DE102021124906A1 - Manufacturing process for fiber composite elements, fiber composite element and fiber composite tool arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for producing a fiber composite element comprises the steps of producing a visible lacquer layer in a tool, introducing a stack into the tool, pressing and/or resining the stack and demoulding, with the steps being carried out in the tool.

Description

The invention relates to manufacturing methods for fiber composite elements, a fiber composite element and a fiber composite tool arrangement (tool arrangement for the production of fiber composite elements).

Medium, long and continuous fiber reinforced materials with e.g. glass, carbon, aramid, dynema, natural, basalt fibers, etc. are used as fiber material. All common thermoplastic and duroplastic materials are used as the resin system.

In the endeavor to be able to produce light and, for example, radio wave-permeable vehicle parts made of fiber-reinforced plastic in large quantities - preferably net shape - the existing processes and tools have to be reconsidered in order to save costs.

Known manufacturing processes include a large number of work steps at a large number of different stations. So a known production process for a (vehicle) fiber composite element is the production of technical. Textiles made of fiber material, stacking of the techn. Textile, preforming, moulding, assembly, resin injection, pressing, machining, painting. The painting in turn includes the steps of raw part sanding, washing, CO ₂ cleaning, primer application, drying, application of clear coat, drying, finishing.

From the document DE 102018125716 A1 it is known to cover a clamping frame of a tool with a film, the film being drawn into the mold by a vacuum and thus being deformed. The film is used to separate the tool from a fiber-reinforced component, which is built up in the tool and on the film or mold.

Against this background, it is therefore an object of the invention to propose a cost-efficient production method for fiber composite elements, a fiber composite tool arrangement for such a method and a fiber composite element.

This object is solved by the methods and subject matter of the appended independent claims.

According to one aspect of the invention, a method for producing a fiber composite element comprises the following steps: creating a visible lacquer layer in a tool, introducing a stack into the tool, pressing and/or resining the stack, demoulding, the steps being carried out in the tool. This can have the advantage that the production time for a fiber composite element can be shortened and the space required to carry out the method can be reduced. The production of the visible lacquer layer can be aimed at a visible lacquer layer that does not require post-processing, so that no further post-processing of the visible lacquer layer is required on the finished fiber composite element and thus at the generation of a visible lacquer layer that does not require any post-processing.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the step of introducing in a method comprises either a layering of fiber fabrics in the tool to form a stack, or a layering of fiber fabrics to form a stack outside of the tool and inserting or introducing the stack into the tool. When layering fiber fabrics in the tool, the stack is created in the tool or introduced into the same. When layering fiber fabrics outside the tool, the stack is created outside the tool and then introduced into the tool. It can be already contoured (see below) or still to be contoured when it is introduced into the tool. This can have the advantage that, depending on the component, an ideal structure of the stack can be achieved.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the visible lacquer layer is obtained by inserting a (rework-free) lacquer film. This can have the advantage that the production time can be significantly reduced and designs (also haptic) are possible that can only be achieved with difficulty or not at all with conventional painting (e.g. complex patterns and/or structures). The use of paint film technology also has a significant saving in terms of CO ₂ footprint compared to classic paint application technologies.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the paint film is fixed in relation to a tool surface of the tool. Fixing the paint film to the tool surface prevents the paint film from slipping. This can have the advantage that the quality of the component produced in this way is improved. Fixing the paint film to the tool can be achieved, for example, by negative pressure, static charging or positive locking. A tool surface in the context of this application is a surface of the mold that influences the (component or element) shape of a component or element produced with the mold.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the visible lacquer layer is obtained by introducing a coating into the tool. This can have the advantage that wrinkling is avoided and the process can be highly automated. The Coating can be achieved, for example, with IMC (in mold coating) or PU flooding processes.

According to one aspect of the invention, a method for producing a fiber composite element comprises the following steps: creating a stack comprising a lacquer film (several layers of fiber fabric and a lacquer film), introducing the stack with the lacquer film into a tool, pressing and/or resining the stack, demoulding . This can have the advantage that a production time for a fiber composite element can be shortened and the space required for the method can be reduced. The creation of the stack with the lacquer film can be aimed at a visible lacquer layer or lacquer film surface that requires no post-processing, so that no further post-processing of the visible lacquer layer or lacquer film surface is required on the finished fiber composite element and thus at the creation of a visible lacquer layer or lacquer film surface that does not require any post-processing. Furthermore, part of the stack can be produced together with the paint film outside the tool, then placed in the tool and further layers can then be added to the stack. In other words, the stack is built up or layered in such a way that the paint film comes to rest on at least one visible surface of the subsequent fiber composite element.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method further includes the step of contouring. The contouring step takes place either before the pressing step (possibly also outside the mold) or after the pressing step or at the same time as the pressing. This can have the advantage that the stack is already contoured to its final required contour. The contouring can be done by cutting and/or vibrating tools and/or jet cutting tools (laser, water jet, gas, etc.).

