Does anyone have knowledge of curing systems used for carbon fibre or other composites in the motor sport industry? In particular, is anyone using a microwave based system rather than an autoclave?

As simplistic as it sounds, Google it. I am interested to so I typed in Microwave Cured fibreglass and came up with a lot of info.

Don't have time to read them just now though.

I've been to this sight before, has some overview articles..
http://www.discountcomposite.com/html/news.html

Yes, "Cheapracer", I know how to Google!
I was really after inside knowledge from someone who knows what is going on out there. I know a company that is looking to market a hot air assisted batch microwave oven into the composites industry.

I think with your microwave experiments you may have stumbled onto a time machine ....

There must be a million microwave jokes about your monocoque being well cured on the outside but frozen on the middle?

10 years ago I tried putting some small panels in the microwave........It did not work as the microwave broke as it burst into flames.

The fumes were unbelievable.

Can you believe I actually forgot about not trying to cook an egg in the microwave just last week - the explosion was amazing, scared the bejeezzes out of me and near took the door off the microwave, not to mention the mess!!

Go to YouTube and look at the "Microwave This" videos.
The first one is where they microwave a lightbulb. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I294xoqGcE
It gets worse from there!

most high spec composies are autoclave cured-90 psi,microwave/fan assisted isnt going to be any good for that so it would only be of use in the very low end of the market

With high performance cars some manufacturers are using production techniques from the textile industry combined with molding techniques commonly used in the production of plastic parts. But that is mostly to increase productivity. Making parts by hand with a dry lay up with prepregs is quite time consuming.