Thermoplastic tapes are expected to shape the next generation of thermoplastic composites. This calls for highly accurate tape stacking. Engel contributes this technology to achieve a breakthrough by combining high-precision control software with camera technology in tape stacking.

For high production efficiency, a tape stacking unit is best equipped with two robots and one camera station

Software-Based Tape Stacking with the Aid of Camera Technology Paves the way for Thermoplastic Composites

Spritzgießen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Anlagen zur Composite-Herstellung

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Verbundwerkstoffe / Werkstoffverbunde

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

UD-Tapes

Verstärkungsstoffe

Kameras

Fertigungsautomation

Bildverarbeitung

Faserverbundwerkstoffe

Andere Werkstoffe

Automatisierungstechnik

Optische Mess- und Prüfverfahren

Qualitätssicherung

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

An Eye for the Essential

Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) are being used in more and more components. Their production is also becoming more and more effective. In the event of damage, however, business continues to be carried out manually. For this reason, greater automation is desirable when repairing CFRP. Automated laser processes could be one way of doing this.

Stepped scarfing on slat demonstrator: scarfing is a challenging step in CFRP repair

Automated Repair of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Plastics

Kohlenstofffasern / -matten

Laserschweißen

Verbindungstechnik Verfahren

Thermisches Fügeverfahren

Lasertechnik

Laser Substitute Manual Work

Threaded inserts ensure a secure connection of hybrid components. Under continuous load, effects can occur with thermoplastics due to pressure and temperature, which means that a durable screw connection is no longer guaranteed. Such effects can be prevented by thread inserts with a special surface structure.

Metal thread insert with surface structuring on both sides prevent settling behavior of thermoplastic polymers in multi-material components

Structuring of Surface Ensures Reliable Anchoring of Thread Inserts in Organic Sheets

Automotive

Elektronik

Kunststoffe

Photonik

Optik

Reduced Settling Behavior in Multi Material Components

A number of examination methods can be used to identify weaknesses caused by incorrect fiber orientation. In particular, the fiber volume content and fiber distribution permit conclusions to be drawn regarding the stiffness and tensile strength behavior. A new ultrasound method offers the flexibility to capture these parameters on the finished component.

Ultrasound coupling: a shear wave probe contacts a glass fiber-reinforced plastic test specimen via a viscous couplant

Methods for Determining the Fiber Orientation in Reinforced Plastics

Ultraschall-Sensoren

Messtechnik

Sensoren / Messwertaufnehmer

Computer-Tomografie-Systeme

Werkstoffprüfung

Optische Mess- und Prüftechnik

Ultraschallprüfgeräte

Kunststofffasern

Röntgenprüfgeräte

Software für Optische Messtechnik

Groundbreaking Ultrasound  Shear Waves

Many people have good ideas and intentions. Few have the courage and determination to put them into practice. The young rezemo entrepreneurs Julian Reitze and Stefan Zender are one successful example. In 2019, some three years after their start-up was founded, the company was already producing well over one million compostable coffee capsules per year.

Sawdust and wood shavings from the woodworking industry, PLA as a binding agent – the recipe for ecologically compatible coffee capsules

A Start-up Produces Organic Coffee Capsules Made of Wood and Plant Starch in Millions

Biokunststoffe

Holz

Successful with Wood

Thermoplastic injection molded parts can be reinforced with local continuous fibers in combination with metallic load application elements. This also makes them suitable for structural applications such as transverse control arms and transmission mountings. A 3D winding technology was tested for potential use in a large-scale production process.

Robot-based fiber winding of complex injection molding inserts. The complex contours cannot easily be draped with flat reinforcing semi-finished products

Local Continuous Fiber-Reinforcement through 3D Skeleton Winding Technology

Leichtbau

Industrieroboter

Montagetechnik

Thermoplaste

Three-Dimensional Fiber Skeleton

The traditional markets for glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics remain stable. Thermoplastic composites are gaining fast with 3D-printing and hybrid processing techniques. The fiber composite industry is tackling the recycling issue with pragmatic ideas.

The Oechsler Drivematic drive actuator can be integrated into the 3D-printed CFRP monocoque frame of an Arevo „e-bike“

The Manifold New Collection of Reactive Systems and Thermoplastic Composites

Glasfasern / -matten

Reaktionsharze

Duroplaste

Sekundärfasern

Kunststoff-Rezyklat

Fasern

Halbzeuge und Zwischenprodukte

Kunststoff-Halbzeuge

Aramidfasern

Harzsysteme für Composite-Herstellung

Phenolharze

Harzwerkstoffe

Werkstoffe für additive Verfahren

Harze, Epoxid

Duroplastische Werkstoffe

Hochleistungskunststoffe

Fiber-Reinforced Plastics

In addition to excellent mechanical characteristics and suitability for recycling, the key feature of hybrid lightweight structures made of fiber-reinforced thermoplastics is that automated, large series production is possible. New mold and process technologies were successfully developed within the scope of the ReLei research project, enabling the production of complex shaped sandwich elements in an efficient combined process.

In the ReLei project, several research and industry partners developed a rear shelf based on a fiber-reinforced polyamide as an example for manufacturing a complex sandwich structure

Thermoplastic Sandwich Structures for Large Series Applications

Schaumspritzgießen

Faserverarbeitung

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Werkzeuge für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren

Making It Big with Small Bubbles

Composite materials are often the key to lightweight design for many applications. However, these hybrid materials face a major challenge where recycling is concerned.

