Oct-26 14:00-16:00BGB111 Groups A-D[Yeovil cohort] Manufacture composite plates
Practical 1Mon 12-Oct-26 16:00-18:00BGB111 Groups E-H[mixed cohort] Manufacture composite plates
Practical 1Tue 13-Oct-26 10:00-13:00BGB111 Groups I-J[Plymouth cohort] Manufacture composite plates
Practical 1Wed 14-Oct-26 10:00-13:00BGB111 Groups K-L[Plymouth cohort] Manufacture composite plates
Practical 1Thu 15-Oct-26 10:00-13:00BGB111 Groups K-L[Plymouth cohort] Manufacture composite plates
CPD Thu 15-Oct-26 10:00-13:00ZoomRegisterWhat shall we do with the unwanted sailboat?

Teaching Week 04: 19-23 October 2026
.. and relax    Luke cuts the plates into samples for ISO14125 (flexure) and ISO14130 (ILSS) testing.
     John will be at CCCM6 conference, so away all week.

Teaching Week 05: 26-30 October 2026
Lecture C06Mon 26-Oct-26 09:00-10:00 Rolle 018 PowerpointExtrusion and Injection Moulding. Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM)
Lecture C07Mon 26-Oct-26 10:00-11:00 SMB212 PowerpointResin infusion under flexible tooling (RIFT)
ReviewMon 26-Oct-26 12:00-13:00 PSQ Stonehouse  Coursework requirements
Practical 2Mon 26-Oct-26 14:00-16:00BGB110 Groups A-D [Yeovil cohort] Test composite samples.
Practical 2Mon 26-Oct-26 16:00-18:00BGB110 Groups E-H[mixed cohort] Test composite samples.
Practical 2Tue 27-Oct-26 10:00-13:00BGB110 Groups I-J[Plymouth cohort] Test composite samples.
Practical 2Wed 28-Oct-26 10:00-13:00BGB110 Groups K-L[Plymouth cohort] Test composite samples.
Practical 2Thu 29-Oct-26 10:00-13:00BGB110 Groups K-L[Plymouth cohort] Test composite samples.

Teaching Week 06: 02-06 November 2026
Practical 3Mon 02-Nov-26 14:00-16:00 BGB 107  [Plymouth cohort] Examine failed samples with Electron Microscope.
Practical 3Mon 02-Nov-26 16:00-18:00 BGB 107  [Plymouth cohort] Examine failed samples with Electron Microscope.
Practical 3Tue 03-Nov-26 10:00-13:00BGB 107  [Plymouth cohort] Examine failed samples with Electron Microscope.
Practical 3Wed 04-Nov-26 10:00-13:00BGB 107  [Plymouth cohort] Examine failed samples with Electron Microscope.
Your Future Wed 04-Nov-26 16:00-19:00 Rolle Marquee Post-Graduate Open Evening
Lecture A07Thu 05-Nov-26 09:00-10:00Rolle 312 Powerpoint Durability of composites.
Lecture A08Thu 05 Nov-26 10:00-11:00Rolle 312 Powerpoint Environmental implications of composites.
Lecture A09Thu 05-Nov-26 11:00-12:00 SMB212 Powerpoint Sustainable composites.
Practical 3Thu 05-Nov-26 13:00-16:00BGB 107  [Yeovil cohort] Examine failed samples with Electron Microscope.

Teaching Week 07: 09-13 November 2026
Lecture C08/A03Thu 12-Nov-26 09:00-10:00 Rolle 312 PP1. PP2. Vacuum bagging. Autoclave.  Meso-mechanics. Fibre clustering and resin-rich volumes.
Lecture C09Thu 12 Nov-26 10:00-11:00 Rolle 312 Powerpoint Filament winding.   AFP.   ATL.  AM&RP.  Pultrusion.   Tube rolling.
TutorialThu 12-Nov-26 11:00-12:00 SMB212  The hybrid composites question.

