This article provides a summary of the concepts discussed in the articles under the Section “Post-Processing and Assembly” ASM Handbook, Volume 21: Composites.

This article describes the machining operations of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy, or carbon/epoxy thermoset composite materials, such as drilling, reaming, routing, trimming, end milling, slot milling, and facing. It reviews cutting tools for machining, including solid carbide, diamond plated, brazed diamond, diamond coated carbide, and polycrystalline cutting tools. The article also describes cutting tool materials that are used for peripheral milling, face milling, and the trimming of polymer-matrix composites.

Advanced thermoplastic composites possess impact resistance, fracture toughness, and elevated temperature endurance properties due to their melt-fusible nature. This article presents material options available for the thermoplastic composites, such as pseudothermoplastics, post-impregnated thermoplastics, and true thermoplastics. It describes the processing methods of thermoplastic composites, including weaving, seaming, autoclaving, preconsolidation, roll consolidation, roll forming/pultruding, thermoforming, press forming, hydroforming, and diaphragm forming. The article discusses the types of joints, namely, fastened, adhesive bonded, dual polymer bonded, co-consolidated, and welded joints. It describes the joining methods of thermoplastic composites, including press forming, diaphragm forming, autoclaving, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, and induction welding.