Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - (Page 9)

Multi-Process Composite Molding The commercial Varysoft part for Kia, however, is different. It's made with two other processes besides injection molding. The soft-touch TPO surface is no longer injected, but vacuum-formed. It starts with TPO film, heated with an IR heater built into the central rotating mold, then vacuum formed to give surface texture. separately the fiber-glass-filled ABs/Pc substrate is injection/compression molded using Mucell microcellular foam, which shortens cooling time, uses about a third less clamp force, and saves about 10% in material. The TPO skin and ABs/Pc substrate are brought together in the rotating mold, and the space between them is filled with a shot of PUR foam. Foam is injected with RTM equipment from Hennecke gmbH in st. Augustin, germany, so the process combines vacuum-forming, thermoplastic injection molding, and RTM foam. At K 2013, Engel showed a combination of RocTool induction-heated molds and a carbon-fiber-reinforced lightweight construction in molding a case for an electronic tablet. The process started with pre-pressed, woven-carbon-fiber sheets, then over-molded them with high-gloss methyl methacrylate ABs. Rapid heating in RocTool's induction mold creates a high gloss piano finish even over woven fibers without surface coating. Another interesting multi-process fiber composite is a continuous fiber reinforced PA6 seat pan molded for a 2013 Opel Astra sedan by Reinert Kunststofftechnik gmbH in Bissingen an der Teck, germany. It combines two processes. First a precut continuous glass fiber insert preimpregnated with nylon is heated with an IR heater inside the mold and preformed. Then the mold closes, and the prepreg is over-molded with short-glass-filled PA6 to fill out the part geometry. The composite replaces a stamped steel part, at half the weight. " with two and three shots of clear Pc with dark Pc frames and integral channels. Other multi-shot automotive parts began to use rapid induction heated molds from RocTool s.A. in le Bourget du lac, France, and Mucell microcellular foam from Trexel Inc. in Wilmington, Massachusetts, UsA, to produce glossy foamed parts in one step, like the cover for an automotive entertainment system molded on an Engel press by groupe Plastivaloire, langeais, France, for Johnson controls gmbH in germany. RocTool's rapid induction heated molds are also used with Mucell microcellular foam in multi-shot production of a BMW 320 dashboard air vent control part, molded by Fischer Automotive systems gmbH in Horb am neckar, germany. The unpainted part combines matt and high gloss surfaces, normally not possible with a foamed part. Then automotive molder georg Kaufmann Formenbau Ag in Busslingen, switzerland, developed a process called Varysoft with Engel to make a complete soft-touch instrument panel for partner Hyundai-Kia Automotive group. When Kaufmann showed Varysoft for the first time at an open house in 2010, the process had three thermoplastic shots: glass-filled ABs/Pc substrate followed by foamed TPE and soft touch TPO surface. The concept made a complex finished part, but the steps were still thermoplastic injection molding. Individually these technologies aren't new... But putting them all together into one automated, high-volume machine is new. " How far is multi-process molding prepared to go in the future? At K 2013, the Institute of Automotive Engineering of RWTH Aachen University in germany showed a developmental combination of directional long fiber with in situ polymerized PA6. That wild idea was the subject of a PhD dissertation in 2011 by lars Fredrik Berg, whose dissertation was chaired by the Fraunhofer Institute of chemical Technology IcT in Pfinztal, germany, and co-chaired by Professor georg steinbichler, head of research and development at Engel. Berg used two equal-sized injection units for separate plastification of caprolactam melt with activator and with catalyst. He also developed a special mixing nozzle to combine the two caprolactam melts just before injection into the mold and a modified non-return valve to process ultra-low viscosity melts accurately. The demo at K 2013 molded an athletic shin guard to show the process. First a preform of dry aligned fibers was inserted into the mold cavity. Then the liquid caprolactams were combined and injected into the cavity without disturbing fiber position. After Berg's dissertation was finished, Engel continued the R&D, tuning the technology to use a standard injection molding machine. The concept is similar to fiber-reinforced RIM, in which a mold is filled with liquid RIM ingredients, without disturbing the fibers, and then cured. But in situ polymerized glass-filled PA6 is a thermoplastic, not a thermoset, so scrap can be reused. The target market is high-volume thermoplastic composites for automotive. www.plasticsengineering.org | www.4spe.org | MAY 2014 | PlAsTIcs EngInEERIng | 9 http://www.plasticsengineering.org http://www.4spe.org

Plastics Engineering - May 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Plastics Engineering - May 2014

Contents
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - Cover1
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - Cover2
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - Contents
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 2
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 3
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 4
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 5
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 6
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 7
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 8
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 9
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 10
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 11
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 12
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 13
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 14
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 15
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 16
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 17
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 18
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 19
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 20
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 21
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 22
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 23
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 24
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 25
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 26
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 27
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 28
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 29
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 30
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 31
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 32
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 33
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 34
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 35
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 36
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 37
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 38
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 39
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 40
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 41
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 42
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 43
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 44
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 45
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 46
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 47
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 48
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 49
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 50
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 51
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 52
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 53
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 54
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 55
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 56
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 57
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 58
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 59
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 60
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 61
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 62
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 63
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 64
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 65
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 66
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 67
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - 68
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - Cover3
Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201403_demo
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/antec2014_advanceprogram
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_20121112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_2013mediakit
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_20120708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wiley/pe_201206
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com