DE4423551A1 - Contoured laminating press of low capital and running cost - Google Patents

Abstract

Contoured laminating press has upper and lower tools to form and esp. laminate the workpiece. A tool with an elastic 'give' to its surface layer is used, transmitting heat and pressure to the workpiece. The heat is produced within the elastic layer. To this end, an elastic heating mat is included in the surface layer, which applies a temp. up to 200 deg C at a pressure up to 5 bar. The appts. used and the laminating method are both claimed.

Description

The invention relates to a press molding process and a Device for performing the method, such as a laminating device or a folding device.

A conventional laminating device ( FIG. 3) consists of two moldings or a lower and upper tool 1 , 4 , each with a contour surface 2 , 5 . The contour surfaces 2 , 5 of the lower and upper tool 1 , 4 are shaped so that they correspond exactly to the shape of the upper surfaces of a thin contoured workpiece 3 to be concealed. The lower and upper tools 1 , 4 are arranged opposite each other with their contour surfaces 2 , 5 , so that between them a receiving space for the workpiece 3 to be laminated with the corresponding reference material 7 to be laminated is formed. The upper and lower tools are installed in a press that presses the tools together under high pressure to carry out the lamination process.

When pressed together, the workpiece 3 is heated with the reference material 7 in order to activate an adhesive or a reference material with an adhesive layer which is inserted between them. The heat is conducted over the lower and upper tools 1 , 4 , which are generally made of aluminum. The tools 1 , 4 are covered on their lower or upper outer surface with a thermally insulating layer 20 , 21 . In the lower tool 1 or upper tool 4 , a plurality of bores 23 are provided, into which either electric heating elements can be introduced, or liquid is passed through the tempered water or other heat-transferring liquid in order to keep them at a certain temperature. The laminating device is preferably provided with a control for monitoring the temperature control or a regulation of the heating rods, which can also monitor other parameters essential for the laminating such as pressing pressure or pressing time.

The upper and lower tool made of aluminum is copy-milled with an exact surface contour according to a model or according to specified data. The very rigid molded parts require a high level of grinding effort in order to obtain uniform print images, ie an even distribution of the pressing force over the entire surface of the workpiece 3 . The surface parts produced in this way with a very precise surface contour allow no or only slight tolerances with regard to the thickness, density and shape of the workpiece to be machined.

The high effort involved in producing an exact surface contour makes use of such a concealment device for users with small quantities impossible for cost reasons because the economic effort to manufacture the upper and lower tools because of the possible yield with small pieces pay is covered. There is therefore a significant need for Ka Schiervorrichtungen or similar devices in which between two surfaces transfer both pressure and heat will be trained so that they transmit the pressure and heat contour surface can be manufactured more easily.

The large heat capacities of the metallic tools require high performance when tempering or during temperature rain lung. In addition, water temperature control is usually subject to one high susceptibility to failure.

The invention has for its object a press molding  method and a device for performing the method to create that work more effectively with simple means.

The task is accomplished by a press molding process according to the Claim 1 and a press-shaping device according to the saying 4 solved.

The fact that in the method according to the invention with an elastic yielding surface on the workpiece is worn, you get an even pressure distribution, sel bst when the method according to the invention is applied to workpieces will not always have the same preform. By the generation of heat below the elastic yielding upper area, preferably immediately below the elastic after giving surface, for example what with an elastic Heating mat can be realized, one reaches a very fast le heat supply to the work area without large heat capacities have to be heated. This enables a quick le and very even heating of the workpiece and an ener energy saving, which is particularly important for large quantities leads to a significant reduction in energy costs.

The method according to the invention thus allows the creation of a predetermined pressure and temperature function on extremely simple Way with a very high precision, whereby both tem temperature and pressure can be controlled easily and quickly can.

By providing a press molding tool with a elastic layer on the surface for pressure transmission uniform print images are obtained even if the shape parts or the upper or lower tool and / or the workpiece are manufactured with great tolerance. This reduces costs expenditure both in the preparation of the invention direction as well as in operation, since with little effort prefabricated workpieces can be used. Such Device is therefore worthwhile even with an application with small  numbers.

