[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":79},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-carbon-fiber-fisheyes-and-pinholes-resin-or-release-agent-en":3},{"id":4,"attributes":5},150,{"content":6,"createdAt":7,"updatedAt":8,"publishedAt":7,"slug":9,"title":10,"summary":11,"views":12,"locale":13,"cover":14,"cate_blog":59,"products":69,"seo":71,"author":76,"localizations":77},"## **1. What do fish eyes and pinholes look like?**\n\n### **1.1 Fish Eyes**\n\n**Typical characteristics:**\n- Circular craters or volcano-like depressions on the surface\n- Little or no resin in the center, or visible resin shrinkage\n- A clear dewetting or repelling appearance\n\n**Root cause:**\nUneven surface tension prevents the resin from spreading uniformly.\n\n![Carbon-fiber fish-eye defect image showing surface dewetting caused by resin incompatibility or release-agent contamination](https://assets.chinareleaseagent.com/blog_0410_4_a1705ec3d9.webp)\n\n### **1.2 Pinholes**\n\n**Typical characteristics:**\n- Many tiny holes distributed across the surface\n- Usually more obvious after curing or after coating or painting\n- Can appear uniformly or as locally dense clusters\n\n**Root cause:**\nGas is not fully evacuated, or volatiles are released during cure.\n\n![Carbon-fiber pinhole defect image showing micro-voids on composite surfaces caused by trapped air or resin volatiles](https://assets.chinareleaseagent.com/blog_0410_3_e405dc6dc4.webp)\n\n## **2. Analysis of possible causes**\n\n### **2.1 Release agent factors**\n\n**Common issues:**\n- Over-application\n- Uneven wiping\n- Insufficient cure\n- Incompatibility with the resin system\n- Oil or silicone contamination on the mold surface\n\n**Mechanism:**\nA release agent is essentially a low-surface-energy film. If it is applied incorrectly, it can lead to:\n- Reduced resin wetting -> fish eyes\n- Local isolation -> pinholes or bubbles\n\n### **2.2 Resin factors**\n\n**Common issues:**\n- Viscosity is too high\n- Mixing ratio is inaccurate\n- Mixing is incomplete\n- Moisture or volatiles are present\n- Cure reaction is too fast\n\n**Mechanism:**\n- Poor wet-out -> fibers are not fully impregnated\n- Gas release during cure -> pinholes\n- Surface-tension differences -> fish eyes\n\n### **2.3 Process and environmental factors**\n\nEven if the materials themselves are not the main problem, the following can still cause defects:\n- High humidity (moisture absorption)\n- Low mold temperature\n- Insufficient vacuum\n- Poor lay-up practice\n- Dust contamination in the air\n\n![Composite surface defect image showing typical fish-eye and pinhole problems on carbon-fiber parts](https://assets.chinareleaseagent.com/blog_0410_2_8e2bddb34d.webp)\n\n## **3. Verification method: use A/B tests to isolate the cause quickly**\n\nTo avoid guesswork, an A/B test approach is recommended:\n\n### **3.1 Test A: change only the release agent**\n\n- Keep the resin and process unchanged\n- Switch the release agent or reduce the application amount\n\n**How to judge the result:**\n- Defect disappears -> release agent issue\n- Defect remains -> likely resin or process issue\n\n### **3.2 Test B: change only the resin**\n\n- Keep the release agent and process unchanged\n- Change to a lower-viscosity resin or a different resin system\n\n**How to judge the result:**\n- Defect improves -> resin issue\n- No obvious change -> release agent or process issue\n\n### **3.3 Test C: process optimization test**\n\n- Increase mold temperature\n- Improve vacuum level\n- Extend degassing time\n\n### **3.4 Interpreting the results**\n\n- Fewer pinholes -> gas or process issue\n- Fish eyes remain -> surface contamination or release-agent issue\n\n## **4. Repair and optimization recommendations**\n\n### **4.1 Solutions for release-agent-related issues**\n\n- Use thin, multiple coats (wipe-on / wipe-off)\n- Allow each coat to cure fully\n- Choose a semi-permanent release agent that matches the resin\n- Clean the mold regularly to avoid buildup\n\n### **4.2 Solutions for resin-related issues**\n\n- Use lower-viscosity resin to improve wetting\n- Strictly control mix ratio and mixing uniformity\n- Degas before use\n- Avoid moisture exposure during storage\n\n### **4.3 Process optimization recommendations**\n\n- Keep mold temperature within a suitable range\n- For vacuum infusion, aim for >= -0.095 