1. Implementation

The processing of thermosets involves a change in the material's state, since it provokes an irreversible polyaddition reaction. Epoxy resins can be cold-injected if their viscosity allows, but they are often then held at a certain temperature for the time required for cross-linking.

We'll concentrate on molding the most difficult three-dimensional parts (mainly solid electrical parts, but the same principles apply to thick laminates, tooling, large powder moldings, etc.), and we'll confine ourselves to a few guidelines for two-dimensional problems (bonding, painting and coating).

When making large parts, the reacting mass plays an essential role. Once molecules have cross-linked, they transfer their heat of reaction to neighboring molecules. As resin is a poor conductor of heat, temperature cannot equilibrate instantaneously, so a runaway...