The heating device is preferably immediately below the To provide surface and within the elastic layer, so that there is good heat transfer to the workpiece.

In particular, the formation of the heating device by a flexi ble and elastic heating mat enables immediate warmth transfer of heating device to a work to be laminated piece or on a cover to be applied, whereby the heat dissipated via the molded parts is reduced, so that with a lower power the desired temperature quickly and can be easily achieved. In addition, the structure of the laminate device simple because there are no heating elements in the molded parts must be introduced.

The formation of the molded parts from one is particularly advantageous Plastic, which makes them easy and inexpensive to manufacture and because of the poorer thermal conductivity compared to keep metallic heat dissipation low, Wes half the temperature control is further simplified.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are in the sub claims marked.

The invention will be further illustrated by way of example with reference to the drawings described. Show it:

Fig. 1 shows schematically a section through a first exporting approximate shape of a tool means according to the invention a laminating apparatus

Fig. 2 shows schematically a section through a further exporting approximate shape of a tool means according to the invention a laminating apparatus

Fig. 3 shows schematically a conventional laminating device, and

Fig. 4 schematically shows a section through a folding area of a folding device.

An embodiment ( Fig. 1) of the invention is a Ka schiervorrichtung, which includes a lower tool 1 and an upper tool 4 as the first and second press-molding, which are each provided with a contour surface 2 , 5 . The Konturflä Chen 2 , 5 are shaped so that they correspond to one or the other side surface of a workpiece 3 to be machined. The contour surfaces 2 , 5 are provided according to the invention with an elastic layer, which ensures a uniform pressure distribution even with large tolerances of the workpiece in the thickness and dimensional stability. In laminating devices, the upper and lower tools 1 , 4 are arranged with their contour surfaces 2 , 5 pointing towards one another, so that in between a receiving space for receiving a workpiece 3 with a layer 7 to be laminated thereon can be introduced. The layer 7 to be laminated on can be a reference material made of fabric, film or foam, which can be applied by applying a certain pressure and a certain temperature. B. piece is 3 introduced laminating adhesive on the workpiece 3 mounted by means of a between position 7 and the work. The pressure is generated by a press, not shown, which presses the two tools 1 , 4 together .

In other compression molding tools, either only one Un terwerkzeug or only an upper tool can be provided with presses a pressing surface onto a workpiece, at the same time heat from the tool to the factory during the printing process piece is transferred.

Such a press-forming tool is, for example, a bug device ( FIG. 4), which is described in DE 31 45 661 C2 and processes a preformed workpiece 3 by the reference material 7 applied to the workpiece and projecting laterally with the aid of a folding slide 11 is folded around a lateral edge of the workpiece 3 . For this purpose, the workpiece 3 by a pressure plate 12 is pressed in one of the shape of the workpiece 3 correspondingly shaped receptacle 13 and the laterally upstanding on a plate member 14 cover material 7 are pushed through an opening provided on the folding bar 11 Umbugleiste 25 on the workpiece 3 and on through the Umbugleiste the workpiece 3 pressed. According to the folding bar 25 is provided with an elastic surface 16 and a heating device, so that the folded strip of the reference material 7 is pressed smoothly and firmly onto the workpiece by the slider 11 , even if the surface contours of the workpiece to be machined are not always completely the same are. The folding slide 11 is thus an elastically somewhat yielding heated press stamp for pressing the edge region of the reference material 7 onto the workpiece 3 . Preferably, the elastic surface 16 of the folding slide 11 is ausgebil det from an elastic heating mat.

According to the invention, in a press-forming tool, such as a folding device or a laminating device, the generally contoured work surface is provided with an elastic layer and a heating layer immediately adjacent to the elastic layer, so that both pressure and heat are transferred uniformly to the workpiece. In the press molding tools according to the invention, for example in the laminating device shown in FIG. 1, the heating device is preferably designed as an elastic heating mat 6 , which is applied to one of the two contour surfaces 2 , 5 of the lower tool 1 or the upper tool 4 and also transfers the pressing force.

