KraussMaffei will showcase its low-cost solutions for the production of fiber-reinforced plastic parts at booth 6-F61 at JEC World in Paris, France, March 6-8, 2018, focusing on thermoplastic New processes and new applications for thermosetting matrix materials, all of which are production processes prepared for mass production and pioneering lightweight construction.
For the first time, wet molding was fully automated
New, fully automated wet-molding system greatly reduces cycle time and increases process reliability
"The market trend for fiber-reinforced plastics is still on a positive development trajectory and there is a strong interest in China right now, which is the main source of demand for our five different RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) processes." Klaus Philipp Zimmermann, head of Maffei Composites / Surfaces business unit, explains that the market is currently keenly interested in wet-molding processes and is a very attractive and cost-effective alternative for lightweight components. At JEC World, KraussMaffei will be debuting a fully automated turnkey solution for the first time. "It reduces cycle time by half and improves process reliability compared to manually operated solutions." Zimmermann explains that the typical characterization of the KraussMaffei wet-molding process is the simple process chain, the low cavity pressure required to wet the fiber, low investment and system maintenance costs, and the elimination of the entire preforming process. Molding is one of only a few processes that allow the use of recycled materials.
iPul pultrusion systems meet the needs of the times
New lightweight construction for the wind power and construction industries: pultruded profile (flat or square) and reinforced concrete for concrete with high stability and corrosion resistance
Another highlight of the KraussMaffei booth is the iPul pultrusion system, the first complete production system for continuous pultrusion, which produces more than double the production rate of conventional baths. "The new iPul system In line with the needs of the times, especially the construction industry applications, such as steel bars for window profiles or concrete, or the wind turbine industry, have a strong interest in this technology.We also get more and more demand from the automotive industry Zimmermann said KraussMaffei is currently expanding its TechCenter Technology Center in Munich, Germany, by installing a second iPul system for the manufacture of pultruded rebar as a concrete component, Together with the iPul components, KraussMaffei now offers its customers a unique research environment for developing and testing new pultrusion processes and applications.
For the large parts to provide a surface
Long fiber injection (LFI) can be used to make large, perfectly surfaced parts for trucks and agricultural machines. "This long fiber injection process allows the use of fibers up to 50% by weight and provides extremely high stability The production of lightweight components and the high degree of automation ensure short cycle times. "The low viscosity of the raw material components makes it possible to produce large, complex and thin-walled components, which are characterized by their high temperature stability, excellent The impact strength and the resulting sprayable surface after molding.At JEC World, KraussMaffei will be showcasing the side covers for commercial vehicles.
New spray mixing head to ensure faster nozzle replacement
KraussMaffei's newly developed nozzle replacement parts allow the nozzle system on the spray mix head to be quickly replaced
KraussMaffei's new nozzle replacement parts for SCS mix heads provide one key advantage: the straight and gas-assisted nozzles required for different cross-sections of the spray unit can be mounted on separate mix heads and used interchangeably "This not only shortens the cycle time but also reduces the capital cost as only one mixing head is required and the hydraulic switching device that has been used before is no longer needed," said Zimmermann.
In the structural component spraying (SCS) process, fiber mat and honeycomb core material are sprayed with un-reinforced PU material and then placed in a mold for compression molding. The SCS process allows the outer layer to have a smaller thickness , Resulting in particularly lightweight components produced.Linear nozzles and gas-assisted nozzles can be used for this coating process, in which the linear nozzle produces a fan-shaped plane jet suitable for large-scale polyurethane compounds on a relatively large component Spray, and gas-assisted nozzle to produce a fine spray, the flow rate than the linear nozzle is low, mainly used for the challenging shape of the component area.
FiberForm technology breakthrough in mass production
KraussMaffei to further improve the FiberForm technology and ready to put it into mass production
"The FiberForm process developed by KraussMaffei has been successful in high volume production and our customers appreciate the high quality, reliability and cost-effectiveness of this process for the production of thermoplastic composites. "Said Klaus & Maffei FiberForm and Stefan Fenske, technical manager at IMC. The FiberForm process is thermoforming and overmolding of organic sheets, using, for example, plate-like semifinished products made of continuous glass, carbon or aramid fibers as inserts , Which is overmolded with a thermoplastic matrix material made of polyamide (PA) or polypropylene (PP), in which process these semi-finished products are first heated and reshaped in an injection mold and then injected on the back of the fibers Reinforced polymer. This fully automated process allows production cycles to be completed in less than 60 seconds, thus preparing for mass production. The entire production process, including the infrared heating control system for composite sheets, is integrated into the MC6 Machine control system, which simplifies the operation.
'This lightweight thermoplastic composite structure is an important business that is evolving and we are constantly expanding and optimizing our automation solutions to provide the best possible service to our customers. Mesut Cetin, Ph.D., lightweight structural product and project manager for the Philippine automation division, said that new matrices and natural fibers are currently being tested on composite panels, for example in the automotive industry (such as door module carriers) and in other industries such as sporting goods and packaging Industry, etc. have great potential.