Teaching Week 08: 16-20 November 2026
Lecture A12Thu 19-Nov-26 09:00-10:00 Rolle 312 Powerpoint Non-destructive testing I.
Lecture A13Thu 19 Nov-26 10:00-11:00 Rolle 312 Powerpoint Non-destructive testing II.  Acoustic emission.
Lecture A10Thu 19-Nov-26 11:00-12:00 SMB212 Powerpoint Core materials for sandwich panels.  Coursework final questions.
DEADLINE Thu 19-Nov-26 15:00 MooDLE  Coursework submission deadline (if no Extenuating Circumstances)

Teaching Week 09: 23-27 November 2026
Lecture C10Thu 26-Nov-26 09:00-10:00 Rolle 312 Powerpoint Machining, joining and repair.
Lecture A11/A05Thu 26 Nov-26 10:00-11:00 Rolle 312 PP1. PP2. Adhesives and bonded structures.  Creep, fatigue and impact.
Lecture C11Thu 26-Nov-26 11:00-12:00 SMB212 Powerpoint Periodic table. Electron configuration atoms/ molecules.
DEADLINEThu 26-Nov-26 15:00MooDLE  Coursework submission deadline (with valid Extenuating Circumstances)

Teaching Week 10: 30 November - 04 December 2026
Lecture C12/C13Thu 03-Dec-26 09:00-10:00Rolle 312 Powerpoint. Morphology of polymer molecules.  Thermoplastic polymers.
Lecture C14/C15Thu 03-Dec-26 10:00-11:00Rolle 312 Powerpoint Phenolic (PF) resins. Epoxy (Ep) resins. Unsaturated polyester (UPE)/Vinyl ester (VE).

Teaching Week 11:07-11 December 2026
Lecture A16Thu 10-Dec-26 09:00-10:00Rolle 312 Powerpoint Nanotechnology.
RevisionThu 10-Dec-26 10:00-11:00Rolle 312   

Teaching Week 12: 14-18 December 2026
Lecture A15/A14Thu 17-Dec-26 09:00-10:00Rolle 312 PP1. PP2. CMC - MMC - PMC.  Smart materials. Intelligent structures.  Biomimetics.
RevisionThu 17-Dec-26 10:00-11:00Rolle 312   

Feedback releaseThu 17-Dec-26 15:00MooDLE  Generic feedback will be by e-mail,
with student specific feedback via pencil logo in MooDLE submission point (FeedbackStudio)

Summary of Assessment Information:
  • C1: Manufacture a composite plate and determine the mechanical properties [50% of the module].
  • E1: Examination [50% of the module]  Semester 1 assessment period is 11-22 January 2027.
Staff Contact Details:

PersonRoleOfficeE-mail

John Summerscales Module Leader/Professor of Composites Engineering Reynolds 008 J.Summerscales@plymouth.ac.uk
Luke BrancaSenior Technician - Composites Babbage 111 luke.branca@plymouth.ac.uk
Jeremy ClarkSenior Technician - Materials & Structures Babbage 108AJ.Clark@plymouth.ac.uk
Jahir RizviProgramme LeaderReynolds 014 mdjahir.rizvi@plymouth.ac.uk
Maozhou Meng Moderator/Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering Reynolds 104 maozhou.meng@plymouth.ac.uk
Gill KavanaghFaculty SupportFaculty Office gillian.kavanagh@plymouth.ac.uk

Expectations on Students:

  • Students should check e-mail on a regular basis as this will be the principal means of communication outside timetabled sessions.
     
  • Attendance at lecture C4: Health and Safety during week commencing 05 October 2026 is mandatory.
    If you do not attend then you will be barred from the laboratory sessions, so you will fail the coursework element of the module.
     
  • This module is governed by Academic Regulations,
    with Non-Standard Regulations at §12 of the Programme Specification
    to meet the accreditation requirements of the Professional Engineering Institutions:
    • The pass mark for a module at Levels 4 - 6 is 40%.
      Where module assessment involves more than one element,
      a student is also required to achieve a minimum of 30% in each element.
    • The maximum compensation allowed within each award is 20 credits for Level 4 modules (Stage One) only.
      This module cannot be compensated.

Created by John Summerscales on 09-Sep-2026 and updated on 28-Sep-2026 16:20.
Terms and conditions. Errors and omissions. Corrections.