Wet carbon fiber is the carbon fiber that has that overall glossy finish to it. Generally, wet carbon fiber can be produced mainly in one of two ways: painting or infusion. Painting: No matter how carbon fiber is made, there are certain quality controls in the manufacturing to ensure that it doesn’t just fall apart. However, the painted method for wet carbon fiber seems to be the loosest on those quality controls. On the other hand, it’s also the cheapest option for the manufacturer and consumer. This process involves painting epoxy onto the woven carbon fiber structure and curing it with an exterior heating source. This is the least effective way to cure and properly bond the epoxy. This process results in a finished product that has a varied consistency in the epoxy distribution, weight, and strength. Even the slight imperfections in the epoxy during this curing process can result in drastic drop-offs in structural strength. Infusion: This particular method involves using high amounts of pressure and a vacuum (clearly not a cleaning vacuum, but a vacuum in which there is absolutely no air). While the carbon fiber is weaved, epoxy is applied to the surface and with the high amounts of pressure and a vacuum, the epoxy is pushed through the fibers until the consistency of epoxy throughout the fibers is measurably accurate. The structure is then cured and tested for approval.
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