- Email: [email protected]
New material for autosports
TECHNOLOGY
Reinforced Plastics Volume 61, Number 3 May/June 2017
Overmolding project reaches successful completion
TECHNOLOGY
The ThermoPlastic Composites Research Center (TPRC), based in the Netherlands, says that it has successfully closed a twoyear collaborative project on the overmolding of thermoplastic composites. The center has designed and manufactured an advanced demonstrator part following a two-year collaboration between TPRC, its members and companies contributing from different areas of expertise. The part features a typical grid stiffened panel that can be found in larger numbers in aerostructure applications. The stiffness and strength performance combined with extreme dimensional accuracy can put high demands on the manufacturing process. The thermoplastic composite insert was press formed using TenCate Cetex TC1225 engineered C/PAEK and subsequently overmolded with Victrex PEEK90HMF40. The relatively low melting temperature of the composite material enabled overmolding with PEEK at moderate insert temperature. The heat of the injected polymer was used to melt the surface of the solid insert upon contact, making the material combination extremely suitable for a two-step overmolding process, according to the TPRC.
During the overmolding process, a continuous fiber reinforced shell with relatively simple geometry was stiffened with a complex injection molded grid. However, tool design for injection molding is complex, and becomes even more challenging when the process is combined with continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics, the research center said. Numerical process design tools are indispensable for the composite engineer who more and more needs to take manufacturability into account in
an early stage. TPRC researchers Mark Bouwman, Thijs Donderwinkel and Jeroen Houwers worked on the experimental validation and modeling of the mechanisms underlying the overmolding process. They translated these to numerical models using a thermoforming software package (AniForm) combined with Autodesk Moldflow to predict interface strength and warpage caused by process-induced residual stresses. ‘We have been very impressed with the quality of composites research at TPRC,’ said Franco Costa, senior research leader at Autodesk Moldflow. ‘The team at TPRC has demonstrated a great mix of practical process knowledge and a robust approach to modelling techniques and model development. The TPRC has also been very successful in bringing together into a collaborative project a broad range of companies which have each contributed from their own domain either equipment, materials expertise, process knowledge, modelling knowledge and software modelling.’ ThermoPlastic Composites Research Center (TPRC); www.tprc.nl
Developed in collaboration with the E´cole Polytechnique Fe´de´rale de Lausanne, TP135 has improved compression after impact (around 300 MPa on a quasi-isotropic intermediate modulus laminate) and strength properties (1st ply failure at
>900 MPa for UD ThinPreg TP135 QI laminates with IM fiber). It is suitable for highly loaded applications such as aerospace, F1 and other autosport structural parts. NTPT; www.thinplytechnology.com
The part features a typical grid stiffened panel that can be found in larger numbers in aerostructure applications.
Process design tools
New material for autosports North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) has developed ThinPreg TP135, an epoxy prepreg system for the autosports sector. The company say that it can deliver a set of composite properties that were previously unavailable in ultra-low fiber weight prepreg materials (30 gsm upwards).
New range of NDT technology Carbon fiber composite testing company DolphiTech plans to launch a new range of ultrasound instruments with extended capabilities for non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection of materials. DolphiTech will offer NDT technology with interchangeable transducers for different materials and applications based on its ultrasound and transducer technology. The new DolphiCam 2 system will also include features for robotics integration, general network connectivity and remote expert inspections (Remote NDT). DolphiTech will also intensify its efforts to integrate 3D positioning, giving inspectors improved
142
DolphiTech plans to launch a new range of ultrasound instruments with extended capabilities for non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection of materials.
structural awareness through CAD data integration and more.
