WSM-170
Water Soluble Expanding Mandrel
Rigid at room temperature, engineered to expand in a controlled way during cure, providing optimal support to the lamination and complete removal in water at the end of the process.
time reduction thanks to male-mould lamination
scrap reduction thanks to controlled expansion
reduction of the final component weight
Temperature resistance
Controlled expansion with pressure
WSM-170 is a rigid lamination support for manufacturing hollow tubular composite elements with complex geometry. At temperature the mandrel behaves like a soft membrane. Thanks to pressure, controlled expansion is achieved, compacting the composite against the outer mould, ensuring superior surface finishes and zero structural voids.
Dissolution after cure
- 01.Ultrasonic tank
Optimisation and speed-up of the wash-out through ultrasonic tanks, able to break down and remove the mandrel even in the narrowest and most complex internal ducts.
- 02.Water (recommended 80° - 90°C with agitation and recirculation)
Fast dissolution in hot water between 80° and 90°C with agitation or dynamic recirculation of the solution.
- 03.Waterjet
Fast extraction and break-down of the mandrel via high-pressure water jet, ideal for through tubular geometries and accessible ducts in fast production.
Advantages and Expansion Features
- ✔Rigid at room temperature: enables male-mould lamination.
- ✔During cure it behaves like an expanding membrane under pressure.
- ✔Eliminates the need for the internal bag.
- ✔High surface quality on both the outer and inner sides.
- ✔Fully dissolves in water, leaving no residues.
- ✔Controlled expansion with pressure
The aqueous solution resulting from the wash-out requires no special disposal of aggressive solvents, simplifying environmental compliance and cutting cycle times in post-processing.
Seamless Process Integration
Addyx water-soluble mandrels are engineered to integrate seamlessly into major industrial composite manufacturing standards. From hand lay-up to automated processes, discover how Addyx adapts to your workflow.
AFP (Automated Fiber Placement)
Total compatibility with high-precision robotic fiber placement on complex geometries.
Filament Winding
Continuous tension winding for lightweight tanks, piping, and drive shafts.
Hand lay-up
High operational flexibility manual lamination for rapid prototyping and small batches.
Infusion
Vacuum-assisted controlled resin flow for large monolithic hollow structures.
RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding)
Closed-mold resin injection for complex geometries and tight dimensional tolerances.
Autoclave
High-temperature and pressure curing to maximize fiber consolidation.
Oven
The ideal technology to cut curing cycle costs. It mimics the autoclave process by leveraging the controlled expansion of the WSM170 with the addition of compressed air.
Press
High-pressure molding for high production rates and rigorous wall thickness tolerances.
Additive Manufacturing and Rotomoulding: discover our production
WSM-170 mandrels are produced in-house on our 12 industrial CleanRoom printers for the prototyping phases, then scale instantly to high serial volumes (from 10 to 10,000 pcs) via rotational moulding and injection.
Commercial requests & serial supply: s.afeltra@addyx.it
Ready to test WSM-170 in your process?
Send us the 3D file or the specifications of your tubular component: our engineers will assess feasibility free of charge.