Autoclaves can represent an essential part of the polymerization process of both thermosetting and thermoplastic composites. An autoclave is defined in the aerospace industry as a large pressure vessel that also has a heating capacity and can be very large to accommodate the parts that should be cured in it. The material used to make an autoclave should be able to withstand high pressures and temperatures which can be between 300 and 400°C and above 1 MPa. The purpose of the autoclave is to reach a temperature high enough to lower the viscosity of the resin and initiate the chemical curing reaction, as well as reach a pressure to eliminate voids, remove excess resin, and press the composite layers together. Any type of composite material can be cured in an autoclave as long as the polymer's curing cycle is within the temperature and pressure limits of the autoclave. The autoclave also allows for the production of complexly shaped parts due to the two different ways in which pressure can be applied to a part in an autoclave. You can increase the pressure inside the autoclave by compressing the bagged part into a tool, and you can apply vacuum inside the bag to increase the pressure on the part. A couple of major disadvantages of autoclaves are slowness with temperature and pressure changes and low temperature control, due primarily to the size of the autoclave and the methods for heating and pressurizing the autoclave. For materials where the curing cycle is long and takes a few hours, slow heating and cooling is not a problem at all. Furthermore, temperature control can be improved by using internal gas circulation along with typical temperature sensing and control. A simple equation can be used to determine the percentage of paper, bulk or monolithic graphite, and various ceramics. Bulk graphite has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, can be used at temperatures up to 2000°C, has high thermal conductivity, and is easy to create. The main disadvantage of this type of tool is that it is very fragile and has a tool life of only 10 curing cycles. Ceramic tools are also considered for high-temperature tooling due to the commonly used molding materials and ease of casting the tool. The surface must be well finished and sealed to ensure a smooth, non-porous surface, and the process for creating thermoplastic composites with this type of tooling is not fully proven. For all types of composites, tooling choice is very important due to the variations in each type. Works Cited Dillon, Greg. "Autoclave processing of composites." Advanced composite manufacturing