GB2191443A - Fibre reinforced plastics - Google Patents

Fibre reinforced plastics Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2191443A
GB2191443A GB08613974A GB8613974A GB2191443A GB 2191443 A GB2191443 A GB 2191443A GB 08613974 A GB08613974 A GB 08613974A GB 8613974 A GB8613974 A GB 8613974A GB 2191443 A GB2191443 A GB 2191443A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
sections
assembly
resin
impregnated
structural member
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08613974A
Other versions
GB8613974D0 (en
Inventor
Malcolm Otty
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
COMPOSITE DEV Ltd
Original Assignee
COMPOSITE DEV Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by COMPOSITE DEV Ltd filed Critical COMPOSITE DEV Ltd
Priority to GB08613974A priority Critical patent/GB2191443A/en
Publication of GB8613974D0 publication Critical patent/GB8613974D0/en
Publication of GB2191443A publication Critical patent/GB2191443A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
    • B29D99/00—Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • B29D99/0003—Producing profiled members, e.g. beams
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
    • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
    • B29C70/06—Fibrous reinforcements only
    • B29C70/10—Fibrous reinforcements only characterised by the structure of fibrous reinforcements, e.g. hollow fibres
    • B29C70/16—Fibrous reinforcements only characterised by the structure of fibrous reinforcements, e.g. hollow fibres using fibres of substantial or continuous length
    • B29C70/24—Fibrous reinforcements only characterised by the structure of fibrous reinforcements, e.g. hollow fibres using fibres of substantial or continuous length oriented in at least three directions forming a three dimensional structure
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
    • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
    • B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
    • B29C70/54—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations, e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing
    • B29C70/543—Fixing the position or configuration of fibrous reinforcements before or during moulding
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
    • B32B5/02—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B32B5/06—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer mechanically connected, e.g. by needling to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
    • B32B5/22—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed
    • B32B5/24—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B32B5/26—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
    • B32B5/22—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed
    • B32B5/24—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B32B5/28—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer impregnated with or embedded in a plastic substance
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2260/00—Layered product comprising an impregnated, embedded, or bonded layer wherein the layer comprises an impregnation, embedding, or binder material
    • B32B2260/02—Composition of the impregnated, bonded or embedded layer
    • B32B2260/021—Fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2260/00—Layered product comprising an impregnated, embedded, or bonded layer wherein the layer comprises an impregnation, embedding, or binder material
    • B32B2260/04—Impregnation, embedding, or binder material
    • B32B2260/046—Synthetic resin
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2305/00—Condition, form or state of the layers or laminate
    • B32B2305/07—Parts immersed or impregnated in a matrix
    • B32B2305/076—Prepregs

Abstract

A fibre reinforced plastic structural member is made by making a resin impregnated fibre reinforcing assembly comprising two superimposed laminar sections which are connected together so as to be separable in some regions, separating the sections in said regions and re-forming the impregnated assembly while setting or curing the resin thereof into a structural member. Structural members such as I- beams and T-sections can be made in this way.