The experimental components were manufactured in a fully automated SMC manufacturing cell, developed by Engel, with an Engel v-duo 700 machine and an easix KR35 articulated robot

A Research Project Highlights the Recycling Potential of Lightweight Composites

Composite-Halbzeuge

Spritzprägen

Bruchmechanische Prüfung

Presswerkzeuge, Kunststoff

Pressen von Kunststoffen

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Zero-Waste Concept for Carbon SMC

Currently, small wind turbines can hardly be operated profitably in landlocked regions. This drawback has now been overcome by the partners EAB Gebäudetechnik Luckau GmbH and the Chair of Polymer-based Lightweight Design at the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg: passive smartblades made from 3D-printed molds adapt independently to wind conditions. This is achieved by an intelligent layer structure and its bending-torsion-coupling.

This newly developed rotor blade is especially suited for weak-wind regions and adapts independently to the wind load

Additive Manufacture of FRP Injection Molds for FRP Components of Small Wind Turbines

Simulation Produkt- / Formteildesign

Software

Simulation

Finite Methoden

Ingenieurwissenschaften

Technische Mechanik

Windkraft

Energieerzeugung

Erneuerbare Energie

Analysetools, FEM

Additive Fertigung

Highly Efficient Adaptive  Fiber-Composite Rotor Blades

Students at the PFH Hansecampus Stade, Germany, develop seating system for electrically assisted handbike.

Maximilian Miller, Hannes Hartung, Jan Matti Tinnemeyer, Thalea Kröger and Dennis Beck (from left) developed a seating system for a three-wheeled vehicle known as a “handbike” during the 5th semester of their “Lightweight Engineering & Composites” bachelor’s degree program

Technik Trend

kunststoffe-international.com

More Mobility for Physically Disabled People

AVK and SMC BMC Alliance launch SMCCreate 2022 Design Conference.

Verbände, Institutionen, Messen

Dienstleistungen

Design in SMC and BMC Composite Materials

Solvay has signed a long-term agreement with Avio to supply advanced composite and adhesive materials for demanding applications in aerospace.

Luigi Pellegrini and Sergio Colabucci, Avio, Gerald Perrin, Giuliano Russo and Salvatore De Nicola, Solvay, ( from left to right) at the signing of the agreement

Harze

Klebstoffe

Chemisches Fügeverfahren

Materials for Space Exploration

Internal pressure loads are typical for fiber-reinforced plastic components. To increase the burst strength of components, the fiber orientation can be modified in a targeted way during injection molding by means of a rotating mold core. A newly developed simulation method allows this modified fiber orientation to be taken into account at the design stage.

Practical implementation of a mold system with rotating core.

16:9

Mold System with Rotating Core Improves Mechanical Properties

Werkstoffprüfung, mechanisch

Spritzgießsimulation

Design Methodology for Parts Subject to Internal Pressure

JEC Composites Startup Booster: the 2022 winners have been announced

In a few years, JEC Composites Startup Booster has became a reference for entrepreuneurship in the composites industry worldwide.

Start up

Wirtschaft

Unternehmen und Unternehmer

Networking in the Composites Industry

Thermoplastic Alternative to Thermoset SMCs

Ductile Composites for Compression Molding

Lanxess has expanded its composite range called Tepex flowcore. The product family is specially developed for various compression molding processes.

The new composites are designed as alternatives to thermoset sheet molding compounds (SMCs). Offering similar mechanical performance, they are much more ductile and, as thermoplastic systems, much easier to recycle than SMCs, according to the company.

They are easy to process because they are molded and shaped by thermal means only. “We are targeting Tepex flowcore primarily at large underbody paneling components and load compartment wells for cars, but also at components such as large casings and battery covers,” says Sabrina Anders, project manager for Tepex flowcore at Lanxess High Performance Materials business unit.

The new plate-shaped composites are offered with a matrix based on polypropylene (PP), polyamide 6 (PA6), polyamide 12 (PA12), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or flame-retardant polycarbonate (PC). The matrix is reinforced with long fibers up to 50 mm. They are distributed throughout the matrix as cut fibers of constant lengths. The composite materials are offered with either glass or carbon fiber reinforcement.

In suitable processing conditions, components made from the new lightweight materials can exhibit almost the same flexural stiffness as their equivalents in the Tepex dynalite range, and they have much higher strengths than injection-molded materials, which are usually reinforced with short fibers. Depending on processing method and component design, the fibers can be arranged in one preferred direction or completely randomly. “The components can be designed such that they exhibit mechanical properties quasi-isotropically; in other words, almost identically in all directions,” explains Anders.

The new composites reportedly are extremely versatile in terms of how they can be processed. For example, they can be compression-molded with standard tools for long fiber or glass mat-reinforced thermoplastics (LFTs and GMTs, respectively). They can also be used with existing SMC systems and tools. “They have such good flow characteristics that delicate areas of components, such as ribbed structures, can be reproduced with great precision, and walls can be made very thin,” says Anders. Tepex flowcore and Tepex dynalite can also be used together in compression molding processes, demonstrating excellent adhesion between each other due to their identical polymer matrix. “This opens up the opportunity to use Tepex dynalite to reinforce specific component areas under particularly heavy stress and, at the same time, to integrate features such as guides and mounts in a cost-saving way with Tepex flowcore. Another benefit is that the processor obtains all these composite semi-finished products from one place rather than having to combine materials from different manufacturers,” adds Anders.

Lanxess Deutschland GmbH 

https://www.lanxess.com

No additional injection-molded material was used to produce the ribbing on the demonstrator model. It is made entirely from compression-molded Tepex flowcore.

2022-05-10 KUint4_22_Produkt_Lanxess neu

issue 03/2022

issue 02/2022

issue 01/2022

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