According to a further aspect of the invention, a method also includes the step of producing a fiber fabric from fiber material outside of the tool and before the step of producing the visible lacquer layer. This can have the advantage that the fiber structure can be produced better and more cost-effectively.

According to one aspect of the invention, a fiber composite element comprises a pressed and trimmed fiber fabric and a visible lacquer layer made of lacquer film. This can have the advantage that a fiber composite element that is produced at low cost can be obtained. The fiber composite element can have been produced according to one of the aspects mentioned above.

According to one aspect of the invention, a fiber composite tool arrangement for producing a fiber composite element includes a curing tool, which includes at least two tool halves. Furthermore, at least one tool half comprises at least one foil holding device on a mold surface of the tool half. The film holding device can, for example, fix a film or layer (e.g. fleece, black scrim) that is inserted or introduced into the fiber composite tool. This can be done, for example, by vacuum or negative pressure or static charging. This can have the advantage that the fiber composite tool can be used to produce high-quality components at low cost, because the foils or layers, which may have been trimmed or contoured, are held in place with a precise fit.

According to one aspect of the invention, one tool half of the curing tool of the fiber composite tool arrangement comprises at least one cutting edge, which runs parallel to at least one component contour. Or the fiber composite tool device additionally includes a separate trimming tool, which includes at least one cutting edge parallel to at least one component contour.

The component contour is to be understood as the contour of a component to be manufactured with the mold. The at least one cutting edge can be used to cut (contour) a stack placed in the mold. The contour that intersects the at least one cutting edge can therefore be smaller than the finished contour of the subsequent component.

Alternatively, the cutting edge can be an external cutting device. With such a fiber composite tool device for producing a fiber composite element, the external cutting device can move between the two tool halves when the tool is open and cut or contour the stack located there. This can be done, for example, by a robot with a laser cutting head attached. Furthermore, the external cutting device can have a suction device in order to suck off cut-off parts. Furthermore, the fiber composite tool device can include a hold-down device, which fixes the stack during cutting.

According to one aspect of the invention, the film holding device of a fiber composite tool arrangement comprises at least one vacuum device. If the layer or film that is in contact with the tool is permeable, another layer can also be fixed to the permeable layer, for example.

By integrating a resin film, a textile prepreg or SMC layer in the stack, the required amount of resin is integrated in the stack and can be used in the subsequent shaping pressing process for component hardening.

The layering of the stack can include the insertion of at least one of a prepreg (e.g. random fiber prepreg), resin film, resin powder, cut fiber ply, fleece, black scrim (e.g. as a cover layer).

• 1 einen nicht maßstäblichen Ausschnitt aus einen Faserverbundelement in einem Werkzeug.
• 2 ein Flussdiagram eines beispielhaften Herstellungsverfahrens.
• 3 ein Flussdiagram eines weiteren beispielhaften Herstellungsverfahrens.

Further features, advantages and possible applications of the invention result from the following description in connection with the figures. It shows, partly in a highly schematic representation,

• 1 a detail, not to scale, of a fiber composite element in a tool.
• 2 a flow chart of an exemplary manufacturing process.
• 3 a flow chart of another exemplary manufacturing process.

1 shows a section of a fiber composite element 10 which is not to scale and which is inserted in a tool 30 . In this case, the fiber composite element 10 comprises a visible lacquer layer 20 which in turn can comprise a lacquer film 25 or a coating 26 . The visible lacquer layer 20 (lacquer film 25 or coating 26) results in a visible surface on the fiber composite element 10 that requires no reworking, so that the fiber composite element 10 can be used off the tool. The tool 30 typically brings the desired shape into the fiber composite element 10, for which purpose it is designed in at least two parts (only the detail of one part is shown), as is known in the prior art.

Furthermore, the fiber composite element 10 comprises a stack 40, wherein the stack 40 comprises layers of fiber fabrics 50, which in turn are obtained from fiber material 60. Furthermore, the stack can include at least one textile prepreg or SMC layer. The layering of the stack can include the insertion of at least one of a prepreg (e.g. random fiber prepreg), resin film, resin powder, cut fiber layer, fleece, black scrim (e.g. as a cover layer - last layer opposite the visible lacquer layer).

The stack 40 can be produced in the tool 30 or outside of the tool 30. Furthermore, a lacquer film 25 can be inserted into the tool 30 and then the stack can be produced in the tool 30 or placed on the lacquer film 25. The stack 40 with the lacquer film 25 can also be produced outside of the tool 30 and then the stack 40 with the lacquer film 25 can be inserted into the tool.

2 FIG. 12 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary manufacturing method according to the present application. In step S1 , fiber material 60 (eg material from the roll from a creel) is processed outside of a tool 30 to form one or typically a plurality of fiber fabrics 50 and these are then built up or layered to form a stack 40 .

