Pre-Preg vs Wet-Lay Carbon — Why The Process Defines The Part
Two carbon fibre parts can look identical in a photograph and behave nothing alike on the car. The difference is in the process, not the weave.
Carbon fibre is not a single material. It is a category of materials defined by how the cloth is impregnated with resin and how that resin is cured. The two dominant processes — pre-preg and wet-lay — produce parts with very different long-term behaviour.
Wet-lay
Carbon cloth is laid into a mould and resin is applied by hand. The cured part can be visually beautiful, but resin distribution is inconsistent, weight varies between parts, and UV stability depends entirely on the clear coat.
Pre-preg
The carbon cloth arrives pre-impregnated with a precisely measured amount of resin and is cured under heat and pressure in an autoclave. The result is a part with consistent weight, predictable strength, and a finish that holds up to UV for years.
"If a manufacturer cannot tell you how their carbon was cured, that is the answer."