Description

SPECIFICATION Fibre reinforced plastics This invention relates to fibre reinforced plastics.
Glass and other fibre reinforced plastics are nowadays commonplace, so-called 'fibreglass' for example being used in many different forms as the hulls of boats, vehicle body shells and panels as well as in fishing rods and other articles. Electrical board such as is used for printed circuits is made by impregnating glass fibre woven fabric with a resin and laminating multiple layers together, covering the resin. More recently developed strong fibres such as carbon fibres are used in high technology applications and where strength with light weight is important, such as in tennis racquets.
In some of these applications the fibres glass or carbon, for example-are simply mixed with the liquid resin which is then extruded or moulded to the required shape. Flat or shell structures are usually made by impregnating woven fabric which, in the case of shell structures, is carefully assembled in a mould or on a former of the required shape, the resin then being painted or poured on and left to cure.
In more recent high technology applications usually involving new high strength fibres such as Kevlar (RTM) and carbon fibres, such, for example, as in the manufacture of helicopter rotor blades and aircraft wing sections, ribbons of continuous filaments or yarns are carefully laid up, for example helically, around formers and then impregnated by painting or dipping.
Two things are noteworthy, namely that where solid articles are concerned they are made by extruding or moulding a fibre-filled liquid resin, and, where flat or shaped shell structures are concerned, they involve labourintensive and hence costly manual laying-up of the fabric or fibre reinforcement or, where complicated structures are involved, the production requires highly specialised fibre winding machinery for automatic or semi-automatic winding of the reinforcement threads on to a core, mandel or former.
The light weight and strength of articles so produced, however, make them so valuable that the high production costs can be tolerated for high value applications. However, the number of high value applications is necessarily limited.
The present invention provides a new method for producing fibre reinforced structu ral members that substantially reduces the production costs as compared to conventional methods of using fibre reinforcement, and indeed brings down the cost of high strength fibre reinforced material members down to the same level as for conventional structural members of wood and steel, while presenting substantial advantages over those conventional materials in terms of weight and resistance to corrosion or other attack.
The invention comprises a method of making a fibre reinforced plastic structural member comprising making a resin impregnated fibre reinforcing assembly comprising two superimposed laminar sections which are connected together so as to be separable in some regions, separating the sections in said regions and re-forming the impregnated assembly while setting or curing the resin thereof into a structural member.
The laminar sections may comprise warp and/or weft threads and cushioning fibre layers, and may also comprise woven, knitted, felt or stitch bonded fabric.
The two sections may be connected together by stitching.
The fibre reinforcing assembly may be continuously assembled and the sections connected together while moving lengthwise past connecting means such as stitching or needling means.
The connected-together assembly may be resin-impregnated to make a pre-preg which is dried.
The sections may be separated by inserting a tool and rotating the same.
Parts of one separated face of one (or both) of the sections may be brought into contact by folding during the re-forming to result in a projection from the original plane of the laminar section.
The resin may be introduced by a vacuumpressure impregnation technique.
The resin may be solventless.
The reforming step may be carried out on a cut length of the impregnated assembly in a hot press of which parts come together to form the assembly to a desired shape. In another method, the re-forming step is carried out by passing the impregnated assembly through rollers after the fashion of rolling steel sections.
Among structural sections which can be produced in this way are I-beams, T-sections and channel sections. The cost will be commensurate with equivalent steel sections, but the weight will be down to about one sixth or one seventh the weight of steel sections. Accordingly, since many structural members serve only to support other structural members, the overall weight of a structure can be very substantially reduced.
Embodiments of structural members and methods for making them according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of machinery for assembling and impregnating a fibre reinforcement.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic face view of a reinforcement.
Figure 3 is a section through the reinforcement shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a step in converting the impregnated assembly into a structural member.
Figure 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of a reforming pressing operation.
Figure 6 is a cross section through the resulting structural member.
Figure 7 is a face view like Figure 2 of another reinforcement, and Figure 8 is a structural member produced therefrom.
The drawings illustrate the production of fibre reinforced structural members. The production involves making a fibre reinforcing assembly in a section 11 of the machinery illustrated in Figure 1. The assembly may comprise many different combinations of fibres, yarns and fabrics. As illustrated, however, a typical assembly comprises warp threads 12 of high strength polymer such as Kevlar (RTM), cross-laid card weft threads 13 of the like material and cushioning fibres 14 in the form of a cross-laid card web fleece or a stitch bonded fabric or felt. Woven or knitted fabrics could be incorporated instead of or in addition to any of the above.
Two laminar sections 15, 16 of such assembly are superimposed and joined together by stitching at a stitching section 17 of the machinery. A needling process such as produces felt can be used at this point when the cushioning fibres are in fleece form either instead of or in addition to the stitching.
The stitching can be by lock-stitches or chain stitches. Stitching or needle desirably does not interefere with the warp and weft threads, for which purpose stitching and felting needles will be aligned in between the warps and prefereably also synchronised with the weft threads.
The stitching together of the laminar sections is carried out only in certain areas, according to what particular structural member is required, so that the laminar sections 15, 16 are separable in other regions.
In the reinforcement illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the stitching 18 is carried out over an extended mid-section and at the edges of the assembly.
After the stitching, the connected, superimposed laminar sections pass to an impregnator 19 in which a liquid resin is forced in by a vacuum-pressure impregnation technique. The impregnator 19 has a bath 21 for liquid resin 22 and a heater 23 to heat the resin 22 near the surface to a temperature at which its viscosity is low. A sealing lid 24 is elevatable to allow fresh lengths of fibre reinforcement assembly to be moved over the bath 21 and lowerable into sealing engagement with the bath 21 so that the lid 24 can be evacuated and the liquid resin 22 elevated to cover the fibre assembly, the lid 24 then being pressurised and eventually brought back to atmospheric pressure and elevated so that the impregnated length can be moved out through squeeze rollers 25 preset to a given separation which determines the relative quantities of resin and fibre in the pre-preg than produced.
The next length of reinforcement, being, of course, attached to the impregnated length, is simultaneously brought into position for impregnation.
The impregnated reinforcement or pre-preg is dried off by heating in an oven 20 and cut into lengths as may be required.
A blade 26 or like tool is inserted in between the separable regions of the pre-preg length, as shown in Figure 4 and rotated so as to open them apart, the pre-preg being heated if necessary sufficiently to allow this process to be carried out.
The thus opened out pre-preg is then inserted in a press as shown in Figure 5 having various members 27 which can be urged inwardly under pressure and which can be heated to render the resin plastic. The resulting cross section is shown in Figure 6 to be an I-beam.
Figure 7 shows another manner of stitching the reinforcing assembly, this time over about one third of its width to one edge and over a narrow strip at its other edge. When opened out and pressed as shown in Figure 5, but in a press of a different cross-section, this forms a T-section, as shown in Figure 8.
The press may comprise an elongate cell structure with sides movable inwards under hydraulic pressure, or a roll stand like those used in rolling steel sections-far less pressure being used, however, than in steel rolling.