The elastic heating mat 6 can be kept at a desired temperature by means of an electronic control device, the corresponding temperature being established quickly since only a little heat is dissipated via the shaped bodies 1 , 4 . In the conventional moldings or tools 1 , 4 , the heating means were introduced at a large distance from the contour surfaces, so that the heat had to be conducted over long distances through the moldings 1 , 4 to the respective contour surface, which on the one hand caused a large mass and thus a high heat capacitance had to be heated, which is why the response time of the temperature control was greatly impaired, and on the other hand there was a strong heat dissipation due to the long path of heat conduction, which in turn required a high heating output.

By heating directly on the spot or just behind the stel le, where the lamination process is carried out, these are after Parts from the prior art avoided.

The invention can also be implemented in a simple manner by applying an elastic layer to one of the two contour surfaces 2 , 5 and providing a heating element designed as a surface element on the other of the two contour surfaces 2 , 5 .

It can also be provided on both contour surfaces 2 , 5 of the tools 1, 4 elastic heating mats 6 a, 6 b, whereby the workpiece 3 to be laminated is heated with the position of the coating material 7 to be laminated Be from both sides, so that the entire Laminating process designed even faster and more effectively ( Fig. 2).

By using an elastic heating mat, tolerances with regard to the thickness, density and shape of the workpiece 3 to be laminated are compensated, which means that the requirements for the shape and roughness of the workpiece and the location are lower than in the conventional laminating devices. If the molded part is made of an aluminum casting with a contour-milled surface, for example, no finishing by grinding or the like is necessary. Nevertheless, a uniform pressure distribution from the entire surface of the two contour surfaces 2 , 5 to the workpiece is achieved.

The shaping body or tools 1 , 4 can also be made of plastic. The low thermal conductivity of plastics is particularly advantageous since the tools 1 , 4 form thermal insulation so that the heat generated by the elastic heating mat 6 concentrates on the workpiece 3 to be laminated with the reference material 7 . This speeds up the lamination process and facilitates temperature control due to the low thermal capacity. In addition, a production from cast resin is particularly simple and inexpensive, which is particularly suitable for the production of tools if no large numbers of products to be machined are desired. The production tools required for the production of under and top monitoring from cast resin are simpler and therefore less expensive than the milling tools used for the production of aluminum tools.

The elastic heating mat 6 is preferably glued to the Konturflä surface 2 , 5 , so as to ensure a secure fixation of the heating mat even with a complicated contoured surface. In the case of metallic tools 1 , 4 , vulcanizing is particularly suitable as the type of attachment for the heating mat 6 , which enables the heating mat to be used at up to approximately 200 ° C. The adhesive with the so-called silicone cold vulcanization is suitable for almost all materials such as metal, plastic, glass, ceramic and wood and allows use in an only insignificantly lower temperature range up to about 180 ° C. In addition, to fix the heating mats on the side surfaces of the tool, circumferential tensioning strips can be provided, which allow easy assembly of the heating mat and, in the case of a purely convex shape, one of the contour surfaces 2 , 5 is sufficient to fix the heating mat alone. However, any other type of fastening can also be used, which ensures a firm, positive and non-positive connection between the heating mat and the lower or upper tool.

The heating mat is preferably formed from a silicone rubber with a heating wire embedded therein, since such heating mats have good deformability and high elasticity and are chemically inert. By adapting the shape of the heating mat to the workpiece 3 , there are no hot spots, but instead there is a large, uniform heat transfer and despite a low temperature difference, a strong heat flow results due to the small distance. It is also possible to provide the heating mat for certain applications with different power densities by, for example, laying the heating winding closer together, so that workpieces with an uneven thickness distribution can be evenly laminated by applying a greater heating power to the thicker areas of the workpiece becomes. Such areas of increased heating power can be provided, for example, at the edge when the laminating device is combined with a folding device, so that the layer 7 of the reference material is bent as around the lateral edge of the workpiece 3 , in order then to be laminated to the workpiece on both sides . The strength resulting from the multi-layer material can be compensated for by providing a single heating mat 6 by a correspondingly higher heating power.