MPa\n- Keep ambient humidity below 60%\n- Optimize lay-up and operating procedures\n\n## **5. Symptom-cause-solution reference table**\n\n| Symptom | Possible cause | Recommended action |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Fish eyes | Too much release agent | Reduce application amount and wipe evenly |\n| Fish eyes | Surface contamination | Clean the mold |\n| Fish eyes | Resin incompatibility | Change resin or release agent |\n| Pinholes | Air entrapment | Improve vacuum and degassing |\n| Pinholes | Resin viscosity too high | Use lower-viscosity resin |\n| Pinholes | Moisture or volatiles | Control humidity and improve storage |\n| Fish eyes + pinholes | Process parameters are not reasonable | Optimize temperature, pressure, and time |\n\n## **Summary**\n\nFish eyes and pinholes are not random defects. They are process problems that can be diagnosed systematically and controlled effectively.\n\nInstead of changing materials blindly, build a [scientific method](https://www.chinareleaseagent.com/):\n- A/B verification\n- Material-compatibility evaluation\n- Standardized process control\n\nOnly by correctly identifying whether the problem comes from the resin, the [release agent](https://www.chinareleaseagent.com/composite-release-agent/), or the process can you truly achieve:\n- Improve surface quality\n- Increase yield\n- Reduce total production cost","2026-04-10T06:24:13.000Z","2026-04-11T02:14:06.435Z","carbon-fiber-fisheyes-and-pinholes-resin-or-release-agent","Fish Eyes and Pinholes on Carbon Fiber Parts: Resin Problem or Release Agent Problem?","A systematic guide to diagnosing fish eyes and pinholes on carbon-fiber parts, determining whether the cause is resin, release agent, or process conditions, and applying practical A/B tests and optimization steps.",null,"en",{"data":15},{"id":16,"attributes":17},588,{"name":18,"alternativeText":19,"caption":20,"width":21,"height":22,"formats":23,"hash":53,"ext":25,"mime":29,"size":54,"url":55,"previewUrl":12,"provider":56,"provider_metadata":12,"createdAt":57,"updatedAt":58},"Carbon Fiber Surface Fish Eyes & Pinholes.webp","Carbon fiber surface defects showing fish eyes and pinholes caused by resin or release agent issues","Surface defects on carbon fiber composites, including fish eyes and pinholes, commonly caused by resin system instability or improper release agent application.",800,480,{"small":24,"medium":35,"thumbnail":44},{"ext":25,"url":26,"etag":27,"hash":28,"mime":29,"name":30,"path":12,"size":31,"width":32,"height":33,"sizeInBytes":34},".webp","https://assets.chinareleaseagent.com/small_blog_0410_a127efb1e3.webp","d1d112fd58e0eccc24552c988ce2d937","small_blog_0410_a127efb1e3","image/webp","small_blog_0410.webp",15.05,500,300,15050,{"ext":25,"url":36,"etag":37,"hash":38,"mime":29,"name":39,"path":12,"size":40,"width":41,"height":42,"sizeInBytes":43},"https://assets.chinareleaseagent.com/medium_blog_0410_a127efb1e3.webp","cc8cc4a4c0dbec7fa53b4f091d54e8ec","medium_blog_0410_a127efb1e3","medium_blog_0410.webp",24.35,750,450,24346,{"ext":25,"url":45,"etag":46,"hash":47,"mime":29,"name":48,"path":12,"size":49,"width":50,"height":51,"sizeInBytes":52},"https://assets.chinareleaseagent.com/thumbnail_blog_0410_a127efb1e3.webp","ec9a3ea720faab843fbc4e582173e669","thumbnail_blog_0410_a127efb1e3","thumbnail_blog_0410.webp",5.74,245,147,5738,"blog_0410_a127efb1e3",29.15,"https://assets.chinareleaseagent.com/blog_0410_a127efb1e3.webp","aws-s3","2026-04-10T07:01:32.805Z","2026-04-10T08:19:40.701Z",{"data":60},{"id":61,"attributes":62},1,{"name":63,"createdAt":64,"updatedAt":65,"publishedAt":66,"slug":67,"description":68,"sort":61,"locale":13},"Industry & Applications","2025-07-28T06:57:48.790Z","2025-10-24T02:08:33.505Z","2025-07-28T06:57:55.359Z","industry-applications","这是构建“主题集群”(Topic Clusters) 的核心区域，体现你的专业广度和深度。采购和研发人员会根据他们的领域来查找信息。",{"data":70},[],{"id":72,"metaTitle":73,"metaDescription":74,"metaRobots":12,"canonicalURL":12,"metaViewport":12,"metaKeywords":75,"jsonLd":12},1002,"Fish Eyes and Pinholes on Carbon Fiber Parts: Resin or Release Agent?","Diagnose fish eyes and pinholes on carbon-fiber parts with a structured analysis of resin, release agent, and process conditions, plus A/B tests and optimization steps.","carbon fiber release agent,fish eyes,pinholes,resin defects,composite surface defects",{"data":12},{"data":78},[],1776612077926]