Claims (15)

1. A method of making a fibre reinforced plastic structural member comprising making a resin impregnated fibre reinforcing assembly comprising two superimposed laminar sections which are connected together so as to be separable in some regions, separating the sections said regions and re-forming the impregnated assembly while setting or curing the resin thereof into a structural member.
2. A method according to claim 1, in which the laminar sections comprise warp and/or weft threads and cushioning fibre layers.
3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the laminar sections comprise woven, knitted, felt or stitch bonded fabric.
4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the two sections are connected together by stitching.
5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the fibre reinforcing assembly is continuously assembled and the sections connected together while moving lengthwise past connecting means such as stitching or needling means.
6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the connected-together assembly is resin-impregnated to make a prepreg which is dried.
7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the sections are separated by inserting a tool and rotating the same.
8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which parts of one separated face of one of the sections are brought into contact by folding during the reforming to result in a projection from the original plane of the laminar section.
9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the resin is introduced by a vacuum-pressure impregnation technique.
10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the resin is a solventless resin.
11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the reforming step is carried out on a cut length of the impregnated assembly in a hot press of which parts come together to form the assembly to a desired shape.
12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the reforming step is carried out by passing the impregnated assembly through rollers after the fashion of rolling steel sections.
13. A method for making a fibre reinforced plastic structural member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14. A fibre reinforced plastic structural member when made by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.
15. A fibre reinforced plastic structural member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB08613974A 1986-06-09 1986-06-09 Fibre reinforced plastics Withdrawn GB2191443A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08613974A GB2191443A (en) 1986-06-09 1986-06-09 Fibre reinforced plastics

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08613974A GB2191443A (en) 1986-06-09 1986-06-09 Fibre reinforced plastics

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8613974D0 GB8613974D0 (en) 1986-07-16
GB2191443A true GB2191443A (en) 1987-12-16

Family

ID=10599181

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08613974A Withdrawn GB2191443A (en) 1986-06-09 1986-06-09 Fibre reinforced plastics

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2191443A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0502621A1 (en) * 1991-02-19 1992-09-09 British Aerospace Public Limited Company Progressive moulding of composite materials
WO2002042044A1 (en) * 2000-11-21 2002-05-30 Eads Deutschland Gmbh Technical production method, tension module and sewing material holder for creating textile preforms for the production of fibre-reinforced plastic components
EP1342556A1 (en) * 2002-03-09 2003-09-10 Airbus Deutschland GmbH Process for producing a fiber reinforced composite component

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0502621A1 (en) * 1991-02-19 1992-09-09 British Aerospace Public Limited Company Progressive moulding of composite materials
WO2002042044A1 (en) * 2000-11-21 2002-05-30 Eads Deutschland Gmbh Technical production method, tension module and sewing material holder for creating textile preforms for the production of fibre-reinforced plastic components
US7056402B2 (en) 2000-11-21 2006-06-06 Eads Deutschland Gmbh Technical production method, tension module and sewing material holder for creating textile preforms for the production of fibre-reinforced plastic components
US7507446B2 (en) 2000-11-21 2009-03-24 Eads Deutschland Gmbh Method of making textile preforms for the production of fiber-reinforced plastic components
CZ306276B6 (en) * 2000-11-21 2016-11-09 Airbus Defence and Space GmbH Ready-made technical process, tension module and sewing material holder for receiving textile preforms for the manufacture of fiber-reinforced plastic building components
EP1342556A1 (en) * 2002-03-09 2003-09-10 Airbus Deutschland GmbH Process for producing a fiber reinforced composite component

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8613974D0 (en) 1986-07-16

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