The press should preferably be one that has a maximum generate a pressure of approximately 5 bar between the two molded parts can. The laminating device according to the invention is for Aufka sheer of fabrics, foils, foam or the like on one Workpiece made of a common carrier material, such as Suitable for plastic, metal or wood. The workpiece itself is for example a relatively thin, contoured object and can, for example, an instrument panel, door trim, Rear shelf etc. for a motor vehicle.

Those shown in detail using the laminating device Possibilities of realizing the invention are not only based on limited such a concealment device, but can also used in other press-forming tools a work through the simultaneous application of pressure and heat piece is processed.

Claims (19)

1. Press-molding process, in particular lamination process with an upper tool and a lower tool, between which a workpiece is worked by applying pressure and heat, characterized in that a tool is used with an elastically yielding surface coating which applies the pressure to the workpiece and transfers the temperature, the heat being generated in the region of the elastically yielding surface coating. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized, that for the transfer of pressure and heat or as a surface an elastic heating mat is used. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized, that a pressure of up to about five bar is transmitted. 4. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized, that generates heat up to a temperature of about 200 ° C becomes. 5. Press-shaping tool, in particular for performing the method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, comprising

• an upper tool ( 4 ) with a surface ( 5 ) whose shape corresponds to the surface of a workpiece ( 3 ) to be machined,
• - a die (1), the tool for the introduction of the workpiece (3) between the tools (1, 4) the upper (4) disposed opposite,
• - A device for pressing together the two tools ( 1 , 4 ), and
• - A heating device ( 6 ) for heating the workpiece to be machined ( 3 ), characterized in that at least one of the two tools ( 1 , 4 ) is provided with an elastic layer on the surface facing the workpiece ( 3 ), and the heating device is designed as a surface element and one of the two tools ( 1 , 4 ) is arranged on the surface facing the workpiece ( 3 ).

6. Press-forming tool according to claim 5, characterized in that both the elastic layer and the Heizeinrich device is designed in the form of an elastic heating mat ( 6 ). 7. Press-forming tool according to claim 5 and / or 6, characterized in that the lower and upper tool ( 1 , 4 ) are parts of a Ka schiervorrichtung, which are provided on their surfaces with con tur surfaces ( 2 , 5 ), each correspond to an upper surface of the workpiece ( 3 ) to be laminated. 8. Press-shaping tool according to claim 5 and / or 6, characterized in that the one tool is a receiving device ( 13 ) of a folding device and the second tool is a folding slide ( 11 ) which on its surface facing the workpiece ( 3 ) with the elastic layer is provided. 9. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that at least one tool ( 1 , 4 ) made of plastic, in particular a special cast resin. 10. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that at least one tool ( 1 , 4 ) is formed from an aluminum casting. 11. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that an elastic heating mat ( 6 ) is provided on both of the surfaces ( 2 , 5 ) of the tools ( 1 , 4 ) pointing to the workpiece ( 3 ) . 12. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the elastic heating mat ( 6 ) is made of silicone rubber with at least one heating wire embedded therein. 13. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 6 to 12, characterized in that the elastic heating mat ( 6 ) is provided with a temperature control. 14. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 6 to 13, characterized in that the elastic heating mat ( 6 ) on the tool ( 1 , 4 ) is glued or vulcanized. 15. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 6 to 14, characterized in that the heating mat ( 6 ) with a clamping device at its edges on the tool ( 1 , 4 ) is clamped. 16. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 5 to 15, characterized in that the device for compressing the two tools GE ( 1 , 4 ) for generating a pressure up to about 5 bar are laid out. 17. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 6 to 16, characterized in that the heating mat ( 6 ) is interchangeably applied to the contour surfaces ( 2 , 5 ) of the tool ( 1 , 4 ). 18. Press-forming tool according to one or more of claims 6 to 17, characterized in that the heating mat ( 6 ) has areas of different pre-determined heating power. 19. Use of a compression molding tool according to claim 7, or claim 7 and one or more of claims 9 to 18 for laminating a material, a film or a foam onto a contoured workpiece ( 3 ).