Pictured EconCore cooperates with MEAF Developed a continuous thermoplastic honeycomb extrusion press for laboratory use
EconCore, which manufactures core and sandwich materials, said that it has made great strides in continuous honeycomb cores for new high-performance thermoplastics. Its laboratory-scale extrusion and molding lines are installed Located in the R&D facility of Leuven, Belgium.
The production line consists of a 50-mm extruder made by MEAF, a mechanical specialist from Yersek, the Netherlands, and a 500-mm plate die manufactured by EMO, a flat-molding expert from Micheldorf, Austria.
The honeycomb structure uses EconCore's ThermHex technology and its structure is produced from a single continuous thermoplastic sheet. The production process involves a series of thermoforming, folding and bonding operations. The honeycomb core material produced by it, the size, density and thickness can be passed through the hardware and Or changes in process parameters This process enables the solid skin (solid PP body or non-woven surface) to be embedded on one or both sides of the honeycomb body to form a finished composite panel (or organic sandwich material). With traditional composite materials and metal-based materials In comparison, the composite sheet has excellent lightening potential and important cost advantages.
Before installing new extruders, EconCore is developing cellular technology using crimped fluffy materials. 'Now we can produce our own plates online. We have more flexibility in operation and make changes to the material formulation. Obviously easier,' said company's technical manager Wouter Winant.
Extruders can process polyolefins, bioplastics and thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, polyamide and polyphenylene sulfide "This is an atypical equipment, but it is very important to our development work," added Winant. 'EconCore has a global licensee to produce polyolefins (polypropylene-based) continuous honeycomb and Honeycomb core laminates, and we intend to continue to improve the process technology of these materials. Some new production lines are used for this purpose. 'At the same time, we are expanding the potential of the ThermHex technology so that it can be used with excellent mechanical and thermal properties. Thermoplastic. '