The product launch is planned for October 2017. ‘DolphiTech’s current product range is optimised for CFRP [carbon fiber reinforced plastic], but we want to offer a complete solution for multi-material structures,’ said says Eskil Skoglund, head of R&D. ‘Customers have asked us for flexibility to inspect different materials as well as multimaterial joints. And we want to improve the geometric access to the material, very important in the automotive industry.’ DolphiTech; www.dolphitech.com
Reinforced Plastics Volume 61, Number 3 May/June 2017
Overmolding project reaches successful completion
TECHNOLOGY
The ThermoPlastic Composites Research Center (TPRC), based in the Netherlands, says that it has successfully closed a twoyear collaborative project on the overmolding of thermoplastic composites. The center has designed and manufactured an advanced demonstrator part following a two-year collaboration between TPRC, its members and companies contributing from different areas of expertise. The part features a typical grid stiffened panel that can be found in larger numbers in aerostructure applications. The stiffness and strength performance combined with extreme dimensional accuracy can put high demands on the manufacturing process. The thermoplastic composite insert was press formed using TenCate Cetex TC1225 engineered C/PAEK and subsequently overmolded with Victrex PEEK90HMF40. The relatively low melting temperature of the composite material enabled overmolding with PEEK at moderate insert temperature. The heat of the injected polymer was used to melt the surface of the solid insert upon contact, making the material combination extremely suitable for a two-step overmolding process, according to the TPRC.
During the overmolding process, a continuous fiber reinforced shell with relatively simple geometry was stiffened with a complex injection molded grid. However, tool design for injection molding is complex, and becomes even more challenging when the process is combined with continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics, the research center said. Numerical process design tools are indispensable for the composite engineer who more and more needs to take manufacturability into account in
an early stage. TPRC researchers Mark Bouwman, Thijs Donderwinkel and Jeroen Houwers worked on the experimental validation and modeling of the mechanisms underlying the overmolding process. They translated these to numerical models using a thermoforming software package (AniForm) combined with Autodesk Moldflow to predict interface strength and warpage caused by process-induced residual stresses. ‘We have been very impressed with the quality of composites research at TPRC,’ said Franco Costa, senior research leader at Autodesk Moldflow. ‘The team at TPRC has demonstrated a great mix of practical process knowledge and a robust approach to modelling techniques and model development. The TPRC has also been very successful in bringing together into a collaborative project a broad range of companies which have each contributed from their own domain either equipment, materials expertise, process knowledge, modelling knowledge and software modelling.’ ThermoPlastic Composites Research Center (TPRC); www.tprc.nl
Developed in collaboration with the E´cole Polytechnique Fe´de´rale de Lausanne, TP135 has improved compression after impact (around 300 MPa on a quasi-isotropic intermediate modulus laminate) and strength properties (1st ply failure at
>900 MPa for UD ThinPreg TP135 QI laminates with IM fiber). It is suitable for highly loaded applications such as aerospace, F1 and other autosport structural parts. NTPT; www.thinplytechnology.com
The part features a typical grid stiffened panel that can be found in larger numbers in aerostructure applications.
Process design tools
New material for autosports North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) has developed ThinPreg TP135, an epoxy prepreg system for the autosports sector. The company say that it can deliver a set of composite properties that were previously unavailable in ultra-low fiber weight prepreg materials (30 gsm upwards).
New range of NDT technology Carbon fiber composite testing company DolphiTech plans to launch a new range of ultrasound instruments with extended capabilities for non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection of materials. DolphiTech will offer NDT technology with interchangeable transducers for different materials and applications based on its ultrasound and transducer technology. The new DolphiCam 2 system will also include features for robotics integration, general network connectivity and remote expert inspections (Remote NDT). DolphiTech will also intensify its efforts to integrate 3D positioning, giving inspectors improved
142
DolphiTech plans to launch a new range of ultrasound instruments with extended capabilities for non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection of materials.
structural awareness through CAD data integration and more.
The product launch is planned for October 2017. ‘DolphiTech’s current product range is optimised for CFRP [carbon fiber reinforced plastic], but we want to offer a complete solution for multi-material structures,’ said says Eskil Skoglund, head of R&D. ‘Customers have asked us for flexibility to inspect different materials as well as multimaterial joints. And we want to improve the geometric access to the material, very important in the automotive industry.’ DolphiTech; www.dolphitech.com