In step S2, the layered stack 40 is then contoured, i.e. trimmed to a desired shape. The contouring can also take place in the tool 30 later in the process. On the one hand by one or more cutting edges, which are present on the tool 30 parallel to a component contour and/or by an external cutting device, which moves into the tool 30 and completely or partially trims the stack 40 .

Furthermore, a paint film 25 is placed in the tool 30 in step S3. The lacquer film 25 thus forms the visible lacquer layer 20 and at the same time the first layer of the fiber composite element 10.

In step S4, the contoured stack 40 is placed in the tool 30 and thus on the paint film 25.

In step S5, the contoured stack 40 and the lacquer film 25 are pressed and resinated in the tool 30. The tool 30 ( 1 ) typically an upper and lower tool (only a section of the lower tool in 1 shown) which move together, press the fiber composite element 10 and, if necessary, heat it.

The pressed and resinated fiber composite element 10 is demolded from the tool 30 in step S6 and can be used off the tool or installed in a larger structure.

3 FIG. 12 shows a flow diagram of another exemplary manufacturing method according to the present application. In step S1, fiber material 60 (e.g. material from a roll from a creel) is processed outside of a tool 30 to form one or typically several fiber fabrics 50 and these are then built up or layered to form a stack 40, the stack 40 comprising a lacquer film 25 at least one of its outer sides is built up or layered. In other words, the stack 40 is built up or layered in such a way that the paint film 25 comes to rest on at least one visible surface of the subsequent fiber composite element 10 .

In step S2, the layered stack 40 is then contoured with the paint film 25, ie trimmed to a desired shape. The contouring can also (partially) take place later in the process in the tool 30 . On the one hand by one or more cutting edges, which are present on the tool 30 parallel to a component contour and/or by an external cutting device, which moves into the tool 30 and completely or partially trims the stack 40 with the paint film 25.

In step S3, the contoured stack 40 with the paint film 25 is placed in the tool 30.

In step S4, the contoured stack 40 and the lacquer film 25 are pressed and resinated in the tool 30. The tool 30 ( 1 ) typically an upper and lower tool (only a section of the lower tool in 1 shown) which move together, press the fiber composite element 10 and, if necessary, heat it.

The pressed and resinated fiber composite element 10 is demolded from the tool 30 in step S5 and can be used off the tool or installed in a larger structure.

In both production methods, at least one tool half can comprise at least one foil holding device on a mold surface of the respective tool surface. The film holding device can include a vacuum or low-pressure device which, for example, pulls the paint film 25 onto the tool 30 and fixes it.

Reference List

10

fiber composite element

20

visible paint layer

25

paint film

26

coating

30

Tool

40

stacks

50

fiber scrim

60

fiber material

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102018125716 A1 [0005]

Claims (12)

Method for producing a fiber composite element (10), comprising the following steps: - Generating a visible lacquer layer (20) in a tool (30), - Introducing a stack (40) into the tool (30), - pressing and/or resining of the stack (40), - Demoulding, the steps being carried out in the tool (30). procedure after claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing comprises either a layering of fiber fabrics (50) in the mold to form a stack (40) or a layering of fiber fabrics (50) to form a stack (40) outside the mold and inserting the stack (40) in encompasses the shape. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 or 2 , The visible lacquer layer (20) being obtained by inserting a lacquer film (25) into the tool (30). Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , wherein the paint film (25) is fixed in the tool (30). Procedure according to one of Claims 1 or 2 , The visible lacquer layer (20) being obtained by introducing a coating (26) into the tool (30). Method for producing a fiber composite element (10), comprising the following steps: - Generating a stack (40) comprising a paint film (20), - Insertion of the stack (40) with the paint film (20) in a tool (30), - pressing and/or resining of the stack (40), - demoulding. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 6 , further comprising the step of contouring, wherein the step of contouring occurs either before the step of pressing or after the step of pressing or with the pressing. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , further comprising the step of producing a fiber structure (50) from fiber material (60) outside of the tool (30) and before producing the visible lacquer layer (20) or the stack (40). Fiber composite element (10), comprising a pressed and trimmed fiber structure and a visible lacquer layer made of lacquer film (25) that requires no reworking. Fiber composite tool arrangement for producing a fiber composite element, comprising a curing tool, which comprises at least two tool halves, wherein at least one tool half includes at least one film holding device on a mold surface of the tool half. Fiber composite tool arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein one tool half of the curing tool comprises at least one cutting edge parallel to at least one component contour or the fiber composite tool device additionally comprises a separate trimming tool which comprises at least one cutting edge parallel to at least one component contour. Fiber composite tool arrangement according to claim 10 or 11 , wherein the film holding device comprises at least one vacuum device.

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